A Worcestershire County Council Public Health Community Wellbeing Grant has helped Beyond the Hoard CIC strengthen its volunteer programme, enabling more people affected by hoarding behaviours to access support, build connections and improve their wellbeing.
Beyond the Hoard CIC was established to support people living with hoarding behaviours and hoarding disorder, providing free-to-access services and practical support within communities. With an estimated 15,000 people across Worcestershire affected by hoarding behaviours, the organisation recognised a growing need to expand its reach, recruit more volunteers and raise awareness of the support available.
To achieve this, the organisation needed the right foundations. A Community Wellbeing Grant enabled Beyond the Hoard to invest in essential digital infrastructure, creating safe and secure ways to manage information while also providing volunteers with access to training and e-learning opportunities. The funding helped unlock its ability to recruit, train and support a growing team of volunteers, ensuring they had the tools, knowledge and confidence needed to support residents affected by hoarding behaviours.
The impact of this investment can already be seen through the experiences of the volunteers themselves. One volunteer, who now helps facilitate support groups and provide practical decluttering support, described how the training and mentoring gave them the confidence to develop new skills and support others:
”I have received one-to-one mentoring, online and in-person training to enable me to assist the support groups and I started decluttering under close supervision.”
They also reflected on the personal benefits of volunteering, saying:
“It makes me happy to offer time and skills I no longer needed after retiring and to gain new knowledge.”
Another volunteer explained how volunteering has allowed them to support both the organisation and its clients while developing their own understanding of hoarding behaviours:
“I really enjoy being part of this team. It’s a sense of giving back and developing my own skills and knowledge within hoarding.”
The grant has also helped attract volunteers with a wide range of expertise, and by investing in volunteers, the project is delivering benefits far beyond the individuals directly involved. People affected by hoarding behaviours are gaining access to peer support, practical help and social connection, while volunteers are developing new skills, building relationships and finding renewed purpose through supporting others. The organisation now has stronger foundations to continue expanding its services and reaching more Worcestershire residents who may otherwise struggle in silence.
Most importantly, the impact will continue long after the grant has been spent. Through new skills, training, mentoring and improved systems, Beyond the Hoard has built lasting capacity within the organisation. A growing, confident and well-supported volunteer workforce will help ensure that more residents affected by hoarding behaviours can access support for years to come.
If you have an idea that could improve the health and wellbeing of people in your community, why not explore a Worcestershire County Council Public Health Community Wellbeing Grant and see how your project could make a lasting difference: Community Wellbeing Grants | Worcestershire County Council