Visits For Socially Isolated Older People
Aged Care Volunteer Visitors Scheme (ACVVS)
Connecting Cultures, Reducing Isolation
Our project, ‘Aged Care Volunteer Visitors Scheme’ (ACVVS), funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care, brings warmth to the lives of older Australians from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds. Our bilingual volunteers provide much-needed companionship to over 190 older people each year in their own homes or at residential facilities across Adelaide Metropolitan areas.
With over 35 years of impact through MCCSA, it’s a service we’re incredibly proud of – and it’s free!
We need you!
We urgently need volunteers who speak:
- Bosnian
- Croatian
- Dutch
- French
- German
- Greek
- Hungarian
- Italian
- Latvian
- Lithuanian
- Maltese
- Persian
- Polish
- Portuguese
- Russian
- Serbian
- Slovak
- Slovenian
- Turkish
- Ukrainian
- Vietnamese
Do you speak one of these languages? Your skills can change lives.
The languages we need continually change depending on the needs of recipients. If you speak a different language, please still get in touch!
Why it matters?
Research highlights significant challenges faced by older Australians, particularly those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds:
- Social isolation can lead to poorer physical and mental health outcomes
- Language barriers can make it difficult to access services and maintain social connections
- Loss of connection to cultural communities and traditions can impact wellbeing
For many older people, especially those who speak languages other than English, isolation can be severe. Some may have:
- Few or no family members in South Australia
- Friends who have passed away or can’t travel
- Limited English, making communication difficult
Our volunteers make a real difference by:
- Visiting at least twice a month for one hour
- Staying connected through postcards, email, phone or video calls when face-to-face visits aren’t possible
- Providing crucial social connections in the older person’s native language
- Offering feedback about the wellbeing of residents, especially in facilities where no one else speaks their language
What our volunteers do
- Visit at least twice a month
- Converse in the older person’s native language
- Share stories and cultural experiences
- Enjoy various activities together, such as:
- Listening to music from the older person’s home country
- Reading community newsletters
- Watching familiar TV shows or movies
- Sharing a coffee or tea
- Engaging in craft activities
- Going for walks together
- Playing cards, dominoes, or board games
- Enjoying musical instruments
Benefits of volunteering
- Use your language skills in a meaningful way
- Experience the joy of companionship
- Speak your native language regularly
- Make a valuable contribution to society
- Stay connected with your community
- Make a real difference in someone’s life
- Build connections in the Adelaide area
- Engage in rewarding and purposeful activities
- Gain experience in aged care
- Boost your confidence and personal skills
- Fulfil Centrelink or study requirements
- Find happiness through helping others
Becoming a volunteer is easy
- Contact our coordinator, Maggie Asaad
- Attend a relaxed interview and orientation (about 1 hour)
- Complete necessary paperwork (we provide a free police check)
- Get matched with an older person in need of your support
Our coordinator will learn about your background, personality, abilities, and interests to ensure a suitable match. You’ll have ample opportunity to ask questions.
We may already have a resident waiting for a visitor, or you might need to wait a while for a suitable match.
Our Volunteers
MCCSA’s Volunteer Visitors are aged 18 to 80 years, from various ethnic backgrounds and all walks of life, including retirees, job seekers, and working people. The majority of our visitors speak at least one language other than English. Many were born outside of Australia.
The most important qualities for volunteers are:
- Commitment and reliability
- Kindness, generosity and compassion
- Ability to focus on another’s needs
- Ability to accept responsibility for growing the friendship
Ready to Volunteer?
Contact ACVVS Volunteer Coordinator, Maggie Asaad:
Need a friendly visitor?
If you or someone you know* could benefit from our free service, please reach out:
*If you are an aged care provider and wish to refer a client, please click here
Available throughout the Adelaide metropolitan area.
The History of ACVVS
Pioneering culturally sensitive care
Established in 1989, MCCSA’s visitors scheme was the first of its kind in Australia. Our ‘Aged Care Working Party’ identified a critical need for culturally appropriate support for isolated older people in nursing homes. Our successful trial led to the creation of the national ‘Community Visitors Scheme’ (CVS).
On July 1, 2023, CVS expanded and was renamed the Aged Care Volunteer Visitors Scheme (ACVVS) in response to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety Recommendation 44c, reaffirming the nation’s commitment to improving the lives of older Australians from diverse backgrounds.
The impact of your support
By volunteering or donating to MCCSA, you’re helping to:
- Reduce social isolation among older Australians
- Preserve cultural connections for older people
- Improve quality of life for those in aged care
- Build a more inclusive and compassionate community
Testimonials
“It is delightful to see my two clients because they always welcome me with big friendly smiles. They appreciate having a conversation with someone who speaks their language… We share experiences and I learn from them too. This experience of doing something positive at a personal level for the community has been amazing, and has given me a great sense of joy and immense satisfaction”
Marie, ACVVS Volunteer
“I am very pleased with MCCSA’s ACVVS Program; it has assisted many of our residents to have socialisation… The positive impacts are holistic and the residents look forward to their new connections. The ACVVS Program adds value to people’s lives and provides them with opportunity to have company of another person; it touches their hearts, their minds and their souls. It’s a proven theory that socialisation enhances the quality of a person’s inner self.”
Annemarie, Aged Care Facility Staff Member
Volunteer Case Studies
Meet some of our incredible ACVVS volunteers
