VOLUNTEERS from West Devon are being sought for an innovative project — the first of its kind to take place in England. Age Concern Older Offenders Project (ACOOP) offers social care, advice and support to older offenders, both in prison and within the wider criminal justice system, at Dartmoor Prison and Channings Wood, Newton Abbot. It is the first project in England that addresses these issues, working in partnership with prisons, probation trusts, other voluntary and community groups and prisoners and their families. A presentation on the project is due to be held in Okehampton on May 19. Age Concern Okehampton and Torridge is encouraging West Devon residents to volunteer and support every aspect of this project. Chief officer of Age Concern Okehampton and Torridge, Barrie Duke, said: 'This is an outstanding opportunity for local people of all abilities to work together and make a real difference in the lives of older people. 'A lot of hard work has gone into planning and gaining the funding for this project. 'I would encourage anyone who is interested to come to the presentation, experience the enthusiasm that already exists for this challenging initiative, and join the growing number of volunteers.' An initial community based two-day training course will be provided for all volunteers, including subjects such as personal health and safety and confidentiality. The aims of ACOOP include promoting community safety, help protect the public, reduce re- offending, less isolation and encourage socialisation. ACOOP will initially work in Dartmoor and Channings Wood prisons — starting with an over 50s group in each prison in May. The group will run every two weeks until sufficient numbers of volunteers are involved, when it is intended to run a weekly group. ACOOP serves the South West of England, being an initiative developed by Age Concern Regional Support Services, a charitable company comprising the 34 Age Concern organisations in the region and Age Concern England. Age Concern identified the need for this work due to the number of older people entering the criminal justice system, which has trebled in the past 20 years. Approximately 10% of prisoners are aged over 50, and institutions and organisations often lack the resources and specialist knowledge to meet older people's health and social care requirements. The informal presentation is being held on Monday, May 19 at 7pm in the Exeter Arms, East Street, Okehampton.
