Strengthening Communities – the strategic framework Sharon Longworth Senior Commissioning Manager, Essex County Council

No society has the money to buy, at market prices, what it takes to raise children, make a neighbourhood safe, care for the elderly, make democracy work or address systemic injustices… Professor Edgar Cahn, US civil rights lawyer and inventor of time banks....The only way the world is going to address social problems is by enlisting the very people who are classified as ‘clients’ and ‘consumers’ and converting them into co-workers, partners and rebuilders of the core economy.

Why strengthening communities? People who are personally resilient, and live in inclusive, mutually supportive communities, generally have better outcomes and a better quality of life The public sector cannot continue to provide services at the level it has in the past  Quite simply, it cannot afford to  To decrease demand on public services, people will need to turn to each other for support

Changing mindsets Shifting relationships and expectations Creating the enabling conditions, so that:  People and communities, wherever possible, have choice, control and responsibility for their lives and the issues that affect them - helping themselves and each other  Public sector plays a contributing but decreasing role over time, as part of the wider community

The Enabling Conditions Effective Communication Recognise and build on what already works well Remove some of the barriers to community-led action Enable people to link into, enhance or replicate existing activities Encourage and support individuals to act Creating stronger communities by building independence and shifting expectation Wherever possible, people and communities, have choice, control and responsibility for their lives and the issues that affect them Public sector plays a contributing but decreasing role over time, as part of the wider community

Asset-Based Community Development Community Commissioning Community Connections Volunteering Strengthening Communities: Our starting point in Essex Creating stronger communities by building independence and shifting expectation

Asset Based Community Development Map Community Assets Map Community Assets Identify Community Priorities Leverage Assets Generate new skills and ideas Generate new skills and ideas ABCD Identifying abilities, skills, capacity of individuals Using these to build independent strength before drawing on external resources – people finding their own and shared solutions Shifting the emphasis away from a reactive, service driven approach – towards prevention & early intervention Sustainable approaches – because the ideas and skills come from the communities themselves Focussing on the positive dimensions of community life, in all its facets

Community groups Lunch clubs Interest groups Self-help Social media and websites Linkedin discussions, Twitter, Facebook... Community websites e.g. Private sector Chambers Business networking groups Employers’ networks Public sector Statutory panels Inter-authority groups and committees Third sector Infrastucture orgs VCS Forums Volunteer centres Community Connectors  Building on strengths identified through ABCD  Creating networks, establishing links where they don’t yet exist  Brokering relationships and encouraging people to find their own solutions, get involved in volunteering or local action  Acting as a support resource, overcoming barriers to involvement, linking in to community commissioning £ Community assets Connecting people to resources and each other in their communities

Satisfaction  New skills  Friendship  Purpose  Variety  Fun  Highlighting the personal benefits for volunteers, overcoming the barriers Using agencies and volunteer centres to recruit and coordinate specialist volunteers Co-ordinating volunteer training and support Changing the image Effective Communication and Promotion Volunteering Identifying more opportunities

Community Commissioning Encouraging and enabling sustainable community-led activity; supporting a different relationship between public, private, voluntary and community sectors through:  A joint strategy for working with the voluntary and community sector  With a particular focus on commissioning and collaboration to catalyse and sustain local activity to strengthen communities  Establishing a new sustainable funding mechanism  Stimulating new community-led activity, building capacity

A reality check – some challenges to overcome The changes we are seeking to make are not quick or easy Willing (and reluctant) citizens who don’t take action –because it’s too difficult, they don’t know how, or they don’t think they should Unsustainable activity –that ends because funding ceases and alternative resources aren’t found –that isn’t replicated because learning is not shared, connections not made, possibilities not identified A diverse voluntary and community sector –struggling to access funding, needing to build capacity and find new ways of working, individually and collaboratively

Reflection and discussion  Does your organisation already work in this way?  Do you think your organisation should or could support facilitation or support community activity?  Overcoming the challenges – how might we better: –Encourage and support individuals to act? –Recognise and build on what already works? –Enable people to link into or replicate successful activity? –Remove some of the barriers to community-led action?