Thriving communities

Our key priorities:

Invest to grow a strong network representing all our communities to help with integration challenges and design solutions with professionals

Develop high quality spaces in the community where professionals and volunteers can work together to provide joined-up support and inclusive services

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Being socially connected helps us live longer, healthier, and happier lives. But it isn’t just our family ties, close friendships, or group membership that make a difference. Having connections and building networks with neighbours and the wider community helps us feel part of something and gives us a sense of belonging. Networks with community spirit and purpose can make a whole community a better place to live.

Having friends and social support plays an important role in increasing resilience to illness, helping recovery and improving wellbeing.

Dorset’s Voluntary and Community Sector

The community roots of the VCS bring a vital point of view to the planning and design of public sector services. This viewpoint increases the chance of successful partnership working in communities. The links between the sectors increases the support available, and improves the strength and stability of the services that are developed.

Working in partnership and building on the communities’ strengths creates trust. This trust enables services to fit the local need more appropriately. Services that fit better are more efficient and economical, and meet the communities’ needs more directly.

1 in 4 people volunteer regularly

Neighbourhoods play an important role in building local networks: businesses providing goods, services and employment, town and parish councils representing communities, and patient groups who provide a voice for people at GP practice level. Working together with all elements of our communities we can make a difference and improve the quality of life for everyone.

The work of the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) is extremely varied. It can cover wide areas of Dorset, or small villages and streets. It can offer support to everyone, or focus its work on small groups and individuals.

VCS activities can also cover all kinds of interests and needs. These can include arts, faith, culture, finance, environment, sport, social care, health, heritage, advocacy, advice, and more. The VCS works with individuals, families and communities, and people of all ages.

The scale and variety of organisations in the VCS offers many opportunities for them to work together, as well as with public and private sector partners. There is a strong desire in the VCS to work more closely with the public sector to meet the needs of local communities.

“The Dorset VCS Assembly was created in 2022. It aims to provide a point of
contact and connection for the VCS, and a link to partners in the public sector.
The Assembly gives space for the VCS to talk together and share ideas and issues.
It also provides VCS representatives for meetings with partners, and is a
contact point for engagement with those partners.”

Jon Sloper – CEO, Help and Kindness

0
voluntary organisations in Dorset
58%

Health and
wellbeing

28%

Community
development

23%

Social care

50%

of the population have
volunteered at least once

15%

Dorset’s workforce
in the VCS

0
voluntary organisations in Dorset
58%

Health and
wellbeing

28%

Community
development

23%

Social care

50%

of the population have
volunteered at least once

15%

Dorset’s workforce
in the VCS

£700m

economic contribution of
volunteers in Dorset

£560m

value of hours given by
volunteers approximately

£640-£940

total annual income of the VCS in
Dorset approximately

From our 100 Conversations work it is clear what keeps us well can often be found close to home. It’s having family, friends and support close by. You also said that when you aren’t well, it isn’t just health and care services that were important. The integrated care system provides an opportunity to really embrace what it would mean to be community driven, working in partnership with people, communities and the voluntary sector; our goals are similar.

Many of the current challenges facing communities – cost of living and access to food, mental health, loneliness and isolation – are being met with a strong community driven response with food banks and warm spaces.

In mental health prevention, formal services have realised that working directly with communities can have a much bigger reach. The Light on campaign taking action to improve men’s mental health works with more than 300 local businesses, all passionate about making a difference. A small amount of funding from health services has enabled a far greater reach and impact by trusting a key community asset – our business sector.

In the very real challenge of social isolation and loneliness an innovative charity Chat Café Local has been providing the space and time for people to meet up and simply share stories, building empathy and emotional resilience. Since its launch in February, the charity has helped nearly 3,000 people. The charity is expanding with new cafés opening in Dorchester and Weymouth.

“Loneliness underpins everything – addiction, the need for support – people can
start to see everyone as the enemy if they are stuck with loneliness.
The only thing that heals people is letting them tell their story.
We are inviting people to come and have a cup of tea and tell
their story.”

Anne Anderson – Founder, Chat Café Local

“Look at the work of the CAN Wellbeing Collaborative.
It’s so important. We connect people to personalised
information and support from local charities and
community services, so they can live their best possible
life at home.”

Karen Loftus – CEO, Community Action Network

Going forward:

1 year

3 to 5 years

5+ years

We continue to involve communities in
designing solutions to our challenges. The
100 Conversations project we started to help
develop this strategy grows into an active
network. People in this network are keen to help
design solutions to the challenges of delivering
inclusive services to all.

The integrated care partnership places great
value on working with communities. We
recognise they are best placed to understand
challenges like poverty and loneliness, but we
also know communities need help and resources
to tackle these challenges.

The Voluntary and Community Sector Assembly
becomes an important way to carry out this
work with communities. The assembly helps
us identify how to work together to tackle the
challenges.

We start to identify priority areas for support,
understanding what communities need to be
able to deliver those services.

Integrated care in Dorset works hard to bring
people and professionals together. There are
more opportunities to deliver formal health
services alongside volunteer support. We involve
people and communities at the start of plans and
projects to improve care.

When designing new care offers, we value what
each partner brings. Professionals have more
time to focus on clinical support. People feel
better supported in their wellbeing from the
voluntary and community sector.

There are new and creative ways of involving
people in care and support. This even reaches
people who may have never accessed support
before. Working with communities has increased
people’s interest in their health and wellbeing.

In some areas, new health spaces are being
designed with the community that offer a range
of support. These wellbeing hubs focus first
on what the community needs. Access to high
quality health services is there when needed, as
well as a range of other support.

Health and care organisations use their power
as local employers to offer a route to good jobs.
There is a focus to ensure this help goes to
neighbourhoods most in need.

Several community wellbeing hubs are now
providing support to people and families. Local
people lead and run these hubs working in
partnership with professionals. Hubs provide
a focus for a vibrant network of community
support. They support people to keep them well
and work hard to build trust. They are welcoming
spaces where people feel at ease and are
treated as equal partners in their care.

Councils also recognise the strengths of
communities. There are more opportunities
to deliver a wider range of council and health
services through these hubs. More communities
are running these spaces, including some
libraries and community centres. People access
a wide range of services, from paying council tax
to getting early help for families. More support
is on hand from volunteers or professionals if
needed.

People working in these services know how
to work with people putting them at the heart
of any decisions. ‘Nothing about us without
us is for us,’ is at the heart of this. People feel
respected and trusted as equal partners. They
are more willing to look for solutions in their
support network first.

Going forward:

1 year

We continue to involve communities in designing solutions to our challenges. The 100 Conversations project we started to help develop this strategy grows into an active network. People in this network are keen to help design solutions to the challenges of delivering inclusive services to all.

The integrated care partnership places great value on working with communities. We recognise they are best placed to understand challenges like poverty and loneliness, but we also know communities need help and resources to tackle these challenges.

The Voluntary and Community Sector Assembly becomes an important way to carry out this work with communities. The assembly helps us identify how to work together to tackle the challenges.

We start to identify priority areas for support, understanding what communities need to be able to deliver those services.

3-5 years

Integrated care in Dorset works hard to bring people and professionals together. There are more opportunities to deliver formal health services alongside volunteer support. We involve people and communities at the start of plans and projects to improve care.

When designing new care offers, we value what each partner brings. Professionals have more time to focus on clinical support. People feel better supported in their wellbeing from the voluntary and community sector.

There are new and creative ways of involving people in care and support. This even reaches people who may have never accessed support before. Working with communities has increased people’s interest in their health and wellbeing.

In some areas, new health spaces are being designed with the community that offer a range of support. These wellbeing hubs focus first on what the community needs. Access to high quality health services is there when needed, as well as a range of other support.

Health and care organisations use their power as local employers to offer a route to good jobs. There is a focus to ensure this help goes to neighbourhoods most in need.

5+ years

Several community wellbeing hubs are now providing support to people and families. Local people lead and run these hubs working in partnership with professionals. Hubs provide a focus for a vibrant network of community support. They support people to keep them well and work hard to build trust. They are welcoming spaces where people feel at ease and are treated as equal partners in their care.

Councils also recognise the strengths of communities. There are more opportunities to deliver a wider range of council and health services through these hubs. More communities are running these spaces, including some libraries and community centres. People access a wide range of services, from paying council tax to getting early help for families. More support is on hand from volunteers or professionals if needed.

People working in these services know how to work with people putting them at the heart of any decisions. ‘Nothing about us without us is for us,’ is at the heart of this. People feel respected and trusted as equal partners. They are more willing to look for solutions in their support network first.