The new Local Area Coordination independent evaluation completed by Wessex AHDN for the Isle of Wight has now been published.

The evaluation shows “statistically significant improvements in health status, health confidence and personal wellbeing for those receiving LAC support” and reflects on the “active ingredients” which make Local Area Coordination work.

The qualitative evaluation included four primary components: LAC staff interviews, interviews with people receiving LAC support, case studies provided by LAC staff, and a survey of other health professionals regularly involved with LAC.

Some of the comments from the interviews included:

“The help has been life saving for me as I was so low. She [LAC] helped me to open up and realise I can find help. She is lovely and I am so grateful for her kind visits.”

“No referral and no red-tape. It makes those ‘hard to reach’ people that every agency is trying to engage with take ownership and direction of what they want to change in their lives rather than us telling them what we think needs to change”

“The LACs provide an invaluable service.”

Read the full report here.

Research Network
On 15th February organisations working with ​Local Area Coordination programmes across the country came together on the Isle of Wight for a ​workshop focused on sharing methodologies, approaches and learning from data gathered so far. ​The day included​ planning how research and evaluation might be connected around Local Area Coordination to support and inform practice and strategy​. A short summary document has been collated from conversations at the event and is available here. 

IIDL exchange
Planning continues for the 2018 International Initiative for Disability Leadership exchange. As part of this event the Network is hosting an exchange ​with Inclusive Neighbourhoods and ​Thurrock between 28^th and 29^th May, ahead of the full exchange in Sweden. We already have several international visitors signed up to our exchange which will focus on the impact and contribution to long term reform of Local Area Coordination, highlighting the experience in Thurrock.
 
As well as collectively sharing and learning from each other our exchange will also include:

• An overview of Local Area Coordination in England and Wales
• Thurrock Council as a practical example of Local Area Coordination in action – The importance of effective, connected leadership, from design to delivery and ongoing service reform.
• Contribution to local re thinking of services and supports in local communities within strength-based context
• An opportunity to meet Local Area Coordinators and local people with an experience of Local Area Coordination
• An opportunity for participants to share their experiences with Local Area Coordination and systems reform– including expected participants from existing countries with LAC efforts such as Australia, Scotland, Ireland and possibly New Zealand, as well as Nordic countries with an interest.
• Explore the value and ongoing development of a national Local Area Coordination Network in England and Wales and opportunities to grow international collaboration and ongoing connection/sharing of resources

You can sign up for the exchange and find out more here.

Connecting Communities
We have been contacted by people organising these events to ask if any people with experience of Local Area Coordination can attend and contribute.

Details are below:
Working in partnership, the British Red Cross and the Co-op developed Connecting Communities services in almost 40 areas across the UK. The partnership will be sharing what they have learnt through a series of events between March and May. The events will look at what the partnership sees as working, as well as challenges they have faced.

The initial event was a webinar held on 13th March which will be followed by the following face to face events:

• Bristol (20 April), 
• London (27 April) and 
• Glasgow (1 May)

You can register for a face to face event here.

Through the events the partnership is interested in meeting people who help to address loneliness and social isolation and services who:

• target towards a defined cohort of people, such as: a certain age group, or people with particular  mental or physical health conditions, or in particular circumstances or who have shared experiences (e.g. being a carer, or, being bereaved);
• tailor support to an individual's circumstances and needs, including but not exclusively, their social connections;
• offer support which is time-limited (often with some flexibility), and aim over time to link individuals with wider opportunities and services in their communities.