Update from Nick Sinclair, Director of the Local Area
Coordination Network
Hello, and thank you for stopping by to check out this month’s newsletter. As always, a massive thank you to Rachel Tait for putting this all together so beautifully – you’ll see this month is absolutely bursting at the seams with news and useful information and I hope you enjoy the read.
I always seem to say this but…it has indeed been another busy month in the world of Local Area Coordination. It feels like since I last wrote we are witnessing a rapidly growing interest in what we’re doing. I’ve been having several conversations with new potential areas who are exploring the approach and helping them see what Local Area Coordination could look like in the context of their communities and systems. I think this growing interest is in recognition of the fact our public services desperately need to change things up in the face of the significant pressures facing our society today, not least of course the serious problems within social care, our NHS and the impact of the cost of living. In the wake of these crises, it seems totally clear now that local people need to be helping each other more than ever, finding natural solutions and opportunities through local relationships and connection with community. The balanced, proportionate and simple to access resource of Local Area Coordinators working in a highly local, relational and connected way within a community is absolutely part of what this public service change needs to look like.
So, what have we been doing this month to try and further the overall cause of Local Area Coordination? Here are a few key highlights:
- We are pleased to announce that we were successful in appointing our new Local Area Coordination Network Manager who will be supporting our Network to grow and develop our shared work. The recruitment process was incredibly tough and competitive with over 30 people applying for the role. We’re excited to share more about them next month!
- Les Billingham from Thurrock and I participated in giving evidence to the House of Lords Adult Social Care Select Committee enquiry that took place online. The testimony about LAC will go on to shape this important enquiry into the visibility of people drawing upon social care and the importance of asset-based working.
- Our videographer Alistair has completed our videos project. This includes reflections from the Local Area Coordination Managers and Team Leaders as well as two with York Local Area Coordinator Penny Hutchinson and two people she is alongside, Steve and Glynn. The videos are powerful reflections and stories and we are excited to launch these properly soon. We will launch them in less than 2 weeks. Watch this space and Twitter!
- On the 29th June, Sarah Bogunovic from Surrey and I will be sharing about Local Area Coordination at the Innovation Zone at the Local Government Association (LGA) Conference. More to follow on that next month.
A lot done, but a heck of a lot more to do as we continued in our mission to bring this way of working to more and more communities in England and Wales.
Thank you as always for your support and enjoy the newsletter.
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Useful publications inc. those on Local Area Coordination
and/or Asset Based work
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Citizens Rising
The Relationships Project has published a report that shares the stories and perspectives of young people involved in The Lookout on what’s needed to ensure that our recovery from the pandemic, as a society, takes into account their views, and the relationships that are vital to them.
Read the report
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Local Area Coordination and the House of Lords
The Local Area Coordination Network was recently approached by the House of Lords Adult Social Care Committee with an invitation to participate in the call for evidence as part of the inquiry, Lifting the veil: Removing the invisibility of adult social care.
The inquiry is considering the practical reforms and innovations that, by making care more visible, might enable the delivery of better care and support, and will reflect the ambitions expressed by Social Care Future: ‘We all want to live in the place we call home with the people and things that we love, in communities where we look out for one another, doing the things that matter to us.’
At the beginning of June, Nick Sinclair and Les Billingham, Director for Adult Social Care in Thurrock, spoke to the Committee about Local Area Coordination and the importance of co-production and strength-based approaches.
You can watch the full recording of this Committee session on Parliament Live TV.
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“Coproduction is more a mindset than a process. It’s about listening to people & doing things differently together”
Nick Sinclair
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LGA Annual Conference
At the end of this month Nick and Sarah Bogunovic, Head of Customer Strategy and Futures, Surrey County Council, will be speaking at the LGA Annual Conference as part of the Innovation Zone on Time for Local Area Coordination? Mobilising communities for change.
This session will showcase Local Area Coordination and share the experience of Surrey County Council's journey so far.
This is the biggest event in the LGA calendar and will include keynote speeches by:
- Michael Gove MP, Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
- Nadhim Zahawi MP, Secretary of State for Education,
- Lisa Nandy MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing, Communities and Local Government,
- Sir Ed Davey MP, Leader, Liberal Democrats
- Baroness Lola Young of Hornsey OBE, Crossbench Peer.
Find out more about this event
View the full programme
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Our Good Lives
This month the Network has been supporting our members with a wellbeing workshop, Our Good Lives, led by researcher Lowri Wilkie from Swansea University.
This workshop formed part of ongoing research by Swansea University around the impact of Local Area Coordination on the wellbeing of both Local Area Coordinators and those they are alongside.
They are currently looking for anyone who has experience of Local Area Coordination to take part in a quick survey of their experiences.
Take part in this survey
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What does Local Area Coordination mean to you?
Swansea Council are producing a series of videos from their Local Area Coordination team, asking "what does Local Area Coordination mean to you?". In this first video, Byron Measday talks about his role as a Local Area Coordinator in Morriston, Swansea.
Bryon is one of 115 Local Area Coordinators currently working across our Network in England and Wales.
Watch the English version
Watch the Welsh version
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“I can walk alongside people for as long as it takes to get to know them, to find out what their strengths are, what their dreams are, what it is that they would like to do, and what a good life would look like for them."
Byron Measday
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Loneliness Awareness Week 2022 - Sarah and Madonna's story
Local Area Coordinators in Swansea have also been supporting Loneliness Awareness Week by sharing the story of Sarah and Madonna who connected with the support of Local Area Coordination.
Watch the video
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Vacancies
Finance and Admin Manager
Employer: Community Catalysts CIC
 £30,000 per annum
37.5 hours per week
Flexible location with some working from the Harrogate Office.
The post reporting to the Director of Business Operations is responsible for budgeting, financial planning and forecasting as well as the day-to-day management of our financial transactions and procedures, our general administration structures and the line management of the admin team.
Closing date: 29th June at 1pm
Find out more
Community Enterprise Catalysts (Suffolk) (3 positions)
Employer: Community Catalysts CIC
£32,960 per annum
37.5 hours per week
2-year fixed term contract
Community Catalysts is looking for three energetic, imaginative people to lead the Suffolk Community Enterprise Project. You will support local entrepreneurial people and community organisations to offer new and creative options for people who need care and support to live the life they want.
To do this job you must:
- Understand the world of care – but maybe feel it could do with a bit of a shake up!
- Be a real people person – able to work well with all sorts of folks with confidence.
- Instinctively make connections – and join up dots that are sometimes less than obvious.
- Be able to spot what people are good at and nurture it.
Closing date: 5th July at 12pm
Find out more
Community Enterprise Catalyst (Stoke-on-Trent)
Employer: Community Catalysts CIC
£32,960 per annum
37.5 hours per week
2-year fixed term contract
The post reporting to the Director of Business Operations is responsible for budgeting, financial planning and forecasting as well as the day-to-day management of our financial transactions and procedures, our general administration structures and the line management of the admin team.
Closing date: 27th June at 1pm
Find out more
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Event: Social Care Future Gathering
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Integrated Care Systems
This video from the King's Fund sets out a broad overview of how health and care will work through new Integrated Care System structures. Watch the video
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How to get in touch
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