Update from Nick Sinclair, Director of the Local Area
Coordination Network, and Tom Richards, Local Area Coordination Network Manager
Hello and welcome to the Local Area Coordination Network newsletter! Last month we (Tom and Nick) wrote our first joint introduction together and enjoyed it so much we’ve decided to make this a more regular feature! Expect to see even more insights into how we’re supporting the work of existing members and what we’re doing to grow the Local Area Coordination Network…
Speaking of expanding the Network (a handy transition into the Newsletter’s theme), we’d like to share a warm welcome to the 17 new Local Area Coordinators from Leicestershire, Derby and Nottinghamshire, who have joined the Local Area Coordination family recently.
Tom has had the pleasure of meeting with 15 new Coordinators from Derby and Leicestershire in a three-part Network induction. Hearing everyone discuss their diverse backgrounds, knowledge and ideas has been incredible, and really demonstrates the breadth and depth of talent we’re fortunate enough to have in our membership. There are so many commonalities in the challenges and successes Local Area Coordinators are seeing across the UK: whether the huge difficulties communities are facing because of the rising cost of living; the importance of really understanding someone’s vision for a good life; or building strong, reflective, citizen-led relationships. There’s never been a better time to work through what we’re struggling with together and to share what’s working well. It’s our practice and shared values that unite everyone in the Local Area Coordination Network, but it’s working together and learning from our shared experiences that will continuously develop our movement! Thanks to our new colleagues for sharing so many thought-provoking insights from your work so far.
Nick has spent a lot of the month focussing on our new site development with Nottinghamshire, as Barbara and Jay, the first two of Nottinghamshire’s initial five Local Area Coordinators, started this month. We had some great sessions exploring the history, vision, charter and principles of Local Area Coordination and explored lots of other resources about the theory in practice including the book Power and Connection which was published last year. It’s been great to see Barbara and Jay connect with Leicestershire (a well-established Local Area Coordination area) while they’ve been out shadowing with their neighbouring county. In addition to those inductions, we also held two more rounds of community-led recruitment under the leadership of team manager Paul and with the helpful insights of Steve (a neighbourhood development worker working closely alongside the LACs). This process literally just concluded today as we write this. Very exciting times in Notts. More to follow soon!
Enjoy the newsletter!
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Nick Sinclair and Tom Richards
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What Next for Strengths-Based Areas? by Alex Fox OBE
This paper was drafted by Alex Fox OBE for SCIE, TLAP, and Mayday Trust, and not only provides an update on their thoughts about strengths-based areas, but also adopts the language of strengths-based working. It is both a briefing and toolkit, discussing the key features of these areas as well as providing tables, statements and questions to reflect upon in order to determine where you and your area are on the path to becoming strengths-based. Read more here. |
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Mapping Self-Directed Support in Europe by Asel Kadyrbaeva
This report was created by the SKILLS project, now called the SDS Network, working in favour of allowing the individual as much control and influence over their care as possible. The paper explores the range of self-directed support systems which already exist across several European countries. Read more here.
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Safe Waiting During a Cost of Living Crisis
The Local Area Coordination Network recently hosted an online session to explore Safe Waiting During a Cost of Living Crisis. 51 Network members attended the event, and we explored causes and responses to the crisis, key concepts such as safe waiting and waiting in negativity, and contextually applying safe waiting in practice. Hearing everyone’s collective ideas, experience, insights and support for each other really demonstrated the power of connecting and learning together as a Network.
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Our Three-Year Strategy: Connect, Learn, Grow
We have now begun work on our three-year 2023-26 strategy, entitled Connect, Learn, Grow. These themes are, and will continue to be, the three pillars of the Local Area Coordination Network, representing our commitment to:
- Connecting Local Area Coordination practitioners, leaders and supporters of the movement across the UK and internationally
- Sharing the latest innovations in Local Area Coordination design and practice; findings from researchers and evaluators; and the collective knowledge, learning and experience of each Network member
- Increasing the number of areas with Local Area Coordination, to grow the awareness of the movement as a whole and increase the total number of people who can access the support of a Local Area Coordinator
We will continue to update our members and subscribers as the strategy develops, and will be asking members to share contributions and feedback on the strategy in early 2023.
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Vacancies
Community Enterprise Catalyst (Cheshire West & Chester)
£32,960 per annum 
37.5 hours per week
2-year fixed contract
Community Catalysts CIC are starting a piece of work in partnership with Cheshire West & Chester Borough council. They are looking to recruit a community enterprise catalyst to lead this new project, finding and mentoring local people and community organisations. Click here for more information and application details.
Closing date: 23rd November
Local Area Coordinator x2
Employer: Derby City Council
£36,928 - £40,478 per annum
37 hours per week
Temporary 6-month contract
Derby City Council are recruiting two new Local Area Coordinators to join their established team on a temporary six-month basis. Area to be confirmed. Find out more here.
Closing date: 22nd November
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Events, Training and Campaigns
On 30th November, the Wasan network are hosting an online session with David Jay - a community organiser with a background in physics and founder of Relationality Lab. He works in developing scientific methods for measuring relationship formation within social movements, in order to make this kind of work more visible and recognised so that it can be better funded and resourced. Find out more and sign up here.
A Better Way also have a few upcoming events that may be of interest. The first is their annual gathering on Thursday 1st December which will unite people from across their network to reflect on significant themes from the past year, as well as glancing over their future events programme. They are also hosting a workshop on Tuesday 13th December entitled "What Kind of Leaders Should We Be? Leadership and Well-being" which will look at a new, less commanding and less managerial style of leadership.
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Useful Blogs
The Time has come to Celebrate Local Leadership by Polly Lord
The time has come to celebrate local leadership - New Local
What is Relationship-Centred Practice? by David Robinson
What is relationship-centred practice? - Relationships Project
From a Ripple to a Wave of Connection: Our 2022-27 Strategy by Rich Bell
From a ripple to a wave of connection: our 2022-27… | The Cares Family
We are all Naturally Talented at Community by Fabian Pfortmüller
We are all Naturally Talented at Community - Fabian Pfortmüller
Building the Right Support... When Everything Is Broken by Tim Keilty
Building the Right Support - Tim Keilty
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How to get in touch
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