兔子先生

Public health news: September 2024

Local Area Coordination:

• supports people to build connections, relationships and capacity that lead to active, valued citizenship and inclusive, welcoming communities
• is built on the values, assumptions and principles of active, valued citizenship, respect, contribution and opportunities for all people in our local communities
• focuses on supporting and nurturing the resilience of local people, families and communities through working to increase both the capacity of individuals and families and building more welcoming, inclusive, supportive and better resourced communities
• actively prevents and reduces exclusion and isolation and the needs that can arise from this

Local Area Coordinators work at 3 levels, the individual, family and community level, to support positive changes that:

• assist individuals and families to have valued and quality lives as contributing citizens within the community
• enable families and friends to remain an important and enduring support
• build the resilience and capacity of people and families within our communities
• support more welcoming, inclusive and supportive communities

Local Area Coordination and a coordinators practice are underpinned by 10 core principles.

Coordinators walk alongside people, encouraging them to recognise their own capabilities, gifts, community networks and the practical resources they already have around them before considering more formal supports and services.

Coordinators do not intervene, fix problems or do things for people, as we know from evidence that this takes away opportunities to learn new skills, and build independence and resilience.

To see this in practice, watch or any of the other videos about peoples experiences of walking alongside a Local Area Coordinator.

In South Tyneside we have 3 Local Area Coordinators each working in a specific area:

• Jackie Liddell - Biddick and All Saints Ward
• Claire Boden - Whitburn and Marsden Ward
• Marny Tewari - Primrose (including Jarrow Town Centre) Ward

Marny, Jackie and Claire were all recruited with people from their respective areas and are all now in post and getting to know their communities and the people in them.

Anyone in those communities can be introduced to a Coordinator, whether they make contact themselves, through a friend or through another organisation.

If you would like to know more about Local Area Coordination, or what to do if you would like to introduce someone from one of those areas please get in touch:

Hazel Cuthbertson
Local Area Coordination Manager
hazel.cuthbertson@southtyneside.gov.uk