Local Area Coordination in England and Wales
November 2022
Updates on Local Area Coordination, the work of the Network and
the areas implementing Local Area Coordination.
In this month’s edition we’ll be covering:
- Hello and welcome
- Publications
- Safe Waiting During a Cost of Living Crisis
- Our Three-Year Strategy: Connect, Learn, Grow
- Vacancies
- Events
A note from from Nick Sinclair and Tom Richards,
Director of the Local Area Coordination Network and 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!
Nick Sinclair and Tom Richards