People doing it for themselves – a new project

4 December 2018 · Categories: Innovators Learn

People who are older or disabled sometimes need care or support to live their lives. The help that people need can overshadow their skills, interests and talents and these can remain unseen and untapped. The money going into support is often misdirected and delivers poor outcomes. The waste of talent is a tragedy for the individual and impoverishes their communities.

Community Catalysts, supported by the Big Lottery, has developed a project to look at this issue. We want to better understand the conditions that enable people to believe in themselves and use their gifts. For example, to start an enterprise or group or lead change in their local community.

We want to use this learning to influence central and local government to create the conditions that will enable many more people to make a difference to their own lives and the lives of others.  We want to create the conditions for people to ‘do it for themselves’ whilst also challenging the stereotypes and stigma that stand in the way of people living their good life.

Our project is in two parts with phase one, the design phase, running from November 2018 to August 2019 and phase two, the development phase emerging later if phase one is successful.

In phase one we want to

• Engage a partner or partners who will help design an approach to gathering evidence of need for the project. More information
• Identify and engage people who are doing it for themselves. More information and in easyread and the organisations that help them
• Engage with public sector commissioners’ keen to develop a different strategy that commissions for people’s strengths. More information
• Produce a report which details the issues
• Bring together people into a co-production group
• Agree project aim, approach and outcomes for the second phase.

To get involved or learn more follow the links above or contact Project Manager, Angela Catley on 01423 503937 or email on angela.catley@communitycatalysts.co.uk

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