Tom reflects on his recent experience of completing the West Highland Way and the comparisons he was able to draw with the journeys of people who Local Area Coordinators have walked alongside.

Across the UK big-picture conversations have been ignited about the future direction of the country. The opportunity is there to create a missing layer of support in our communities, which we’ll be exploring further through the theme ‘LAC of the Future’ at our National Gathering in September.

Micky, the main carer for her husband Tony who lives with dementia, was introduced to Local Area Coordinator Lisa after appearing overwhelmed while attending a friendship café alone. This story illustrates how by listening deeply, working relationally, and introducing support preventatively rather than in crisis, Local Area Coordination can create lasting, person‑led change.

Nick reflects on his recent visit to Halifax, Nova Scotia, with Derby Local Area Coordinator Dave Oliffe, for a Global Leadership Exchange ‘Match’ focused on Local Area Coordination.

A project that will focus on evaluating and strengthening ‘Safe Waiting’, a core Local Area Coordination practice.

How can Local Area Coordination be explained within the time it takes to have a brief journey in a lift? This question formed the starting point for our ‘LAC in a lift’ exercise at the LAC Network spring gatherings this year. 

Earlier this month, Local Area Coordination teams up and down the country celebrated Local Area Coordination Week, giving us the chance to stop and recognise the difference that this work makes every day.

At a time when many services are under pressure to do more, do it faster, and do it with less, there can be a pull towards standardisation that prioritises process over people. Local Area Coordination offers a different kind of consistency: one that holds firmly onto values and approach, while remaining flexible and responsive in practice.

The Local Area Coordination Team in Havering reflect on what makes Local Area Coordination such a unique and powerful support to people.

Nick Sinclair, Programme Director at Community Catalysts, asserts what makes Local Area Coordination unique is not what is done, but how it is done.

This month, we collaborated with the National Innovation Centre for Ageing (NICA) to host a ‘Neighbourhoods for Living Well’ event, reflecting the growing interest in neighbourhoods as a place for health creation and change.

The Local Area Coordination Network are delighted to celebrate the publication of ‘Rebuilding local support systems – person by person, place by place: international advances in Local Area Coordination’ by Eddie Bartnik, Ralph Broad, Nick Sinclair, and Dr. Sandhya Duggal.