Coming together as a Network is at the very heart of Local Area Coordination. As a Network, we work hard to create spaces for people to connect, reflect, and learn from one another; the benefits of this are massive. This month, Local Area Coordination teams from across the country have been gathering in person to do just that. Last Friday, the North and Midlands teams met at York City Council, while on the previous Friday our members in the South convened at Kensington Town Hall in London.

Our Network Gatherings are one of the best bits of our offer in my opinion. They are an opportunity for Local Area Coordinators and managers to come together to share experiences, discuss common challenges, and enhance our collective learning. I always find them a really rich source of information, an inspiration, and a great way to truly understand what is working well and what could be even better. Both of the recent Gatherings saw really engaging conversations, fabulous peer support, discussions, and challenge, which is just what we’re trying to facilitate! One person from our South Gathering shared in their feedback: “I don’t feel alone and that others have similar challenges.”

Key topics in this round of Gatherings included reflecting on our 10 principles of LAC, leadership conversations, and evolving areas of practice. Practical exercises were particularly appreciated, with one person feeding back: “the exercises were great – well thought out & very useful.” Another reflected: “This has really made me appreciate my role even more.”

For me, these Gatherings always reaffirm the importance of coming together, not just to share knowledge, but to build a sense of belonging and common purpose too. It’s hard to describe the feeling at these events, as reflected by one person who wrote: “The value of these sessions is hard to articulate. Needless to say, it was very engaging, informative, and valuable.”

Thank you so much to everyone who attended and contributed to the sessions. We are already looking forward to next time!

Nick Sinclair,
Director of the Local Area Coordination Network