What are Community Connectors?
Community Connectors are individuals that are able to link people in their local community with activities and organisations that can help improve their quality of life. This can include linking people up with relevant wellbeing and health services, local community groups and organisation and social groups.
Community Connectors are given training and support to give them the skills needed to be able to talk to people about wellbeing, the things that they can do for themselves, and places to go to access help and support doing this.
How to get involved
We are looking to recruit people to be Community Connectors for within Coldharbour, Ferndale, Larkhall, Stockwell and Ferndale wards. This is a voluntary role that can be undertaken by people who live or work in the area. The Community Connector programme is designed to enable people who already are involved in volunteering in the community to take part and develop a new skill to complement what they do already. Examples of existing community roles would include:
- Street Champions
- Money Champions
- Befrienders
- Parent Champions
- Volunteers at health and community organisations that work in the five wards of Project Smith
The training programme lasts four days in total, and takes place during February and March 2017.
To become a Community Connector, you will need to attend all four days training, so please take this into consideration in terms of your availability if you submit an application.
The training is from 9.30am–3pm on the following dates.
Day 1 – Thursday 9 February 2017
– explains more about the programme, how you could be a Community Connector and what services are available.
Days 2 and 3 – Tuesday 21 and Wednesday 22 February 2017
– will cover wellbeing, health and behaviour change. At the end of day three will be the opportunity to gain a qualification, Level 2 in Understanding Behaviour Change, from the Royal Society of Public Health (RSPH).
Day 4 – Monday 13 March 2017
– the final day, is about putting things into practice and fitting being a Community Connector into your life.
To find out more please contact Fraser Serle on f.serle@nhs.net or 07720 601 048.
