SERVICE DETAILS
What is a Network?
A Network has up to 10 people in it. The 10 people live near each other and they are known as network members.
Network members can live in their own home, be looking to move into their own home one day or still live with family but would like to be more independent. Each network is supported by a Community Living worker who lives in or around the same area.
The support from the Community Living Worker is flexible, this means it's there when members need it and not when they don't. The proximity of the Community Living Worker means that they are able to intervene prior to a crisis and will identify the need for additional or specialist support quickly.
What does the Community Living Worker do?
The Community Living worker is employed 16 hours a week in the Network. The Community Living Worker must live in the same area as the network and know all the resources within their communities, they are professionals as well as a neighbours. The role is to support members to become active citizens.
Community Living workers negotiate with the members when they need support both individually and within the group. The support is responsive and tailored to the individual, this could be day, evenings or weekends.
Members are encouraged to get on with each other, offer support to each other and develop new skills which can be shared with each other as well as the wider community.
Community Living Worker will help people to understand their responsibilities such as rental agreements and utility bills to ensure peoples homes are not at risk.
What is a Network Manager?
- A Network Manager is there to support and manage the work of the Community Living Workers in their area.
- They work full-time hours.
- The work closely with the Community Living Workers and know all of the members within their networks.
- Managers can provide extra support if there is a crisis, or provide support where specialist help might be needed.
- Network Managers are there if you need to speak to someone urgently and can’t speak with your Community Living Worker.
Support...
The purpose of the Network is to bring out the skills and strengths of the individual members in each Network and encourage those people to use those skills to help others in the Network, encouraging mutual support amongst all members.
The Network and its Community Living Worker should also be a way of members connecting with their own community, which will in turn increase their circle of friends, increase their own skills, ensure they are less isolated, and hopefully narrow the divide between people who receive services and other people in the community.
Who can benefit...
Neighbourhood Networks emphasises the importance of providing preventative models of support, and opportunities for mutual support, to vulnerable people who might otherwise receive no support at all and thereby run the risk of entering significant but nonetheless avoidable crises in their lives. Its has its roots in notions of the renewal of neighbourhoods and wider communities as places where people don’t just share the same streets but actively co-operate with each other for mutual advantage.
The difference we make
Members of Neighbourhood Networks get the flexibility and responsive support to:
- Keep their independence and to carry on meeting their own personal care needs.
- Form more friendships and relationships beyond family and paid staff.
- Find work and take part in ongoing learning.
- Do more things in and contribute more to their community.
- Take the decisions that are important to them.
- Be safe and free from harm.
With each local authority making a decisive shift towards preventative approaches as discussed within the’ Social Services in Scotland – A shared vision and strategy 2015-2020’ you may be interested to know that each network offers positive social return on investment. Evidence has shown that for every £1 invested in Neighbourhood Networks £2.37 is gained for the public purse in year 1, rising to £2.46 in year 2.
If you would like to know more about Neighbourhood Networks, please contact Donna Hegarty, Development Manager, on 0141 440 1005 or email donnahegarty@neighbourhoodnetworks.org and we will make arrangements for a presentation meeting which will take approximately 1 hour.
For further information about our networks, or to discuss setting up a new network, please get in touch or a chat.
