Neighbourhoods
Our neighbourhoods can be the building blocks of change. They are places we can connect and engage across multiple communities, services, businesses and citizens. Focussing on Barne Barton and St Budeaux we led an engagement process that brought together over 25 local people that resulted in the community designed and implementing initiatives themselves.
Keen to support, we responded to a call from health colleagues to help ease winter pressures on our local Emergency Department. Data revealed high attendance from a single Plymouth neighbourhood. Recognising the area's history of service fatigue and community disengagement, we knew a different approach was needed.
Through conversations with local groups and creative outreach at community events, we brought together over 25 residents and a few service providers to co-design collaborative action. We led a 16-week co-creation process, beginning with the Map of Belonging. Residents developed ways to tackle loneliness and isolation, and were paid for their time and insights.
Read our reflections and detail of the process here.
The process, guided by relationships, led to a core group of volunteers forming a community organisation. They've launched The Buzz newsletter, hosted two mobile drop-ins using a Health Research Van, and booked another via Plymouth Citybus' community vehicle. They also run inclusive games nights, drama and music events, and design accessible sessions informed by lived experience of neurodivergence and disability.
The group continues to meet regularly, applying for further funding as they grow in confidence and act as a living laboratory of Asset-Based Community Development.