Community Networks

New Prospects have developed a system of Community Networks. Networks are created around the interests, passions and geography of members. 

Four people join a network and each pay £40 per week - this pays for a network facilitator – a well connected, thoughtful worker who can offer good unobtrusive support. Community Networks foster a real sense of connection, ownership and belonging – sometimes lacking in one to one support.

The job of the network facilitator is to help network members plan, find things in the community they can get involved in and encourage network members to share their skills and talents with each other and the community. Members support each other by swapping skills ‘you help me reading my post and I’ll do your garden’ - often things which people may have had paid support to do. 

Network members are guaranteed to get £40 worth of support from the facilitator but with the support of network members and some shared support from the facilitator, £40 goes a long way.

The publisher is The Centre for Welfare Reform.

Community Networks © New Prospects 2013.

All Rights Reserved. No part of this paper may be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher except for the quotation of brief passages in reviews.