Community Alcohol Partnerships’ Post

If you know us, you’ll know we are passionate about preventative approaches to health, and we believe the voluntary and community sector (VCS) are best placed to address many of the root causes of the issues that affect communities the most. ❤️🩹 So, you can imagine how thrilled we are to be part of MyEnds: a London-wide programme that empowers grassroots organisations taking hyper-local and preventative approaches to support young people at risk or affected by violence, delivered by London's Violence Reduction Unit. 🧩 Over the past few months, CSC has been facilitating workshops with 9 borough-based consortiums* funded by MyEnds to co-produce Community Needs Assessments (CNA). Through the process, we've worked with over 100 youth practitioners to understand how they can leverage community assets (e.g. statutory and VCS partners, key infrastructures, community spaces) and open-source data to maximise the impact of their interventions. *Boroughs include Barking & Dagenham, Brent, Croydon, Haringey, Islington, Lambeth, Lewisham, Southwark, and Tower Hamlets. 📊 The outputs of the CNA include site-level reports and a digital mapping tool developed with our technical partner, plinth. Once finalised, we will hand over the tool to the consortiums to own and update over the two-year delivery period. 💫 We're loving our role nourishing creative partnerships between grassroots organisations. Grassroots organisations are the best (read our blog on why here: https://lnkd.in/dqFZAVym) and when they come together, it’s magic 💫 ❤️ Like if you agree that grassroots organisations need to be supported and leveraged across all contexts!

📢 Important Update: Keeping Children Safe, Helping Families Thrive The UK government has released a pivotal document titled "Keeping Children Safe, Helping Families Thrive." This comprehensive strategy outlines new measures aimed at improving the well-being of children and families across the country. The focus is on early intervention, stronger family support systems, and safeguarding children to ensure they grow up in safe, nurturing environments. By addressing root causes and providing tailored support, the initiative aims to prevent harm and empower families to thrive. This is more than a policy document—it’s a call to action for all of us working in education, social services, healthcare, and community support. Together, we can make these goals a reality and contribute to a society where every child feels safe and valued. I encourage everyone to review this document and think about how we can align our efforts with this vision. Collaboration is key to driving meaningful change. Let’s work together to build a brighter future for children and families. What are your thoughts?

In 2021, I chaired a large grant review process for Movember. They were seeking to fund programs in the first responder and veteran spaces that showed some initial promise at preventing mental ill-health or suicide. This direction was based on the findings from my 2019 scoping review that showed no/poor evidence for all of the existing programs (DM me your email if you want a copy). Out of that granting process, 15 programs were funded in 7 countries (Germany, UK, Ireland, Canada, USA, New Zealand, and Australia). These projects are coming to the end of their initial funding and some of the findings are beginning to emerge, including this qualitative piece from the Irish project that examined ways to prevent mental ill-health in the families of first responders and how they can support the health of first responders themselves. Congrats to Michelle O'Toole and team. You can read the paper here (it’s open source): https://lnkd.in/gKFivaFq “FM are often unheard, hidden members of the first responder community in Ireland, highlighting an unmet need for FR organizations to acknowledge FM role in supporting FR and to provide them with the appropriate training and resources required. Training for new recruits needs to move beyond the tokenistic involvement of FM and encourage knowledge sharing among experienced and novice members. Cultural change is required to support help-seeking among FR and foster a sense of peer support and community among families.”

As a manager I know the importance of looking after myself and my team in order to have an engaging work life. A healthy, happy team is the cornerstone of a productive workplace, and that starts with mental and emotional well-being. But it is also important to extend this view outside of the work environment. I realised that I also need to have this role outside of work to make a difference in someone's life. I’ve recently taken on the role of an Independent Visitor with Barnardo’s, a charity dedicated to supporting young people. This role involves being a consistent adult presence in the life of a child or young person who is in care, offering them mentorship, guidance, and friendship. For me, this is an opportunity to give back and make a difference beyond the workplace. It reminds me that the care we give ourselves and others shouldn’t stop when we clock out—it can also be a chance to uplift those who need it most in our communities. You can see more about this role here https://lnkd.in/ebieM4R2 In addition to this, I’m taking part in a sponsored walk to support Barnardo’s efforts even further. It’s another small way I can contribute to a cause I believe in. It is a 350,000 step challenge, that is one step for every young person currently being looked after by Banardos. If you'd like to support or learn more, feel free to reach out! https://lnkd.in/eU2P6bfZ I encourage anyone with the time and passion for helping others to explore opportunities like this. The impact you can have is profound, and the rewards are more than just personal fulfillment—they ripple out into the world. How are you extending your support and care beyond the workplace? #WellBeing #GivingBack #Leadership #IndependentVisitor #Barnardos #MentalHealth #CommunityImpact

Exciting Announcement: The RESHAPE Restorative Justice Programme to Launch in 2025! The Cornmarket Project is pleased to announce the development of RESHAPE – Recognising Societal Harm and Promoting Empathy – set to roll out in 2025. Inspired by our participation in the EU Erasmus+ ROUTE Programme—a collaborative partnership between Italy, France, Finland, and Ireland that promotes Restorative Justice as a means to address harm and foster accountability—RESHAPE is grounded in the principles of Restorative Justice and Motivational Interviewing. This innovative programme is designed to create lasting change in the lives of participants and the communities they impact. What sets RESHAPE apart is its focus on teenagers and young adults aged 16 to 24, recognising the unique challenges this age group faces. The programme will empower participants to: • Take accountability for their actions. • Develop empathy by understanding the harm caused to victims, families, and communities. • Achieve meaningful and lasting behavioural transformation. Central to the RESHAPE process is the inclusion of victims’ voices, which are vital for fostering genuine empathy and understanding. By incorporating victim participation, anonymised impact statements, and real-life case studies, the programme ensures that those who have caused harm fully appreciate its impact. This approach deepens accountability and supports meaningful pathways to repair harm and rebuild trust. We look forward to sharing more updates as we progress with this transformative initiative in 2025. #RestorativeJustice #YouthEmpowerment #RESHAPEProgramme #MotivationalInterviewing #BehaviourChange #VictimVoice www.cornmarketproject.ie

Dyspraxia Awareness Week The closure of the Dyspraxia Foundation was a significant setback for the dyspraxia community in the UK. In light of this, Dyspraxia Week has become even more important, as it serves as a critical opportunity to raise awareness and offer support to those affected by the condition. Dyspraxia Awareness Week 2024 will take place from October 7th to October 13th providing a platform to highlight the challenges faced by individuals with dyspraxia, promote understanding, and advocate for better resources and support. By getting involved in this week, whether through online campaigns, community events, or simply spreading the word, we can continue to fill the gap left by the Dyspraxia Foundation and ensure the voices of those with dyspraxia are heard. #DyspraxiaAwareness #DevelopmentalCoordinationDisorder #InclusiveEducation #SupportDyspraxia #UnderstandingDyspraxia #DyspraxiaStrengths #DyspraxiaChallenges

Attention all fellow funky little guys! We're launching a much-needed support group for all our amazing 2S+NBGNC pals! But we need YOUR help: to ensure that this group meets the diverse needs of our community, we're asking individuals* to fill out our quick survey. We need YOU to let us know what YOU want from this space. 📝 Survey's open 'til April 30th, so don't snooze! Link in bio and also 😴 And THEN, our first hangout is on Thursday, May 6th, 6-7:30 PM CST at The Aliveness Project™. PM myself for questions. (along with D. Anderson, we’ll be your group facilitators!) And PSST: masks are a must for our in-person shindigs, 'cause your safety is our priority! 😷💫 Full Details: - Please only fill out the survey if you are planning to utilize this service and are a member of the 2s+NBGNC community. - This space is for individuals 18+, with possibilities for intergenerational connections at specified dates and times. - This group is supported by Aliveness MN but led by peers in the 2S+NBGNC community - No cost to attend or show up to these events - Volunteers needed, but not to start the group! Let us know if you’d like to bring snacks, lead a session, or anything else - Dates & times are already solidified - Thursdays from 6-7:30 PM Take the survey: https://lnkd.in/gu-XA_xf #NewSupportGroup #FillOutTheSurvey #CommunityLove #JoinTheFun #AlivenessMN #SurveySquad #Nonbinary #TGNC #transgendersupport #nonbinarysupport #nonbinarygroup #outsidethebinary #nonbinaryisvalid #nonbinaryisbeautiful #twospirit #gendernonconforming

Highlights • Family members feel like hidden members of the first responder community. • Organizations should consider family members as allies in their supportive roles. • We facilitated a novel dialogue between unrelated first responders and family members

Today I had the opportunity to stand alongside the Minister for Care, Stephen Kinnock, at the CCN Conference and make the case for improving outcomes for working age and lifelong disabled adults in England. Our new report with the County Councils Network shows that if we enable working age and lifelong disabled adults to have better and more equitable access to the right education, employment, and housing opportunities, they can lead ‘gloriously ordinary’ lives. In addition to better outcomes, this would also enable them to develop the skills to more actively participate and contribute to their local community through work, volunteering, and education. Our research shows that there is a strong financial imperative for doing things differently - unmitigated, forecast overall expenditure on support for working age and lifelong disabled adults will be 50% more per year – or £6bn more – for England by 2030. I hope that this report helps to shine a light on how support for working age and lifelong disabled adults can be improved, and lays the ground for a follow up next year which will explore potential approaches in more detail. 

💡 Peninsula Health Care District Invests Over $1.2M in Community Health PHCD is awarding $1,265,039 to 28 organizations in 2025! Focused on Preventive Health, Mental Health, & Healthy Aging, this funding empowers nonprofits to improve lives in San Mateo County. 🗣️ CEO Ana Pulido: "Together, we're amplifying our impact and building a healthier community." 📋 Highlights: ✅ $1M funding increase since 2007 ✅ Support for preventive care, mental health, and aging services 🌟 Full details and grantees: https://lnkd.in/gwH5-FC4 #CommunityHealth #SanMateoCounty #HealthFunding