Active and Connected Communities
A third sector-led community and citizen-centred approach to improving health and well-being in Pembrokeshire has had a funding boost from Arwain Sir Benfro. The Community Connectors service is a key element of a 2-year programme piloting this approach to health and well-being.
Arwain Sir Benfro – the Local Action Group (LAG) for Pembrokeshire, administered by PLANED have provided funding of £176,227 to Pembrokeshire Association of Voluntary Services (PAVS). This is funded through the LEADER programme, which is part of the Welsh Government Rural Communities – Rural Development Programme 2014 – 2020, Funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the Welsh Government.
There are three elements to the preventions programme:
- Community Connectors
- Active Citizenship
- Community Resilience
The preventions model will be delivered by Pembrokeshire Association of Voluntary Services (PAVS) working in close partnership with Pembrokeshire County Council and Hywel Dda University Health Board. Pembrokeshire has an ageing population and this is set to continue to rise over the coming years, with the largest increase being for the age group 85 years and over, projected to rise by 93% by 2030.
According to the Pembrokeshire Older Persons’ Strategy document published earlier this year, “Living in the Community” and “Social Participation” were amongst the top five priorities identified by older people in Pembrokeshire.
The pilot hopes to:
- Achieve the “shift left” towards early action and secure upstream efficiencies
- Improve individual and community well-being through an assets based approach
- Help people to make prudent choices and live healthier lives
- Improve local access to information, advice and assistance
- Deal with referrals in a timely manner at the first point of contact
- Develop a model based on local and national best practice and share learning
- Meet the requirements of the Social Services & Well-being (Wales) Act 2014
Arwain Sir Benfro is currently supporting project ideas from local community groups, organisations and businesses. As the Local Action Group for Pembrokeshire, Arwain Sir Benfro brings together a mix of local community representatives, business, third sector, local authority partners to administer the LEADER fund.
LEADER funding is supporting all kinds of activity: mentoring, training, feasibility studies or pilot projects that test innovative new ideas, benefiting the county and contributing to a competitive, productive and sustainable local economy.