A new report, released by ARCHES (Arts and Culture in Health Ecosystems) has found that although community organisations can reach people statutory services often fail to, they are usually “missing in health and wellbeing strategies”.
The ARCHES report, produced by Locality, Leeds Beckett University and Social Life, found that local community organisations, draws on examples from Bedford, Halifax, Birmingham and London.
The report found that local community organisations:
- Understand their people and places – ensuring their services are inclusive and culturally competent.
- Provide “whole person” support – understanding that people have multiple, interwoven needs that often emerge once someone feels secure.
- Are started and staffed by passionate local people and have partnerships with business and community leaders.
- Understand the importance of providing activities that do not patronise or stigmatise participants.
- Build on people’s strengths and interests as a first step to developing a relationship. This often involves engaging people through access to the natural environment or creative activity.
However, the knowledge and expertise of community organisations are seldom included in health service design, with projects parachuted in without considering local needs. Insufficient funding and reporting mechanisms stretch these organisations, forcing them to subsidise contracts, hindering their ability to provide specialised support and leading to burnout and staff turnover.
The report draws on examples from Bedford, Halifax, Birmingham and London:
- ACCM (UK) in Bedford supports girls and women affected by illegal traditional cultural practices, and addresses wider health inequalities. Many of the communities they serve are uncomfortable accessing mainstream health services, so ACCM organise inclusive events like their African celebration, providing a platform to engage people in health services and get them support from mental health workers and pharmacists in an informal setting. Trusted ACCM staff knock on doors and engage individuals to ensure they get help. Read the case study here: Arches-ACCM-Case-Study-Update.PDF (locality.org.uk)
- Halifax Opportunities Trust (HOT) provide help with employability, skills development, entrepreneurship, and family support. Recognising the limitations of the traditional classroom , HOT established a community garden as a way for adults & young people to acquire skills through practical experience in cooking, gardening, and social interaction. Read the case study here: ARCHES-HOT-Case-Study-update.pdf (locality.org.uk)
- St Pauls Community Development Trust in Birmingham provide a nursery, children's’ centre, school and city farm. Through accessing the different services over time, people build trusting relationships with local staff and volunteers, and improve their health and wellbeing. However, the loss of reliable funding is making it increasingly difficult to “knit-together” this holistic support. Read the case study here: . ARCHES-St-Pauls-Case-Study-update.pdf (locality.org.uk)
- Pembroke House in London provide safe, creative spaces and arts activities for their diverse community. While offering wrap-around services including health and nutrition, activities avoid an explicit health focus to mitigate stigma. Read the case study here: ARCHES-Pembroke-Case-Study-update.pdf (locality.org.uk)
To make the most of the value that community organisations can bring in health and wellbeing provision, they must be included in health system design.
This report echoes calls in Locality's manifesto for:
- Better cross-sector collaboration - including sharing of assets, spaces and resources.
- Fairer funding and commissioning that accommodates community organisations.
- Increase NHS budgets at Integrated Care System level going towards prevention by at least five per cent over the next five years. Key to this is a sustainable strategy and funding for social prescribing that prioritises community development and localised approaches.
