Thriving communities

Derbyshire County Council © Copyright 2015
Corporate Resources Presentation – 20 November 2015

Thriving Families is a programme that aims to
develop and grow a new approach to
working with our communities in Derbyshire.

Introduction
• Context and background
• Alison’s Story
• The case for change
• Learning From Thriving Families
• Thriving Communities Model

Context and background
• Supporting councillors to take on the role of community
leaders – key manifesto commitment and a key priority in
Council Plan
• Pockets of good support in some communities but this
not consistent or part of an overall framework
• Developed thinking on co-design and co-production
through Thriving Families
• Developing a collective approach to social capital
• Initial thinking of virtual teams taken place
• New model of working – trial approach which supports
the overall ambitions of the Council

Alison’s Story
What does the story make you think?
What’s surprising?
What questions does it raise?
Innovation Unit l Derbyshire County Council © Copyright 2015

Derbyshire County Council © Copyright 2015Innovation Unit l Derbyshire County Council © Copyright 2015
Alison’s 14 year old grandson lives
with her full time (unofficially) as he
is treated badly by his stepfather.
She has suffered financially
since the introduction of the
bedroom tax, despite using
every room in the house
regularly to provide respite care
for relatives.
Alison’s sister stays
most weekends with
her two autistic sons.
Innovation Unit l Derbyshire County Council © Copyright 2015

The case for
change

OUR COMMUNITIES
Family (diverse types)
Peer Networks
Community
Thriving Communities is commitment to
recognising that our communities and their
families are diverse and often require
support tailored to their individual needs
and aspirations.

OUR COMMUNITIES
Famil
y
Peer Networks
Community
District
County
‘GAP’
To meet this commitment requires us to
address the gap between our system of
provision and our diverse communities.
Partners
SYSTEM OF PROVISION

This ‘gap’ can characterised by a
number of key challenges
• Often slow and out-dated understanding of what people’s needs are
Our understanding of people’s needs in communities is often completely out of date
and based on regional, or even national data and intelligence
• Our understanding of need and provision often doesn’t reflect people’s lived
experiences
The types of information we know about our families doesn’t necessarily give us the
right kind of insight to identify what support we should provide
• Understanding what we already do
We often lack a clear understanding of what existing provision is being delivered and
whether it is effective – leading us to often continually invest in ineffective support
• Gap between our ‘theory of what works’ and ‘what works in practice’
Unrealistic service and support models or a lack of effective support for
professionals to adopt new ways of working
• Lack of shared ownership of service development
Developing support is often seen as a centralised activity for ‘policy makers’ reacting
to policy issues and not the responsibility of ‘practitioners’ on the front-line

OUR COMMUNITIES
SYSTEM OF PROVISION
Famil
y
Peer Networks
Community
This ‘gap’ limits the opportunity for
visible and effective community
leadership to take place
Elected
member

Community
OUR COMMUNITIES
SYSTEM OF PROVISION
Famil
y
Peer Networks
Supporting councillors to take on
the role of community leaders - key
manifesto commitment and a key
priority in Council Plan
Elected
member

In order to narrow this gap, we need to
find new ways of working that
strengthen relationship between each
level of the system.

OUR COMMUNITIES
SYSTEM OF PROVISION
Famil
y
Peer Networks
Community
District
Service to Service
Service to
community &
individual
Community to
community
We need to develop a collective
approach to growing and harnessing
social capital
A Key priority for Health and Wellbeing Board

OUR COMMUNITIES
SYSTEM OF PROVISION
Famil
y
Peer Networks
Community
County
Service to Service
Community to
community
Build on the pockets of good practice
we have across the county to create a
more consistent and effective approach to
working with communities Service to
community &
individual

OUR COMMUNITIES
SYSTEM OF PROVISION
Famil
y
Peer Networks
Community
District
County
Community to
community
Service to
community &
individual
Service to Service
Ensure that we support a more
networked (virtual) and joined-up way of
working across our partners

This gap doesn’t just limit how effectively
we work together, it impacts on the lives of
families in our communities.

Learning from
Thriving Families

A Radical Efficiency approach
NEW PERSPECTIVES ON
THE CHALLENGE
NEW PERSPECTIVES ON
SOLUTIONS
Developed by Innovation
Unit, supported by NESTA

1. Work collaboratively
2. Take a family-centred approach
3. Build on existing knowledge and insight
4. Challenge how the system works where appropriate
5. Active engagement of our senior leaders
6. Make things happen in our communities
Thriving Families Commitments

• Areas where we can identify and build
on existing resources
• Areas with strong existing networks
to work with and build on
• Areas with diverse families, needs
and aspirations
• Areas that require big structural
issues to be tackled
A focus on four localities

Thriving Communities Principles
We need to be…
• Always learning about families and communities, what works, how to do things
better.
• Human. Prioritise building relationships, take time to listen and understand.
• A positive force for change in the lives of families and across communities.
Proactive, not reactive.
We need to have…
• Trust & honesty that works in both directions. Keep our promises. Be dependable.
Admit mistakes. Be truly accountable.
• Practical & sustainable services, relationships and interactions that provide
consistency and are of real benefit.
• Agility & flexibility to respond to changing circumstances and try new ways of
doing things. Help families to have this too and support their transition points.
We need our services to…
• Meet real needs and get the basics right.
• Build community capacity to be able to take ownership of and pride in its future.
• Focus on family outcomes above all else.
• Form alliances and work in partnership, with families and each other.

Thriving Families identified the need for a
set of new frameworks to transform
how we work more effectively with
communities and families

Thriving
Communities Model

• Formalises a “Team around the Elected Member”
approach across the Council and introduces this to
partner agencies
• Builds on work that has taken place on Thriving Families
in four localities in Derbyshire (Cotmanhay, Gamesley,
Shirebrook and Danesmoor)
• Uses existing resources where possible, recognising
that some areas of greatest need may require additional
support
Thriving Communities Model

• Initially to be piloted in four areas across Derbyshire
over a two year period – currently looking at:
• Cotmanhay
• Gamesley
• Shirebrook
• Danesmoor
• An area in South Derbyshire
• Has a number of key elements some, or all, of which
could be applied in other communities across the county
• Connected team/team around the elected member
• Community “out and abouts”
• Thriving communities worker
• For the community, by the community
• Families supporting families
Thriving Communities – proposed model

Will link existing teams and groups of staff from
within Council and partner agencies to work
around the community and Elected Members
Key features
• Strategic Director lead
• Core Group
• Virtual staff and community networks
• Understanding of who is doing what and
where
• Community “out and abouts” led by Elected
Member
More ambitious features
• Shared understanding of need and provision
(shared needs assessment)
• Single community budget
• Joint investment/commissioning strategy
• Element of savings/funding ploughed back
into area
CONNECTED
TEAM

Core Group which comprises Strategic Director
for Community, local Elected Member(s), a key
senior representatives from DCC departments
and partner agencies
ADVISORY
CORE GROUP
WIDER
ACTION
GROUP
NETWORK
Wider Group - Made up of representatives
from DCC, district council, partner
agencies, businesses, voluntary
organisations working in local community
Involves everyone in community who is
interested in improving the area. Connected
virtually and meets one/two times a year to
discuss key community matters

The person who has the overview, time,
objectivity and flexibility to glue it all together at
a local level.
Key features
• Works to Strategic Director lead
• Member of the Advisory Group
• Links with Thriving Communities Workers in
other areas to share experiences, successes
and learning
• Understands the system, where to go, but is
not drawn into and suffocated by it
• NOT the local ‘problem solver’ or ‘go to’
person to sort out specific service related
problems.
• Moves on when system/behavioural
changes have been embedded and there is
a more positive and dynamic relationship
between local people and public services

In direct contact with
members of the Advisory
Group. Connected to
everyone in the ‘Team’.
Takes a lead role on the
community “out and
abouts”
Team around the Elected Member
Action Group
Advisory group

• A virtual team of locality based staff who act as a central
point of contact to resolve individual, family and
community issues
Key features
• Responsive, flexible and dynamic support
• ‘Can do’
• Link to Advisory Group - involving DCC and partner
agencies - for escalating issues
• Support community “out and abouts”
• Work across departmental and organisational
boundaries to solve problems/issues
• Elected Member pivotal community leadership role
Team around the Elected Member – in
practice

Aims to increase confidence and capacity in
the community by harnessing the good
ideas and enthusiasm of local people
Key features
• Welcoming and friendly places for
people to meet – possible new “bases”
but opening up of existing buildings
• Community researchers
• Volunteer mentor scheme
• Focus on “supporting to do”, not “doing
for”
• Locality specific solutions
FOR COMMUNITY
BY COMMUNITY

Aims to enhance the informal (and mostly
unrecognised) support in communities
Key features
• Supported by Thriving Communities
Worker
• Identifies individuals who want to, and
are able to support others
• Connects supporter families to those
requiring support
• Focuses on low level support which may
diminish as public sector resources
reduce
• Link into services through TCW where
support required is at a higher level
• Potential opportunities to train people
and support them into jobs
• Recognition and celebration of
supporters

OUR COMMUNITIES
SYSTEM OF PROVISION
FAMILY TO
FAMILY
FOR COMMUNITY
BY COMMUNITY
ADVISORY
GROUP
ACTION
GROUP
NETWORK
THRIVING
COMMUNITIES
WORKER
CONNECTED
TEAM

Will be looking at how can roll out across other non pilot
districts/areas through:
• Strategic Director/CMT Leads for districts looking at
whether can focus effort without without a worker
• Cabinet Member Leads tasked with
developing/taking forward opportunities in their patch
• Community “out and abouts”
• Virtual team approach – exploring how can develop
an online presence to connect staff across different
areas
Scaling up/Rolling Out the Model

• Get involved specifically at this stage in the four/five pilot
areas if you can
• Identify staff who work and could participate in each of
the pilot areas
• Contribute to community needs assessment
specifically thinking about who is using your service
• Identify what existing provision is taking place looking
at how much things currently cost
• Challenge us (if we are on the wrong track) and your own
department (about the way we do things)
• Be open minded and give it a go
Departmental “asks”

Thriving communities

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