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Spotlight on how Access Social Care is empowering communities in Gloucestershire
Access Social Care is a charity providing free legal advice and education around social care rights. Cal Fedash, the charity’s Head of Communications and Marketing, outlines how your organisation could get involved
With drastic cuts to legal aid and an overstretched social care system, too many people are left without help. In many cases people aren’t even aware that they have a legal right to support. We’re looking for organisations who are interested in improving legal outcomes for people and communities and there are many ways to get involved.
Local community hubs
In Gloucestershire we have worked with local partners to establish community-led hubs to challenge this issue head on. The hubs enable us to reach people who aren’t currently seeking advice, but who urgently need support. At the hubs, we can help people understand their legal rights and empower them to access support.
We could not have done this without our partners: Building Circles, Crossroads Care Gloucestershire, Gloucestershire Rural Community Council, Guideposts Trust, Inclusion Gloucestershire, North & West Gloucestershire Citizens Advice and The Friendship Cafe. Building Circles, Crossroads Care Gloucestershire and Inclusion Gloucestershire also function as our community-led hubs.
These relationships have been vital for this work.
They have helped us by sharing hyper local information, so that we can co-produce culturally appropriate training and information sessions. They’ve also helped us develop our services and information by highlighting any gaps and co-producing new content with us.
AccessAva
Our partners also host AccessAva, a free digital service designed to guide users through social care issues step-by-step which makes complex legal rights far less intimidating and puts knowledge directly in people’s hands. AccessAva is a growing part of our work, helping organisations reach more people, earlier, and with better outcomes. You can take a look here: AccessAva - expert social care legal support available 24/7 | Navigate Your Rights
Although digital technology can sometimes be a barrier to access, our data demonstrates that we have had uptake from all parts of the community and from all age ranges - which goes some way to overturn the myth that older people don’t use tech!
Having said that we know some people might be put off by a digital service and our hubs are an ideal place to help with that as staff and volunteers can help navigate the system with the person who wants to use it.
Strategic collaboration
We have also benefited hugely from having Barnwood Trust as a strategic partner and a funder. They have helped us to build networks in the county including connecting us with the Adult Social Care team at Gloucestershire County Council. This relationship has flourished over time, and we have learned how to work together to share our data and insight in the interest of improving social care policy and practice. This in turn improves outcomes for people who draw on social care in the county.
Get involved with our hubs!
We’re looking for organisations who are interested in improving legal outcomes for people and communities and there are three main ways to get involved.
1. You can signpost to AccessAva as a resource
2. You can host AccessAva on your website
3. You can join our steering committee
We recently held a community gathering where we launched a plan that we would like to bring to fruition with the help of a steering committee. We are looking for more people to join so that this group can increase the impact of this work in the county and help raise funds to pay for it.
Please feel free to get in touch with us via email.
Learn more on our website here.
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Our members work together to make lasting, positive change within local communities. Membership is free for VCSE and statutory organisations delivering services in Gloucestershire. By joining us, local organisations become part of a wider community and are able to access a range of enhanced benefits above and beyond our usual fully-funded support. You can find out more on our membership page.