News items from November 2017
6/11/17: Improving adult social care through Knowsley Better Together
Knowsley Better Together is a way of working that sees the council working with residents, businesses and partners more than ever before.
The approach works by developing informal ‘deals’ which set out what each party will do in order to deliver a shared goal.
As part of Knowsley Better Together, the council is encouraging the development of micro enterprises to meet some of the adult social care priorities in the borough as well as offering residents greater choice when choosing who they want to work with their loved ones.
Bids of up to £500 have been invited to either enhance existing services or help new ones to launch.
Since its introduction in April 2017, the Adult Social Care Micro Enterprise Fund has approved seven applications which are helping to deliver a range of valuable services. These include:-
- Sight and Mind Community Interest Company (CIC) who are supporting residents with dementia by providing training, advice and information to carers and family members so that they have the skills and knowledge to act as a champion for their loved one during events such as hospital admission and hospital discharge. The grant funded a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check for the project co-ordinator and insurance to ensure legal requirements are met to deliver this service.
- A grant to the Young Adults Respite Service which is helping to fund essential Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks and insurance to help set up a new project offering residential breaks to young disabled adults (aged 18 to 35) who live in Knowsley.
- The Women’s Room project which has been founded to support local women who have been in abusive relationships offering tailored support to their needs and help them to become more reliant and less isolated.
- An information drop-in event hosted by PLC Activities at Vee’s Place to inform residents of the range of activities available to local people including social and leisure, education and learning, transport and health and wellbeing courses to enhance quality of life.
- Jewellery craft workshops are being arranged by Age UK Mid Mersey for older people in Knowsley, helping to improve cognitive dysfunction and memory problems, whilst also learning new skills.
- The Easy Read Service, delivered by the Big Group, ensures that information is available in an easy read format. Easy read training, aimed at health and social care support agencies, will help agencies to produce easy read materials for people with learning disabilities and their families.
- Million Stars run courses in their outdoor classroom aiming to encourage individuals to reduce their dependency on technology, prevent social isolation and improve their wellbeing. The grant will be used to contribute towards upgrading catering equipment (which is currently a small domestic barbeque), helping to increase the number of participants taking part as well as reducing delays (and increasing anxiety) in meal preparation.
Cllr Chris O’Hare, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, said “Through this fund, we aim to promote independence and wellbeing in communities. This fund is all about turning ideas into action; it really is a fund to get things moving. If you have an idea around supporting people with adult social care needs, I would encourage you to find out more and bid which could help you to turn your idea into a reality.”
Cllr Andy Moorhead, Leader of Knowsley Council, added “As you can see, we are helping to achieve more by working together. That’s what Knowsley Better Together is all about – we have a shared outcome for adult social care in that we want people to remain independent for longer and improve people’s wellbeing but we can’t do that in isolation. Everyone can play their part and together, we can have a positive impact.”
3/11/17: Knowsley Better Together - Community Environmental Challenge Fund
Knowsley Better Together was launched in June, which sees the council working in partnership with residents, businesses, partners and the voluntary sector – more than ever before.
Informal ‘deals’ between the council and other parties will be established, outlining what both parties will do to achieve a shared goal.
As part of Knowsley Better Together, the council has allocated £300,000 for community groups to work with their local Councillors to deliver environment improvements in their area – this is called the Environmental Challenge Fund. Councillors in each of the Council’s 15 wards and across the four townships (Kirkby, Huyton, Halewood, Prescot/Whiston/Cronton) have access to funding that will lead to environmental improvements and positive behavior change in their communities.
Over the last three months, the Council’s elected members have worked with groups to develop proposals for the Fund. A number have already been approved and the groups are already making a positive impact in their local communities. These include:-
- Page Moss Public Spaces Project for the purchase of trip rails and site cleaning equipment to be used by community groups to clear open land site and detract fly tipping in the area.
- St John’s in Bloom is a partnership initiative between Innovate Volunteering, local shops on Manor Farm Road and local residents which will see volunteers making hanging baskets, working with local school children at Sylvester School, which will then be on display in key locations in and around the St Gabriels ward in Huyton. The aim is to develop community spirit and community pride in the area whilst also brightening up the local area.
- Northwood Community clean up has been allocated funding to contribute towards the purchase of equipment, including skip hire and litter picking equipment, to carry out community clean ups in key locations in the Northwood ward of Kirkby. It is hoped that ‘friends’ group will be also be established to take a lead on keeping key spaces free from environmental crime including litter, graffiti and dog fouling.
- Inspirational Renovation at St Margaret Mary’s Junior School which will see the creation of an inspiring outside space for pupils including an outside classroom, plus a range of different areas including horticultural, eco, science, a beach volleyball space along with a miniature Shakespearian theatre, taking The Globe in London as their inspiration.
Cllr Andy Moorhead, Leader of Knowsley Council, said “I’m delighted with the number of enquiries and submissions we’ve received where people want to work with us in order to improve their local area. I know that my fellow councillors have received positive feedback about the work going on in their areas, as well as the community spirit that has developed as residents come together to tackle the issues that will have a big impact locally. I look forward to further work funded by the Environmental Challenge Fund in Spring and Summer 2018 so I’d encourage residents and community groups to speak to their councillors to see what can be delivered when we all work together and take action in our neighbourhoods.”
To find out more, visit www.knowsley.gov.uk (and search for Knowsley Better Together) or email [email protected]