Service specification: community support grant to tackle rural isolation and loneliness
Information and service details for the community support grant for activities to tackle rural isolation and loneliness.
Description
This fund aims to support community and voluntary organisations to increase the participation of Uttlesford residents in providing services and activities, to help tackle the issues connected with rural isolation and enjoy the same quality of life as others living in urban areas. In a survey conducted by Essex County Council carried out in 2022, 5% of those living in rural areas surveyed said they were mostly lonely.
80% of the population live in rural settlements, putting Uttlesford in the top 12% most rural areas of the country.
This can make it more difficult for people to access services and general activities, especially younger and older individuals, who may not have access to a car or regular public transport.
Isolation is often defined as having little to no social contact, whether that is family, friends, access to services or community involvement. It can be both a physical and mental feeling. Social isolation can lead to loneliness, though this is not always the case. Rural isolation can be made worse by a lack of access to key services,such as poor transport services and/or key services that are based in urban areas rather than rural places.
Who is eligible for the service
All Uttlesford residents of all ages living in rural communities.
Aims of the service
The aim of this service is to improve services for people living in rural settings to avoid social isolation by:
- Empowering rural communities to develop community- led solutions that increase their resilience and sustainability.
- Supporting people to play a greater role in improving their communities and enhancing local quality of life.
- Helping to create a fair and inclusive society where rural villages enjoy the same quality of life as all others living in bigger towns..
- Encouraging effective partnerships with other agencies to work together to tackle social isolation among vulnerable people in rural areas.
- Promoting the sharing of information, best practices and expertise and to promote an increase in understanding of the cause of isolation in rural areas Increasing the number of people participating in activities.
- Creating greater access to services across the district.
- Providing support to groups at risk of social isolation.
- Supporting the Local Authority and partners to deliver improvements in areas of emerging need, for example, promoting community cohesion, equality of access, activities as a diversion from anti-social behaviour, raising educational standards, reducing crime and the fear of crime, sustainability and tackling climate change.
- Working in partnership with Uttlesford District Council, Essex County Council's Public Health Service, Active Essex, Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care Board, relevant voluntary sector organisations alongside town and parish councils to deliver services to a range of ages and interests.
- Establishing effective feedback mechanisms to inform the service and wider council initiatives.
Service user outcomes
People living in rural areas will be given the same level of service and information as those living in bigger areas.
Communities will be empowered to become self-sufficient and work together to benefit themselves and the area they live in.
Participation and feeling more connected to the local community.
As a direct result of the service more people will:
- be supported to access a range of social and leisure opportunities
- feel connected to local support networks and the community they live in
- feel less isolated and alone
What is included
Services and activities that empower rural communities to develop community-led solutions that increase their resilience and sustainability. We want to see thriving rural communities that contribute to a sustainable future.
We anticipate that a variety of events, workshops and activities will be provided to deliver these outcomes.
This may be existing services or activities that providing new ways of delivery to attract new participants/members, for example offering outreach or online sessions.
The services, activities and events should be mobile and able to be delivered in a range of locations and for a range of ages.
What is excluded
Religious or political activities, or activities promoting religious or political beliefs.
Statutory activities (activities that the organisation has a legal requirement to deliver).
Activities taking place outside the district.
Activities that took place before the project began or after the project ended, as detailed in the grant offer letter.
Activities that have already been funded through other public funding sources.
Requirements
The successful organisation must have:
- DBS checks
- a safeguarding policy
Key performance indicators
Outcome | Measured by | Target |
|---|---|---|
Decrease feelings of isolation | The impact your service delivery has on individuals to feel less isolated |
|
Provide support and services to groups at risk of social isolation | What unmet need or gap in provision this activity addresses |
|
Bring people together to build stronger relationships in and access communities | If you actively engage and have spoken to the people in your community for example, regular community consultation, surveys |
|
Meet local need and leave a legacy for the community | If your service/activity has been developed in response to what people have told you they need and is important to them |
|
Be sustainable long-term, with a clear vision or goal for their organisation and community | Activity will lead to further opportunities for your organisation or its beneficiaries for example, your activity will help to generate an income, enabling further investment in the community |
|
Services that are inclusive, accessible and collaborative. We are keen to understand how you work with other community groups and organisations, do you share resources or learning and ideas? This is an opportunity to demonstrate how you are connected with others to deliver collective change | Building greater relationships with other community and voluntary organisations. Evidence of shared skills and resources What relationships do you have with other external partners, stakeholders and funders Scope to share learning and/or replicate elsewhere |
|
Creating the right structures and conditions locally to support those affected by, or at risk of, social isolation. | Making connections - finding ways to reach and understand the needs of those experiencing social isolation Making a difference - providing services that directly improve the number and quality of relationships that people have Linking up - using support services such as transport and technology to help sustain connections The right environment - creating the right structures and conditions locally to support those affected by, or at risk of, social isolation |
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| Service feedback/impact overall | Evidence of reviewing the delivery model at least once a year and providing a written report to the Uttlesford Health and Wellbeing Board. This report should include:
|
Contract management arrangements
Monitoring
Meeting: Monitoring report on agreed yearly target.
Frequency: Quarterly reports to be supplied (April - June, July - September, October - December, January to March). Reports to be received by the 10th of the following month.
Operational
Meeting: Operational meeting with relevant working group of the Uttlesford Health and Wellbeing Board.
Frequency: Once a year.
Contract
Meeting: Contract meeting visit to see the service/activity and assess the impact it is having on a community.
Frequency: Six monthly.
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