Vision
County Durham Together is about working with communities, especially those most in need, making sure they are at the heart of decision making, building on their existing skills, knowledge, experience and resources to support everyone to thrive and to live happy, healthy and connected lives.
County Durham Together animation transcript.pdf
Our partnership is built around the County Durham Approach to Wellbeing. and we have identified a number of ambitions to help us achieve our Vision:
Working better together
- joining up data and intelligence to better understand and respond to local needs
- pooling resources and joint commissioning
- identifying and maximising the impact of existing assets and resources while reducing duplication
- streamlining pathways “step up and step down” of support
- streamlining community engagement, participation and involvement
- securing a more sustainable voluntary and community sector
Doing with, not to, and sharing decision making
- Changing our relationship with communities to make sure they have a more equal voice in decisions that affect them, and greater say over the design of policies, services and initiatives
Being asset-focused
- proportionately targeting our collective resources to the people and communities that need them the most, building on existing community assets and resources
- considering the economic, environmental and social aspects of our impact on communities to boost social value and build community wealth
- working with statutory services to develop strength and asset-based approaches to working with communities
Empowering our communities
- making sure they have up to date information to help themselves and each other
- making sure that the voice of County Durham is heard in regional forums including new and emerging forums such as the Integrated Care Board
- making sure that people living in vulnerable circumstances are protected
Building resilience
- Working with services and communities to raise awareness of issues such as domestic abuse, debt, social isolation and loneliness so they are better able to recognise the need for help at early stages and know where to access support
- developing a skilled and sustainable workforce (including the voluntary workforce) who are able to meet the needs of residents at the first point of contact and signpost them to statutory services swiftly as required
- improving pathways between communities, voluntary and community sector and public sector services to connect people better with the help and support they need at an early stage, preventing the need for crisis intervention
Let’s Talk County Durham
‘Let’s Talk County Durham’, is a new consultation and engagement platform that offers residents more ways to participate in decision making that affects their area.
People visiting the platform will have the option to create an account that will make it easier for them to get involved, keep a record of their feedback and follow the progress of projects that interest them.