Did You Know that Durham Community Action run a range of health and wellbeing focussed networks?
The Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector has always been a key deliverer, planner and influencer of services that contribute to the health and wellbeing of individuals and communities. County Durham organisations work hard to tackle health inequalities and improve the lives of those living and working here.
As part of our role as a local infrastructure organisation, we lead a range of networks for organisations and professionals involved in health and wellbeing work. The aim is to bring people together, to share information, experiences and good practice, to provide peer support and to connect to the work of VCSE organisations across the County. Here’s an overview of the current health and wellbeing networks we facilitate:
Our Social Prescriber Link Worker (SPLW) Network is open to social prescribers in County Durham. It is an opportunity for them to connect with a range of VCSE projects and services, enabling social prescribers to refer people for appropriate support. These regular in-person sessions also give time for peer support and development for SPLW, and we are currently delivering training sessions to the network based on identified needs.
The County Durham Cree Network comprises forty Crees across County Durham, supported by DCA and Durham County Council's Public Health Team. The Cree project launched in 2011, originally based on the Australian Men's Shed movement (Cree being a term used in the traditional pastime of homing pigeons) and has evolved to offer a safe, communal space to men, women and young people who may be experiencing poor mental health, are at risk of social isolation, self-harm or suicide and those with general health and wellbeing needs. The Network meets regularly online or in-person.
The Community Growing and Food Network brings together like-minded organisations who deliver projects or have an interest related to growing and food. Network sessions are held bi-monthly, with a different theme for each session and a combination of online meetings and in-person events hosted at different sites of growing and food projects. There’s also a Facebook group organisations can join to connect between meetings.
The most recent, launched in 2023, are the Wellbeing Link Worker Networks (formerly Mental Health Link Worker Networks). These bring together organisations who support the wellbeing of individuals in various parts of County Durham. There are six different networks based on geographical locations, but together cover every area of the County. They meet bi-monthly with a mix of in-person and online meetings.
For more information about these and the other networks we run, please contact us on 01388 742040, by email or visit our website.
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