The Cigna Group’s Post

Community-driven initiatives play a crucial role in the social sector by bringing together individuals, organizations, and resources to address various community needs and challenges. These initiatives are often led by members of the community who are directly impacted by the issues at hand, ensuring that solutions are tailored to the specific needs of the community. Through collaboration and collective action, community-driven initiatives can create lasting positive change and empower individuals to take ownership of their own development. By fostering a sense of belonging and solidarity, these initiatives not only address immediate social issues but also build stronger, more resilient communities for the future. For the last 4 decades Vikasana has been following this and advocating this in the communities. #socialsector #socialwork #communityengagement #ngo #socialimpact

"When state agencies work closely with community-based organizations, they can further their reach and impact, promote equity, involve stakeholders and local residents in decision making, and better meet community and social needs. These efforts can diminish longstanding silos—in work, processes, and focus—resulting from narrow funding streams and complicated bureaucratic structures." #communityengagement #communitybuilding #communitypartnerships #onwardandupward #equity

So glad to see this evidence review on social capital. It's such a central concept in much of my work (as well as the subject of my MSc Dissertation and Churchill Fellowship back in 2011). Many of the projects I support actively increase some element of social capital through their work whether it's... - social or civic participation - social relations and support - reciprocity and trust/neighbourliness - formal and informal networks - group membership Given that people with higher levels of social capital: - are generally happier - have better mental health - have lower mortality rates - are less likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease and stroke it's a super important concept to focus on and measure and one which the VCSE sector is well placed to deliver on. #freelance #evaluation #learning #socialcapital I'm Sarah. I help social change organisations show the difference they make through evaluation and capturing learning. Let me help you share the great work you do.

Discussing livelihoods, community engagement is essential on various fronts, whether manifesting directly or indirectly. Direct engagement implies the active involvement of individuals at different stages to monitor, identify, support, and manage the resolution of social issues. Conversely, indirect engagement focuses on providing crucial mental support, fostering confidence, and facilitating access to social integration. Despite the unique social contexts shaped by the eccentricities of each country across the globe, overarching poverty-related challenges persist. Initiatives geared towards social support play a pivotal role in addressing these challenges, offering avenues for local market access that, in turn, enhance productivity. The global community must collectively work towards sustainable solutions for poverty-related issues, promoting inclusive development and resilience.

Digital inclusion - accessibility and affordability! Pilot led by the sector for the sector!

Building Better Opportunities provided joint funds of £605m from the European Social Fund and The National Lottery Community Fund to provide a pathway to employment for people with complex needs. As the programme comes to an end, the evaluation show over 130 grants were delivered to projects across England, with over 180,000 people across England supported through new opportunities to work. These results speak for themselves, and I’m proud of the difference #NationalLottery funding made to breaking down barriers to work and providing long-term support to tackle social exclusion. 73% of participants achieved at least one of the programme’s three main results, moving those furthest from the labour market towards employment. In summary the evaluation finds success in the aims to: ➡ Help the most disadvantaged ➡ Tackle social exclusion ➡ Be focused on the capability of each individual ➡ Lead to better coordinated services ➡ Create new opportunities for work. Find out more 👇 https://ow.ly/9ZGL50QumcK

The Safe Night Space is Perth’s only crisis, no barrier drop in service. 70% come to us escaping immediate FDV crisis and a majority have co-occurring MH and often chronic co morbidities. RPH and KEMH are key referrers to the SNS, along with the Police Watch House and City of Perth rangers. This space is at a critical juncture, closing in two weeks without support for a suitable building. The challenge of council approval and the City of Perth’s decision to discontinue the service without an alternative space - will result in disconnection of this critical service. We have seen a 90% increase in demand for the service since the beginning of last year - we are seeing increasing acuity present to the space. The risks of this service ending will present real risks for the 100’s of women who use the space each month. We are seeing increasing demand especially in groups of elderly women, women from CALD backgrounds and women post hospital discharge. Refuges are full and these women have no other options but to be on the streets or to return to unsafe home environments. Ruah Community Services

💡 Social capital: Evidence review and synthesis. We examined interventions that sought to improve community cohesion, social support networks and neighbourhood belonging. Between April and September 2022, we worked with the Centre for Thriving Places to review published and grey literature sources on: - Bonding capital (within a group): neighbourhood belonging, social support networks; and - Bridging capital (between groups): community cohesion. The review builds the evidence base on community wellbeing and social capital, and promotes the use of harmonised social capital measures to ensure wellbeing evidence is increasingly consistent, robust and useful. Find out more about the project: https://lnkd.in/dHWjdu6H #Wellbeing #SocialCapital #Review

Principles of Community Empowerment 12. Organizations: The degree to which different members of the community see themselves as each having a role in supporting the whole (in contrast to being a mere collection of separate individuals), including (in the sociological sense) organizational integrity, structure, procedures, decision-making processes, effectiveness, division of labor and complementarity of roles and functions. 13. Political Power: The degree to which the community can participate in national and district decision making. Just as individuals have varying power within a community, communities have uneven power and influence within the district and nation. 14. Skills: The ability, manifested in individuals, that will contribute to the community's organizations and the ability of it to get things done that it wants to get done, technical skills, management skills, organizational skills, mobilizations skills. 15. Trust: The degree to which members of the community trust each other, especially their leaders and community servants, which in turn is a reflection of the degree of integrity (honesty, dependability, openness, transparency, trustworthiness) within the community. 16. Unity: A shared sense of belonging to a known entity (i.e. the group composing the community), although every community has divisions or schisms (religious, class, status, income, age, gender, ethnicity, clans), the degree to which community members are willing to tolerate the differences and variations among each other and are eager to cooperate and work together, a sense of a common purpose or vision, shared values. 17. Wealth: The degree to which the community as a whole (in contrast to individuals within it) has control over actual and potential resources, and the production and distribution of scarce and valuable goods and services, monetary and non-monetary (including donated labor, land, equipment, supplies, knowledge, skills).   Partner up with BISRAT to empower our society for a better and a sustainable tomorrow. #bisratsquoteoftheday #sustainablefuture #community #empoweredcomunity #unity #wealth #organazation #trust #socialwellbeing

As Thanksgiving approaches, a lot of us tend to think more about gratitude, where and to whom we give, and maybe, how we can make more of a difference in the world. Here at Urban, we’re committed to making a difference through evidence. Specifically, getting facts and solutions into the hands of leaders - from on-the-ground activists to federal policymakers - who are best positioned to effect the kind of change that helps create a more just, equitable society. But how do individuals contribute to social change? Our experts found that increasingly, people give their time, expertise, and money through an informal group that’s united around a shared purpose – not through a nonprofit or business. These mutual aid groups - as well as social movements - require their own kind of support system to thrive. See what Urban’s Hannah Martin learned from three leaders in the mutual aid space and find out more about our work on the concept of the social sector infrastructure. Are you part of an informal group trying to make a difference on a particular issue? https://urbn.is/45HsIvk