Social services are designed to improve the wellbeing of persons within the community who may be in vulnerable or in disadvantaged situations. This Award honours social services programmes that foster social inclusion in the community, ensuring that persons in vulnerable situations are supported and fully included, responding to their unique needs and preferences.
Examples of applications may include:
- Community social inclusion programmes addressed to specific populations;
- Targeted programmes for specifically vulnerable neighbours that put vulnerable people at the centre;Neighbourhood and community care approaches for all populations;
- Social regeneration programmes of neighbourhoods and communities;
- Co-produced programmes with specific communities that make people who use services active participants in planning, delivery, and evaluation;
- Integrated community social inclusion models that, in particular, support vulnerable population groups, such as:
- Compassionate communities or cities programmes (‘caring communities or cities’) in life-limiting illness, caregiving, grief, or loss;
- Child friendly cities and community programmes that support the fulfilment of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child particularly with the most vulnerable children;
- Accessible friendly community programmes that support the fulfilment of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, particularly with the most vulnerable;
- Ageing friendly cities and community programmes that in particular support community care, social participation and inclusion of older people in vulnerable situations.
Coffee and Community: Tackling Rural Isolation
Organisation: Rural Coffee Caravan
Country: United Kingdom
Website: https://ruralcoffeecaravan.org.uk/
The Rural Coffee Caravan project addresses isolation and loneliness in rural areas that often lead to feelings of disconnection in communities. The project organises mobile information cafés that serve complimentary coffee and tea to locals. More than just a coffee stop, the Rural Coffee Caravan provides a platform for people to receive support tailored to their needs, whether it is engaging in meaningful conversations, sharing stories, or accessing information about local resources and support services to help people live happy healthy independent lives. Over the past twenty years, this grassroots approach has supported a significant number of people in rural communities, promoting social inclusion, strengthening community bonds, and positively impacting mental well-being among those it serves.