On Thursday the 17th October, statutory and voluntary organisations who support the vulnerable in Totnes came together to talk about how we might work better, together.
Carole Whitty, Frances Northrop (TTT) and Bob Alford (Totnes Caring) opened the event explaining the rationale for the conference and their passion as both voluntary sector representatives and residents of Totnes to see how Totnes could build on its reputation for its innovative and pioneering approach, the strength of its community with many successful voluntary and charitable organisations, and for generally being “a town that cares” to face the major challenge as public spending cuts bite deep, non-statutory council services are withdrawn, and welfare changes begin to impact on local people.
They went on to explain how the conference aimed to bring together people in the Totnes community currently involved in health, social care and welfare across the state, private and voluntary sectors to look at this question and start to provide some solutions we could work on together.
Presentation
The keynote talk was from Hazel Stuteley from Connecting Communities who inspired us with her account of the excellent work she has been doing with communities over the past 20 years, based on releasing their capacity (not building it)! For those of you who would like to see her in action again, here is a link to her TED talk at Exeter earlier this year:
http://tedxexeter.com/2013/06/05/hazel-stuteley-from-isolation-to-transformation/
Session 1
IMAGINING - What would a truly caring town look like?
Everyone got together in groups to answer this question: “If, in the two hours you have been in here Totnes had been transformed into the most caring town it could possibly be, how would that look, feel, smell like?”
The full list of responses to this is in the appendix to this feedback but the groups were asked to prioritise their top three with the following results:
- Collective and individual responsibility: no safety nets required for a self organised community
- Shared power, budgets and partnerships between statutory organisations, VCS groups and communities
- Green space, well maintained with food growth, plenty of artwork and only electric cars
- One stop shop for info and safe space, linking services and people providing space for skillsharing and shared meals
- Everyone out and about belonging to the community
- Sharing resources
- Listening and doing things together (neighbourliness)
- Free food and free shelter meeting basic needs
- Smiling and saying hello! Culture of caring
- An older person who has a dementia diagnosis is shopping in Totnes. In each store someone is there with time and patience to help her to buy what she needs
- All generations interacting, smiling and singing
- Positive use of open and empty space for living and working
- Inclusive behaviours recognising and responding to needs
Session 2
CELEBRATING – What we are proud of that happens here already?
In the same groups people discussed and documented the current range of support for vulnerable residents and the things that Totnes has to be proud of that could be developed and/or added to.
The full list of responses to this is in the appendix to this feedback but the groups were asked to prioritise their top three with the following results:
- Many volunteers and a general pride in being part of Totnes
- Independent High Street, high national profile actively demonstrating Totnes’ values
- Creative, caring innovative people with energy who are willing to collaborate to benefit everyone
- Safe Space Scheme
- Variety of local and national charities and charitable activities
- Good transport links
- Community gardens – incredible edible, allotments etc..
- Credit Union
- Caring for the vulnerable
- Diverse range of groups and volunteer generosity
- Celebrations
- Positive ‘vibe’ and willingness exists in Totnes
- Relationships between organisations e.g. Totnes Festival
- Willingness to integrate and listen and accept
- Good food choice for everyone
- Vibrant voluntary community that includes TTT etc…
- The people of Totnes!
Final Session:
This session was for everyone and looked at what we had covered over the two workshops asking what the next steps could be, how could we build on the energy and enthusiasm in the room to deliver some practical outcomes. There were three main areas which people wanted to focus on:
Establishing a central hub:
- §Community space for all
- §A central hub/one-stop shop
Multi-agency working & signposting
Communications networks
- § A community section run by the community in the Totnes Times including articles to inform and myth bust
- § A community notice board and info
- § Facebook page
- § Important to have positive messages and success stories
Listening Events
- § Based on the question asked to Teignmouth, something like: ‘If Totnes was stolen today what would you want back?’
- § Go to where people are
- § Invite, listen, respond to everyone
- § Events to inform evolution of services and bring in new ideas and energy
The close of this session asked attendees if they would be happy to build on the energy and enthusiasm generated at the meeting and be involved in follow up activity to make these outcomes happen. 95% of attendees said yes and it was agreed that a meeting should be held to establish a group to progress this work.
Close
At the close of the morning session Tony Parker (DCC Locality Lead for Totnes) thanked everyone for attending and reiterated DCC’s commitment to working together with the town to achieve the desired outcomes - pledging time, enthusiasm and a £5,000 start up grant for any activities.
Transition Town Totnes 