Compasionate Communities

Expression of Interest (EOI) for the provision of Compassionate Communities across the Norfolk and Waveney CCG footprint Norfolk and Waveney CCG (N&W CCG) has been awarded national funding worth £50k to develop and establish Compassionate Communities across the STP footprint. Developing Compassionate Communities is one of the key strategies of Palliative and End of Life Care for our population.

By adopting the principles underpinning compassionate communities (please see https://www.compassionate-communitiesuk.co.uk/), the whole community; residents, workplaces, care organisations, statutory and voluntary sector organisations, can work together to make caring at end of life into bereavement everyone's responsibility, finding practical ways to help on a variety of different levels. The ultimate aim of this important workstream is to work towards the STP signing up to a Civic Charter (see https://www.compassionate-communitiesuk.co.uk/the-compass...).

There is growing evidence that compassionate communities can build community capacity and empower people to look after their loved ones. Increasing awareness around death, dying within the general public can ensure support not only for those that are dying but also those that are grieving.

This can happen between friends, family members, neighbours, at cafes work places etc. A compassionate community can help improve someone's understanding of options at end of life through those conversations and the education and materials made available to them. It gives someone more options of who and where to go to in a crisis and rather than relying on their local hospital or specialist service.

The CCG is inviting Expressions of Interest from local organisations to employ a Compassionate Community Development Worker for one year to help develop an existing project in Halesworth and to produce a toolkit and learning materials to support communities and neighbourhoods across Norfolk and Waveney develop their own compassionate community initiatives. The compassionate community development worker will have a hands on approach to working with a wide variety of organisations and residents to co-produce local initiatives. Day to day management will be undertaken by the commissioned provider and the worker will be expected to work with, and report to, the STP Compassionate Communities Steering Group.