Knaresborough Connectors connect people to over 135 different community groups.
Could you be a Connector?
If you would like to become a connector please email Matt at info@knaresboroughconnectors.org.uk
It takes just 30 minutes to train you and connecting just one person can change their lives.
Here’s how it works.
A Knaresborough Connector sees someone who might benefit from joining a community group like a playgroup, choir, fishing group or support group. They get to know that person and contact a Community Co-ordinator who then gets in touch with the person and introduces them to a community group.
Usually, the best way this works is if the community group plays to someone’s strengths and talents.
We have a list of community groups that we keep updated. All you have to do is make the initial connection with someone who you think will benefit and let us know, we’ll do the rest.
Here’s some examples of Knaresborough Connectors:
James runs his own business and is a retained Firefighter with a young family. He enjoys keeping fit, socialising, is on the PTA and attends a few community groups and events in the town. He came across a dad at school who was struggling with his mental health and feeling isolated. As a Knaresborough Connector James was able to direct him to “Who Let the Dad’s Out” a fabulous playgroup for dads and their kids run at Gracious Street Methodist Church. This dad was then able to make friends and just 6 weeks later was feeling more connected, less isolated and had started to build a network of friends to help him.
Barbara was struggling with the loss of her husband who she’d been married to for forty years. Being on her own wasn’t good for her. Thankfully her neighbour, John, put her in touch with Knaresborough Connectors and they went to see her. Not long afterwards she was singing in a community choir, something she used to do when she was much younger. She’s now feeling much better and is developing her own set of friends who she goes for coffee with during the week.
If you think you can be a Connector, get in touch with Matt at info@knaresboroughconnectors.org.uk and leave your number, he’ll give you a call.
How the Knaresborough scheme operates.
Community Asset Mapping
Over 135 community groups and organisations have been mapped across the town. These groups are being contacted and put on an internal register and with permission their details are going on the North Yorkshire Connect web system that social prescribers will use and on Harrogate’s Community Volunteer Site.
Cohorts of Interest
Setting up Cohorts of Interest is important to complete the asset mapping, identify gaps in community assets and set up and find the Connectors. The Children and Young People’s Cohort of Interest has been set up and this small group has completed Community Asset Mapping for Children and Young People’s groups. They identified a gap for teenage provision especially in outlying villages where transport issues are prevalent. The people in this Cohort will be Connectors and will identify other Connectors. As this Cohort of Interest work together a Co-ordinator will be identified. A Co-ordinator is someone who a Connector refers to once a need has been identified, the Co-ordinator identifies a group and approach that the person in need could approach.
Co-ordinators and Connectors and Social Prescribers
Connectors have been identified for the Children’s and Young People cohort. This group will continue to work together and select a Co-ordinator. A Co-ordinator is someone the Connectors refer a person to, for help, or to find out information from about community groups. A Social Prescriber is similar to the role of Health Connector that Frome developed. Currently the Social Prescribers in Knaresborough are based part time in GP surgeries and are deployed through the County Council’s Living Well Service. Links have been made to these people in Knaresborough’s management teams and more will be done with Social Prescribers once the Connectors are trained and developed.
More information on Knaresborough Connectors please contact Matt Read at info@knarebsoroughconnectors.org.uk or 07936 946438.