Police will pilot a new campaign this September in a bid to give four parts of Lincolnshire the support they need to make a difference.
World Café events – which are designed to bring people together so they can discuss their needs, concerns, and opportunities for change – will be held at Sutton Bridge, Sleaford, Skegness, and South West Ward, Gainsborough.
Police want to build on the strengths across these communities in an environment facilitated by professionals but owned by the local community.
Each event will be fun, progressive, creative, and challenging, designed to get people more engaged in their community and working together.
This is an across partner and community approach seeking to create social capital – cohesive supportive communities.
It is an opportunity to work better together with our communities and partners.
Mark Housley, operational superintendent on East, said: “The Mutual Gain approach seeks to create ‘active’ citizens, there is so much than can be owned and sorted by communities, they just need some support to make the first step.
“This ‘place based’ approach has a long history of success across the UK and in parts of Lincolnshire.
“Our plan is to raise funds, we have £5k in each pot gifted by the PCC, our target for each area is a minimum of £30K which will enable communities to fund and tackle some of their local needs.
“This is not about crime or ASB, this is about anything the community think is important to them, their friends and family. It might focus on a particular group, perhaps facilities for young people, or perhaps a focus on a locality such as a public space that can be made useful for everyone, or just helping set up social events and clubs.
“In parts of the country local business has truly stood up to the challenge, helping fund and support issues in the locality from where many of their workforce and customers come, this is about communities which include business, families, charities, schools, clubs, and individuals.
“We are seeking to bring together our diverse communities, neighbours that have never met each other, creating understanding, trust and community.
“This is an exciting proposition for these communities and a pilot that if successful we will seek to support across other communities in Lincolnshire.”
Marc Jones, Lincolnshire Police and Crime Commissioner, said: “Supporting communities to be and feel safe is a priority for my office and any attempt to engage with those communities is to be supported.
“Solving problems and addressing issues will always have a better chance of success with a partnership approach and the world café project is an innovative proposal.”
What is a World Café event and how does it work?
They are a catalyst to help build networks and something called social capital – which relates to developing a culture of trust, shared values, care, and supportive networks.
Throughout the process of planning and delivery, we will become aware of activities, projects, and services, hopefully, creative, innovative, challenging, and exciting, that may not have previously been highlighted.
World Cafés give us the opportunity to listen and capture the experiences, insights, and thoughts of the community.
The ‘Café’ increases opportunities for networking and making connections, there are many examples in which groups established through this process have continued to prosper and create increased friendships, the most important aspects of the World Cafe.
On arrival at the World Café, participants will walk into a room that looks, smells, and sounds like a Café.
They will be sat at tables with a trained facilitator, or table host, and will be asked a series of questions that relate to the purpose of the World Café.
At the conclusion of the day we, together, will have voiced our concerns, worries and ambitions and begun the plan for change. The ‘World Café’ cannot just be ‘talk’, it is the catalyst for community driven change.
The next stages are called participatory budgeting events. Where you as a community decide what you want to do, and how you want to spend your money.
The county lead and contact for this programme is mark.housley@lincs.police.uk. If you are a member of the community, elected member, business or just interested please contact him on either of the above.
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