When social workers are aware of the community micro-enterprises in their local area that can offer personalised, flexible care, the impact can be enormous. Emily was introduced to the Community Micro-enterprise Development Programme in Cheshire that changed Pat's life 👉 https://loom.ly/TPabrUw
The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea’s Social Investment Impact Report shows that the Community Micro-enterprise Development Programme made a £3.15 saving for every £1 spent. We’re delighted to see the social value of the project highlighted in the report. Read more https://loom.ly/wkb9NFs
"Leadership isn’t about job titles, seniority or experience. It’s about how we choose to show up for ourselves, for others, and for the communities we serve." Dalanya Morris from Sutton Primary Care Network shares her learning from our New Social Leaders programme https://loom.ly/arRpBGY
Our partnership with Oxfordshire County Council has resulted in a new two-year contract extension that will focus on West Oxfordshire, where there is an increased demand for community‑based support, particularly among older residents in rural areas. Read the news release https://loom.ly/Lt7VkBI
Hearing about Stockport coproduction journey. An early question was “what’s it actually like to access social care”; the learning & relationships led to a coproduction board & people w lived experience employed in a people-facing roles.
How Greater Manchester is attempting to make that shift
The shift from transactional to relational support systems via @socialcarefuture.bsky.social
in Bolton @mroutled.bsky.social gets the Greater Manchester Going for the Win Win session kicked off. We are supporting the community of practice with strengths based prevention and asset-based commissioning to reshape provider markets: boosting small local enterprises.
Harrogate, where Community Catalysts has our base, looking lovely in the cold late winter sun. Great to spend the day with two @commcats.bsky.social chief execs: Pip Cannons and founder Sian Lockwood for handover and reflection
How do we ensure the vision for neighbourhood health becomes a reality, not just a slogan? On the back of our recent Neighbourhoods for Living Well event, @alexfoxshared.bsky.social talks about the practical ways we can put the vision into action www.communitycatalysts.co.uk/2026/03/25/n...
Our Neighbourhoods for Living Well event brought people together to hear about innovative solutions available to help build strong neighbourhoods where people can live a good life. @alexfoxshared.bsky.social shared his take on the event and what's possible to support good neighbourhoods and lives.
Read Lenka's story and the impact her micro-enterprise is having on people in the area of Suffolk www.communitycatalysts.co.uk/stories/from...
Tom Richards of @commcats.bsky.social welcomes 50 Local Area Coordinators in the North and Midlands to our regular gathering. Some areas here have complete LAC coverage, transforming inclusion, prevention and community building, and how public services more widely think and act.
How do we get there?
1. Put relationships first.
2. Commission services where relationships are central.
3. Plan and develop the built environment for meeting and ‘bumping’.
David quotes from his piece co-authored with our own @nicksinclair.bsky.social -
Good places have services that bring us together, facilities built for connection, and bumping spaces where relationships are designed in, not designed out
Sir David has spent his life in community development. Here are five things he’s learned
At our @commcats.bsky.social event with the Nat Centre for Ageing at @newcastleuni.bsky.social David Robinson talks about the centrality of relationships to public services and many other areas of life. This led to his cofounding relationshipsproject.org
This combination of more value, tailored relational support and big savings for Direct Payment holders and self-funders is a win-win, boosting Neighbourhood Health, outcomes & employment. Our Directory includes enterprises like Julie’s Strolls with Poles www.communitycatalysts.co.uk/smallgoodstu...
Helen Allen describes @commcats.bsky.social work with Suffolk Council where Lenka set up a micro enterprise to support local people live well with support needs. Lenka is one of 180 agencies in Suffolk which support 1200 people with safe personalised support costing £8 per hour less than agencies
At our event with National Innovation Centre for Ageing, Vici Richardson of Disability North sets out how to make Direct Payments enable people to thrive not just survive.
DN support older as well as younger people to employ PAs. Betty stayed at home aged 100 with the team DN helped her recruit.
Local Area Coordination in South Tyneside: Hazel Cuthbertson describes the journey from the traditional crisis and escalation system to building support with and around people, to get the most from citizens, their networks and all kinds of local organisations, not just state services.
We’re exploring what a good neighbourhood looks and feels like, including when we need support in our lives, and how do we build those places, including through Community Micro Enterprise which transforms the local provider market, and Local Area Coordination which transforms prevention.
If you want to know more get in touch on Alex.Fox@communitycatalysts.co.uk
Lovely to listen to the wisdom of @clentonf.bsky.social at the start of Day 2 with @commcats.bsky.social
We are with 100+ colleagues and activists at The Catalyst Newcastle University, getting visionary and practical about building neighbourhoods that enable Living Well.
A striking message from @adass.bsky.social East Midlands work on young people as they reach adulthood: when services don’t join up, families say “we carry the system”. Families carry knowledge, cost, risk, and the workload of joining services up.
How can we acknowledge & support that role?
Our Chair, Paul Morton and the Community Catalysts team are delighted to announce that @alexfoxshared.bsky.social will take up the role of CEO at Community Catalysts on 16 March. We're excited to welcome Alex onboard to lead us through our next phase www.communitycatalysts.co.uk/2026/01/14/a...
