1. Creating More Choice and Doing Things Differently

2. Progress So Far
This is one of a series of events, which have attracted over 100 people from across all sectors.
Initial session to identify community assets and how to build on these.
2 follow on study visits to Healthy Options in Oban and Clydesdale Community Initiatives in Lanark
Further event focused on 3 thematic areas that local Social Enterprises have particular experience and track record in:
Food & Growing
Sports & Leisure
Arts
Created a dedicated H&SC online forum, to allow people to come together
I’m employed by DSEN in a development post which is funded via the H&SC Integration Fund
Essentially my role has looked to help new and existing organisations to become more engaged with health & wellbeing opportunities and to play an increasing role in this area. In turn offering an increased range of choice for those accessing H&SC services
As part of this work we held an initial event with funding from Senscot, that focused on identifying Social Capital within the city. This was a new term for me, but essentially we were highlighting all of the resources that are present in Dundee, that could play a part in maintaining and improving Health & Wellbeing. Whilst this session, looked to concentrate on assets, inevitably people also wanted to explore issues and needs.
The first study visit was to the Healthy Options organisation in Oban, who use supported leisure and activity based activity on a social prescribing basis.
The second visit was to the Clydesdale Community Initiative, who deliver a range of health programmes, based around growing, environmental and crafts based activity. They also run a successful landscaping business in which some of the trainees have found permanent employment.
Our second event in the Autumn, looked to focus on 3 distinct thematic areas that people felt social enterprises had particular experience in. The event then looked to identify activity in each of these areas and map demand with resources.
The Online forum was requested by people to allow discussions to continue. It is via a Closed Facebook Group, and has over 30 members. There have been some issues with people not having access to Facebook at work - so we are investigating whether there may be other social media platforms that would enable wider use.

3. Today’s Event
Almost 2 Years since the Self Directed Support Act became ‘live’.
Looking to see how SDS can offer people real choice and control in their lives
Reducing budgets, increased demand and changing demographics mean that we simply can’t continue to do things the way we always have.
Solution – Social Innovation
Continuing to move resources to earlier/preventative interventions – maintaining independence, reducing isolation and improving quality of life – also less costly to society
Integration of Health & Social Care – a huge challenge but creating real opportunities for new ways of doing things
Royal Voluntary Service Tayside
So on to today’s event.
SDS is almost 2 yaers old and Mark and Adelle will talk more about how it can change people’s lives. but for me it is simply a tool to offer people more personalised support.
The second area of focus for today’s event is looking to inform the discussion on how to reframe what we define as health or social care services and to consider resources that were perhaps previously not considered to paly a part in this agenda.
A term that I came across recently was that of Social Innovation and for me that is anything that looks to do things in new or different ways. We have been working to see these types of input becoming available through traditional contacting, via SDS budgets and in other ways, such as Social Prescribing.
We are all aware of the huge pressures on health & social care services and today we will hear from organisations and initiatives that have sought to meet these challenges by doing things in different and innovative ways.
Unfortunately it has not been possible to gather for this event all of the many local organisations that are working in these innovative or new ways, so I wanted to mention a small selection:
The Flexi Care project run by Positive Steps which offers people real choice in how they receive their support.
Home from Hospital service run by RVS. This service supports people to move back into their own home and regain their independence and in turn frees up valuable hospital resources.
Helping Older People Engage (HOPE) project provides a community based support service helping older people to deal with life transitions such as bereavement or ill health and reducing social isolation by connecting them with other local services The initiative brings together Caledonia Housing Association, Abertay Housing Association, Home Scotland and Sanctuary Scotland.

4. Test Of Change
Previous event explored 3 of the areas that social enterprises have particular experience and track record in.
Looking today to develop bids to the Integrated Care Small Grants Fund to develop 3 test of change projects, based around these 3 thematic areas :
Arts
Growing & gardening
Sports & Leisure Activities

5. Finally, I would like to mention the Mylife Portal that has been created by DCC. The MyLife website can signpost people to information about extra support to help with their care needs by helping them - or the person they care for - see more clearly what services are available in the local area and how to access them. It pulls together support and services from birth up to old age, across social care, health, education and wider support within the community. It also harvests information from other relevant websites and resources. This information can of course also be utilised by those wishing to refer or signpost people on to appropriate services.
The other aspect of the portal is, that it gives organisations an excellent opportunity to showcase their own services in one central location.
So if you are not already familiar with Mylife can I encourage you to check it out and if you offer a service or support, please make sure that you are featured within this important resource.