*Update*
In 2004 the Scottish Government provided funding for the creation of the Scottish Social Networks Forum. Due to the popularity and relevance of Social Networks, funding has continued for a further 7 years. Due to changes in Government funding, this funding stream has now changed and the Forum will be focusing on supporting the Housing Options Hubs over the coming year. As part of these changes, the Scottish Social Networks website and database will continue to be maintained by The Rock Trust, as described below.
The previous remit of the Forum included developing and delivering Social Network Training. In order to maintain the focus on the benefits of positive social networks, Rock Training, managed by The Rock Trust will continue to deliver this training across Scotland.
The training is called Relationships & Resilience: Tools for Change
The next course dates are:
6th December in Dundee
22nd February in Inverness
Venues will be confirmed on booking.
Contact us on rocktraining@rocktrust.org for a booking form or further information.
Why Social Networks?
The basic premise is that the lack of positive social networks, that is the personal networks of family, friends, colleagues and acquaintances we each individually have, is literally bad for you health. More specifically a lack of positive social networks:
- puts you at greater risk of homelessness;
- makes the transition out of homelessness even more difficult than it already is;
- often leads to failure to sustain a new tenancy; and
- leads to repeat episodes of homelessness – each more damaging than the last.
There is a substantial body of research supporting this premise and identifying the cost to the individual and to the public purse.
Where We Came From
The Scottish Social Networks Forum was created in response to recommendations in the Homelessness Task Force Final Report to raise awareness of the need for positive social networks; to support the development and integration of befriending, mentoring and mediation services for people affected by homelessness or at risk of homelessness and to assist local authorities and homelessness projects who are required to develop assessments and provision to support social networks.
The correlation of poor social networks and homelessness is direct but positive social networks are the foundation for strong, supportive, sustainable, healthy communities and a route to preventing not only homelessness but also inequality of access to services and exclusion generally. This was recognised by Malcolm Chisholm MSP when he was Minister for Communities and was reflected in his Ministerial Statement on Abolition of Priority Need by 2012.
Significantly it has been reinforced by Nicola Sturgeon, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing, who said:
“Strong social networks can play a key part in preventing homelessness and breaking the cycle of repeat homelessness. …. “Feeling valued as part of a social network is essential for everyone’s wellbeing – and especially for people feeling isolated because of homelessness.”
The isolation, loneliness and vulnerability experienced by individuals with weak social networks is damaging to their health and well being. Indeed there is a direct link between strong positive social networks and everything from prevention of homelessness - through increased resilience - to recovery from open heart surgery! The lack of strong, positive social networks is particularly damaging to those already socially excluded from society through unemployment, disability, race, experience of being looked after in local authority care, veterans or other institution leavers but can have an adverse affect on any of us. All these factors in turn impact on homelessness.
In 2011/2012 the Forum will be working with the Local Authority Housing Option Hubs to ensure that social networks practice is embedded across Scotland.
What We Do
The Scottish Social Networks Forum has developed a range of tools to highlight the importance of social networks. These tools are available through our website.
The Toolkit was created as a model for befriending/mediation/mentoring projects, offering an insight into the potential challenges when setting up a project and using case studies to discover what makes projects a success.
The Scottish Social Networks website includes a professional database, discussion forum, links to other resources, quarterly newsletters and announcements on upcoming events. The full version of the Toolkit is available online and other resources are published as they become available.
The Rock Trust has a very successful and innovative Social Networks project and an excellent track record of successful partnership working. It is because of this that they are funded by Scottish Government to develop and manage Scottish Social Networks Forum.
Further Information and Contact Details
You can find out more by contacting Allison Calder, Development Manager, using our online contacts page or by visiting us on www.scottishsocialnetworks.org for more information.