Isolation & Loneliness Action Networks Derbyshire (IsLAND)

Background and History

The Derbyshire Trusted Befriending Network (DTBN) was established in 2012 with funding from Derbyshire County Council Adult Care as part of its Prevention Strategy, to ensure that adults needing befriending support could access services and could be confident that they were safe and well run. Originally the network’s membership was traditional 1:1 befriending services but its remit has widened over time to include informal, group and peer support and to tackling wider loneliness and isolation agendas. The network also developed a quality assurance scheme the DTBN Quality Mark aimed at small organisations.

The IsLAND Project

• Reaching more people across Derbyshire who are lonely and isolated, and helping them to access appropriate support
• Providing specialist training that will enable services to offer effective support to people with more complex needs
• Expanding the network to include more varied organisations / services that tackle loneliness and isolation, and quality assuring their services
• Raising awareness of social isolation and its impact, recruiting more volunteers and encouraging informal social action - including recruiting and training a network of local Community Champions to raise awareness within their communities, peer groups or organisations about loneliness and isolation and what people can do to help.

This will include developing a new website, so watch this space! In the mean time to find a befriending service in your area or download a directory of befriending services, visit www.derbyshirebefriending.org.uk, or contact:

Helen Frudd - IsLAND Development Officer or Annette Jennison - Community Support Worker

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  Tel: 01283 219761 Or write to: South Derbyshire CVS 46-48 Grove Street SWADLINCOTE DE11 9DD

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Turning the TIDE Report 2018

The ‘Turning the TIDE’ conference which took place on 11th July this year brought together a wide range of organisations and groups in order to hear about the great work that has taken place across Derbyshire to tackle loneliness and isolation but to also look at the issues and obstacles facing service providers and service users, and then come up with some solutions.

The main findings from the Turning the TIDE conference were that:

• there is a great demand across the county which isn’t being met and this is only likely to increase because of an ageing population and the increase in loneliness and isolation for people with more complex needs, such as dementia and mental health;
• the lack of funding – and funding coming to an end – will mean that fewer people in Derbyshire will be able to access support so this will result in an increase in the number and extent of lonely and isolated people across the county;
• there are opportunities to provide services / activities that tackle loneliness and isolation but new ways of working by everyone will be needed. This will include:

o   working with funders to safeguard and grow provision of services in Derbyshire

o   improving the way we work together within communities and across sectors to share information about what is available

o   building on existing models to develop new befriending models based on evidence of what works (groups, peer led, social media, telephone etc.)

o   encouraging more people to give time to address loneliness & isolation

o   exploring new funding models.

To read the Report click here.

The Turning the TIDE report builds on the research that was carried out into the value and impact of befriending services in Derbyshire launched in November 2017, which showed that people receiving support from befriending services say that it reduces isolation and improves their social and community connections, independence and wellbeing. It also showed that for every £1 spent on providing these services the social benefits and cost savings to other services are worth £8.59. To read the research report visit: https://sdcvs.org.uk/images/Befriending_Research/DTBN_Report_FINAL_web.pdf.

The launch of the Turning the TIDE report is also well timed as the government has just launched its ‘Loneliness Strategy’ which shows its commitment to improving understanding of loneliness, embedding loneliness across government policy, and building a national conversation on loneliness. This is a welcome development and the DTBN has released its response to the Strategy.  To find out what it has to say about the Strategy visit South Derbyshire CVS’s website: https://sdcvs.org.uk/news?id=345.

So what happens now? Derbyshire Trusted Befriending Network wants to work with local communities and decision makers to make sure we maintain and build on the good work that has taken place to date. BUT WE NEED TO TAKE COLLECTIVE ACTION NOW before we lose services and let many lonely and isolated people down.

How you can help

• Do you have ideas about how we could tackle loneliness and isolation?
• Can you give your time as a volunteer at one of the befriending projects?
• Do you have a pot of money that could help deliver projects?
• Do you design services and want to work with us to ensure there is consistent offer across Derbyshire?

We know that befriending services are a vital part of people’s lives all over Derbyshire which help to make sure that they are not lonely or isolated. The Turning the TIDE report highlights this great work and adds to the research carried out last year that helped make the financial case for investment in these amazing services.  While both of these reports help us to better understand the issues, we need organisations and groups to actively play their part in providing the solutions to tackle loneliness and isolation - so we are putting out a ‘call to action’ to ask everyone to work with us in helping people across Derbyshire. This will then help the government to deliver its Loneliness Strategy.

Contact Richard Murrell on 01283 219761 or email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to find out more. 

Befriending Services in Derbyshire

Are you looking for a befriending service?  

Download a copy of the Directory of Befriending Services in Derbyshire here.

Want to volunteer as a Befriender?

Find out about Volunteering as a Befriender and search for volunteer opportunities with local befriending services at www.derbyshirebefriending.org.uk

An Independent Evaluation of the Derbyshire Trusted Befriending Network central service

This evaluation measures the contribution and impact of the ‘central’ service since 2011 and suggests a future strategic direction for the Network – please click here to read the evaluation (PDF, 1.36MB).

Befriending in Derbyshire: Its Value and Impact

Befriending in Derbyshire: An Independent Assessment of its Value and Impact is a piece of independent research commissioned by Derbyshire Trusted Befriending Network and published in November 2017.  The report concludes that: 

• Loneliness and isolation does not just make people unhappy - they also have a serious impact on physical and mental health and life expectancy.

• Those who receive support from Befriending Services say that it reduces isolation and improves their social and community connections, independence and wellbeing.

• Over 1,100 lonely and isolated people across Derbyshire benefit from over 70,000 hours befriending support given by 765 volunteers from 28 befriending services – if they were all paid for the time they give, this would cost £672,000.

• For every £1 spent on providing befriending the social benefits and cost savings to other services are worth £8.69.

The research was carried out for us by independent consultants Peter Stone Consulting

Click here to download the Full Report (PDF, 1.2MB)
Click here to download a Key Messages summary of the research findings (734 KB)

Please This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you would like a printed copy.

Archive:  Earlier Reports

Trusted Befriending Network Evaluation 2013

Read about Derbyshire Trusted Befriending Network, what we did in the first 18 months, and what people thought of us.

Download report (PDF, 996 KB)

Befriending for Adults in Derbyshire - Mapping

Further mapping was carried out in 2015. Download a copy of the findings: 2015 Mapping Report (PDF, 640 KB)

 2012 Gap Analysis and Mapping Report. Initial research carried out in 2012 to look at befriending provision in Derbyshire and identify gaps in provision.  Download this report:

• Executive Summary (PDF File, 371 KB)
• Full Report (PDF File, 1.6 MB)
• Easy Read Summary (PDF File, 830 KB)