A community support centre in Darlington which provides social, financial and wellbeing support to local people in need has helped over 1,000 people in its first six months.
Darlington Connect, located on Northgate in Darlington town centre, opened in March 2023 and gives local people advice and guidance on a wide range of issues.
The development of the centre came as part of a national programme, driven by the NHS to provide a more holistic approach to supporting people’s overall needs.
Councillor Riley Cabinet Member and Portfolio Lead for Stronger Communities at Darlington Borough Council explains: “The last few years have been exceptionally difficult for many people. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, followed by the increased cost of living has left many people needing more support.
“People haven’t always known where to turn to for support and this can increase the pressure that people feel and impact their mental wellbeing. Darlington Connect aims to address this by supporting organisations to work collaboratively.
“Having one central location for people to go to makes it much easier for people to get the support they need. By working more closely with one another organisations can work together effectively and break down traditional barriers to accessing services and support. This makes it much easier for people to get the right support at the right time.”
At Darlington Connect a trained support worker will identify a person’s needs and support them to liaise with and book appointments with organisations that are able to help them.
The funding for Darlington Connect has been provided by NHS England as part of the Community Mental Health Transformation Programme, which sees public and voluntary sector organisations work together in the local community to address the issues that affect people’s mental health at an earlier stage.
Maxine Crutwell, from Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust and Programme Manager for community transformation in Tees Valley said: “We know that a variety of things can affect people’s mental wellbeing, from money and housing worries to employment and social isolation. If we can address these issues early, we can reduce the potential impact they can have on people’s mental wellbeing.
“Transformation aims to provide earlier access at the right place and at the right time. Working collaboratively together to provide person centred care means we can stop individuals falling between organisational boundaries and meet their needs first time round. We are delighted to see Darlington Connect launch and are looking forward to working closely together as the hub evolves.
Yvonne Beattie, Chief Executive of the 700 Club who, along with others, was involved in establishing Darlington Connect and drove the bid for community mental health transformation funding. She explains: “Having such a wide range of organisations working more closely together has been invaluable. It’s given us all a much more in-depth understanding of the variety of support available for people. We can work closely with one another to ensure that people’s overall needs are met, and not just deal with people’s issues in isolation.”
Of the 1,000 people helped in Darlington Connect’s first six months, half received wellbeing support in the local community from charitable organisations and a quarter have accessed NHS mental health support.
Darlington Connect is located on Northgate in Darlington Town Centre at the junction with Bondgate.
