10 Jun Find your people, find your community

Every day, across the Bay, events take place that bring people together.

Our Community Builders help set up gatherings to ensure that no one is left lonely or at risk of becoming isolated, and to do so, we cover a wide variety of interests.

First of all, we look at existing events – there are plenty of coffee mornings, lots of walking groups, a few afternoon dances, and a whole host of special-interest hobby groups, but if there is a gap, we help others fill it.

We encourage people to tell us what their passions used to be, what made them tick when they were younger and urge them to have another go. Rarely is age a barrier, but getting to wherever it takes place might be.

For instance, if someone used to love building model train layouts, then we will scout Torbay for existing groups and, failing that, others with a similar interest in the hope that we can bring them together to establish their own group.

Once up and running (all by volunteers of course), we step back, leaving them to get on with what they love best. We will check in from time to time and perhaps help them publicise their group in the hope of attracting new members, but beyond that we have done our bit and move on.

Not a day goes by when there isn’t some gathering taking place in the Bay and our Community Builders make a point of keeping their What’s Ons up to date here on our website. Simply find your Community Builder, and underneath their photo you will find a link to events in your area.

Why do we go to all this trouble? The answer to that is simple: Torbay’s Community Builders encourage people of all ages to get involved in their neighbourhood. With extensive local knowledge, your Community Builder can connect you with like-minded people, groups or organisations in your community.

We have seen lives transformed when people of all ages work alongside their Community Builder to bring positive changes to the place where they live. We have seen so many new friendships and activities happening in the community: from coffee mornings to social dog walking, IT support groups to crafting workshops, memory cafes to singles nights, and most importantly, neighbours helping each other out on a day-to-day basis.

Community Building isn’t so much about looking for problems to solve as finding opportunities to develop, not coming up with barriers to be overcome but ways to move forward. It’s not about ‘directing’ what goes on locally, not imposing from without but encouraging development from within.

A couple of weeks ago in this column we focussed on the meaning of Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) and when asked, “What do you mean when you talk about ‘assets’?” Jim Diers, a leading academic and community development practitioner,  said that “assets” were the usable places and, of course, the people in every community.

Community Builders help people look at what they can offer and at what’s out there in their neighbourhood – like parks and other usable spaces – to discover what communities might benefit from, and to think creatively about how to achieve what’s wanted.

To sum up, Community Building is citizen-led rather than something imposed from above; it’s about people and about relationships between them; it’s not about looking at what’s ‘wrong’ in a community but looking at what’s ‘strong’; its focus is on place, on neighbourhood and location; and finally, while not in any narrow sense political, it’s about social justice – about being human.

So never think you are alone (unless you choose to be, of course); there are lots of like-minded people out there, and all you need is the connection, and that is where the Community Builders come into their own.

The first step is to find out who your local Community Builder is – there is at least one for every area of the Bay, and then get in touch, and they will discuss with you your circumstances and your needs.

Who knows? Within weeks you could be walking around your local area enjoying not just the great outdoors, some great exercise, but also the company of others. Or you could be strutting your funky stuff at one of our afternoon disco sessions (yes, really).

Please don’t suffer in silence; you really don’t need to. Make that phone call now either directly to your Community Builder or to Torbay Communities on 01803 212638.