Connected Communities project will tackle isolation in Plungington

Preston’s cabinet look set to dedicate £25,000 to discovering the best ways to help link isolated people into a community.
The project aims to look into how social isolation in Plungington can be tackledThe project aims to look into how social isolation in Plungington can be tackled
The project aims to look into how social isolation in Plungington can be tackled

The funds are to go towards undertaking a survey of Plungington to find out what social networks exist and where the needs are.

Coun Freddie Bailey, cabinet member for community wealth building at the city council, said: “Plungington has been identified as a fragmented community due to the current changes, the impacts of austerity and health services relocating out of Plungington.

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“As there is more student accommodation being built in the city centre, fewer students are living in houses in the Plungington area.

The project aims to look into how social isolation in Plungington can be tackledThe project aims to look into how social isolation in Plungington can be tackled
The project aims to look into how social isolation in Plungington can be tackled

“As the number of students has been decreasing, the number of migrant workers from Europe is increasing in Plungington.

“Many residents in Plungington are now renting or live in social rented accommodation and therefore there is more movement in the housing sector, a high turnover of residents so the community cannot be as strong.”

According to council documents the Connected Communities project follows the principles of “understanding the local situation, relationships and patterns of isolation, involving people in creating a solution and aiming to connect people to one another to reduce isolation and create more connected communities”.

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The surveys will be performed by community researchers. It is hoped that the data will give an insight into the social networks that already exist and then build projects that reduce isolation in the area, improving residents’ health and wellbeing.

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