Welcome to the second entry of our Joint Working Journal. We’re pleased to be able to share some exciting developments since our first edition, including a summary of the latest Steering and Advisory Board meeting, a brand-new digital story and a birthday celebration!

Steering and Advisory Board 1 (SAB1)

SAB1 met on 30^th January and the new Communities and Older People programme was the main area of focus. The purpose of the new Programme is to forge connections with established locality leads, third sector organisations and our region’s older population to co-produce financially sustainable care services of the best possible standard.  

Members received an overview of the outcomes of the first Communities and Older People Board, which met for the first time in December 2023. A key action for the Board will be to work collaboratively to develop a regional Communities and Older People’s Strategy. The plan is to link with partner organisations and ‘Ageing Well’ teams across our region to gather thoughts and experiences that will shape the new Strategy.

The brand-new regional Volunteering Strategy also featured on the SAB1 agenda. The Strategy launched on International Volunteer Day (5 December) and can be found by clicking here. This piece of work marks a significant milestone for our region and forms part of the wider ‘West Glamorgan Volunteering Support’ (WGVS) project – www.westglamorgan.org.uk/wgvs

Westfield House Success

Communications and engagement colleagues within our team love going out and spending time with regionally funded projects and services, and a recent visit to Westfield House was no exception.
Westfield House offers a step-down service to people who have just been discharged from hospital but require some extra support and an assessment to determine what their future care will look like.

We were able to record a digital story with Westfield House staff and residents, which gave a brilliant overview of the great service they’re providing and was a big hit with SAB1 members when it was played at January’s meeting:

‘Dementia Hwb’ Turns Two!

A few representatives from the West Glam team were thrilled to be invited to spend a couple of hours at Swansea’s Dementia Hwb to celebrate its second birthday on 29th January.
Following a successful pilot period in 2022, the project was awarded grant funding via the Regional Integration Fund (RIF), which was administered via the West Glamorgan Regional Partnership.
It was great to hear about the vital work the Dementia Hwb does to provide support, share information and raise awareness of dementia. The Lord Mayor of Swansea and Lord Lieutenant of West Glamorgan were among the guests on the day, and everyone enjoyed a buffet and a slice of birthday cake to mark the occasion.

The Dementia Hwb has seen such success that it’s now extending its service across the region!
Mobile ‘Hwbs’ are operating at various locations, and the new Neath Port Talbot ‘Dementia Hwb’ launched in Aberafan Shopping Centre on 30th January.

Find out more at www.dementiafriendlyswansea.org