Author: Simon Culley

Torbay Digital Inclusion Network Begins to take Shape

A network of local organisations brought together during the pandemic is working together to offer coordinated support for local people with their digital needs and enquiries. The ‘Torbay Digital Inclusion Network’ consists of many local organisations from the local statutory, voluntary and business sector, including Torbay Council, the local NHS and voluntary, community and charity … Continued

Torbay Multicultural Network – An Update

Last year, Engaging Communities South West were asked to develop a new Network to supporting the ethnic minority community in Torbay’s public, private and community sector, working alongside the newly formed Torbay Racism Review Panel. The initial funding for this was provided by Torbay Council and Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service. In September … Continued

Devon’s Vaccine Ambassadors Launch New Films

New films featuring Devon’s Vaccine Ambassadors, are being launched today to offer encouragement and reassurance to people from communities across the county who are not yet fully vaccinated. Feedback from community leaders in early 2020 suggested that trusted voices would be important in encouraging uptake of the vaccine among diverse communities.  As a result, NHS … Continued

New SMART Project launched in local Care Homes

A local community project designed to support care homes and their residents to use smart interactive technology has been launched in Torbay and South Devon. Digital Health Devon is an award-winning, NHS-supported e-learning tool which was created to show people how to access local health, social care and wellbeing services using the internet. It is … Continued

Public donations help local communities across Devon

Donations made to support the NHS during the COVID 19 pandemic are reaching local communities across the county. Eight local organisations – including our Digital Health Devon project – are receiving a share of £534,639 allocated to Devon as part of the NHS Charities Together Community Partnership Grants Programme – formed as a result of … Continued

Healthwatch Engagement Officer Job Vacancy

Local Healthwatch organisations were established as fully independent consumer champions run by local people, for local people. We are part of a national network of Local Healthwatch that was set up under the Health and Social Care Act 2012. Healthwatch England is the national body for Healthwatch, working with the network of 152 local Healthwatch … Continued

New Digital Inclusion Report Released by ECSW

A new report produced by Engaging Communities South West has highlighted local people’s experiences with using digital or internet services during the COVID-19 pandemic.   The Torbay Digital Inclusion Feedback Report was produced for a partnership of local organisations, including Torbay Council, the local NHS and voluntary, community and charity groups, who wanted to know … Continued

Two exciting new vacancies for Engaging Communities South West

Our flagship project, Digital Health Devon, which provides free online e-learning in the local health and social care sector, is expanding its service to the community due to local demand. To enable our digital service to grow and support more people, we are looking to recruit a Digital Health Devon Project Coordinator and an Administration … Continued

Healthwatch sets up new Network Meetings

This month Healthwatch Torbay – the independent healthcare consumer champion service we run – is working with NHS in Devon, asking people aged 18-40 to share their views about and attitudes toward COVID vaccination. Aleksandra, our Project Support Officer, says the more we understand people’s views the more equipped the NHS will be to deliver the … Continued

Welcome our newest colleague!

How do we make BAME lives matter at Torbay Council? How do we make BAME lives matter at Torbay’s public organisations? How do we make BAME lives matter in Torbay’s community and voluntary sector?   To help us  answer these and other vital questions, Emilia Smith has joined the Engaging Communities South West team in … Continued