Written by This is part 1 of a series exploring the value of collaboration between nature-based providers in a geographical area. Parts 2 and 3 will focus on specific examples in Chesterfield and Erewash.
“Life is difficult and dangerous. Anyone who would attempt to do it alone is simply mad. We know to always do difficult things with a buddy. So if the journey of life is to be filled with set backs and disappointments, with confusion and uncertainty, it makes sense that we should trust others to join us on the journey.
As individuals we are useless. We can’t lift heavy weight and we can’t solve complex problems. But together? Together we are remarkable.” (Simon Sinek)
Why collaborate here and now?
Competition between grass roots led VCSE organisations is more common than collaboration – it’s the way the health system works. Current commissioning of health and care sets us up to fight each other for scarce resources rather than come together and make best use of what there is.
The provider collaborative model is built around the value of community networks as relational, agile, responsive, versatile mechanisms for getting things done and enabling a truly person-centred approach to health and wellbeing that is complimentary to the statutory/wider health system.
It also promotes optimal use of resources, sustainability and increases the range and quality of opportunities for participants in a given geographical area.
In addition, collaborative behaviours also build confidence and capacity across the sector through sharing of knowledge, expertise, resources and embedding an ethos of mutual support, thereby strengthening the networks. One of the things we hear often in the Green Spring Network is how lonely and isolated it can feel working as a small nature based provider. We aim to address this through the collaborative model.
Over recent years we have been exploring provider collaborative models with an emphasis on the following:
- Maintaining and building networks in communities and connections with health and social care systems, eg Place Alliances and Mental Health Networks, aiming to demonstrate the value of integrating green social prescribing to the wider system
- Demonstrating the value of nature and community-based activity in increasing associational life and reducing social isolation.
- Learning what works and what doesn’t when we work together in local areas.
- Developing models for long term, sustainable finance and planning in a locality.
- Increasing the range of provision of nature and community-based activities in an area by exploring who might be involved and expanding that where possible.
- Providing qualitative and quantitative data on the referrals into the collaboratives and the experience of service users, nature-based providers, and health care providers
In the following blogs, we will further explore this work in 2 areas, both of which are still thriving.
If you would like to hear more about the Provider Collaborative modelling work, please contact us hello@greenspring.org.uk