If you or someone you know is experiencing loneliness or would like to make friends and join activities, but lack the confidence to do so, Community Connectors could help.
Community Connectors provide short-term support to help people take the first steps to getting out and about in their local community.
Your Community Connector will meet with you to talk about your interests and what you would like to achieve. This could include:
They will make sure that anything put in place can keep going once your sessions have ended.
Suzie wanted to meet new people and try more activities in her local area. Her Community Connector supported her in finding social groups that she attends regularly, and she is now involved in activities, events, and volunteering opportunities.
She said:
“At one time I did not have anyone, and now I have made friends and I am attending two groups every week – I am truly grateful to my Community Connector for their support.”
There’s also the opportunity to take part in friendly and informal Community Independence Workshops, which help people build their confidence in attending social groups and activities. Based at Southsea Library, the two-hour workshops are run over five consecutive weeks, in a small group facilitated by two community connectors.
The workshops will help build your confidence in the practical aspects of attending a social group or group of your interest. You will explore different community opportunities and, with support from the facilitators, plan to attend a chosen group independently for the first time.
You will need to be able to get to the workshop venue without support from a Community Connector and be able to commit to attending all of the workshops. For more information about the workshops, contact the team by calling 023 9284 1762 or emailing communityconnectors@portsmouthcc.gov.uk.
Find out about some of the different social groups and activities in Portsmouth on the Portsmouth City Council website.