Smart solutions for linking community development

Current support includes:

• Project 23 – supporting vulnerable young people and championing their positive involvement in local community life
• The MARC Project – supporting adults suffering as a result of long term addiction to alcohol and/or other drugs to reduce self harm, promote sobriety and maintain independence.
• Positive Volunteering experience – promoting, developing and supporting community volunteering to develop confidence and skills and an opportunity to give back to the community. Currently there are over 60 local volunteers in The Link team.
• Senior Citizens Club – Volunteer led group offering friendship and support to older people experiencing isolation and loneliness. 
• Totstime – Volunteer led Parent and Toddler group open to all.
• English Classes -  volunteer teachers offer English tuition at various levels to speakers of other languages in free weekly classes.
• Social Economy Recycling Furniture project – The Link Furniture MARCIT – providing a service to the community in terms of reducing waste and generating funds for the running of the charitable work of The Link. Supporting clients of The MARC Project with placements in the MARCIT to develop skills and move towards employability.
• Affordable Conference and Training facilities – with local money being recycled into local community support.

Youth – Project 23 – The Link’s work with young people draws in resources to the Ards area from Trusts and Foundations and fundraising activities. Less than 12% of the funding for Project 23 comes from the public purse and our staff, both voluntary and paid offer support to the local health trust, the PSNI and provide informal education classes within the local High School. The Link provides a vital Youth Health Advice Clinic and a Job seekers Breakfast for young people as well as programmes supporting mental health and emotional well-being, identity, self esteem and practical skills.

Chief Inspector Knox, local area commander stated: “In all policing consultations with the community in Ards the clear priority relates directly to anti-social behaviour involving young people.  The local PSNI Strategy is based on enforcement, diversion and reassurance with a particular directed focus on marginalised and disengaged young people.  Unfortunately these young people, by the very nature of their activity, come into regular conflict with police during enforcement operations.  To counter this we work in partnership with local agencies and voluntary groups to deliver education, build relationships and divert from the perceived anti-social behaviour.  The work of the Link, in both partnership activities with us, and as a direct service to the young people is critical, particularly as it relates to their work around the emotional and social welfare of the young people.  Their facility also enables local police officers to engage with an otherwise difficult to reach group within our local community.

The Link Addiction Support Services (The MARC Project). –

“The MARC Project addresses a significant problem and provides a valuable – and probably unique – service for people with addication problems in the Ards and North Down areas. The project has been very successful.”

External Evaluation – Queen’s University.

The MARC clients are individuals who are unable to receive support from the local Addictions Team because of the chronic nature of their addiction, or have been through the system so many times that they no longer have that opportunity.  This is not an add on service to that provided by the Addictions Team, but the only service that a number of local people can access for support.  Success is shown in the last year through the “graduation” of four clients from “Floating Support” who have been dry for more than two years after an average of 20 years addiction to alcohol.

“In my last years of heavy drinking I didn’t eat at all and I was two stone underweight. I never admitted I was an alcoholic until I collapsed in the street. That was when I finally agreed to accept help from The Link.”

Client of The Link’s MARC Project

Community Relations/Development

The Link, as its name suggests is about linking people and organisations and helping to bring about a situation where community groups, churches and individuals are working together positively for the development of the local community. They seek to bring about community cohesion through:

• Supporting and enabling churches to engage more effectively with each other and their local community
• Developing understanding of local community structures and communication
• Acting as a catalyst for change utilising research and audit findings and local community knowledge to respond to need
• Building and developing community fora for the development of relationships, understanding and knowledge
• Lobbying statutory agencies and government departments

Benefits of community and voluntary funding in local areas.

• Essential Services. The Link as a community and voluntary organisation provides vital services for local people in Newtownards and working in partnership with statutory agencies supporting them in the delivery of services which are essential to the health and well-being of the community as a whole.
• Value for money. The Link has proved its effectiveness and efficiency in both external evaluations and local government audits. It has shown creativity in the development of programmes utilising the skills and knowledge of local people in the planning and implementation. The Link’s volunteer hours average over 100 per week.
• Added Value. Less than 20% of all of The Link’s funding comes from the public purse and we therefore draw resources into the local community to benefit local people from many different sources.
• Positive Citizenship. Many of The Link’s services are provided or supported by a trained team of dedicated and skilled volunteers who have a positive impact on those they support as well as developing skills and confidence through their volunteering.
• Flexibility. As a smaller local organisation The Link is able to meet the needs of local people in a flexible way, looking at individual need and tailoring programmes accordingly. The Link provides a service to local people daily and support is there even when the office is closed.