SO: Linked is a partnership between four organisations in Southampton who provide Community Navigation and Community Development support in the city. The organisations are the Southampton Voluntary Services, SPECTRUM CIL, TWICS and Social Enterprise Link.
Community Navigation:
We live in challenging times, and it can be difficult to know what services are around to support us. Community Navigation* direct residents to the array of fantastic groups, events and services all over Southampton who offer help and support. It can help you find social activities, finance and debt advice, food provisions, physical activity groups, volunteering and much more.
Navigation is provided in three ways:
- Our SOLID Database can help you search services locally or city wide/nationally.
- You can refer yourself or be referred to our friendly Community Navigation Team.
- You can also call or email the team to see what is available.
We can help anyone over 18 years old, who lives in Southampton (SO14, SO15, SO16, SO17, SO18 and SO19) or who is registered with a Southampton GP service. If you meet these criteria, we can support you.
You can find more information here
*You may have heard Community Navigation described as Social Prescribing.
Community Development:
“Every problem has a community solution.”
The United Nations defines community development as “a process where community members come together to take collective action and generate solutions to common problems.”. Our city is full of groups and individuals dedicated to this cause and we at Southampton Voluntary Services have supported them for over 50 years!
In 2018, we joined forces with Training for Work in Communities (TWICs) and Social Enterprise Link (SEL) as the SO:Linked partnership. Working with these organisations, we can provide a variety of support including training, recruiting volunteers, community group infrastructure, mediation, funding, promotion of services and networking.
If you are an existing community group in need of support, or perhaps you want to set up your own group but don’t know where to start, get in touch with us here.