Social Action for Health

Networks and Alliances

Networking is half way along our spiral; it is the heart which pumps life through Social Action for Health and runs through all aspects of our work.

Advisors from the network on their training day

The projects below are perfect examples of partnership working. They encompass health, advice and community development work and bring together a wide range of independent sector organisations, small community groups and statutory health professionals.

The Health Links Project (HIAC) provides advice on benefits, debt, housing and other social-welfare problems for people from disadvantaged communities at GP practices in Hackney. The work is delivered by the Hackney Information and Advice Consortium, a network of independent advice providers, managed by SAfH.

The Health and Advice Links Project offers advice on benefits, debt, housing and other social-welfare problems for people from disadvantaged communities at GP practices in Tower Hamlets through a network of local advice agencies managed by SAfH. To read a PDF copy of the project report, please click here.

The range of issues that are dealt with by the advice workers that are part of our networks i.e. housing, debt, welfare benefits etc

The Hackney Advice Forum (HAF) is for community advice agencies in Hackney. It aims to provide a platform from which agencies can be heard and can negotiate with the statutory sector and influence policy.

Tower Hamlets Healthy Living Network provided a range of holistic healthy living activities and complementary treatments – via sixteen voluntary organisations and community groups, led by SAfH. The project ended in June 2007. During its five year lifetime, the Network provided services to over 10,000 local residents. Meet the People is a report which tells some of their stories you can download it here.

“As part of a network small community service providers can support one another, train together and access funding more easily. It also gives them a bigger voice. We convene meetings, organise training and more. We tell people, ‘You provide the services and we’ll bend over backwards to support you’.” Eyarun Choudhury, Project Manager

“Alliances are about human relationships. They embody friendship as well as business. Society doesn’t like diversity, but when you’re part of an alliance you have to live with difference and work with it. That’s what community is all about.” Philip Morgan, Volunteer

For more information please contact Pauline Facey at paulinef@safh.org.uk