Who we are
Cultenhove is a community that faces many challenges regarding physical and socio-economic regeneration. It is one of Scotland's five per cent most deprived communities.
Despite the challenges the community faces, the local community planning and anchor organisation for the area Cultenhove Opportunities Partnership (COP) has been working with Stirling Community Planning Partnership and NHS Forth Valley to develop a 'people strategy' as part of the Single Outcome Agreement process that delivers on COP's vision for the area: Cultenhove a 'Better Place to Live'.
What we do
Early work by COP supported by Stirling's Community Planning Partnership, who unlocked access to strategic managers, brought together statutory and voluntary sector service providers with the community itself. Together they identified that the main issues faced by Cultenhove were health inequalities, low-level antisocial behaviour, alcohol misuse, low income and poor life skills. Although a wide range of services is available to the local community, awareness of their existence is patchy and ability to access can be low. It was agreed that partner agencies need to communicate more, share information early and plan shared services in partnership with the community.
COP subsequently identified the need to strengthen an existing workers network (a forum that provided an opportunity for frontline staff to network and maintain dialogue with community partners). Working with Stirling Council's communities team, Stirling Community Planning Partnership and NHS Forth Valley Keep Well Steering Group COP has begun to develop a community-led Cultenhove Health and Wellbeing Network.
A 'Cultenhove Seminar' was organised by COP, with the support of Stirling Council's Communities Team who provide ongoing community capacity building support to Cultenhove. Its aim was to bring frontline staff who provide 'social and health' services together with the community to explore the benefits of more co-ordinated working. 
Over 20 different statutory and voluntary service providers were represented. The seminar focused on learning about each others roles and the contribution that they make to Cultenhove; this was achieved through a case study based approach that examined how services responded to a given scenario. The seminar closed with the agreement that service providers involved in the network should be working to one common vision for the area: Cultenhove a 'Better Place to Live'.
A follow-up meeting agreed that the overall purpose of the Cultenhove Health and Well-being Network should be to improve the health and well-being outcomes of local people through supporting collaborative working that adds value to the work of services and agencies. This will allow the local community to identify and define what is important to their well-being and then take the lead in implementing appropriate solutions in partnership with service providers.
What's next?
An initial action plan for 2010/11, that is being co-ordinated by Stirling Council's Communities Team in partnership with COP, is in the process of being worked up.
Four principles, prevention, integration, engagement and communication, will guide the action plan. Initial actions will focus on:
- improving access to services and delivery of appropriate services at the right time and place;
- promoting positive health;
- increasing community participation; and
- network training.
Future actions to be considered include crime/antisocial behaviour, education, skills, training and financial inclusion.
Contact information
If you would like to know more about the work of Cultenhove Health and Wellbeing Network, please contact:
Andy Davis, Community Worker at Stirling Council:
By telephone: 01786 432341
By email: davisa@stirling.gov.uk
Or by post at:
Communities Team
Stirling Council
2nd Floor
Wolfcraig Building
1 Dumbarton Road
Stirling FK8 2LQ
Or contact Gerry McLaughlin, Chairperson of Cultenhove Health and Wellbeing Network:
By telephone: 01786 450613
By email: cop1@btconnect.com