Community engagement is a key part of independent living. Learn how we approach this at Care Support Scotland, and how connection benefits those we support.
What Does Community Engagement Look Like?
Community engagement can mean different things to different people. For some, it’s joining a local walking group or popping out for coffee with friends. For others, it might be trying something new – like signing up for a creative workshop, going to a gig, or learning a new skill.
It plays a crucial role in mental well-being, as it boosts personal growth and reduces feelings of social isolation.
At Care Support Scotland, we help people in our care to get involved in ways that feel right for them. That might include:
- Social activities – from clubs and meet-ups to friendly catch-ups at the local café.
- Learning and hobbies – like craft workshops, exercise classes, or computer skills courses.
- Cultural trips – including theatre visits, museum outings, and community events.
The goal is to help people feel connected, not just busy. It’s about building up a sense of community through active participation in social engagements. Basically, being part of something bigger.
Why It Matters: The Real Benefits of Community Engagement
Community engagement isn’t just a “nice to have” – it has a real and lasting impact on people’s lives and emotional health.
When people are supported to take part in their communities, it helps reduce loneliness and feelings of isolation. Social connections can lift mood, ease stress and build self-esteem. Taking part in meaningful activities adds structure to the day, gives people something to look forward to, and helps develop new skills or rediscover old ones.
Being part of a vibrant community also creates a natural support network. Friends to lean on, people to talk to, and the reassurance that you’re not alone. And when engagement involves physical activity or learning something new, it can provide mental stimulation and improve physical health.
Put simply: community participation helps people feel more like themselves.
How We Support Community Engagement
We get to know each person’s interests, goals and comfort levels, and work with them to find the right opportunities for engagement. If they’re into music, it might be a singalong or the chance to play an instrument. For those seeking a more active lifestyle, it could be a fitness class or getting involved in outdoor activities. This helps people build meaningful connections with those that have similar interests to them, creating social networks that go further than attending community activities.
Personal assistance
We get to know each person’s interests, goals and comfort levels, and work with them to find the right opportunities for engagement. If they’re into music, it might be a singalong or the chance to play an instrument. For those seeking a more active lifestyle, it could be a fitness class or getting involved in outdoor activities. This helps people build meaningful connections with those that have similar interests to them, creating social networks that go further than attending community activities.
Accessible transport
Sometimes participation in community life means a wee bit of travel. We make it easier to attend events and activities by providing transport and support along the way.
Help to build and maintain connections
Whether it’s reconnecting with old friends or meeting new people, we help individuals feel confident and supported in social settings. We help to foster inclusive environments so that everyone’s emotional and physical well-being is accounted for.
Organising community activities and events
Whether it’s reconnecting with old friends or meeting new people, we help individuals feel confident and supported in social settings. We help to foster inclusive environments so that everyone’s emotional and physical well-being is accounted for.
Organising community activities and events
From community get-togethers to creative sessions like art classes, we run our own activities designed to spark joy and connection.
Advocacy and inclusion
We work to ensure the people we support have equal access to community resources, and their voices are heard when it matters most.
What Community Engagement Looks Like in Action:
North Berwick Beach Day and Safari
Day 1: The group enjoyed a memorable day at North Berwick Beach, where the “Beach Wheelchairs” project enabled the wheelchair-users among them to fully participate in activities, fostering a strong sense of inclusion. This accessible outing allowed everyone to share in the fun, creating lasting memories captured in a commemorative booklet.
Day 2: The group had a fantastic trip to the Safari Park, where accessible swings provided great amusement and a novel experience for wheelchair users. Everyone enjoyed the drive-through animal enclosures and a memorable picnic lunch with zebras and giraffes, despite the monkeys’ reluctance to interact with the cars.
Our Thriving Community at St Leonards
At St Leonards Core & Cluster, the People we support enjoy socialising, having realized what they lost from Covid. Our Resource Centre’s ‘Monday Lunch Group’ provides weekly home-cooked meals, bringing people together to eat, converse, laugh, and enjoy films or quizzes. On nice days, they relax in the south-facing garden.
The group chooses the menu and explores community restaurants like ‘The Abbey’, Dobbies, and Chinese banquets, broadening their culinary experiences. We plan days out to places like Holyrood Palace, Murrayfield, and Dynamic Earth, with staff ensuring all mobility and abilities are catered for.
Monthly ‘Moving Music’ sessions bring joy with singing and percussion. These activities enhance mobility, maintain mental health, build relationships, and grow confidence, helping individuals live their best life.
Other drop-in activities include ‘Chippy night’, Breakfast club, and Bingo. Birthdays are celebrated with ‘wee Birthday tea parties’, complete with games like ‘pass the parcel’.
We also host the Participation group, the voice of the People we support, ensuring CSS meets their needs and encourages community involvement. This group offers a welcoming space for discussion and shared experiences. They meet monthly to plan ideas, activities, and events, having successfully held an Open Day and a Christmas Fayre. They are now planning a BBQ for August, Coffee mornings, and a Budding service to help people attend activities like football matches or concerts, reducing anxiety.
Belonging Builds Independence
Community engagement isn’t an add-on. It’s a fundamental part of having a great quality of life. It creates healthy daily routines, supports emotional well-being, and helps people stay active. By staying connected to the world around them, it also battles feelings of social isolation.
At Care Support Scotland, we’re committed to building inclusive communities where everyone feels they belong. Because when people feel part of something, they can live more confidently, more fully, and more independently.
H3: Care with community support networks built in
If you or someone you care about could benefit from support that champions independence and connection, we’re here to help. Get in touch to learn how our community-based care empowers people to live life on their own terms—confident, supported, and part of something bigger.
Care with community support networks built in
If you or someone you care about could benefit from support that champions independence and connection, we’re here to help. Get in touch to learn how our community-based care empowers people to live life on their own terms—confident, supported, and part of something bigger.