History of Inclusion Cornwall

Inclusion Cornwall was set up in 2004, to be the dedicated inclusion voice across Cornwall. Our purpose is challenging barriers and poor practices, increasing understanding and participation, and improving the quality of life within Cornwall. Inclusion Cornwall helps people by joining up organisations and what they deliver to enable individuals to benefit from more comprehensive support in moving forward with their lives.

Originally conceived to expand on the inclusion work in led by Andrea Gilbert in the Penwith area, and to be one of the nine Strategic Partnerships under the then Cornwall Local Area Agreement.  Andrea became the Inclusion Officer for the whole of Cornwall in 2004, and grew the programme, obtaining funding, and support, across the statutory and voluntary sectors, as well as building partnerships with local businesses.

The delivery arm of Inclusion was originally known as ‘Cornwall Works’ which developed into the Cornwall Works Hub, the Hub is now known as Inclusion Cornwall Hub, which helps partners make sense of the wide range of activity taking place in to reduce worklessness and raise employment rates. It has brought together local projects, programmes and public services to establish a new way of partnership working.  Since 2015 a greater focus has been on social and health inclusion. Wherever we identify a gap in services we seek to close it, either by commissioning a service or bringing others together. We never duplicate and allow others to take on the work if they are more appropriate, but we like to ensure gaps are joined. We act like a services jigsaw.

Stats:

  • 40 million pounds secured into Cornwall for inclusion projects from Public Health, Lottery, Central Government, Utilities and a small amount from Europe.
  • 750 organisations receiving regular updates on opportunities for their customers an acclaimed network (formerly daily, currently three times a week)
  • 30,518 people moved away from exclusion through Winter Wellness support, by improving health, home and work opportunities
  • 30,000 people supported through the Inclusion Cornwall Hub with information, advice, signposting and always finding an opportunity for people

Inclusion Cornwall’s work has included significant innovation, resulting in risks taken with new projects: Active Plus, Surf Action, Menopause Self Care, Move for Health, Helston and the Lizard Works, Village Works.

We have also evidenced behaviour-change in partners’ organisations, as they build their capacity to support our shared customers, including with Cornwall Council’s Revenues and Benefits team. We have a close working relationship with them, and with Job Centre Plus, taking referrals, and supporting individuals to ensure they have the support they need accessing the right services.

Inclusion Cornwall is recognised as the place go-to place, when frontline staff don’t know what to do next. We always have the way forward with the customer.

Equality and Diversity

Inclusion Cornwall has brought together Cornwall’s Equality and Diversity groups to become a single entity, creating one determined force. We are taking this group forward, and fighting for recognition and equality for all marginalised groups.

Projects

For a comprehensive list of our ongoing and previous projects, see the About us page.

COVID-19

During the COVID-19 pandemic, and lockdowns of 2020-21, Inclusion Cornwall was deeply involved supporting the residents of Cornwall.

Inclusion Cornwall became a strategic voice for Inclusion, bringing partners together with a focus on ensuring no one in a community falls through the net for support.

We supported residents across Cornwall through Department for Work and Pensions Covid Winter Grant, appraising applications for white goods, carpets, phone bills, fire guards, heated throws, energy bills and more. We were able to be flexible and think outside the box on how a person could be supported, we provided solar panels for a resident living in a caravan, and regularly provided travel to work costs to enable a person secured employment and therefore longer term security.

We supported Shielding customers across Cornwall, together with Public Health, through the Ministry of Communities, Housing and Local Government, keeping the vulnerable safe and secure during Covid.

We provided support with heating and energy efficiency throughout the year, to over 850 households.

We used our three-times-weekly mail out to over 700 organisations, to spread information to support their customers. (Click here and fill in the form to sign up)

We supported over 2,000 households across Cornwall in the year 2020-21, with either direct support or information.

We helped 30 patients discharge safely from healthcare, through the Homeless Discharge service.

We are part of Inclusion Matters, alongside Age UK, CRCC and disAbility Cornwall, reducing isolation in Cornwall amongst the vulnerable.

The entire team moved to working from home. We have been continuing to support people via the Village Works projects in Helston & the Lizard, Camelford and Bude, working remotely. Conversations were held online, as well as cooking sessions and counselling, workshops and other support, before expanding into socially distanced walking groups, and outdoor coffee meetings, once they were permitted. Continuity of support for our customers has been maintained, and new customers brought in, and given the assistance they need.