Page 50 - Barrow Town Deal Board Agenda 14/4/2020

We therefore suggest that community capital can be grown by following the Connected Communities

principles of understanding the local situation, relationships and patterns of isolation; involving people in
creating a solution; and connecting people to each another to reduce isolation. This is summarised below:

Figure 1: Connected Communities Theory of Change

Since the introduction of the ‘Big Society’ by David Cameron in 2010, the UK government has expressed a
desire to see more residents that are better able to support themselves and therefore reduce pressures

on public services. The Civil Society Strategy, published in 2018, outlines “how government will work with
and support civil society in the years to come, so that together we can build a country that works for

everyone” (Cabinet Office, 2018a, p. 12).

This strategy is based on the five foundations of social value: people (enabling a lifetime of contribution);

places (empowerment and investment for local communities); the social sector (supporting charities and
social enterprises); the private sector (promoting business, finance, and technology); and the public sector
(ensuring collaborative commissioning). Encouraging these foundations to work collaboratively and

alongside the government “can help to bring together the resources, policies and people” (p. 12). What’s

more, within this strategy, young people and their potential contribution to society are “recognised as
vital”, with the ability to help the country ‘tackle its most urgent challenges and deliver a better future for

all of us” (p. 10).

The impact of loneliness and social isolation on individuals and communities is also recognised in
contemporary social policy, evidenced through the introduction in the UK of a Minster for Loneliness, and

publication of a national loneliness strategy (Cabinet Office, 2018b). Together, the focus on developing

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