By Sam Bingham, CAN Development Manager

As the Trusted Reviewers project draws to a close, I’ve reflected on the extraordinary impact of this people-centred work. I had the pleasure of leading a team of passionate and skilled individuals who helped me to shape this impressive work and bring it to life. An approach rooted in the unique strengths of the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) with our deep community intelligence, trusted relationships and local connections.

From the outset, this project demonstrated what happens when communities are not just consulted, but truly listened to. That listening is then transformed into meaningful action. Commissioned as part of BCP’s Day Opportunity Strategy and linked to strengthen the Fulfilled Lives Transformation Programme, the project initially focused on capturing the voices of people attending day opportunities across Dorset. Through hundreds of person-centred conversations, the Trusted Reviewers team worked closely with individuals to understand what truly matters to them, including passions and interests and what brings joy day to day.

   

These were not surface-level conversations; they were meaningful and led with heart from a team that was proud to come together to make a difference. The initial connections with individuals, families and providers enabled us to build trust, connect authentically and meet people where they are.

Turning insight into opportunity

Listening was only the first step. By combining insight with local knowledge and partnerships, the team supported people to access opportunities that aligned with their interests, whether that meant volunteering, learning new skills, trying creative activities, or simply finding spaces to socialise and feel connected.

We worked collaboratively with day centres, wider providers and community settings to enable taster sessions to help people try new activities. This led to people reviewing and reshaping their weekly routines and helping people to continue with activities to bring them joy and purpose. Along the way, CAN championed the incredible work of local day providers, while also supporting families and carers to feel more confident about the options available.

Helping people play an active role in improving the support they receive

A defining feature of the project is our commitment to co-production. Working alongside day centre staff, individuals with lived experience, families and carers, CAN created spaces where everyone had a voice in shaping pilot sessions and trying new things. This collaborative approach ensured that services were informed not only by data but by real lives and real experiences.

Following a highly successful first year, harnessing all of our knowledge and ambitions, the project was extended and broadened in scope. With this expansion came innovation. We introduced a structured way for professionals, such as social workers and other support staff, to make ‘asks’ of the team. This enabled us to:

• Support individuals with care and support needs to connect to community activities.
• Identify appropriate day services tailored to individual preferences.
• Bridge gaps between statutory services and community provision.

This development continued to strengthen the role of the VCS as a connector, linking systems, services and people in a way that is both responsive and deeply personalised. Leading this work, I recognised that a key ingredient in the project’s success was the autonomy our funders, BCP ASC Commissioning, gave us.

We were trusted to design, deliver, shape and evolve the work as it progressed whilst remaining connected to the key areas of governance and oversight needed. This flexibility meant we could adapt quickly to emerging needs, remain agile, respond creatively to what people told us, and continuously refine our approach based on real-world feedback.

Creativity, visibility and lasting impact

The project was not only about making a difference for those who worked with us, but it’s also about gathering insight that will hopefully make a difference for a long time to come and share it in ways that inspire change.

It’s hard to pull out only a few highlights, so I have a rather longer list of standout moments for me, including the rich qualitative insights and powerful stories shared. Supporting people to discover new activities, many of which they continue to enjoy today, while growing in their confidence and developing vital life skills for the future. Support to professionals with the creation of bespoke ‘menus’ of activity planning, hosting a vibrant and bustling community information event in a local setting, championing all the amazing opportunities available to people and seeing families engage and connect. And finally, conducting real-life community research, creatively sharing our findings through reports, videos and exhibitions to help influence future service design.

Through this work, together with BCP ASC Commissioning, we have taken significant steps toward making community opportunities more accessible, equitable, visible, relevant, impactful and inclusive. Alongside launching an accessible newsletter which will hopefully go on to inform future inclusive access to information.

While the Trusted Reviewers project formally comes to an end, its legacy is just beginning.

The insight gathered continues to influence strategic priorities, including BCP’s Personalisation Programme and wider transformation goals. More importantly, it continues to shape real lives, helping people across Dorset access opportunities, feel connected, and live well.

This project stands as a powerful example of what the VCS does best: listening deeply, connecting meaningfully, acting creatively and championing our communities.

The Trusted Reviewers project has highlighted the value of connection, conversation and adding capacity to listen to our communities. Helping people to build confidence, try new things and reconnect with the things they love. And that is a legacy worth celebrating.

Thank you to BCP ASC Commissioning all the individuals, families, staff and partners who have worked with us.

The Trusted Reviewers project was commissioned by ASC Commissioning at BCP to support the BCP Day Opportunities Strategy. The priority was to rebalance the number of people accessing building-based day opportunities against the number of people accessing community-based day opportunities. The project also supports people to have a central voice in the decisions about how they want to spend their day.