Finding the right support at the right time can make a huge difference. That’s why we’re looking for a small number of charities, voluntary organisations, community groups, and social enterprises across Dorset Council and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council areas to help us test a new digital tool that makes it easier for people to find local services. 

Introducing the Links Generator 

The Links Generator is a simple-to-use tool within Service Finder, CAN’s free directory of local support services for professionals. It allows you to create a personalised webpage with services, information, and resources relevant to your organisation and the people you support. 

Instead of sending people to a large directory to find information themselves, you can create a tailored webpage, powered by our shared dataset. The page can be customised with your logo, colours and branding so that visitors experience a page that feels like part of your own website, while benefiting from automatic updates to information about local support services. 

How does the Links Generator work?  

The Links Generator lets you create a list of services you want to display on your website, in newsletters, on social media and in digital campaigns. Whenever information in our database is updated, your page updates automatically. There’s no need for you to edit, update or manually maintain anything.

Here are two examples (both shown using CAN branding).

• Community and Social Groups for people living in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole with a Learning Disability.
• Community and Social Groups for Older People living in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole who are isolated or lonely

Key benefits of the Links Generator  

• Completely free to use 
• Branded with your organisation’s logo and colours 
• Easy to share through websites, newsletters, social media, and email 
• Tailored to the needs of your audience 
• Automatically updated when service information changes 
• Can display services, organisations, venues, or a combination of all three.

Whether you support families, carers, older people, young people, or individuals facing financial hardship, the Links Generator can be tailored to showcase the support most relevant to your community. 

We’re looking for testers

Before launching the Links Generator more widely, we’d like to work closely with a small group of local organisations to make sure it meets the needs of the voluntary and community sector. As an early tester, you’ll:

• Influence future development of the tool 
• Provide feedback on usability and functionality
• Help shape a resource designed specifically for local communities
• Improve how people discover local support services.

Your feedback will directly help us create a better experience for both organisations and the people they support.

Who can get involved?

We’re particularly interested in hearing from small charities, community groups, voluntary organisations, social enterprises and local support services.

No technical knowledge is required. If you can share a web link, you can use the Links Generator.

Interested in becoming a tester?

If you’d like to help shape a new approach to community signposting while gaining access to a free, branded community services page, we’d love to hear from you. Please email servicefinder@can100.org.  

Together, we can make it easier for people to discover the services, organisations, and community resources that can help them thrive. 

The Links Generator is powered by data from the Access to Community Support and Services (ACSS) project. Funded by NHS Dorset through the Children and Young People’s Mental Health Transformation Programme, ACSS collects public information about local support services. CAN regularly reviews and quality-checks this to ensure it remains accurate, reliable, and up to date. The database includes services covering: 

• Mental health and wellbeing 
• Family support 
• Community activities 
• Practical support 
• Financial advice 
• Volunteering opportunities 
• Social and leisure activities.