In this Health and Wellbeing blog, VONNE Silver members, Pioneering Care Partnership (PCP), discuss their Resilience Service, which is a multi-agency partnership of NHS and VCSE organisations. They outline how the team works closely with Social Prescribing Link Workers and other services to ensure people can access the right support at the right time and prevent individuals from falling through gaps between services.
They share the importance of trusted relationships and person-centred support, acknowledging how early non-clinical intervention from social prescribers and VCSE organisations can improve wellbeing, strengthen connections, and reduce pressure on services.
Pioneering Care Partnership (PCP) is a charity whose mission is 'Health, Wellbeing and Learning for All' with embedded operational values of Excellence, Inclusive, Aspirational and Bold. PCP aims to support people by creating opportunities to improve the health, wellbeing, and life chances of disadvantaged communities.
Established in 1998, PCP has grown as a charity to meet developing community need, working across the North East and has since supported over 635,000 people.
The County Durham Resilience Service is a multi-agency partnership of the VCSE sector and NHS, with PCP as lead partner alongside Tees Esk & Wear Valley NHS and other VCSE partners. It began as the COVID-19 Resilience Service in response to the significant impact the pandemic had on people's mental wellbeing, confidence, social connections, and sense of community. As needs evolved, it developed into a countywide service supporting people to build confidence, strengthen mental health and wellbeing and reconnect with their communities.
Working countywide, the service supports adults aged 18+ who live or work in County Durham and works particularly closely with Social Prescribing Link Workers, primary care, mental health services, community organisations and wider VCSE partners. These partnerships help ensure people can access the right support at the right time and prevent individuals from falling through gaps between services.
The service supports people experiencing loneliness, loss of purpose, long-term health conditions, caring responsibilities, and significant life changes, helping them build confidence, wellbeing, and resilience through a person-centred, strengths-based approach. The service combines resilience support, lived experience, VCSE partnerships and psychological guidance, creating a bridge between statutory and community support.
The team consists of Resilience Workers, Coordinators, Psychology team members, Project Manager, administrative support, and volunteers - some of whom are former service users. Together they use feedback, lived experience and partnership working to continuously shape delivery.
The service offers tailored support based on individual needs, covering all 13 Primary Care Network localities across County Durham. Support includes one-to-one resilience support, community navigation, group work and connections to local opportunities and specialist services.
Support is offered in person, by telephone, virtually and through groups including ‘Resilience Mind & Body’ and ‘Pioneering Your Way to Resilience & Wellbeing’ including recent joint group sessions in partnership with ARCH Recovery College.
A key strength of the service is partnership working. Social Prescribing Link Workers, health professionals, community organisations, volunteers, and people with lived experience all play a role in helping individuals achieve their goals and remain connected within their communities.
Since launching in 2021, the service has supported almost 3,000 people across County Durham, receives between 850 – 1,000 referrals each year, and sees 75% of people who complete support and received an outcome, achieve or partially achieve their goals.
People frequently describe increased confidence, improved wellbeing, reduced isolation and feeling better able to cope with life's challenges because of their involvement with the service. Feedback highlights the importance of having someone who listens without judgement, practical support to build resilience, and opportunities to reconnect with their communities.
"It's worked! From no social life to meeting a new friend at a café on Friday. I was despondent and lonely and with a bleak future and now it's sunny and my future looks interesting. I feel I'm starting to live again." Client supported by Resilience Coordinator.
Partners also recognise the value of the service:
"Just to let you know, I get a lot of positive feedback from the work you do. It is very much appreciated and, without being too dramatic, it does change lives." DWP Work Coach from the JobCentre
Like many organisations, we are seeing increasing demand and more complex needs, including long-term physical and mental health conditions, poverty, social isolation, and caring responsibilities.
One key lesson has been the importance of trusted relationships and person-centred support. People engage more successfully when support focuses on what matters to them and is backed by strong partnership working.
Looking ahead, we will continue strengthening partnerships, creating opportunities for community connection, and contributing to the development of the new Mental Health Neighbourhood Centres. We believe resilience is built through relationships, opportunities, and community, and that early, non-clinical support can improve wellbeing while reducing pressure on wider health and care services.
Ultimately, the most important outcome is helping people get the right help at the right time, feel more connected, confident, and able to shape their own future. Through collaboration, community connection, and person-centred support, we are helping individuals not only manage challenges but build the resilience to move forward with hope and purpose.
Social prescribing and VCSE organisations play a vital role in supporting people before needs escalate. It demonstrates how early non-clinical intervention can improve wellbeing, strengthen connections, and reduce pressure on services.
You can find out more about the County Durham Resilience Service through the PCP website, or by speaking to their Social Prescribing Link Worker or other support professionals.