Attending a local club, activity or group is one way for people to connect with their community. However, people may not know what is available locally, fear that it will be too expensive, or that a disability, health condition or caring responsibility will prevent them from joining in.
Being able to access an up-to-date directory of clubs and activities might remove some of these barriers. An online directory of this kind can also be accessed by health and social care professional who might want to encourage someone to take part in an activity to improve their physical or mental wellbeing.
Within Scotland, ALISS is an online database designed to help people find help and support close to them when they need it most. It is a searchable online database of support organisations and activities, that aims to have local information that will be of use to people. Anyone can submit information for inclusion on the ALISS database here: ALISS
If you feel that an up-to-date online directory of activities is needed for your local area, you could think about creating one. You might also want to consider whether this directory should be expanded to include local support services that may be able to provide information or support to people dealing with ill health, dying, caring responsibilities or bereavement.
A local organisation may be willing to host the directory on their existing website. Alternatively, various companies offer web space free of charge.
Finding out about all the different activities and services available in the local area is likely to take a significant amount of time, and involve online searches, phone calls, and visits to local community hubs. Once the initial work is done, then it is an ongoing task to keep the website up-to-date, and this requires ongoing commitment from someone.
Dr Julian Abel on Why a service directory is a critical component of a compassionate community project
WikiHow on How to get a free website
An example of an online directory - the Mendip directory
