Simply Connect! Libraries breaking social isolation The REC Centre, Towcester Road, Far Cotton, Northampton NN4 8LG Thu 12 June 2014 (0945 – 1545)

'Being isolated is equivalent to 15 cigarettes a day' Duncan Selbie, Chief Executive, Public Health England

Public libraries role as safe, stigma-free places at the heart of communities is well-documented and often mentioned – but what opportunities does this offer to tackle social isolation? What other assets do libraries bring to the table? This one day conference will set the framework and showcase examples of great, innovative practice of libraries helping to break social isolation.

PROGRAMME 0945 Registration and coffee

1000 Welcome address: Dr Akeem Ali, Director of Public Health and Wellbeing, Northamptonshire County Council

1015 Icebreaker / networking activity

1025 Keynote address: Breaking or building: what does ‘social isolation’ mean? Dr Alan Hatton-Yeo MBE, Lead Consultant, Communities for All Ages UK

1055 Coffee

1110 Policy context, local perspective: - Iain Britton, Assistant Commissioner Justice, Office of the Police and Crime Commission,

Northamptonshire - Becky Thornton, Development & Projects Manager, Northampton Volunteering Centre

1150 Social Isolation and local government – the Japan experience: Ms Kayoko Tamura, Assistant Director, and Dr Hannah Waterson, Researcher, Japan Local Government Centre (London)

1215 Simply connecting through volunteering: first-hand stories

1230 Lunch

1310 Networking activity

1320 Social Mirror for Community Prescription: Gaia Marcus, Senior Researcher, RSA

1345 Connecting through shared sporting memories: Tony Jameson Allen, Founding Director, Sporting Memories Network

1410 Raising awareness of dementia in children: Karen Morris, Health and Wellbeing Librarian, Stockton Libraries

1435 Coffee

1450 Get involved and connect – libraries breaking social isolation: Anne Lovely, Principal Librarian (North), Northamptonshire Libraries

1515 ‘Burning Questions’: speakers panel

1540 Final remarks

1545 END

All enquiries about this event: Jorge Solis / Principal Librarian-Transformation / 01604 366162 jsolis@northamptonshire.gov.uk / www.northamptonshire.gov.uk/libraryasset