Local Area Co-ordination
Our Local Area Co-ordination (LAC) team provides a service to adults (18 years old upwards) who are isolated in their community due to impact of learning disability, mental ill-health, physical disability or older age, including:
- adults with a learning disability, including young people who are coming to the end of their time at high school to plan for the future
- adults who experience mental-ill health where acknowledged mental health difficulties are affecting quality of life
- adults with a physical disability
- older adults.
The team is made up of local area co-ordinators and community link workers and our focus is on encouraging and enabling people to live an active, more connected and purposeful life in their community.
We work across the Borders and have bases in Duns, Galashiels, Hawick, Kelso and Peebles.
How could the LAC team help me?
We can work with you to help you:
- think about what matters to you
- increase your social connections
- make links to community opportunities and services that may be of interest and benefit to you
- identify opportunities to use your skills in the community
- build confidence and resilience to manage your health condition
- improve your physical and mental health
- become a more active member of your local community
We also recognise the role of informal carers in a person’s life and can signpost carers to sources of support.
How we work with you
- We will come and meet with you to find out what changes you want to make, and if we are the right service to assist you.
- We will work with you to find opportunities that allow you to make the changes you want.
- We will work flexibly with you for a period of time until you are able to continue with your activities or opportunities independently.
- Should things change, or you would like further input from the team, you can contact us again.
Working with communities
A key part of our work involves engaging with local communities to:
- challenge stigma and discrimination
- enable people to live as independently as possible in their own community
- raise awareness of what supports good mental health
- find ways of working together to support the involvement of people.
We do this by:
- building strong partnerships with a range of organisations and groups across local communities
- creating new opportunities with partners if none currently exist.
How can I be referred to the LAC service?
Anyone can refer. We also accept self-referrals.
It's important that anyone working with us has a willingness and ability to engage with the service. Please note that we aren’t able to provide personal care or moving and handling support.
More information
Contact our LAC team to find out more. You can do this by:
- phone: 01896 664155
- email: lac@scotborders.gov.uk
You can also drop into your nearest What Matters Hub for information and advice.