Thriving Together Newsletter

Hello 👋

Before anything else, we want to say a genuine thank you to everyone who has taken part in Thriving Together over the last few months.

Whether you came to one session, several, shared your experiences openly, listened carefully, or simply made time to be there — we really appreciate it. Taking part isn’t always easy, and it takes trust, energy and care. What people have shared has already made a real difference.

This update is about closing the loop — showing how what you’ve told us is shaping real work, and being clear about what’s happening next.

You’ll find:

• 🗣 what people told us in October, November and December
• 🔁 what has already changed because of that
• 📅 what we’re working on next

You don’t need to have followed everything so far. Feel free to dip in, skim, or read the bits that matter most to you.

💷 October: shaping the Thriving Together Grant Fund

In October, we asked people to help shape a new Thriving Together Grant Fund.

Rather than starting with a fixed model, we started by listening — asking what would actually be most helpful for groups locally.

You told us:

• small, flexible grants often work better than large ones
• processes can feel like a barrier, especially for smaller groups
• funding works best when it’s linked to support and learning
• it should be clear what the fund is for and how decisions are made

Find out more what was discussed.

What changed because of this:

• 🔀 two routes into the fund
• 📝 simpler language and a clearer, more accessible process
• 🤝 a focus on collaboration and learning, not just delivery
• 🎯 clear criteria linked to local priorities

This feedback is why the fund looks the way it does.

👉 Explore the Thriving Together Grant Fund and apply now before 9 January.

👉 Read the October workshop insights

🧭 November: neighbourhoods and local decision-making

In November, we spent time talking about local government reorganisation and what really matters to people as changes are planned.

You told us:

• decisions can feel distant from everyday life
• people want to know where influence will sit in future structures
• neighbourhood governance matters more than adding new layers

What we did next:

At the December session, we shared updated thinking shaped directly by this feedback, including:

• 🏘 a stronger focus on neighbourhood governance
• 🧩 clearer roles for residents, groups and councillors
• 🔗 making participation part of how things work, not an add-on

This work is still evolving, but the direction we shared came straight from what people raised in November.

👉 See the November session slides and discussion

🗣 Listening better to unheard voices — and young people

Across November and December, people were clear that some voices are still missing from conversations — and that these gaps often point to where change is most needed.

You told us we need to:

• reach people whose voices aren’t often heard
• make it easier to take part without confidence, time or experience
• involve young people in ways that feel genuine and meaningful

What’s happening now:

• 👥 Citizens Panel
• We’re setting up a Citizens Panel from February. It will bring together a small group of local people whose experiences aren’t always reflected in decisions, to work on practical issues the councils can actually change — and help shape real improvements, not just ideas on paper.
• 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Youth Panel
• We’re also setting up a Youth Panel, shaped with young people themselves. This will focus on the issues that matter most to young people locally, and on turning lived experience into practical action.
• 📣 Alongside this, we’re working with young people on a campaign that celebrates the difference they’re already making in Adur & Worthing, using their own voices and channels.

👉 See the December session slides and discussion

👉 Sign up to the Youth Panel (young people only) and Citizens Panel (under represented groups only) (morning option or evening option)

Separate opportunity: accessibility walkabout in Goring

We’re also looking for people with access needs to join a walkabout in Goring to help shape plans for a safer, more accessible shared path.

• 📍 Wednesday 14 January, 10am
• ⏱️ Around 1.5 hours, gentle pace
• ☕ Finishing with a drink at Sea Lane Café
• 💷 £50 high street voucher to thank you for your time

We’d especially welcome wheelchair users and people with hearing impairments.

👉 Email neighbourhood@adur-worthing.gov.uk to find out more.

📬 Communications: making updates clearer and more useful

Many people told us that:

• council communications don’t always reach them
• information can feel scattered or hard to follow
• updates should be clearer, shorter and more useful

What’s changing:

We’ll be launching a new residents newsletter, shaped by your feedback — including:

• 📰 what goes into it
• ⏱ how often it’s sent
• ✉️ how it invites people to get involved

This update, and future newsletters, are part of trying to communicate in a more open, joined-up and human way.

🤝 Working together: community facilitators

Another strong theme was how people want to work together locally — not just attend meetings, but support each other.

You told us:

• peer support really matters
• local connectors play an important role
• people need trust, backing and clarity to make things happen

What’s next:

In the new year, we’ll develop a clearer offer to support community facilitators, shaped by what you’ve told us — and bring it back to check it feels right.

🔧 Moving into practical action

Alongside the larger Thriving Together sessions, many people said they’d like to:

• work in smaller groups
• focus on practical action
• test ideas and unblock issues together

We agree.

📅 In January, we’ll share clear, practical ways to do this.

If you already have thoughts about:

• 💡 how you’d like to be involved
• 🛠 what you’d like to work on
• ✅ what would make smaller groups genuinely useful

we’d really like to hear from you.

🌱 Why this matters

Thriving Together only works if:

• people can see their input shaping real decisions
• feedback leads to visible change
• taking part feels worth the effort

What people have shared so far has already shaped funding, participation, governance thinking and how we communicate — and it will continue to do so.

Thank you again for your time, your honesty and your care for these places and communities.