A place for charities, volunteers and people seeking support to come together in Devon

Have you ever looked for a restaurant or hotel on Google Maps? It’s usually a quick and easy search.

However, when it comes to searching for help and support, finding the right service can be a very stressful, complicated process for those in seeking it, with too man clicks to get to information and often discovering information is out of date.

Award-winning, Devon based, social enterprise If Everyone Cares CIC is working on changing that. Back in August, with the support of Recovery Devon, they launched 7 Devon area-based community maps to help build a local, easily accessible resource for people during these challenging times and for the years ahead.

Levels of uncertainty are affecting people across our region and the UK as a whole. There has never been a more crucial time for people and communities to join together to either find or offer vital help and support to those affected.

The ‘Devon 7’ are part of a growing network of maps that are connected to aDoddle.org, a unique national community resource for use at both a UK-wide and local level.

The team at If Everyone Cares CIC, all volunteers, now need YOUR HELP to raise awareness and encourage local charities & community organisations to create a free profile on the map. Their research has shown that there are 5 key things people who are searching for help, wanting to volunteer, or wanting to support local charities & organisations, want to know: Who they help – How they help – The difference they make – The help they need – How to contact them so they can either access help, donate or volunteer.

The ‘Devon 7’, aDoddle.org & all connected area-based community maps will help:

• Pin-point local charities, community projects/groups & resources
• Connect those who need help to those who provide it
• Help anyone experiencing isolation to find local groups so they can connect with others
• Signpost people who want to help - to projects that need their support
• Enable charities to highlight their services and volunteering opportunities
• Make it 'aDoddle' to find, connect, give, collaborate and support - FREE to use 24/7

The maps also clearly show how up-to-date information is through their unique 'Traffic Light' system, and all charities and community-based organisations are invited to create a free profile to help raise awareness of how they help and the help they need.

James Wooldridge from Recovery Devon says “Recovery Devon is a community organisation that both promotes and supports opportunities for mental health recovery across Devon.

One of our aims is to nurture and grow a supportive Recovery Community across Devon and working with Jaki King and aDoddle provides a way to connect with like-minded groups and organisations.

Linking people with community resources will help many individuals discover their potential to contribute to society as well as providing community organisations with an opportunity to recruit volunteers.

We see aDoddle as a community map with social aims similar to our own. aDoddle brings people and organisations together and we are more than happy to partner with Jaki as the Devon maps take shape.”

Imagine having a simple way to find help at a time of crisis (or in time to avoid a crisis), to give support through volunteering or locating places to connect with others – building stronger, more connected and resilient communities. That is the aim of aDoddle.org.

Jaki King, Founder of aDoddle and award-winning social enterprise If Everyone Cares CIC (IEC) commented: “There are so many reasons why bringing this information together is both common sense and vital for people and communities. To make it work we not only need charities and community organisations to create their free profiles, which are easy to do, like a mini-website and give them an opportunity to tell the story of who they help, how they help, the difference they make and the help they need.

There are so many other benefits. The maps have been developed by a small group of volunteers, with a tiny budget and every single element of them is based on research and feedback from the last 10 years. It is all funded by businesses, through local sponsorship.

The maps are still in their infancy, and at present only hold limited information while more charities and organisations add their own profiles. It’s is a work in progress, and they are designed to be improved as we gather & listen to feedback. Our aim is for Community Maps to continually react to user, community and cross-country need. Connecting Communities - One Click at a Time”

Jaki King, who has dedicated the last 10 years to three crucial areas; People, Connected Communities & Change, was given a Points of Light Award by the Prime Minister.

You can see a 5 minute video showing how easy it is to create a profile - https://youtu.be/6Futf3gfWTo