Libraries Providing a Welcoming Space for Community Support

Photo: Information stands at the Community Appointment Day in Antrim Library

The Connect North service recently hosted it’s first-ever Community Appointment Day (CAD) in Antrim Library.  The CAD offered personalised support to individuals recently diagnosed with dementia along with their carers, providing them with an opportunity to meet face-to-face with their dedicated Link Worker and connect with local supports and services.

Connect North are a social prescribing team, delivered in partnership between the Northern Health and Social Care Trust and Age NI, whereby, individuals can access a range of supports and services to address key factors affecting their health and wellbeing, such as housing, finances, loneliness and long-term health conditions.

Antrim Library proved to be the ideal venue for this event, offering a welcoming, discreet, accessible and relaxed environment. The space enabled private areas for one-to-one assessments, a larger room for community provider tables and a quiet refreshment area where attendees could take a moment to relax. Sabrina Lynn, NHSCT Health and Wellbeing Locality Lead, highlighted the value of hosting the event in a library, describing it as a central and accessible space within the community. Sabrina praised the library staff for their incredible support - ensuring the event ran smoothly, creating a calming atmosphere and demonstrating a real understanding of the needs of those attending.

Photo: Connect North Online Directory

“By using libraries as neutral, community-based venues, Connect North can provide support in a non-clinical setting that is familiar, comfortable and easy to access for our service users.”

Building on the success of the event, Connect North plans to continue hosting Community Appointment Days in libraries and are working with Libraries NI to establish the Connect North Directory of Services within local libraries. This will recognise libraries as Connect North Community Information Points so that library users can be supported and signposted to local support services or to speak with their local Connect North Link Worker.
With libraries at the heart of the community, partnerships like this make a real difference—ensuring access to vital support to those who need it most.

Watch the video to hear Sabrina talk about the first-ever Community Appointment Day at Antrim Library and the impact of Connect North.