The Real Care Deal Roadshow 2025
At the end of July, the Real Care Deal got real! We officially launched the website making it available to the public, but more importantly the team hit the road to meet people across Norfolk and hear their thoughts.
The team for the week included Cat, Amelia, Nat, Sam, Alex, Nonnie, Jo and Kyle and Julia. We visited North Walsham, Cromer, Hunstanton, Kings Lynn, Diss, Wymondham, Great Yarmouth and Gorleston
We visited libraries and community centres, bringing posters, pens, lego and play dough, to spark conversations about receiving care and support in Norfolk.
What did we learn first? Start with a cuppa – make tea first, ask questions later. Or even better, let people ask you the question “so what brings you here/what are you doing here?”
A child's view on how we should treat people
Here's a video summary of the roadshow in pictures
Why the Real Care Deal Matters
One of the reasons the Real Care Deal is needed is because there is a lack of trust between services and the people who access them.
The Real Care Deal is about rebuilding that trust, by listening, showing up and letting the community lead.
Libraries: More Than Books
“I like being able to drop in – no strings attached. I have the choice to join in or not…the Monday group often gets you going for the week”
Libraries (and librarians) are hidden gems, and brilliant places for connection. They are free, welcoming safe spaces for people to come and connect. They offer so much more than just books – from Just a Cuppa (space to chat over a brew!) to knitting groups.
But across Norfolk there is a wide range of different spaces; We saw that smaller libraries often feel more inviting, while bigger ones like Great Yarmouth’s offer space for larger community events.
We observed that smaller spaces might be more effective at enticing people in.
Simple but not easy.
“the real care deal values and principles are the reason why social workers do what they do, but they are not measured against these principles and values”
In North Walsham we held a relaxed workshop with practitioners to explore the website and how it could help them.
Everyone reflected on how they’d experienced care and support themselves. Everyone agreed with the Real Care Deal’s goals. But, they also said that while being more human sounds simple, it is not easy when the care system measures success in other ways.
Many want to work differently but the system rules and how money is spent make it hard. This is something we will be looking at in more depth.
So, what did we learn from our roadshow?
We have written a longer review of the roadshow with recommendations, but here are three important learnings:
1. Being there matters:
In each space, people asked if we would be coming back. That showed us how important it is to be present with people, not just once, but regularly.
The Real Care Deal won’t make a difference unless it (we) are regularly and consistently visible in everyday spaces.
2. Tech is not a cure all:
“Nothing is simple anymore”
Digital tools can save time and money, but they will not work for everyone. In every location people told us they struggle with technology – whether it’s paying for parking, or simply getting on the internet for basic services.
We need to keep this in mind as we plan for the Real Care Deal.
3. Super connectors are key:
Many of the people we met were ‘super connectors’; people who are well known, liked, trusted and deeply involved in their communities. They gave us insights, contacts and information we would not have otherwise learned.
