About us

Open Hearts Open Minds exists to provide you with free, bite-size access to news, tips and tools - helping you top up your knowledge about the people affected by social exclusion, and about the ways tackle it with inclusive practices.

Open Hearts Open Minds e-learning service is run by a team of people from organisations across Devon's voluntary, statutory and private sectors.  Anyone can volunteer to join the team (let us know if you're interested!)

The idea for Open Hearts Open Minds project began in 2003, when organisations working to deliver services in the community  got together, to look at social exclusion. 


Across Devon we learned that people were hungry for resources that would help staff, in all kinds of organisations and at all levels, to break cycles of disadvantage and work more inclusively.  In workshops, with sample groups of managers, specialists and staff who work directly with the publicimage of diverse people from Walsh Jones, we identified the information they thought would help, and designed tools that would enable them to make changes.  

The product was a handbook called ‘Open Hearts, Open Minds’, and readers recommend it as down to earth, user friendly, and, most importantly, helpful. The handbook's contents are all now available on our Tools page. The 'Open Hearts Open Minds' name came from the recognition that its resources helped people deploy and build on what they identified as their own most powerful tool in breaking down barriers – an open heart and mind.  

In 2006  after much positive feedback from readers who wanted to hear more from Open Hearts Open Minds, we decided to launch this website and e-news service. 

So now you can keep topped up with information about social exclusion, the lives it affects, and how to tackle it, by registering to receive our monthly e-news.  It's
  • Free (and no ads popping up!)
  • Bite sized for the busy
  • Sent to you monthly with latest news and ideas

As soon as you register to receive it, the e-news will arrive in your email inbox each month, with 3 fresh news items, top tips and links to our e-learning conversations on key issues.  All this, plus easy access to the original tools and resources. 


We don’t think there’s anything else quite like this to help you, and your organisation, in the development of your outreach to the community and awareness of social inclusion.   And if it has impact, it’ll be because you’ve used it to make the difference.

 

Photo of Open Hearts Open Minds E-news editorial teamHow you can help: 

Each edition of our e-news is compiled by a team of volunteers from a variety of service providing organisations - people like you.

Who are the funders behind the service?
This is an initiative developed and supported by Common Ground the social inclusion task group of Devon Strategic Partnership and Exeter Community Initiatives as part of its Neighbourhood Action Support Programme. It's funded by Neighbourhood Learning in Disadvantaged Communities, Defra and Devon County Council.