Communities of practice do not spring into existence spontaneously, but need support.

In the face of stress at work, time and financial constraints, these kinds of informal supportive structures are often the first to be dropped.

Suggestions for supportive measures under discussion:

• Annual awards for the best examples of a range of AMBIT-influenced behaviours in the community.
• AMBIT-trained teams linked to a specific (named) trainer
• Quid pro quo arrangements - we visit and run a top-up session but only on the understanding that the local team invites 2 other local/nearby AMBIT teams?
• Newsletter - documenting what is going on in AMBIT teams and the AMBIT project; broadcasting about Outcomes from teams;
• Support with Outcomes measurement, analysis, and presentation.
• An opt-in status to become an "AMBIT development site"
• Mapping of the geographical location of AMBIT-trained teams - using a google map, etc.
• Initial training includes a fee for membership of the COP, with the AFC training team acting as a "keyworker" for the team, introducing them to their buddy teams (in same locality, working in similar ways/with similar populations) through joint supervisions, etc.

Plan - 11.12.15:

AMBIT coordinator to work on developing the most promising of these ideas, or better ones. Feedback from teams is invited to ambit@annafreud.org.