Community Well-being Ambassadors
COMMUNITY WELL-BEING AMBASSADORS (CWA)
What is CWA?
Community Well-Being Ambassadors is Network Connect’s community-driven, place-based prevention initiative. It puts trained, trusted people in the communities they know, giving individuals and families someone nearby who can listen, help make sense of a challenge, and connect them to the right support.
CWAs come from the communities they serve. They bring local knowledge, lived experience, professional training, and relationships that help build trust when people are navigating stress, trauma, mental health needs, substance use, family challenges, or other difficult moments.
The work is practical and personal. A community member may be referred to a CWA or reach out directly. The ambassador starts by listening and understanding what is happening. Together, they identify the need, develop a plan, and find the service or resource that makes sense.
CWAs do not work from a single list of services. They draw from Network Connect’s relationships with community organizations, public agencies, host sites, and other partners across Delaware. That network gives ambassadors more ways to help people find a path forward and makes CWA a working example of Collective Impact at the neighborhood level.
Here’s how it works:
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Individuals, families, groups, or communities connect with a CWA or are referred for support.
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The CWA listens, asks questions, and helps identify what is needed.
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Together, they develop a practical plan for what comes next.
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The CWA connects them to the right service or resource and helps move that connection forward.
CWA Services Provided
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Mental health support and services
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Substance use and recovery support
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Positive activities
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Youth support
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Essential needs
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Resource navigation and connection
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Additional support based on individual and family needs
CWA Are Professionally Trained for:
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CPR and First Aid
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NARCAN and overdose response
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Trauma-Informed Care
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Youth and Adult Mental Health First Aid
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Community Health Worker training
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Skills for Psychological Recovery
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Advocacy and resource navigation
New Castle County CWAs
Network Connect launched its first CWA cohort in Wilmington in 2021.
New Castle County CWAs work through trusted host sites and community partnerships, bringing support closer to the places residents already know and use. Current partners and host sites include Mother African Church, T.E.A.M., PAL, Wilmington Street Team, Wilmington Senior Center, and Smiles for Life.
Do you know someone who could benefit from a CWA in New Castle County? Send a referral!
Kent County CWAs
Network Connect launched its first Kent County CWA cohort in Dover in 2022.
Kent County ambassadors work with local host sites and partners to connect residents to support throughout the community. Current partners include the Delaware Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health, Delaware State University, Minds in Motion Integrated Behavioral Health, and People’s Community Center.
Do you know someone who could benefit from a CWA in Kent County? Send a referral!
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