News - Page 8 of 31 - Trust for Developing Communities

Summer Holiday Fun in Whitehawk and Moulsecoomb

TDC are offering a fun, social, active and creative sessions to local children and young people over the summer. Food will play a big part of what we do too, with over 660 nutritious meals will be served up to those attending.

In Whitehawk we’ve teamed up with Hawks café (find them on Facebook), Albion in the Community and the Durban Curry Club (find them on Instagram) to offer summer holiday fun to 7 – 14 year olds every Tuesday and Thursday in the summer holidays between 10am and 2pm in East Brighton Park. BOOK HERE

In Moulsecoomb 13 – 16 year olds are invited to either book or rock up to the 67 Centre each Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday from 5-8pm and enjoy food from The Bevy alongside the sessions. BOOK HERE

“There are still spaces to sign up for fun and food this summer – all for free! Our friendly teams of Youth Workers and sports coaches look forward to making this summer one to remember”

Caroline Vitta, Senior Youth Worker

The Programme is supported by Brighton & Hove City Council’s ‘Holiday Activities and Food’ programme, funded by the Department for Education.

The Impact of TDC’s Migrant Support Hub

“When I came to Brighton, I was like a plant pulled from its land, I was afraid people couldn’t understand me, I couldn’t understand them and I didn’t have confidence. In Jordan I had my work, culture, friends, possessions, but here, nothing, we begin from zero, this is very hard for us. MESH made these things easier for me. Now, through the MESH caseworker, things make sense, in Brighton and in general in the UK. Now I know some people, I meet friends, I understand how this system works. I’m starting to stretch my roots into Brighton.”

MESH Client from Jordan

Within Brighton & Hove there are a range of organisations providing ESOL courses (English for Speakers of Other Languages) and delivering other services for migrants. Accessing and navigating these can be difficult for people who are newly arrived in Brighton with limited English.

Our hub - a project with Voices in Exile, known as MESH (the Migrant and ESOL Support Hub) linked these services into a network, designed to be the first point of contact for migrants and help connect them to whatever support was needed. We worked with people on a one-to-one basis and connected them with the right support as soon as possible, helping people achieve their aims in relation to education, employment, volunteering and integration into the life of the city, as well as referrals for other support around housing, money, health and wellbeing.

From April 2019 until March 2021 MESH supported over 80 clients. Here are the words of just a few of them:

“I have only had MESH support for a few months but already it is making a big difference. I can see that in the future I may find paid work […]. I am struggling with my mental health as I have PTSD, but MESH is supporting me and I am very grateful.”

MESH Client from Syria

“I arrived in Brighton 6 months ago. […Cicely] is very kind with us, help my family. If we have problems, she helps my family, especially finding the flat for my husband. He said it was his best day in the UK when he got the flat.”

MESH Client from Iran

“MESH has shown me how to use a local Facebook page to advertise my carpentry and plumbing skills, and has given me the tools. […]MESH has given me 2 bicycles, the first one was stolen. I can ride around the city safely, visit friends, take exercise and do shopping by bike.”

MESH Client from Iran

In the second year of the programme, the Covid-19 pandemic had a drastic effect on the clients. Courses and opportunities suddenly ceased and clients were left very isolated. MESH responded by setting up a variety of online activities to help clients continue their learning and make connections.

When the Covid restrictions eased these online activities transformed into some amazing outdoor projects including Adventures in English (walking tours of Brighton with English practice) and Brighton Multicultural Women’s Cycle Club.

Sadly the MESH project ended in March 2021 -- despite the acute need for this work -- but we are delighted to announce that a new project funded by the Department of Work and Pensions will provide employability support for people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities in the autumn.

For more details of the schemes mentioned contact [email protected]

“I want to say Thank you so much to everybody I met for everything. Life is very difficult as an asylum seeker, I hope I can stay in Brighton and bring my family.”

MESH Client from Egypt

“Cicely showed me that Brighton people have more love for different kinds of people, different nationalities, I didn’t know that.”

MESH Client from Turkey

TDC’s Vaccine Confidence Programme Reaches Out

Reviewing the First Year of Community Roots

TDC is one of the partner organisations of Community Roots, a network of non-clinical mental health services that help people find the right support for them. This network is the first of its kind in Sussex.

One of our key aims is to ensure that no matter where people enter the mental health system, they can easily gain access to services and that there is no wrong door. We are committed to ensuring all of Brighton and Hove’s diverse communities, including minority and underrepresented groups, know what services are available and how to access them.

Community Roots launched in October 2019 and has just completed a review of its first year, a year where Covid-19 put extra pressure on mental health services everywhere.

The full review of Community Roots’ first year is available on the Community Roots website here.

There is also a short video review available.

Help Staying Healthy with TDC and Active Sussex

The challenges of the last year mean that wellbeing has never been more important.

Particularly for the members of our Black and minority ethnic community -- who figures show have been disproportionately affected by the recent pandemic. That's why TDC and Active Sussex have been working in partnership to support local people by encouraging greater physical activity.

Initially we surveyed over twenty Black and minority ethnic families to understand how much activity they undertake, what they enjoy doing and the barriers that prevent them from doing more. The project went onto work with local groups to assist in developing ways that can help them become more accessible and resulted in more welcoming groups and developing new opportunities such as football activities, supported walking events, free yoga taster sessions and even a women’s only gardening and social group.

Pleasingly the follow up survey results showed and significant increase in activity and even where it wasn’t possible to engage in a formal activity more people had taken to walking or gentle home exercise – with people reporting that they "feel better for it".

Healthy Neighbourhood Fund 2020/21 Review

In 2020/21 TDC’s Healthy Neighbourhood Fund gave out over 100 grants, supporting 4,600 people.

We supported local community partners to form panels and make funding decisions, giving support to projects right across the city from Portslade to Bevendean, Whitehawk to Hollingbury, and beneficiaries included art clubs, community gardens, self-defense classes, shopping trollies for food banks, inclusive football clubs and more.

In each area local communities decided how the grants were awarded.

“I found the grant process very interesting and was amazed at how groups had responded creatively to meet the needs of local residents and young people during the pandemic”

Local resident and panel member Gemma

As expected a lot of projects funded were responding to the pandemic. Providing direct support, or making existing projects accessible by going online or supplying PPE. The funding panels also had to change due to Covid-19 restrictions.

“Most of us hadn’t been on an HNF panel before, so we had a lot to learn about how to make funding decisions. It was a good experience even if we had to meet online, and it feels good to be able to fund some of our most valued groups in the neighbourhood during the pandemic.”

Old Boat Community Centre Manager

Volunteer’s Week 2021 – OUR AMAZING VOLUNTEERS

We couldn't do what we do without volunteers supporting our work. Today we'd like to take a moment to thank them all. The volunteers who work with TDC and all the volunteers that support our partner organisations and the community groups we work with. They are simply essential to our work.

Like Sarah Griffiths who works with the TDC youth team. On volunteering for TDC, Sarah says

I enjoy volunteering at TDC and the Manor, because it's helping me develop confidence and new skills. I also find there is a lot of support for me. It's helped me to find a sense of purpose.

TDC Youth Work Manager Caroline Vitta adds

Sarah has been volunteering with our youth group at Manor Gym since October 2020. We are especially lucky to have Sarah working with us as she has loads of creative art ideas which she offers to the session each week.

She is a great fit within the team and is really supportive to the young people who come. We send a huge thanks to Sarah for all her work with us and for being a lovely person.

Thank you, Sarah, from all of us at TDC

Amy Allison, one of our Community Development Workers, said this about food bank volunteer, Jane Brown.

I’d like to thank Jane Brown from The Pankhurst Pantry for her hard work over the last year as a volunteer at the Craven/Pankhurst Food bank and then as the lead on the Pankhurst Pantry Project.

This affordable food pilot project has been an outstanding success and much of it is due to Jane’s relentless commitment to helping the local community access good quality affordable food in a friendly, welcoming and safe environment. Jane and the team have now joined forces with BrightStore to continue and develop the project….

Well done Jane!

Thank you Jane, from all of us at TDC.

You can find out more about Jane and Pankhurst Pantry in this video, part of our series, Communities Tackling Covid.

Abi Angus also works with our Youth Team. Georgina Grant-Mills, Lead Youth Worker in Moulsecoomb says of working with Abi

I want to thank Abi Angus for being such an amazing help with Look Sussex. She is caring, attentive and a positive force to be around. Abi has been working with marginalised groups of young people and their families for quite some time, she is full of knowledge and a great support for our group.

It has been an absolute delight to work with you.

Thank you Abi, from all of us at TDC

Community Development Worker, Anke Thurm says this about, John, another food bank volunteer.

A big thank you to John for stepping up for your community in Bevendean & Moulsecoomb over the last years, and starting right back where you are needed now that restrictions are lifting.

You have been driving miles and miles for the foodbank this year, will be back running “On your Way” Job Club at the Bevy soon, and also find the time to be part of a focus group for the Libraries consultation.

Thank you John from all of us at TDC.

And these are just a few of the amazing volunteers we work with. Every one of them brings something special and helps support our essential work.

To all our volunteers, and all the volunteers who work across Brighton and Hove, from all of us at TDC.

Volunteer’s Week 2021 – THANK YOU CLARE

Clare (right) with TDC staff Maha Mustafa and Kalishia Davey

Today we’re celebrating our volunteer Clare Abdel-Basit. Clare has been working as a volunteer for TDC since January 2021 and her time with us got off to a dramatic starts as Clare, a former midwife, found herself as an advocate supporting a woman to give birth, 12 years after she last worked in a hospital.

Clare says, about the experience:

It was a great form of excitement and curiosity to me to have this opportunity. I was in a privileged position to be an advocate for the lady who was very much out of her comfort zone.

On her role at TDC, Clare says:

I volunteered with TDC as they advocate for the most vulnerable in the community, and I feel very strongly about equal treatment for all. I have learnt how the different sections of TDC support each other in various programmes. I have learnt the importance of community engagement and facilitating smaller vulnerable communities to become stronger and more active together.

The highlight of my volunteer work so far was linking some women together on zoom and discussing activities that they would like to get involved in and arranging these activities one of which involved meeting in a garden allotment.

With lockdown easing, this project has been able to move to face to face activities, including the visits to gardens the women requested. (Pictured above.)

Clare’s medical background also drew her to support some of TDC’s work on vaccine hesitancy, helping to create flyers and deliver them in communities where people are reluctant to get the vaccine.

Clare has been an amazing asset to TDC over the tricky months of the first part of 2021. We’d like to take this opportunity to thank her for all her amazing hard work, making a real difference for marginalised communities in Brighton and Hove.

Thank you, Clare. From all of us at TDC.

Welcome to Volunteer’s Week 2021

It's Volunteer's Week and all week TDC will be celebrating the work of volunteers who do so much to support communities in Brighton and Hove.

Over the last 12 months volunteers have been more essential than ever with hundred of new volunteers and mutual aid groups joining forces with local community hubs to develop an ever growing emergency food network and check on their shielding and other isolated and vulnerable residents. Work that has made an incredible difference during the crisis.

You can find out more about our Covid Heroes in these blog posts about some remarkable work in our community during this challenging time, where everyone had to work harder than ever before to support the most vulnerable in our society.

And over the next few days we'll be celebrating our volunteers who work with us here at TDC and in the community groups we work with.

Communities Tackling Covid

Our communities in Brighton and Hove have done some amazing things to support each other through this extremely challenging year of the Covid-19 pandemic. To showcase some of their amazing achievements TDC has made a series of films with Big Egg Films to investigate how our communities have responded to the ongoing challenges of Covid-19 and lockdown.

A second series of films looks at the ways the organisations who form the Inclusive Communities Partnership have been able to offer support to the marginalised groups who have felt the most acute effects of the poverty and isolation caused by lockdown.

The individual films have been shared on social media over the last month, but if you didn't catch them there, here are the full versions.

We'd like to give a huge thank you to all the Community Groups who took part in the films. Kate Knight from Mouslecoomb Community Market, Sue Sayers from Ageing Well, Ahmad Yabroudi from Sussex Syrian Support Group, Helen Jones from The Bevy, Dave Clarke from ADHD Aware, Jane Brown from Pankhurst Pantry and Josephina from Healing with Music.

Another massive thank you to all the members of The Inclusive Communities Partnership, Mandy Crandale from Possability People, Michelle Gavin from Friends, Families and Travellers, Arran Evans from Sussex Interpreting Services, Claire Johnson from The Hangleton and Knoll Project, Sally Polanski from Amaze, The Parent Carers' Council, Sarah Pickard from Speak Out, Tom Lambert from The Carers' Center, Jacob Bayliss from LGBT Switchboard and Terry Adams, Kirsty Walker, Kate Barker and Kalishia Davey from TDC.

And huge thanks also to Big Egg Films who worked with us on this project.