The Abbey Centre Wellbeing Hub (360G-IHC-CC2021_12)

COVID19 related funding. The Isolation Support and Community Development project has two main aims: 1) To reduce social isolation and related problems amongst vulnerable Eastern European nationals in north west London in the short term; 2) And to develop meaningful, active, and self-sustaining communities reducing social isolation and related problems for these individuals in the longer term. To meet the first aim – EERC will expand and develop our current telephone isolation support service. This service offers socially isolated individuals a regular check in. The frequency of calls is selected by the service user. All calls start with a welfare check and then include approx. 30 minutes to chat. If there is anything worrying in the welfare check or chat, the service user will be offered further advice or support from EERC’s specialist advisers or referred to other support providers. To meet the second aim – EERC will establish and facilitate regular community groups across north west London. This will include various activities – such as film afternoons, coffee mornings, craft evenings etc. – in a variety of community spaces. Some groups will be single language and others mixed depending on the venue and theme. EERC will support these groups to become self-sustaining to maximise longevity and impact. In terms of timeframe - the telephone isolation support will start immediately with the project. For the community groups, we anticipate the first month will be spent planning and preparing for the first round of groups - including agreeing venues, recruiting volunteers, developing materials etc. The second month will have the online and outdoor meet ups possible - with this part of the project running at full in-person capacity from month three and with lockdown easing. The project will seek to access and engage with those most likely to become isolated in our communities. Specific targets for this project will include older people, people with long term health problems or disabilities and single parents. These groups are more likely to become isolated but also very often find it difficult to access mainstream support or communities. This marginalisation can be for many complex reasons including: 1) language barriers e.g. when services and activities are primarily run for and promoted to those confident in English; 2) lack of social confidence/fear of rejection because Eastern European e.g. those who have experienced hate crime or hostility in the UK; 3) cultural differences particularly when affects access e.g. Eastern European grandparents often responsible for childcare in family making it difficult to attend meetings for older people. Due to the demographic make-up of Eastern European nationals in London – it is anticipated that the services will primarily be used by Polish and Romanian speakers. EERC will recruit volunteers to adequately cover these and other Eastern European languages. EERC will promote the services through its established outreach channels – online, community media, printed flyers/posters in community spaces, and network referral. Our referral network includes hospital social workers, Local Authorities, cultural and community centres, churches, language schools, care homes and more.