SPACE Activities. Quarter 4. Capacity Building Information & Advice Carers Health & Wellbeing

Transcription

1 SPACE Activities Quarter 4 Capacity Building Information & Advice Carers Health & Wellbeing 3013 residents served 292 volunteers working across SPACE organisations

2 SPACE 43 New Volunteers across SPACE 68% 50% 112% 40% increase on Q3 increase on Q3 increase on Q3 more compared to Q clients people with people with a people signposted to no fixed disability aged 65+ other abode accessed served services accessed SPACE SPACE services services

3 Information & Advice 508 people received housing advice 339 clients received homelessness advice 76 Cases of homelessness avoided Residents were assisted to claim an extra 34,559 in benefits 382 clients given specialist advice

4 Slough Advice Centre Shelter at Slough Advice Centre have seen an increase in the number of people attending the service. During Q4, the service saw an average of over 16 people attending the service each day to receive advice, support or information. Shelter have been working with the local Foodbank and have organised to hold two emergency packs of food for clients who present at Slough Advice Centre and need immediate support. This arrangement was especially advantageous as the Service observed that people were approaching the Service when the foodbanks were closed and had no access to food due to their circumstances. We are looking to further cement this organisational relationship with the Foodbank, as well as many other voluntary organisations at the Slough Homelessness Forum. Deaf Positives have been assisting a client who is deaf and has learning disabilities whose PIP application was refused, to appeal the decision they negotiated extra time for the appeal given the circumstances and collected all the evidence needed. They have also assisted deaf clients with ESA applications and to complete tax credit and housing benefit forms. Slough Immigration Aid Unit advised 74 people and families from Slough, from 33 different nationalities, and took up eight of their cases to represent to the immigration authorities. Case Study A taxi driver contacted Slough Advice Centre to inform us that a homeless woman with limited English was being brought to Shelter for help. She came into the office after the triage drop-in had closed with 3 large suitcases; she was extremely tearful. Through the triage appointment, the Advice Assistant confirmed that the woman had been abused over a number of years and on that day her partner had packed her suitcases, and thrown her out of their rented accommodation. She had been refused accommodation by the council. While the Advice Assistant had been calling the refuges, another Advisor organised for a food bank collection. One of the refuges confirmed that a room was available from the following day. Shelter then organised for our Service to find accommodation for this client using the Shelter Hardship Fund and accommodated her in a hotel for the evening. The next day, the client returned to the office where we arranged for transportation to the refuge (as identified by DASH) enabling that client to remain away from the abusive partner and get the support she needed to move on.

5 Carers 213 Carers registered with Slough Carers Support 6 Carers support groups 3 Carers Forums held in 2016

6 Carers During Q4 we held a very successful Carers Right Day. Carers were able to access information and advice about services to improve their health and wellbeing. Destiny Support attended the event to provide information around welfare benefits and financial assessments. Carers who attended enjoyed lunch provide by Exotic and Reiki pamper sessions provided by Living in Harmony. Comments received regards the event I am pleased that I was able to attend the event as my caring role sometimes makes it difficult for me to get out into the community. I was able to chat to the team about my concerns. Being able to sit and take some time to chat to other carers was really nice Thank you for my reiki! Who would have thought that peace and tranquillity could be found in the heart of Slough great session! I have never experienced reiki before, it was only a taster session but wow! At first I felt a warming sensation through my body and then it almost felt like time had frozen and I was able to focus on the positive and happy thoughts that were flowing so freely. I will be back for a full session! Carers Rights Day photographs Case Study Following the completion of her Carers Assessment this carer stated that she didn t feel anywhere near as lonely as she had before. She was able to admit that her caring role does impact on her being able to access events in the community and that she could easily be at risk of social isolation, curtailing her own hobbies and interests to ensure that her husband is taken care of. He becomes very anxious when she is out and although she has a mobile phone that she calls him on regularly when she is out, it is often easier to stay at home to prevent him from getting anxious. The carer's direct payment has now all been approved and she is really grateful for all of that support and advice that she has received from the Carers Project.

7 Health & Wellbeing 592 people report an increase in physical and emotional wellbeing 143 activities held in Slough 697 clients attended for more than 2 months 95 people received Good Neighbours services Community navigators worked with 43 clients and signposted 37 of them on to other local services Slough Community Transport & Shopmobility 1750 residents journeys 420 residents transported to wellbeing/physical activities 360 residents transported to social activities

8 Health & Wellbeing In December the Polish Lunch Club served a traditional Christmas lunch which was also for elderly who do not usually attend the Lunch Club. The lunch was attended by 79 Clients. The group also worked with the local Police Community Support Officer and organised in the Centre a Christmas Lunch for the Polish homeless, attended by 24 guests and each one was given a Christmas gift. Additionally, in order to further support the local community the church hosts Alcoholics Anonymous meetings weekly. Slough Older Peoples Forum held a Health & Safety day in November 2016 and welcomed upwards of 80 visitors who browsed the stalls provided by local voluntary & statutory organisations and listened to a series of talks, Speakers included Royal Berkshire Fire & Rescue Service, a Chiropractor, 50+ Active Communities, Slough Trading Standards, and Thames Valley Police. Some of the members are currently working with a Berkshire NHS and CCG project to bring about better patient access to information and reduce the need for multiple assessments. At the December meeting members arrived to the sight of a pile of beautifully wrapped parcels and two smiling representatives of local company Reckitt Benckiser, so everyone left with a Christmas gift. Case Study One participant who attends Active Life seated Exercise classes on a Monday at Cippenham Library has attended almost all of the classes since the programme begun. Since coming the participant has expressed how much she enjoys the session and the positive impact it has had on her wellbeing. Despite this being the only class the participant attends each week, there are improvements in both to this individual s health and wellbeing. Additionally her feeling of anxiety decreases as a result of attending these classes. The participant is still regularly taking part in the seated exercise class and has even asked for the exercises to be written down, so that she can complete similar movements at home.

9 Health & Wellbeing The Active Life programme has developed significantly in this quarter of the project. Like any community programme the uptake can sometimes be slow to begin with, however with the classes and the brand Active Life starting to get recognised the uptake has increased. The team have added a Pilates, Seated exercise and an indoor bowls class to the programme. Additionally talks have been held with local community groups to encourage people into physical activity and to get local feedback on what the community in Slough would like to have access to. The results of feedback show that people have seen improvements in activity, health and wellbeing as a result of activity classes. Berkshire Vision delivered a total of 159 hours of home visiting to people in Slough with visual impairments during this quarter which included regular visits to 88 of their existing members plus initial visits to 6 of 18 new referrals (most of whom will not require regular home visits). They also continued to run their Slough/Langley Blind Club Social Club which up to 45 members attend and the group had a special Christmas lunch at the December meeting. The RVS Good Neighbours scheme saw an increase in volunteer recruitment numbers and have recruited and trained 11 new volunteers. The team have visited residential homes to talk about their services and been Involved in the Langley Mapping Project as well as making links with the Mental Health team s peer support training. At Christmas they delivered 35 Hampers to some of their clients that were donated to RVS. The WOW Autism Group membership is increasing and the group changed venue so they have more space for future new members. The group leader has also developed an Autism training module to deliver to the SPACE consortium to give a that a better understanding of autism which would aid their services. Apna Virsa run a variety of activities for local people including Bhangra fitness for 50+ and carers, IT for 50+, Gentle Massage therapy for 50+, Mobility and Stretch for 50+, Zumba, Yoga, Diwali celebration event for 50+, Badminton for 50+ Left: Destiny Support Below: SANAS Bottom: Slough Older Peoples Forum