Life beyond COVID 19 - Project

Project overview

The project will provide support Black Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities in the borough who have been pushed into crisis as a result of the pandemic and are facing financial hardship suffering with their mental/physical health wellbeing and extreme isolation.DEMRP is an incorporated charity established in 2000 by a collective of local voluntary and community organisations in response to consultation work with Doncaster�s increasingly diverse population. Volunteers staff and directors are from the local communities it represents. The organisation�s aims are to reach disadvantaged low-income families and communities especially woman the elderly and young people.Life Beyond COVID-19 will provide the following activities: - Information Advice & Guidance. One-to-one advice information and guidance through drop-in sessions and telephone support that is tailored to meet the needs of individual especially in financial difficulty. There will be an emphasis on assisting those whose first language is not English and may be suffering isolation due to barriers of language. This will be bi-lingual with documents and supporting materials translated. Commonly presented issues are job searches budgeting debt management and housing needs. This support will empower beneficiaries to move on from their current situation to improve quality of life. - Communication Support. Learning support will be provided on literacy numeracy and English sessions. These will use practical themes such as health and safety Covid 19 and its impact preparation for post Covid life.- Education and Employment Opportunities Training. DEMRP will empower individuals through weekly sessions providing support to those wishing to update their employability educational skills and qualifications DEMRP will also support CV writing. - Digital Inclusion Computer /Mobile Phone /Tablet Training Courses. Beneficiaries will be supported to use �Learn My Way� to access a whole range of online courses around keeping safe online managing your money online internet skills NHS Advice and so on. Understanding social media which will be included so that beneficiaries can connect with friends and family. It�s been explained that being online safely is important especially when vulnerable people are obtaining medical advice ordering prescriptions or financial help. These will be matched with somebody to be a digital befriender and a point of contact. - Improving Health & Wellbeing. Those who have physical and mental health wellbeing issues like depression isolation anxiety and those suffering long covid symptoms through group physical wellbeing exercise sessions walks and group/individual support sessions to work towards improving health and mental wellbeing. - Volunteer Training / Community Champions. Tailored training to volunteers allowing them to become Community Champions in their respective communities supporting activities which help meet community needs.- Community Activities. Project staff and volunteers will provide opportunities for individuals to build friendships in the community access life skills and hobbies in a safe and welcoming environment. Volunteers/ Community Champions will facilitate this through weekly community activities as well as one-off projects day trips and cultural celebrations.- Self-Advocacy/ Self-Empowerment Support. Gender specific support for women and their families to take control of their own lives support each other mobilising themselves and supporting newcomers. This part of the project will work with local organisations set up by and ran for local BAME women. DEMRP�s ethos is that every individual matter and they should be able to be an active and equal member of society however many people need support that tackles structural inequalities and develops their own self-worth so they can feel in control of their life. The impact of the pandemic has made this more challenging than ever for members of BAME communities facing multiple disadvantages. Links with Doncaster�s public and VCS agencies are in place with DEMRP acting in a brokerage role to increase access for community members but also for service providers. Examples include Doncaster College the local authority�s neighbourhood development and neighbourhood learning teams working with public health to encourage take up of COVID vaccinations and day to day services such as cancer screening. Partnership work with the WEA and the Good Things Foundation is in place and the partnership itself is made up of 16 smaller locally led organisations.Impact and difference will be captured through a mix of headline quantitative information and individual feedback to capture and understand what each person has achieved in more depth. Feedback materials will be user friendly and accessible with smaller scale focus and discussion groups to capture learning. A key impact for DEMRP is stronger and wider collaborative working where aspects of a project or knowledge and learning gained can be mainstreamed and influence how public services are provided.