Our new Family Services team have been hard at work this year, delivering a range of programmes to adults, families, and communities across East London.
The Champions Support Network, which brings parents and carers together to form community support networks, particularly dealing with youth violence, exclusion and mental health. We run coffee mornings to forge connections plus workshops and training to create a more resilient community.
Our community capacity-building team, working in troubled areas of Havering, Redbridge, and Barking and Dagenham to create more connected and resilient communities, particularly in regards to gang culture and youth violence. As part of this, we’re forming local Rapid Response Groups to facilitate clear and accurate communication between local residents and the police and local authority when incidents such as stabbings occur.
And finally, we’re currently preparing a new programme in Barking and Dagenham to provide support and guidance to mothers and families regarding breast-feeding. You can read more about this in our previous article.
Community trip to Southend
Our community engagement teams in Havering and Redbridge teamed up with our Champions Support Network team to plan a trip to Southend. In total, we were joined by 63 people, including various volunteers from Havering and Redbridge, families suported by our Champions, and young people from the local areas.
I first came to know about the Lifeline Projects group when I attended a community group family fun day at Barkingside Recreation Ground in the February half term. It was a lovely sunny day in the park where my children and I had an opportunity to learn African drumming and we tried meditating in the open fresh air which was a wonderful experience.
Community day at the park
Our community engagement team in Redbridge colloborated with Vision RCL to put on a community day for local residents in the park. We saw around 150 residents throughout the day, which was a great opportunity to help raise awareness of other local work, including our Champions coffee mornings and community safety discussions.
[The coordinator] provides a very friendly place where parents are welcomed into finding help, support, advice, guidance and training. Since joining this group, I find great comfort in being part of a small friendly group where I have a safe space to vent and connect with other like-minded parents where I don't feel judged. It has even helped my children to gain confidence as Lifeline Project gives opportunities for young people to join in to share their ideas, knowledge and skills with others from the local community from various diverse backgrounds. I now look forward to my coffee mornings as it gives me a great sense of belonging!
Street Doctors training
Our community engagement team in Redbridge are also working with Street Doctors to deliver training sessions in Barkingside and Hainault. These sessions training people in basic first aid to apply in response to a knife wound, which can greatly increase a stabbing victim’s chance of survival.
