2 minute read
Covid Vaccine Myths
344 OXFORD ROAD OFFERS NEW HOPE
ACRE establishes a Community Hub to provide services to local communities
Advertisement
Alliance for Cohesion and Racial Equality (ACRE), in partnership with Utulivu and Mojatu have established a Health & Wellbeing Community Hub at the heart of Reading. This is aimed at improving and streamlining holistic oriented support to our local communities at the Oxford Road Community Centre. Located at 344 Oxford Road, RG30 1AF, this hub is to offer a variety of services especially health and wellbeing, training, jobs and employability support, and other community based and driven services.
Covid-19 pandemic has led to multiple deaths and difficulties among communities globally over the past 18 months. However, the Black and Ethnic minorities (BAME) in the UK have experienced three times higher mortality, morbidity, job losses, unemployment and overall social economic and health and other negative effects. The young people were not spared either, with 43% of Black young people being unemployed compared to 12% of the White population. ACRE in partnership with Utulivu Women’s Group and Mojatu Foundation have joined hands in refining the operations of the Oxford Road Community Centre by introducing services to address the implications of the crisis. These services have been shaped and guided by the feedback from the local communities and are structured such that they will continuously adapt in response to the ever-changing needs and circumstances of our communities.
The partners, using their position of trust within our communities who experience complex social issues will provide targeted support to local people at this time when they were needed most. These services will include: Health and wellbeing such as medical checks and awareness raising for healthy living, lifestyle and on countering diseases like diabetes, blood pressure prostate cancer among others. Provision of community information through sourcing, accessing, and disseminating authentic community voices through conversations, research and monthly discussion and conversation sessions. The hub will also house and manage quarterly Mojatu magazine and online FMB Radio. Training and support for individuals and communities in developing community leadership and change makers to help address issues affecting communities at the earliest possible point. A list of training and leadership programmes will be provided soon. Employability and skills development especially among younger Black people. This will be through programmes such as Kickstart Scheme, job and volunteering placements, training programmes such as ESOL, English conversations, driving theory with English language support, digital media, community leadership, community journalism and broadcasting among others. Other advice, guidance and signposting including legal and immigration support which are deemed necessary in enabling local communities to lead active and productive lives. These programmes will be offered either directly by the hub partners mainly ACRE, Utulivu Women’s Group and Mojatu or through partnerships with organisations such as National Career Services, DWP among others. Other services will be offered through signposting to local organisations specialising in the services required by the local communities.
