TRUST mag by ThurrockTRUST

oct 2012 - jan 2013

CREATIV MAGAZINE

trustmag ISSUE

thurrock racial unity support taskgroup

OUR E-NEWSLETTER

inside

this edition TRUST

Staff Reports

COMMUNITY News

PARTNER

News

Forthcoming Events

special

FEATURE

TRUST rebrands 1

TRUSTmag FOR ARTISTS SHOWCASE

full left page ADVERTISE (213MM X 303MM)

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

FORWARD BY

Cllr Bukky Okunade Vice Chair-Person

CHAIR OF TRUST

Sriya Rajapaksa Treasurer Baldev Gill Director Casie M Cheong Director Mayor Yash Gupta Director Gurdev Singh Kang Director Rev Joseph Karanja Director Saran Kumar Lumbu Director Cllr Babatunde Ojetola Director

Over the last 12 years, TRUST has been the single largest umbrella organisation for Black and Ethnic Minorities in Thurrock and its surrounding areas. As we are in new times (most often referred to as ‘difficult times’) I as the new Chairman of TRUST aim to take the organisation in a new and dynamic direction.

Aruna Lankathilake Director

Having come from a background of working in retail to working with various charities, finance and brand communication companies, I will be hoping to bring this wealth of experience to build TRUST into a force to be reckoned with in spite of the current Global economic climate.

Marcia Fay Cespedes Director

As a previous director of the board, I have identified 3 key areas which would need strengthening for 2013. These areas are;

Cllr Harold Ogunfemi Director

VISIBILITY: with regards to the communication of our brand (i.e. via a new website, brochure and social media), liaising with local, national and international agencies , and our partners. Attendance of key local events involving local authorities and stakeholder agencies. Building a collaborative relationship with all relevant agencies by sharing resources.

Donna Jackson Director Alla Ivko Director Marie Ragoobai Director Sullander Singh Director Cllr Phil Anderson Thurrock Council Representative

TRANSPARENCY: there is a need for greater transparency with regards to our accounts and how finances are divulged over the calendar year. In order to ensure that all parties that have a vested interest in the organisation have a clear understanding on how supporting funds are utilised, thereby creating investors confidence. STAYING RELEVANT: we are now in times where we will need to work in a more creative manner in order to ensure that everyone in the community views us as a go-to champions willing to support any individual or agencies relating to; (a) issues within the community (B) the celebration and education of diversity and equality (C) the strategic transformation of the wider community’s view on ‘The Diversity and Equality Agenda.’ Along side the above action plan will be the renewed ability to look into offering a wider range of services than what we offer at the moment such as, looking into various available sources of funding which will not only be an advantage to TRUST but also make us an organisation that appeals to a wider community. I am of the belief that having inherited such an enthusiastic group of trustees and staff, we will together take TRUST into a new age and set a new landmark of excellence in our field that will be recognised not only in the UK but across the world in the years to come. Yours Sincerly,

Bul lion

Michael Bullion Chairman of TRUST

TRUST mag

Tesco Charity Trust Community Awards(UK)

The Tesco Charity Trust Community Awards Scheme has announced that its funding programme for children’s education and children’s welfare will reopen for applications on the 1st December 2012. The scheme awards one-off donations of between £500 and £4,000 to registered charities, schools and not for profit organisations. The funding we give goes towards providing practical benefits, such as equipment and resources for projects that directly benefit children living in the local communities around our stores in the UK. Projects previously supported include: - Playground equipment in schools and local communities - Sensory garden or room projects Outdoor classrooms - Breakfast and after school clubs Holiday play-schemes - Part funding to purchase minibuses; etc.

The closing date for applications will be the 30th January 2013.

WILKINSONs - Helping Hands Helping Hands is a new community initiative where each local store has been given a budget to distribute to projects and schemes within the stores local community. To apply for a donation from the Helping Hands Fund you need to visit your local store and pick up an application form. These forms can be found on your stores red community boards or if you cannot find them, ask for assistance at the customer service desk From all the different regions that we trade in across the country we sponsor 30 individuals who have either a special talent, are an inspiration to others or help in their local community. If you feel you fit the criteria above and wish to apply to be one of our local stars you need to visit your local store and pick up an application form. This then needs posting to Wilkinsons, JK House, Roebuck Way, Manton Wood, Worksop, Nottinghamshire, S80 3YY where this will be kept on file and your application will be considered by the Charity Committee. Only completed Local Stars application forms will be considered please do not write in separately to the Local Stars.

OCT 2012 - JAN 2013

the moto in the community trust

news

essex & suffolk water

The Moto in the Community Trust is a grant making charity. However, we are about more than just handing over money - we want to build relationships and work together in the long term. That is why each of our sites can adopt a Local Charity of the Year. If you are a charity, community group or good cause located within 25 miles of a Moto site you could be eligible to become one of our local charities of the year. You should send details about your group to motocharity@talking360.com and the Trust Administrator will get in touch with you to discuss your group.

Essex & Suffolk Water established their Community Fund with ECF in 2002. Since then, the Fund has distributed over £55,000 to support a diverse range of voluntary organisations and projects in the Essex & Suffolk Water supply area. ECF is now inviting applications to this Fund. Grants of up to £1,000 are available to help voluntary organisations increase or develop the services that they offer to local people, including equipment and training. To discuss an application please call Fran Wright on 01245 356018.

THE HIGH SHERIFF OF ESSEX The High Sheriff of Essex, Christopher Palmer-Tomkinson, is inviting voluntary and community organisations that are contributing to community safety in Thurrock, to apply for grants of up to £1,000 from the High Sheriffs’ Fund. Organisations eligible to apply for funding include those working with victims of crime, projects to reduce anti-social behaviour among young people, projects to keep elderly people safe in their homes and local community, Neighbourhood Watch initiatives and partnership projects which aim to reduce crime and the fear of crime. ECF is now inviting applications to the High Sheriffs’ Fund. For more information about the Fund and to apply for a grant Please use the specific High Sheriffs’ Fund application form.

TRUSTmag

TRUST Celebrates

black history month TEXT: Stella Findlay | Photos: John Doe

n Saturday the 6th of October 2012, TRUST celebrated its 10th Annual Black History Month. This event has served as a Variety Night to mark the occassion over the years and despite funding difficulties, we were able to put this show on. We are glad to report that it was an evening filled

with variety performances from local talents such as musicians, poets, comedians, dancers, gospel choirs and a fashionistas at the Thameside Theatre. The evening was enjoyed by nearly 300 people representing all communities in Thurrock. It was a great community cohesion event which was enjoyed by everyone present.

The eveningâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s celebrations fulfilled the main objective of TRUST which is to promote community cohesion amongst Thurrock residents. The photos shows the cross section of performances by local volunteers giving their services free. We wish to thank all those who took part and hope that you will continue to support these events.

TRUSTmag

Some Pictures from Our BHM Event in October 2012

TRUSTmag

Housing News from the

hope project

Housing offering Professional quality I am delighted to be the Housing Advocacy Worker for TRUST and would like to share any news or current information that may affect the residents of Thurrock. I will be comprehensively covering FAQ’s surrounding the Welfare Reform Act 2012 in this section. Article By: Caroline Read

What is Welfare Reform Act 2012? The welfare reform Act 2012 will be introduced in April 2012 with two major changes in the form of under-occupation (spare bedroom) ‘bedroom tax’ and Benefit Cap (set amount of money paid). Welfare benefits will be known as Universal Credit, which replaces most benefits and sets a limit on the amount of benefit a person can receive, this changes the way benefits is paid to a person, all Housing Benefit will be paid directly, one month in arrears to the individual and not direct to Thurrock Council. What is Bedroom Tax? From 1st April 2013, if you are aged 16-60 and have at least one spare bedroom, the government will no longer pay full Housing Benefit for your home. Your Housing Benefit will be paid based on the number of bedrooms needed. What are the new size criteria and who is entitled to a bedroom? -Each Adult/Couple -A person aged 16 or older 8

-Two children of the same sex until their 16th birthday -Two children until their 10th birthday (any gender) -Any other child -Where the claimant or their partner who needs non resident overnight carer. Any household deemed to have more bedrooms than they require, as defined by the criteria, will lose a proportion of their housing benefit. Examples of households who could be affected by the measure include: (a).Separated parents who share the care of their children with the new benefit rules mean that the designated ‘main carer’ for children will receive the extra benefit. (b).Couples who use their ‘spare’ bedroom when recovering from an illness or operation. (c).Foster carers because foster children are not counted as part of the household for benefit purposes. (d).Parents whose children visit but are not part of the household

How much will my Housing Benefit be reduced, if I have spare bedrooms? If you have one spare bedroom your Housing Benefit will be reduced by 14% of the rent you pay each week. If you have two or more Housing Benefit will be reduced by 25%. If your Housing Benefit is cut you will have to pay the difference between your Housing Benefit and your rent to Thurrock Council. What can you do? -Pay the difference: between your rent and the amount of Housing Benefit you receive. -Move to a smaller property: Contact Thurrock Choice Homes to discuss your options. -Look at the possibility of taking in a lodger: you can rent out your additional room(s) to a lodger for additional income. Who does Bedroom Tax not apply to? -You live in a one bedroom flat or bed-sit. -You or your partner is old enough to receive Pension Credits.

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What is benefit cap? The government propose to introduce benefit cap (set amount of money paid). £500 per week for single parents £500 per week for couples with or without children £350 per week for single people without children Which benefits make up the benefit cap? - Income Support - Job Seekers Allowance - Employment Support Allowance – income and contribution based only Incapacity Benefit - Housing Benefit - Child Benefit - Child Tax Credit - Carers Allowance - Bereavement Allowance - Widowed Parent’s Allowance - Widowed Mother’s Allowance - Guardian’s Allowance - Severe Disablement Allowance - Widows Pension - Widows Pension Age-Related - Maternity Allowance Who does benefit cap not apply to? - Both the claimant and the claimants partner of pensionable age (61years) Individual or their partner entitled to Working Tax Credits. - Individual or their partner or anyone in the household who qualifies for; (a).Disability Living Allowance (b).Industrial Injuries Benefits (c).War Widow’s or war Widower’s Pension (d).Attendance Allowance (e).Employment Support Allowance (ESA) support element (f).Personal Independence Payment from April 13 Useful Contacts -Thurrock Council rents Department 01375 652815 -Department of Works and Pensions via web at dwp.gov.uk. - If you are affected by the benefit cap, you can check online at www.entitledtofortenants.co.uk - Housing Benefits Team on 01375 652950 - Citizens Advice Bureau on 08448269689 Caroline Read Housing Advocacy Worker Tel: 01375 385316 Email: caroline@thurrock-trust.org.uk

TRUSTmag

Critics slam new asylum laws as ‘draconian’ ARTICLE BY: Fariya Ismail

Tough new asylum laws were coming into force today 5/12/12 amid a chorus of disapproval from campaigners who described the measures as “draconian” and “appalling”. Refugees must claim asylum immediately on entering the country and prove a legitimate link to Britain or face losing benefits under

the new measures. Asylum seekers will not be entitled to help with living costs or housing benefit if they do not follow the new rules. The Government claims the new system is fair and ensures help goes to those who need it. But campaigners were protesting against the new laws outside the Home Office, claiming asylum seekers would

be condemned to “hunger and homelessness”. Liberty, the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI) and the Refugee Council have joined forces to challenge the legislation in the High Court, claiming a violation of human rights. The legislation was approved as part of the Government’s reform of

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the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act which gained Royal Assent on November 8. Dennis Fernando, co-ordinator of the National Assembly Against Racism, called the new measures “draconian” and said refugees were effectively being starved out of Britain. The reform of the Act means any asylum seeker who gives incomplete or false information on their application form will not receive support. Home Office minister Beverley Hughes said: “These new measures are part of a fundamental overhaul of our asylum and immigration system. “They are fair and simple rules to make sure that help and support goes to those who really need it rather than people who are using the system to get money or stay in this country when they have no right to be here.” She said those who spent weeks and months in Britain working illegally before making a claim would no longer be tolerated. Ms Hughes said families with children who could prove they would suffer in their home countries and those with special needs would be exempt from the new laws. Any asylum seeker whose claim was rejected would be offered a “safe” option in a third country. But Shami Chakrabarti, a lawyer for Liberty, said: “The Government must rethink. “Politicians can argue about statistics all they like; but the cruelty of condemning people to hunger and homelessness in this way should be inconceivable in a civilised country like the UK.” Margaret Lally, deputy chief 12

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executive of the Refugee Council, called the reforms “appalling” and said they would only add to the chaos to the asylum system. A soup kitchen was being set up outside the Home Office to symbolise the poverty the reforms will bring. Anne Dawson-Shepherd, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees representative in the UK said: “Forcing asylum seekers who are here into other ways of trying to sur- vive will not answer these issues.” And Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Simon Hughes added: “By taking away financial and other support if people delay making their application for asylum, the Government is likely to punish innocent people who may have not revealed their need for asylum status through fear, ignorance or bad advice. “By making people go abroad before they can appeal against certain decisions, the Government is effectively depriving many people of their

right to appeal at all.” National Assembly Against Racism, called the new measures “draconian” and said refugees were effectively being starved out of Britain.

She said those who spent weeks and months in Britain working illegally before making a claim would no longer be tolerated.

The reform of the Act means any asylum seeker who gives incomplete or false information

Ms Hughes said families with children who could prove they would suffer in their home

These new measures are part of a fundamental overhaul of our asylum and immigration system. on their application form will not receive support. Home Office minister Beverley Hughes said: “These new measures are part of a fundamental overhaul of our asylum and immigration system.

countries and those with special needs would be exempt from the new laws.

“They are fair and simple rules to make sure that help and support goes to those who really need it rather than people who are using the system to get money or stay in this country when they have no right to be here.”

Farry Ismail CDW Youth (Refugee & Asylum Seekers) 01375 385316 farry@thurrock-trust.org.uk

Any asylum seeker whose claim was rejected would be offered a “safe” option in a third country.

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Antidote to Dementia Article By: Naguib Nuthoo In the previous newsletter, I introduced the projects I run and invited you (our readers) to join any group/ project that may be of interest. My thanks, again, to all of you who contacted me. In this newsletter I will talk about our discussion group and some of the subjects we discussed. I call the group, the Antidote to Dementia. We start with a topic but gradually drift from one subject to another. It makes those attending draw from their memory (little grey cells as Poirot calls them). Discussion Group (Antidote to Dementia). This group meets weekly and talk about a chosen subject of interest. The following are example of topics which have been discussed in the past- Flora & Fauna of Britain, History of England, History of India, and Life of Buddha, Myths, legends from Africa. These sessions encourage communication and the sharing of knowledge. These discussions are all carried in a friendly and courteous manner over a cup of tea. In one of these sessions, a friend came with a nice story and I would like to share it with you. We were talking about making other people happy, hospital stay and food. He

suffered a stroke a while back and stayed in hospital for a few days. He told us while in hospital; he remembered a story which he had once read. He started the story with a Max Bygraves impersonation “I wanna tell you a story”. The story Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room’s only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back. The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on holiday. Every afternoon when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window. The man in the other bed began to live for those one-hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and colour of the world outside.

TRUSTmag

The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every colour of the rainbow. Grand old trees graced the landscape, and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance. As the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque scene. One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade passing by. Although the other man couldn’t hear the band he could see it in his mind’s eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words. Days and weeks passed. One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep. She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away. As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone. Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the world outside. Finally, he would have the joy of seeing it for himself. He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed. It faced a blank wall.... The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this window. The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall. She said, “Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you.” 16

Epilogue...There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own situations. Shared grief is half the sorrow, but happiness when shared, is doubled. If you want to feel rich, just count all of the things you have that money can’t buy. “Today is a gift, that’s why it is called the present.” Old, Drunk and Disorderly (no...not the upper house) Another subject we talked about was the Panorama programme on BBC1 Monday 10th September entitled Old, Drunk and Disorderly. Joan Bakewell, the government’s former voice of older people, investigated the hidden problem of alcohol abuse in the over-65s. The programme, a reaction to new figures that indicate that those over fifty five and the retired are drinking in large amounts often over the recommended daily and weekly allowance, served as a reminder that alcohol related problems are not confined to ‘young binge drinkers’ but can affect those drinking regularly no matter their age. And she was shocked to discover that alcohol is the reason for more hospital admissions in the over 65, than in the 16 to 24-year old age group. Those drinking at home can be the hidden below-the-radar drinkers who find the amount they drink slowly creeping up on them. Often the loss of friends, personal bereavement, sudden redundancy or retirement, loneliness and isolation are seen and feel like good reasons to reach for the bottle. However, if these problems and issues are dealt with it can add years to people’s lives. The hidden harms of alcohol are often neglected and under publicised, panorama highlighted a growing problem; older people drink, and often at higher and more dangerous levels than younger generations. Many older people who have problems with alcohol drink alone, choosing to turn to alcohol during times of stress or depression or even when they are bored. More commonly the habit of drinking a glass of wine with an evening meal or a sip of whisky before bed means that most older people drink every day and exceeded the daily recommend consumption without even realising it. The key message seemed to be that older people do not want to be told how much they can and cannot drink. However, they have to take responsibility of their drinking habits and seek help if and when they need to. Not everyone over 65 who enjoys a glass or two of wine is abusing their body but it is crucial to manage the balance between simply enjoying alcohol and it becoming an unhealthy habit i.e. do not fall into the bottle. Naguib Nuthoo Mobile: 07792 622182 Tel: 01375 385 316 Email: naguib@thurrock-trust.org.uk

Event

TRUST mag

CREATIV MAGAZINE

FREE energy awareness event LEARN ABOUT SCHEMES AND SERVICES TO HELP YOU KEEP YOUR HOME WARM AND BECOME A ‘WARM HOMES ADVOCATE’ FOR OLDER PEOPLE Age Action Alliance member NEA, the national energy efficiency charity is offering FREE 3 hour energy awareness sessions to older people’s organisations across England this winter as part of the national Warmer Homes for Older People project. Sessions are designed to promote warm and healthy homes messages and include information on: •

How to spot the signs of a cold home and the impact of cold to households Where the heat goes

•

No cost and low cost improvements for homes

• • • • •

•

• • •

Extra help available from energy companies for households How to get the best tariff and payment options

Available energy advice services

You will be asked to complete and return a simple 1-page form to say how you have shared your knowledge and the ‘Top Tips’ hand out with others Company Obligation schemes following the session. All those who Available financial support to help return their forms in the FREEPOST pay for fuel bills envelope provided by 28 February 2013 will be entered into a draw to win How to be an advocate for warmer homes and share simple one of several high street shopping vouchers. ‘Top Tips’ with others.

If you attend the session you will be encouraged to become an advocate and share what you have learned with others – this task involves sharing a simple ‘Top Tips’ hand out with others containing information on schemes and services. You will also receive a useful pack containing: •

How to prepare for colder weather

Managing you fuel use and energy bills

Heating and insulation schemes and services including the new Green Deal and Energy

•

An information guide which includes further reading and guidance on available services Copies of the ‘Top Tips’ hand out to distribute to older people containing energy saving and warmer home messages A certificate of attendance that acknowledges you learning and achievement; and

If you would be interested in attending a awareness session and becoming an advocate for warmer homes: Call: 01375 412324 or Email: Gerrycalder@blueyonder.co.uk The Next event will be on the 14th January 2013 Arrival 1pm refreshments, 1-30pm –4.30 workshop. At The Beehive Centre West Street, Grays Essex RM17 6XP

A newsletter will be sent to you containing the latest news on scheme and service developments. 17

rebrand launch

30-01-13

The Beehive, West St Grays, Essex RM17 6Xp

12.30pm - 2.30pm

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rea son project Article By: Samuel Adusei

As one of the Mental Health Community Development Workers for the REASON project, we offer confidential information about mental well-being and signposting to mental health agencies. Anyone can come and talk to us for advice and guidance even if they are just feeling low and for more severe mental illness or Learning Disabilities and other health issues. Most of my work is in the Basildon area. The REASON Community Development Worker service is for people aged 13 and above. In the past five months, I have helped many clients of different nationalities who have Mental Health problems and most of them have been discharged. Sometimes it is difficult for these clients to tell people what they are going through. Some of the mental health problems that I have come across include depression, anxiety disorders, etc. I am pleased to say in all these, REASON has been the backbone. SERVICE PROVIDERS NETWORK (PARTNERS) I have achieved a tremendous level of engagement with service providers and individuals. The Case Development Work has reached a different dimension 20

in the last 12 months, and has been able to reach difficult areas within BME communities like Africans, Caribbeans, Eastern European, Asian and Black British. We recorded a significant increase in the number of clients who came to REASON (from different communities and diverse cultures) to access our mental health services. More importantly we have seen an increase in partnerships with other agencies.

Other Health Agencies we had Links with are; • Early Intervention • Basildon Mind • All About Centre • PALS, Basildon Hospital • PAVIS • Community Mums & Dads • Family Mosaic • Positive Solutions Mediation • Basildon Mental Health Unit • Birth Buddies and Pregnancy Pals

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Having been asked to co-ordinate and organise a Black History event last year in Basildon, I realised through this event that we can bring minority communities together and also involve them in the community activities. We were able to bring many minority celebrities to the stage which included singers, performers, and comedians. It gave the minority community members a history of BAME and helped them to practice their culture. There were more than 480 attendees from diverse community groups. This event has challenged minority communitiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; members to know that they can do better for themselves and also for the community. When they look at the achievements of their brothers and sisters at past and the present, it challenges them to get into the community to do something for the people and we have seen an increase in volunteering. I gave a talk to the Befriending Service in Wickford about mental health issues in minority communities. I explained to them our intention of breaking down barriers that may exist between ethnic minority communities and service provision. They expressed having problems of reaching some minority families in Wickford but after the talk and working with them they were able to reach them to give them the support they need. They were impressed with the services we provide and agreed to work in partnership with us by signposting some BAME clients to REASON.

COMMUNITY GROUPS Women Together: The Women Together Group in Basildon is one of the groups that I set up about two years ago. There were many women within the Basildon area that were isolated, lacked confidence and had mental health issues. Since this group had been set up, it has helped more than 120 women build up their confidence. Some of them have been able to get back to work and others are doing voluntary work. The general discovery was that after coming together in this group, most of them are now much happier and have a more positive outlook on life. Further to this, arranging speakers gave support to them and to other activities to enable them come together every week. Part of my role is to signpost community volunteers to funding/venues to hold groups. One of the members Maryam, has now become a leader and is very active and encouraging other members to be as active as she is. They meet every Thursday from 12:00pm â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 14:30pm. For further details please call 01268 548050 Basildon Islamic

Centre: I spoke to one of the leaders of Basildon Islamic Centre about the REASON project and about mental health for minority communities and he said, it would be great if I can set up a surgery there every Friday. Since then, I have been able to offer confidential advice and assistance at the surgery every Friday about mental well-being and signposting services to the members of the Basildon Islamic Centre. Every week, I come across about 3 to 5 people who need support with mental health issues. I have been able to speak to them one to one and encouraged them to discuss their problems with me when the need arises. As they come to see me, based on their circumstances, I am able to make a judgement call on which agency I can signpost them to. Agencies such as CAB, Basildon Mind, Family Mosaic, Therapy for You, Alzheimerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Society and Rethink are all agencies that clients are directed to as they have a great deal of experience in offering the relevant support to various mental health individuals. My support, advice and guidance has made a great impact in their lives by encouraging them, giving them the right information and signpost them to the right agencies. Some of them have started referring their friends to me because of the positive changes in lives. In summary, my work as a Case Development Worker for mental health for REASON has given me the chance to meet and work with people of different cultures, race, sex, faith and age. I am also glad that I worked with different agencies whose support helped me resolve most of the cases that came to me. I am thankful to my colleagues for their support which makes my work successful. Samuel Adusei 21

TRUSTmag

changing family lives

Article By: Fatima Loum

Pamela Young (Co-ordinator of Lakeside Locality team) based at South Ockendon SureStart approached me to work with the Family Co-ordinator for Family Lives. Family Lives is an organisation that gives parental advice to mums and dads in Thurrock. A primary school in South Ockendon, found out that there have been a lot of issues with parenting amongst Minority Ethnic women. We had a coffee morning at the school, to introduce ourselves and also give parents the chance to ask us questions. Nine women attended the coffee morning and also signed up for the parenting sessions. We had lots of women interested in the parenting course, but we could only take 12 women for the six weeks session. Despite that the course was initially for Minority Ethnic women, but as there was a lot of interest from other women and so the school gave us the use of the school hall. The Pyramid for Parents group work programme has been specially developed to enhance parents’ skills and understanding of how to support their child’s emotional wellbeing. Pyramid for Parent groups support parents to: • share experiences and support each other • enhance their relationship with 22

their child. • raise their awareness of the role they play in promoting a positive self-image and resilience in their children. • gain the knowledge, skills and positive experiences to enhance their parent/child relationships • create a supportive home environment for their children The atmosphere was relaxed and women found it easier to talk about their experiences, as it was a contributing factor as to how they interacted with their children. Parents found the sessions very informative and they were able to start using the tools given at the sessions for home. The sessions covered communication, boundaries, descriptive praising, listening, problem solving and play. Some of the parents found it difficult to play with their children and we had to do role plays and also we got the parents to use simple and easy materials that they can get whilst walking around with

their child. They enjoyed using dry leaves, seeds and glitter with their imagination to make beautiful collages that they felt proud of. The women felt that they can now play with their children using different types of material and also without the fear of letting their children take a lead in playing. The sessions were successful, but the problem we had was the crèche because the children were not settling down. We have learnt from our experience and we believe

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that the children, parents and crèche worker, should meet 2 weeks before we start, so that we can know each other. The women believe that the Parenting sessions changed their outlook and are now able to embrace the good bits of their upbringing and mixing it with what they’ve learnt. The following is the type of discussions we have had during the parenting programme:

“Back when our parents were born, parenting skills were learned from the extended family. If parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles didn’t live in the same house, they usually lived within a few miles. They were always available to share with us their considerable wisdom to us the younger generation on the subjects of pregnancy, childbirth, and raising children. Now, we have become such a momentary society;

it is rare that the extended family is even in the same area!” “Since the late 20th and early 21st centuries, parents have had to learn creative ways to raise their children. We surf the Internet, read books, take classes, talk to our parents on the telephone, and make friends with parents who have “been there and done that.” We then filter these things through our own morality, sensibilities, and personalities to make them work for our own families. Wouldn’t it be easier if each baby arrived with an owner’s manual attached? “ “Probably the most important and controversial parenting skill is discipline. We parents are conflicted over what type of discipline to apply at what time. Appropriate discipline for a two year-old might not be appropriate or effective for a 10 year-old or a teenager. The most important piece of the discipline puzzle is determining who is in charge: the parents or the child. This may sound simple, but in this day and age, the answer isn’t always clear.” These discussions have been a valuable tool and have taken women to explore parenting in a creative way. For more information on the parenting programme contact: Fatima Loum CDW Womens Women Tel: 01375 385316 Fatima@thurrock-trust.org.uk

TRUSTmag

diversity in

motion

n March 2012 the youth team at TRUST and a few volunteers from Thurrock came together to draw up a business plan for a youth event that they wanted to host in Grays. Having had several meetings, we all realised that Thurock is a highly deficient borough when it comes to youth engagement even though statistically (through internal research) it boast a host of young talented people in Thurrock. This acted as an inspiration to develop and plan an event which we then called ‘Diversity in Motion’. The idea was to give the young people in Thurrock a platform to express themselves through dance, singing, mcing/rapping and comedy.

Through the development of this event, we encountered a few set backs (one of which was the inability to raise money to print out flyers). This made our work with regards to promotion very difficult as it meant that we had to relay on ‘word-of-mouth’ and social media to promote the event. Further to this, we experienced some issues with external agencies regarding a chosen host which had to be dealt with our managerial team. Having cleared up the issue with regards to our chosen host being finally allowed to host the event, we has to draw up a shortlist of possible talents who will enable the show to attract a decent number of audience. We came together and brought forward a wide variety of acts from singers, dancers, rappers, mc’s, magicians and headline acts but most of the people we called were all busy on our chosen night. Back to the drawing board - we decided to put out some adverts on Facebook and Twitter asking if there were any acts that would like to take part in the event but, as usual, due to a lot of time being wasted on the authorisation of our host showing at the event, we didn’t get many responses. This meant that the team that was planning and organising the event got disheartend and started to lack motivation as it slowly started to look like we could not put on any show at all. Miraculously, about two weeks before the event, my phone started to ring off the hook with acts who were interested in getting involved in the show. We had compiled a list which included different acts ranging from performers to stage hands, sound technicians and general runners. The show was now finally starting to take shape and the team spirit got lifted again.

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One of the shock performers that was extremely keen to take part in our event was the 2010 winner of “Got to Dance” AKAI. We got in touch with his management who then agreed to him being our show’s headline act after a lot of going back and forth with emails and phone calls. AKAI agreeing to headline ‘Diversity in Motion’ was great news for us as it raised the profile of the event drastically. When the big day arrived, it felt to us all (the team) like our dream was about to be realised, A dream that we had envisioned over a year before its implementation was

about to take place and it felt really emotional in the build up to it. As the crowd turned up in their numbers, it was even more shocking that we had finally pulled it off, we were hosting (as young people) a diversity event which we have oly known the older genration to host. The crowd was treated to a range of talent and with a comedian hosting the show, it was sure to be full of laughs from beginning to end. Diversity in Motion came to an end and people left with smiles on their faces and an event that they could be proud of. We got so much positive feedback from the people who attended and they all loved

the event although some felt that it needed a bit more depth to its end result which is one of the key things we aim to do in the process to doing this event in 2013. We have already started planning this event such that it involves the whole community as largely as possible in order to address the recent hate crime rise in our borough. We know that we can make thurrock a cohesive community and we are sure that by bringing the young people in this community together with one voice, we will sure make a difference. David Cespedes

bame

support for Mental Health issues ARTICLE BY: Farhat Arif

As a Community Development Worker for the TRUST (Reason Project), I predominantly work on two sites based in Thurrock and Southend, which will enable my team to cover the South East and South West of Essex, supporting the BAME (BlackAsian Minority Ethnic) Community on mental health issues. The aim of my work is to focus on Black and Minority Ethnic community client groups and life perspectives based on spirituality, faith and cultural communities to improve access to mental health services for individuals aged 13+.

For this purpose we hold surgeries in the localities we serve, to provide an atmosphere for community members to speak about their health and mental health issues in confidentiality. It had never been very straight forward to engage people to be a regular part of surgeries because the term “mental health” is enough to put them off. During my outreach sessions making an effort to speak to people on the street they took us as beggars’ asking for money and if ever they agreed to listen, the first typical question always is “Do you think we are mad”? The community feels that it had to be

a secret or a concept of things happening from nature, no one can do anything about it or only spirituality can heal the problems. One of my working areas is Learning Disabilities when mostly the thought found in communities that their child should go to private schools where they will get more attention and better education “the problem would be sorted out.” My experience has found that there are many misunderstandings lying in BAME community service users and service provision because of lots of barriers e.g. race, religion,

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culture and language. There is a risk that treatment could go wrong if the misunderstandings are not clear from both sides. To address this issue we tried to put the message across through art and drama whether informally or in structured networks. For that purpose we wrote, directed and presented a Drama skit in the presence of community members from a variety of backgrounds as well as service providers. That was a showcase to experience how serious things can go wrong when the message is not coming across properly but that was an amusement too. The event went well and highlighted how drawing on the resources available while exploring what actions we might take ensures that people can be supported in a better way and continuing health. We organised the conference with the purpose that how we as practitioners and from different faith groups think about the concept of mental health and support each other to provide better support and care in the community. The concept of the conference was brilliant but we didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know where to start from and how to

engage with their faith leaders? We called and spoke with faith leaders personally and pitched this concept to them. We did not always receive a positive response as some of them came up with mixed thoughts or were reluctant; some just refused to speak in front of a crowd or to disclose their ways of dealing with mental health issues in a spiritual way. It was a big challenge to convince them to come forward and open up with their opinions and thoughts. After persistently chasing them, we successfully got the faith leaders from Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian, Buddhist and Judaism communities. Further to this, the next step was to bring the service users on board where we faced the same difficulty. Some of them found it exciting and some were sufferers but closed under stigma issues. A Kurdish woman took the brave step and spoke about her problems regarding mental health. She informed that her husband was living with Post Traumatic Disorder issues and as a carer with no support; she became a mental health patient which caused her a stressful life. The event was under the name of Cultures and Mental Health which was a great success. The speakers from different faiths and organisations came up with their own perspective about mental health, the roots from back home and stigma attached to it. This event was a great chance for the clients to speak about their sufferings which was emotional too. The community people received information from different organisations or

exchanged ideas with each other. The work around health and mental health problems is in progress and hopefully will explore more in the process of recovery. Farhat Arif Community Development Worker for Mental Health (BAME Communities) 01375 385316 farhat@thurrock-trust.org.uk

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