GMCVO, working in partnership with 10GM, are running a grants programme to support adults from communities of identity or experience, based in Greater Manchester, that may struggle to achieve higher levels of mental wellbeing. Funded by Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership, a total of £175,000 will be given out between July and December 2020.
This case study looks at one of the GM Mental Wellbeing grant recipients, Everything Human Rights.
Who are they?
Everything Human Rights is a community group offering a variety of services with the aim of promoting the wellbeing and integration of migrant ethnic minorities living in Wigan borough. Their mission stems from the belief that everyone living in Wigan borough should feel welcome, be given an equal chance to build a decent life, and know where and how to access support when necessary.
What do they do and why?
The Group's activities are wide-ranging and are driven by the needs of the communities they serve. This includes:
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Running a homework club for children whose parents/carers may not speak English as a first language or may be unfamiliar with UK teaching methods.
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Encouraging ethnic minority communities to become involved with wider community social activities to improve cohesion and integration.
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Signposting people to other organisations to enable them to access the expert support they need.
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Hosting coffee mornings for people who are often at home to reduce social isolation and discuss things that affect them.
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Delivering grant-funded projects that improve the wellbeing of the community.
“I relocated from Coventry to Bolton two weeks before lockdown, I was so isolated and the coffee mornings gave me something to look forward to" - Participant
What was their project?
Everything Human Rights received £490 from a GM Mental Wellbeing micro grant to adapt their services in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Group was able to use this grant to move their face-to-face services online and utilise technology such as Zoom. The Group also identified barriers to participation and used their grant to safely deliver materials/resources to participants' houses and provide mobile internet data to households who didn't have internet access.
What impact has the project had?
The Group ensured their online activities were a non-judgemental free space where all participants could openly contribute what they felt and thought on the various topics discussed, this led to well-attended sessions with plenty of discussion. Everything Human Rights also managed to get key stakeholders from the local community involved in activities, this led to fantastic conversations where participants were provided with a platform to openly share their life experiences.
Participants said...
"The coffee morning meetings always had important information about things that were relevant for our community. There is a lot of information out there about COVID-19 and how it affects certain groups of people, it was good to share information and ask questions"
"It was totally worth participating and I had a great time meeting new people and making new friends who I wouldn't have met if it weren't for the coffee morning meetings"
Keep up-to-date with Everything Human Rights here.
Find out more about GM Mental Wellbeing Grants here.
