CSP Impact Update

The period for the CCT Coronavirus Support Project(CSP) has finally come to an end. Over the course of 26 weeks through CSP we supported 10 of our most vulnerable clients and their families.

We used the generous £3000 grant we received to meet our client's physical, emotional, and aspirational needs as they have faced isolation, anxiety, unemployment alongside many mental health challenges over this pandemic period.

Participant Benefits

Participants benefited from:

• Mental wellbeing sessions,

• Money/Debt management sessions,

• Back to job support,

• Business start-up ideas,

• Online short courses, and

• Fortnightly food shopping vouchers.

Participants have experienced improved mental well-being due to increased participation in activities and pastoral care. 70% of the participants have developed the confidence to coordinate group meetings and seek work experience; 80% engaged in online learning, achieved short course certificates, attended mock interviews, and have now become job-ready. Participants also expressed great satisfaction and benefits as a result of the vouchers donation to their daily essentials.

One of the participants gained employment as a Learning Support Assistant in a Primary school in September.

Case Studies

MB was among the participants who completed a teaching assistant course and was looking to develop more confidence to be job-ready. She called when the lockdown was announced expressing her fear and her inability to copy and how the lockdown will put her back into her previous mental state of mind.

Michelle was among those who took the support we offered seriously, engaged in learning, and taking the lead in some of the sessions. Due to health challenges, she has to be in long-term shielding and things became difficult if not for the support from the outreach worker. At the end of the lockdown, she was prepared to go back to her volunteering place at the school. She was called upon and offered a full-time job when they realized she had completed some of the short courses the school needed her to complete. She is very happy and recorded a video to say thank you. She said, “I am happy and didn’t know I can achieve much”.

Appreciation

Thanks again to our funders at the Kent Community Fund for providing the funds to enable us to connect with and continue to support our participants. We will continue our work supporting the community and look forward to working with our partners to do so.