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Home , Medway, Sevenoaks

Community Impact Report 2019

Working only in and Introduction

West Kent’s mission is to create in Kent a prosperous, strong and sustainable society; a place of opportunity for all; where people can plan for their futures. We invest in our communities, working to understand local need and work in partnership with residents and other organisations to build on community assets and develop and deliver successful services. We also run a range of contracts and secured £1.3 million of funding from other sources in 2019 to support thriving We are a countywide organisation and communities across Kent and Medway. currently provide at least two services in every district and borough of Kent. The following pages give a flavour of our work and the impact it has had on individuals, groups and communities. 8 8 If you would like more information on any of our services, 5 MEDWAY please get in touch. 4 5 THANET Heather Brightwell SWALE Communities Director 7 2 [email protected] 15 & MALLING 9 3 We are running 21 CONTRACTS 5 9 ASHFORD TUNBRIDGE WELLS 4 AND HYTHE

2 3 Abacus Furniture Projects at Sevenoaks, Maidstone* and Medway.

Abacus stores raise income for our charitable projects and have a wider social purpose to provide low-cost furniture to those in need, divert good quality furniture from landfill and to provide training & employment opportunities. We are involved with projects like the Community Repaint scheme, the Kent Support and Assistance Service and the Syrian Vulnerable People’s Relocation Scheme. Our shops sell refurbished bikes through OBJECTIVE: a partnership with HM Rochester Prison and Youth Offending Institute and Strengthening Medway Norse. Bikes, collected at waste and recycling centres, are refurbished employability, at the prison, giving offenders new skills skills and enterprise and a qualification.

365 BIKES 2,286 volunteer hours 124 248 BIKES PEOPLE were repaired and serviced by TONNES 60 of furniture were saved from offenders and sold through benefitted from being sent to Abacus stores one of our landfill at Abacus stores diverted from landfill Starter Packs *our Maidstone shop is a partnership with Golding Homes.

4 5 The training and employment team Other offers support to those looking to The service is delivered through job return to work and wanting to get hubs based within local communities Services better paid work. It covers CV writing, currently in , Sevenoaks, interview skills, internet job search, Maidstone and Tonbridge. on line applications and accessing Abacus didn’t just sell bikes. Working in partnership, West Kent employed eight work experience. We also offer adults in Medway that couldn’t ride a bike, or didn’t apprentices, three moved into apprenticeships, careers advice feel confident, signed up for beginners cycling lessons permanent work with us. and a range of training courses. with Better Medway. On your bike!

Men’s Sheds We partner with Men’s Sheds, Kent division, to run a woodwork project at our Abacus warehouse in Sevenoaks. The Men’s Sheds Association was originally 83 people were 107 voluntary and community sector organisations set up as a meeting place for retired men. The Sheds supported into training took advantage of training courses we organised are set up across the country for a variety of activities and employment through the Training For All project, helping them to develop their work and access funding. including model making, gardening, carpentry, bike refurbishment and woodwork.

I would like to thank Pauline for supporting me We supported budding entrepreneurs to realise their back into full time employment. Knowing that Pop up Pauline was there to support me has given me self-employment dreams by part funding week long the confidence to take control of my life and courses in locations across the county. Business knowing that my travel was being paid for the Schools first month of employment helped me a lot. I would definitely recommend this service to other people who are looking for work or a better paid job.

Resident supported 360 ATTENDEES 270 NEW BUSINESSES into work at events in 2019 started

6 7 Medway Rough Sleeper Service Other West Kent is commissioned by to pilot a new Services OBJECTIVE: service that will help rough sleepers in Medway. Promoting wellbeing, The team offers a person-centred service that will help to reduce and the numbers of people living on preventing crisis the streets or improve the health Live Well Kent and wellbeing of those that are We offered individually tailored support determined to remain there. Kent Support and to 129 people living in Sevenoaks, Assistance Service Thank you so much for the The team helps rough sleepers and Tunbridge Wells microwave and kitchen pack which to get any help they need, for with ongoing mental health, to help them example to tackle substance Working with arrived today! It means so much that to lead a more fulfilled life. misuse, to register them with (KCC) we support clients in crisis across I can finally cook myself a hot meal a GP, to give benefit advice or Kent by providing essential household in my new home. A new start. to offer training with cooking items that allow people to remain in skills or other life skills, but most their home and work through a period importantly building trust and of short-term crisis. D, a KSAS client confidence in the Support Worker Medway Support Services We offer furniture, household items, and service. An out of hours We provide housing related support and white goods, carpets and basic hotline is available at evenings 974 FAMILIES/PEOPLE floating support to clients referred from household equipment to clients were helped by and weekends to help the rough Medway Council. assessed by KCC as being in crisis. KSAS in 2019 sleepers in an emergency.

378 PEOPLE were given housing related support from Social Support and Supported Living our Medway teams

West Kent’s social support services clients to take medication and attend 141 EX-OFFENDERS team focussed on delivering support appointments to preventing suicide. The 37 PEOPLE and people with a to 24 people last year. They begin with support is intensive and long term, but were helped by the rough history of substance agreeing a support plan, then their the impact is significant as it enables sleeper service in 2019 misuse were given help can be for anything from helping clients to remain independent. (started August) support and advice

8 9 Case study Frank, 20, had previously attended We put a CV together with him and HOUSE from the age of 14. After a started helping him look for full time work, spell of living homeless in another he wanted “to earn honest money, stay city he was back home and struggling busy and keep himself out of trouble”. to fit back in, find work and acclimatise. He was encouraged Thanks to all of you for helping me get some to come into HOUSE to talk. work sorted. I want to be doing something As he began to talk to youth workers positive with my life instead of lazing about about his experiences, he told them he and taking drugs. I want out of that life. I want had been involved in dealing and running to be working and earn for myself and build a drugs and had come home to get away better life. HOUSE has helped me take some from it and start fresh. He knew it was first steps towards a better future, like the only a matter of time before he would youth workers always said, and I couldn’t end up in prison, having been in trouble have done it without you. OBJECTIVE: with the police before. He had applied for over sixty jobs since returning home Building active and had heard nothing.

resilient communities In 2019: • We launched a new programme in • We developed our 8-12s swimming primary schools in Sevenoaks to support programme, supporting members to Youth services year six children to move to secondary swim, further, faster or deeper. We provide a range of youth services school, equipping them with the • We developed a new programme across the : knowledge and resilience to manage called CookHOUSE, which supports this life change in a positive way. 11-19-year olds to come together to • HOUSE youth centre in Edenbridge • Edenbridge Youth Forum members cook meals, which they sit and eat and the Edenbridge Youth Forum achieved an accreditation from a family-style. The programme gives • Open access Youth clubs across the national awarding body for their work participants the opportunity to learn Sevenoaks district for 11-19-year olds on their WW1 Centenary Project. about food hygiene, the nutritional • Work in schools to support the • We set up a new Sevenoaks District makeup of a balanced meal and how curriculum Youth Assembly, a youth forum to to build a recipe from scratch. • 8-12s project for children referred We worked with discuss issues and make positive to us for extra support 1,382 YOUNG PEOPLE change in the area they live.

10 11 v

Linda Hogan Community Fund Named after one of our former colleagues, the Linda Hogan fund £ provides grants to small, local charities and community organisations. In 2019 we provided grants TOTALLING £15,000 supporting 32 different organisations across Kent. These included: • a trip to the seaside, including free • a performance and all-age circus skills rides at a funfair, for a group of demonstration and workshop at Turn families from Edenbridge living under the Tide Festival in Dymchurch the government set poverty line • cross-cultural and intercultural • training a group of volunteer community-based arts workshops mediators based in Sevenoaks in three venues across to provide vital support helping for 90 people. Workshops and people resolve conflict within their activities included music, Maori and communities, including those with contemporary dance, painting and mental health and additional needs textile printing • a falls prevention course for a group of • a 5 week DJ Workshop for young residents living at a housing scheme in people between the ages of 14 and Edenbridge for the over 55s 19, as well as marketing material, • helping a community church based in textiles and fabric for printing and Dartford pay for a lunch and entertainer foods from different cultures in to celebrate their 40th anniversary Sittingbourne. In 2019 we: £ Provided 200 CHRISTMAS DINNERS 6,513 PEOPLE Funded eight took part in an activity Christmas events, funded, or partly funded BENEFITING OVER by the Linda Hogan 600 PEOPLE Community fund

12 13 Not just Thank a landlord you

Investing in our communities has Thank you to all the organisations always been hugely important to West Our staff are given three paid Each year West Kent supports that fund our communities work: Kent. It’s not just about the specific volunteer days a year to support a charity nominated and voted • Ash-cum-Ridley Parish Council projects we fund and deliver through their local community in for by staff – last year we our communities teams; we support whatever way they choose raised £8,258 for Mind • Children in Need all our staff to make a difference. • Community Repaint • Cranfield Trust • Parish Council • Edenbridge Council • Golding Homes • Great Stone Bridge Trust We have an ongoing commitment We run regular painting and • Green Family Fund Our contractors offer to employ around ten apprentices decorating courses so our • John Coldman Charitable Trust across our business each year, with residents can learn new skills opportunities for apprenticeships varied opportunities from retail and and work experience • Kent Community Foundation customer service to ICT and housing • Kent County Council and property management • Kent County Council – Combined Member Grant Scheme • Medway Council • MOAT Foundation • Sevenoaks Lions • Sevenoaks District Council We support young people with work We attend job fairs and career Our Emerald schemes (housing for • Shaw Trust experience opportunities and work events to share information older people) act as a community • Stronger Kent Communities with local schools to offer mock about careers in social housing hub for older residents living in the • Parish Council interviews to help them prepare for surrounding community, with social the world of work activities and facilities for others to • Whitehead Monckton come in and enjoy Charitable Foundation

14 15 Want to We develop, deliver and support projects in find consultation with residents, other organisations out and funding bodies. We are happy to hear from anyone who shares our vision and wants to work more? together to benefit communities across Kent.

Peggy-Sue Nicholson Charlotte Ede Shane Convey Head of Communities Community Investment Manager Business Development Manager [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

Thomas Foreman Dawn Grant Wellbeing Services Manager Employability and Enterprise Manager [email protected] [email protected]

West Kent Housing Association 101 Road, Sevenoaks Kent TN13 1AX

visit westkent.org @west_kent WestKentHA or call 01732 749400 @westkenthousingassociation