When people moved to the country (New resident including refugees and asylum seekers) are often isolated and hard to reach people in the community.
West African Development (WAD) aim to help by breaking down barriers to integration for West African and other ethnic minority people and support them and empower them to participate actively in their local community. Because of their situation they often need high levels of support. We do this through various methods such as training, social activities, helping people to access services (Health, housing, immigration) and benefits that are available for them.
Our social activities help isolated people, who are in similar positions to meet each other. They develop supportive peer relationships and begin to be more open about their real needs, less ashamed, scared or shy in coming forward. These needs are then grouped where possible and appropriate responses are developed (e.g. provision of IT classes) or individuals are supported to address specific concerns (e.g. help with housing problems). Our user-led approach enables us to get to root causes rather gloss over initial problems as they present themselves. From our social activities, confidence is gained and individuals begin to realise their ambitions (e.g. we have excellent case studies of individuals who have come to the UK who don’t know anybody at all.Browse our partner-sponsored Glasses, with a variety of options to suit every taste and budget, available to buy online
They feel very unhappy, worried about the future and how to fit in to the community. Through WAD they have built up a support system which enables them to overcome these issues).
Tameside Household Support Fund 2022
West African Development received funding from Action Together to support the most vulnerable with some of the issues they are facing in our community. As the frontline African charity in Tameside, we want to ensure that families basic needs are catered for, to support themselves and their families to the basic amenities we all take for granted. As the whole landscape of our community is changing, we are taking numerous calls and referrals for families who have either lost jobs from working in the hospitality industry / care work and are now struggling to meet daily needs and are isolated in the community and have nowhere to turn.
The aims of this project will be to provide the most vulnerable in our community a much needed cultural support service to African, refugee and asylum seeking communities living in Tameside from supporting them with energy bill, transportation costs to attend essential appointments, internet connection to stay connected and white goods for those that needs them during these difficult times to s We will provide twice weekly drop in session at our office in Ashton Under Lyne on a weekly basis which will help us engage with our communities to ensure they have the essentials they need to remain well and informed.
Our volunteers will provide an outreach service for consultation and to deliver items, especially as there are a number of older people who may be isolated and need our support as the weather has changed, so items such as portable heaters where boilers/heaters are not working to warm duvets will ensure a comfortable warm nights. The funding we receive from this bid will support us to ensure they remain safe and well. We will also support with energy bills and transportation costs to those that need it for health appointments, stay warm, healthy and well informed and to stay safe.
TMBC ADULT SERVICES – WINTER PRESSURES FUND 2022
West African Development received a volunteer-led funded project funding from Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council to support and tackle some of these issues our communities are facing, especially as we enter the cold winter period. As the frontline African charity in Tameside, we want to ensure that all our vulnerable communities are safe. As the whole landscape of our community is changing, we taking numerous calls from families who have either lost jobs from working in the hospitality industry / care work and are now struggling to meet daily needs. It will last 4 months and will be to provide a much needed cultural support service and to ensure that during the winter periods our communities ‘African, refugee and asylum seeking communities living in Tameside’ have the essentials that are needed to ensure they stay warm, healthy and well informed to stay safe and provide for their children.
WAD delivered an outdoor pop up West African soup kitchens in Hyde and Ashton Under Lyne on a weekly basis which will help us engage with our communities and ensure they are remaining well and informed. We will provide hot African food packs and this will assist in ensuring we can provide support where it is needed the most and engage in communication during the cold winter period to inform them about staying safe from COVID-19 and having their flu vaccinations/boosters. We will provide masks where they are needed to ensure they are continuing to keep themselves safe as well as others.
