The ‘Better Together Community Support Group’ are looking for individuals to plan, lead and deliver events in the community of Springfield and Trent Vale. They are looking for students who can deliver different types of physical activity sessions for both young and old age-groups. They currently have dodge-ball and keep-fit sessions but would like to significantly increase the types of activities that they provide to keep the community physically active. Therefore, if you are interested in volunteering to coach/lead activities for young people, or older adults, please get in touch with Birgit Allport on 07816397424.

For context, see the info regarding the community group below…

Better Together Community Support Group (Supporting the families and individuals in Trent Vale and Springfield in S-o-T)

I would like to introduce our Community Support Group for Trent Vale and Springfield in Stoke-on-Trent.

Better Together is a community support group that will bring together those in need of food, advice, and activities with volunteers and skills sharers. Better Together will build strong relationships across the community of Springfield, Trent Vale and its environs. The members of the community that we want to target are vulnerable and disadvantaged people who are facing issues like joblessness, homelessness, financial uncertainty, as well as members of the community who would benefit from structured contact with other people such as the elderly who face loneliness or are in need of advice. Having researched the range of needs in our community, we have learned of the high levels of homelessness and hunger in the area. To address this, we will offer attendees one free lunch-time meal as well as a listening ear, a sense of a caring community, and signposting to safer alternatives to rough-sleeping. The free lunch will be made available at every session of Better Together so that individuals can rely on our service.

The advice we will offer include CV workshops, job interview coaching, health and safety guest lectures, non-binding legal advice, and signposting to other useful services. We believe that advice and guidance such as this will enable people to fulfil their potential to address issues such as anxiety about jobs interviews, gaps in knowledge about job applications and CVs, and where to get social and financial help from other services. We will share skills and knowledge to enable people to make choices and strengthen their autonomy and confidence. We have a qualified lawyer who is willing to share knowledge at our sessions, as well as good links to law students willing to volunteer who can signpost people to further help. Finally, in addition we will offer various workshops and lectures, we will offer structured activities for the young and the elderly. These will include but not be limited to crafting, easy keep fit, dodgeball, and sing-a-longs. We have volunteers with accreditation who are ready to lead these activities and will work with local sport facilities to accommodate a broad variety of activities. These light-hearted activities will engage the minds and bodies are the young and old, promote team-working, and promote health and sociability. Also, we will work closely with the Period Power Project to provide access to free sanitary product for girls and women who otherwise would have no access to these. Our main aim and concern is the improvement and wellbeing of our community members and create a safety net where no other opportunities available and we are grateful for every little support we can get. We are working with the community we are serving and to assess and reflect on how things will have gone we will set up a focus group, who access the needs after 6 and 12 months’ time to provide tailored and adequate support. Our aim is to have a long-term project, and eventually have a separate house for the group, to offer more group workshops at the same time and offer washing and shower facilities for less fortunate members of our community.

Thank you.