Addressing healthy wellbeing and social and emotional issues before embarking on any training or employment venture will enhance confidence, morale and the chance for locals to succeed.
In our local area there is a demand to help long term unemployed people and people out of work, as there is nothing at present in our town and locals have to travel which is a hurdle for many as they lack the confidence and the funds to do so.
As you will agree wellness and wellbeing is affected by everything in our lives, and it is imperative to open a community hub to enable people to make progress in their lives.
We need services that focus on promoting wellbeing and greater independence. To enable people to make progress in these areas we must recognise and build on their strengths, coping abilities, social networks and natural support systems .
What we'll deliver:
- Fit new benches for locals
- Provide a comfortable place for locals to meet
Why it's a great idea:
Health, work and wellbeing is a cross-government initiative which aims to improve the general health and wellbeing of the working age population. However, this can only succeed if there are services available locally.
After working as a teacher, I realised that there is a strong link between wellbeing and esteem. I found that confidence and achievement was stronger when learner’s wellbeing was considered.
The environment can either facilitate or discourage interactions and I believe that a Hub would have a significant positive effect on learners as attending sessions in a job centre are not always an individualised experience.
Providing a safe space drop-in centre would provide the people of Halesowen with a place to focus on improving wellbeing and develop skills and interests. By building confidence and providing opportunities to be involved in the local community.
This in turn will produce a sense of engagement that locals have with the area where they live.
Steps to get it done:
Having a one stop hub would be beneficial as it will offer a variety of information and guidance on people's doorsteps.If locals are worried about something and don’t know where to turn or wish to find out what activities and services are available in the area, they can access the hub.
There is no one-size-fits-all approach and users of the hub will benefit from a tailored, person centred approach.
Core sessions would include:
Employability skills workshops • maths skills • English skills • IT skills • Money management & benefits advice • Work experience and training opportunities through the Hub Café • Wellbeing programmes & workshops • Safe-space drop in sessions • Complimentary therapies • Basic cooking skills & healthy eating workshops • MH steering groups
