We are... manchestersettlement.org.uk
ADRIAN SAYS... I am so delighted that you are taking the time to hear from some of the wonderful people that consider themselves a part of Manchester Settlement. The voices here are a mix of young and old, of staff, volunteers and community members. Each and every voice is a highly valued part of our own community – these people and hundreds like them are Manchester Settlement. I am so privileged to have been the Chief Executive of the Manchester Settlement Charity for 10 years, and am especially proud to be part of this amazing organisation, because together – WE ARE MANCHESTER SETTLEMENT. I do encourage you to read and take in the breadth of voices across the wide and varied service areas that we are able to deliver alongside our community. For 130 years, whether we have been providing support for children, families, young people or adults, we have aimed to ‘Create Stronger Communities Together’ and the single most important factor in how we contribute to this is through truly valuing the culture and the relationships that form the bedrock upon which everything else is built. As Sophia has said in her section, ‘Being here is like being with friends’. I know that for as long as we can continue to value that above everything else, we will continue to be very proud of the stories that we hear from those who really feel that ‘we are Manchester Settlement.’ We are beyond excited to have opened our new Family Hub spaces this September. These refurbished spaces provide opportunities for families and those that support families to come together within the friendly, community culture that we hold so true at Manchester Settlement. The investments made in improving our building mean that we can impact on more families, allowing us to grow our provision of children’s, youth and family activity and support. Look out for future announcements. Community 1 Family Community 4 Youth 5 Community Nursery 7 After School Club 9 Suported Housing 11 We are Family 13 We are Health Creating 15 Contents NEW! ADRIAN BALL Chief Executive We are...
The Community and Family Department at Manchester Settlement love to engage with people of all ages who live within our wider community. Listening to and working alongside these people, we plan and deliver activities that will enhance the wellbeing of those who live in our proximity. We aim to give the warmest of welcomes to our food pantry, stay and play and wellbeing drop in members, giving all the opportunity to find friends and a place to belong. We hugely value our local volunteers and appreciate how they extend the reach and the energy of our activities. We enjoy working with partner organisations to bring greater opportunities to adults and families in the area. ‘Since retiring, I like the routine of getting out on the Wednesday and having a plan for the day. And since losing my husband, coming here has been brilliant for my mental health. I was looking forward to doing things with my husband so coming here helps me to keep positive and focused. It keeps me talking. It’s special that we can learn from each other, from each other’s different experiences and cultures. This community really does need this. Manchester Settlement is a very vital part of the community. Long may it last.’ GEORGE SAYS... ‘There are so many activities here from cooking to art. We have had guest speakers, medics and people from the council. I have learnt about what I am entitled to. The list of opportunities you get from coming here is endless. ‘You don’t see any discrimination; the staff treat us equally. I really appreciate that about this place.’ TONY SAYS... ‘If you’re going through something, while you’re here you forget about it.’ DOM SAYS... ‘If you don’t come for the week, you miss being here.’ DOT ON WELLBEING WEDNESDAY ON WELLBEING WEDNESDAY MANCHESTER SETTLEMENT COMMUNITY 1 1 ON CONVERSATION CLUB ON WELLBEING WEDNESDAY ZILAY AND HAFSA SAID... ‘We can meet different people. It helps us to improve our communication and English. It helps us to find a job. Last time they helped me make my CV.’ ‘This group improves our confidence and our communication. It is like a family. If you ask anything they are ready to help.’ KATERINA SAYS... ‘I come for my children who speak English, I want to be able to communicate with them and to help them.’ AN ANONYMOUS SOURCE SAID... ‘I like meeting people here. All the people come from different countries, we are all friends.’ DAVID SAYS... ‘I feel safe with my autism here. At other places I don’t feel safe. The staff here know about autism and know what to do if I take a funny turn. The group is somewhere to relax with friendly people.’ CONNIE SAYS... ‘Lianne and Nic supported me with mum. I felt somebody cared. You’re thrown in at the deep end in your own life and sometimes you just want somebody there to say, “if you need to talk, we’re here.” They do that here. ‘Coming here benefits the more social side of my life. I was involved in a lot of things before my mum got ill but I became more isolated when I was caring for my mum. Because I could bring my mum and my brother, it allowed us to interact with people and make friends which we continue to maintain outside of here. Up until my mum died, she was coming here; my mum was treated like a queen. You’re made to feel welcome as a family as well as an individual.’ PAULINE SAYS... ‘The atmosphere, the inclusion and the friends that I’ve made keeps me coming back. It’s peer support and I now feel less isolated.’ ‘I enjoy the company; I’ve got people I can talk to here. I don’t have that at home. It’s the friendliest place I’ve ever been.’ HAMID SAYS... ‘Before I came to the UK (one year and three months ago), I couldn’t speak English or do the alphabet. Now I can speak with English people, I can go shopping and I can speak with my doctor.’ YVETTE ON WELLBEING WEDNESDAYS ON ESOL MICHELLE I wouldn’t change coming here. It’s one of the best things I’ve done. We are... 2
MANCHESTER SETTLEMENT COMMUNITY ON BEFRIENDERS EDITH SAYS... ‘To me, speaking to somebody is like a doctor’s tonic. You speak to nobody all day and when that friendly voice comes on the end of the line it’s like medicine. Speaking to Margret is like speaking to a daughter I never had; I mean from that from my heart. I feel blessed that I’ve been introduced to this society.’ ELAINE SAYS... ‘Knowing that people care keeps me going. This service is a lifeline in a way. At the Wednesday group they make you feel so welcome, they chat to me. And when they talk to you, you know it’s real. They really do listen to you, and it makes you want to go back even more. When I get up on a Tuesday and I’m so low, but after my call with Mags, I find I feel better, and I can get my tasks done. She’s helped me get numbers to call if I need help with certain things, she’s really there for me.’ CHIPO SAYS... ‘I enjoy coming to this group as it is a place to be with other people. I have peace of mind when I’m here with other parents. The group benefits the children as they become used to meeting and interacting with other children. It makes me confident that Nala will be prepared for the transition to nursery because she has experienced meeting other children at the stay and play sessions.’ ZOE SAYS... ‘This group is important to me as it lets the children learn to socialise before starting nursery, so it helps with their development. My shyer baby has become more confident and happier around new people since coming to the stay and play group. I appreciate that the session is adaptable to the needs of the parents. Manchester Settlement does so much for the community. There’s group support here and a bond between all the parents.’ LIANNE SAYS... ‘I rely on these play groups for my girl’s interactions and development. It gives her a safe place to socialise This is such a friendly group. As a parent the group is ‘needed’ – there was nowhere to go and meet parents in Openshaw. The number of activities and groups put on for the kids makes Manchester Settlement special.’ TOWELA SAYS... ‘I value the support of the staff. Stacey is good with the kids; she has a genuine interest in helping and caring for them. I know I can go to Stacey with any issue, and she would help me. I like that they provide a lot of activities here like waterplay, its not just playing with toys. And generous portions of healthy snacks are provided as well. I enjoy coming here to chat with other parents. It’s really important for socialising and it’s a great environment to meet other mums and parents. It’s a nice, non-judgemental and chilled environment. Knowing I have Stay and Play to go to every week makes life easier - as a busy mum it can be hard to have time to plan activities, this group allows me to have plans without having to think about it.’ The Pantry The Pantry community lets people see that they’re not the only one in a difficult situation and allows people to feel more supported by chatting to others going through similar struggles. ‘At Manchester Settlement, we provide a holistic approach to supporting people and we get to give back to the community’ ‘Manchester Settlement is special as nowhere else offers the pantry service, it’s a unique set up in comparison to other places.’ CHIPO I am proud of Manchester Settlement and I am proud to be a part of it ON STAY AND PLAY We are... 3 4
Our Youth Clubs are friendly, safe, equal places for all young people to meet others of their own age, develop friendships, learn new skills, increase confidence and most importantly have fun! Our team is driven to help our young people create lasting memories whilst learning important social and life skills. We support them to inspire each other to thrive and become powerful leaders of both their own future and within the community. We are passionate about respecting differences and promoting equalities for all, listening to and empowering young people to have the confidence to have their voices heard. CHELSEA, OUR YOUTH LEAD, SAYS... ‘Working alongside young people of different ages is very rewarding, seeing how we make a difference in their lives by creating opportunities that they may never had or have the chance to do is incredibly eye opening. It makes you realise just how important our role in their life is. I attended our youth club and, therefore, am fully aware of how beneficial the support and social side of attending youth clubs can be for young people.’ ‘You get to socialise and have so much fun’ ‘The staff are really nice and helpful’ ‘ I love that you get to meet new people’ ‘It’s lively and fun and there are loads of activities’ ‘I love it because of all the fun activities’ ‘ Everyone has made me feel so welcome’ ‘I like Youth Club because we are a team’ ‘I get to spend time with my friends’ ‘ I am happy when I am here’ ‘ I love the supportive atmosphere’ ‘ I like talking to people and having a laugh’ ‘We are treated respectfully’ ‘We look out for each other’ Youth Club Art Project We asked some of our Youth Club members to give us an insight into what they think about attending our Youth Clubs, and portraying those feelings by creating a piece of artwork with key messages. Our YOUTH team members Youth canoeing trip I love it because of all the fun activities and you get to meet new people Everyone has made me feel welcome. I love the suppotive atmosphere MANCHESTER SETTLEMENT YOUTH We are... WHAT OUR STAFF SAY... WHAT THE KIDS SAY... It’s a safe place to be 5 6
At our Community Nursery we are passionate about supporting each and every child to have the best possible start to their educational and development journey. In both our nursery and after school club, our fantastic team create a caring and welcoming environment in which the children’s creativity is nurtured and individuality is valued, resulting in a vital safe space for childhood development. Community is at the heart of the childcare that we provide here, with the not-for-profit nature of our nursery supporting this; everything we do goes back into the community. Families are invited to take advantage of all the child and family activities and support services that our charity provides, allowing for a hub of support under one roof. JULIE SAYS... ‘I’ve always been passionate about working with children and I am passionate about working for a charity which is non profitable. When its not for profit, the focus is on the affordability for parents, the community aspect, getting parents supported in different ways and the care of the children. I think this is different to other nurseries that are for profit. Manchester Settlement is special because it provides opportunities for parents. They have access to other services by being in this building. For example, some parents don’t speak English as their first language and here they get the opportunity to join ESOL. This increases confidence and ability to communicate. It’s professional yet approachable. Parents can come to us regarding anything, we’re understanding, and we try our best to support everyone.’ CLARE SAYS... ‘We support the parents; we can refer them to other projects here at Manchester Settlement or help with direct referral to outside help. We help in any way we can. We have a strong partnership with parents. People learn about the nursery from word of mouth. Other parents recommend us which is the greatest compliment.’ WHAT OUR STAFF SAY... WHAT THE PARENTS SAY... ‘ I feel very good. I feel like my child is in safe hands and is always looked after. I get regular updates from her teachers’ ‘I feel supported’ ‘ Manchester Settlement makes me feel good, like everyone’s part of a community’ ‘ I feel really safe leaving my daughter in their care’ ‘It helps me out with childcare’ ‘ There are good teachers here. They are caring and make sure that the children are well behaved’ ‘ I feel very happy here. The staff are nice, and they are good to us’ ‘ Being here makes me feel great. It has built my child’s confidence and communication. The staff are great as well’ ‘ I love the environment’ ‘ It’s a great nursery, both of my nephews attended and also had an amazing experience here’ ‘ It is just the best, as far as I’m concerned’ ‘ The friendly and approachable staff make it special here. ‘ They are very interactive with me regarding my child. It is very clean, and the staff are amazing’ They made me feel great. Seeing my child progress here is a thing of joy ‘ The community, the staff and the welcoming atmosphere make it special here’ ‘ They give us food cards for shopping and try and help us out as they can which makes this place different’ ‘ There’s a lot of involvement from other groups and businesses that makes it good’ ‘ They are the first service that I have used and so far, I can say that they are good about providing early years foundation for my son. And I like how clean the nursery and general environment is’ ‘ They are making all their effort to make my child better and more independent’ MANCHESTER SETTLEMENT COMMUNITY NURSERY We are... The community, the staff and the welcoming atmosphere make it special here 7 8
MANCHESTER SETTLEMENT COMMUNITY NURSERY AND AFTER SCHOOL CLUB Our After School Club opened in 2010, responding to a need for after school childcare in the area. Good hugs are always on offer as well as some well-earned snacks and play time after a long day at school. We take great pride in getting to know all our children as individuals and we love seeing their faces at the school gates. We offer a wide range of activities including arts and crafts, IT, role play, dance, outdoor games, music, visits to local parks and much more. All our nursery rooms are designed to be warm, welcoming and fun. We are very proud of our new outside space that has been recently refurbished to create a vibrant, stimulating and safe space for the children to play – whatever the weather! We are... STACY SAYS... ‘We want our children to feel a sense of home, we are more than just childcare, it’s a family. We’re not all about learning, we’re about making friendships. We’re about learning right from wrong. We’re about giving that cuddle that school can’t give.’ WHAT OUR TEAM SAY... WHAT THE KIDS SAY... STACY SAYS... We get to know all our children, we’re more than just childcare, it’s a family ‘People are funny, kind and nice’ ‘Come and join in, there are fun things’ ‘ I like it because it makes me feel happy’ ‘I like it because we are a team’ ‘I love it because I’m here with my friends’ ‘It’s fun and joyful’ ‘Manchester Settlement makes me feel safe’ ‘There are loads of activities’ 9 10
ABDI AHMED SAYS... ‘When I moved out of the Manchester Settlement housing, the staff helped me find a house in Hulme. They also helped me buy stuff for my new house. It has helped me to be more independent. If I had a problem with anything I could call them. Richard was my support worker; he gave me advice to do well in life. The staff make Manchester Settlement different to other places that I have lived. And where I was before there were no activities, I like the activities here. Being part of this community gives you a sense of pride. I wouldn’t change coming here. It’s one of the best things I’ve done.’ SIRAJ SAYS... ‘They help me with anything, any support. The community here, it’s lovely. I like coming here because it helps me to talk to other people and have conversations. If you come here, you can meet kind, lovely people. If you have any problems, the staff will help you to fix it and show you how to do that.’ AHMED SAYS... ‘I am happy when I am here, it’s like my home. This is the best community centre in Manchester. The staff are working hard for us young people. They provide a lot of help with the houses and the activities like sport and football.’ Our supported housing team work hard to create a strong support network, a community and a family for the young refugees and asylum seekers that we work with. We aim to create a home for our young people, not only in the housing we provide, but also a feeling of home in the people at Manchester Settlement. We strive to help our young people feel empowered to know their choices, rights and where they can go in life, allowing them to live independently whilst feeling supported in the knowledge that we are here for them. By creating a safe space for our young people, we aim to ensure that they feel secure within themselves and know that they have a place within our community. Ultimately, we hope to create the sense that they are truly cared for and welcome at Manchester Settlement, providing a stepping stone for a bright future. DAWIT SAYS... ‘I feel good when I am here, I enjoy myself here. The staff are very good and nice. When I have something to ask, they listen to me.’ SAID SAYS... ‘The Manchester Settlement is a place of love, a place of equality, a place of unity and a place of justice. I don’t have family in the UK, but they are my family. I want to say thank you to all of them for that. Everyone here are heroes. The staff are my heroes. I feel more independent because the staff here give me responsibilities to do on my own and they teach me good lessons for life. They give you the keys for life. I’m proud of them and I am happy to be here. Because of their help I can go to college, I achieve my goal because of them.’ SOPHIA SAYS... ‘They helped me find a home. This place makes me feel safe and nice. The people and staff here are friendly and make this place special. They help with everything. Being here feels like being with friends. Being part of this community gives you a sense of pride. I wouldn’t change coming here. It’s one of the best things I’ve done.’ SOPHIA The people and staff here are friendly and make this place special MANCHESTER SETTLEMENT SUPPORTED HOUSING WHAT THE STAFF HAVE TO SAY... The Supported Housing Football Team RICHARD SAYS... ‘We have a small team, but the support is broad. People who come here are apprehensive at the beginning, but everyone feels comfortable after a while. The main aim is that when you leave you leave in a better place than when you came, better equipped, and more independent. Our young people always come back to us, whether that’s because they like to see us or because they need the support. They always know that we’re here and will always help even after they’ve left; they have confidence in us.’ TAVINA SAYS... ‘Our young people become more confident as well as more emotionally stable and aware. We are clearly helping to make more emotionally resilient young people, which is maybe the most important thing we can do. We put a lot of work into building trusting relationships with our young people, we believe you can’t achieve anything without that trust. We really emphasise the relationship side, make sure that’s in place before focusing on anything else.’ We are... 11 12
MANCHESTER SETTLEMENT WE ARE FAMILY Our people, staff and volunteers, create the atmosphere that is felt the minute you enter our community hub. We support each other, offer a hug when required, share endless cups of tea and coffee and work colleagues become friends. First and foremost, we are passionate about the services we provide, driven to always do the best we can for our community and each other. We are... family SUE SAYS... This is an empowering, life changing place. It gives hope to people! NIC SAYS... ‘Manchester Settlement is special because it employs local people who love where they live. It’s special because of people’s lived experiences which they are now using for good and to invest in the area. It’s special because of the people who work here and the culture that is created. People value each other, there is real love here.’ CLARE SAYS... ‘The people that work here are special. Everybody has the same passion for helping and supporting people, the same respect for community members. We try to empower people and provide opportunities for them to grow. I love working here because it’s a not for profit, everything we do goes back into the community.’ MAGS SAYS... ‘We are a community centre that goes out of its way to help people and be there for people. To engage with as many people as possible. Other places can be very judgy, that’s one thing that we are not. We don’t judge.’ TAVINA SAYS... ‘People work here because they care about the job that they are doing. Everyone is here for the right reasons, and we go out of our way to make positive change happen.’ TRACEY SAYS... ‘The people who work here don’t just come to work here, we all have the same goal of making a difference because we really care about people. This place has transformed lives. It really is important. People can be open here, there are no barriers.’ ANDREA SAYS... ‘I like working here because of my colleagues, the culture and friendships. We get on really well and people here help each other. We respect the opinions of each other and show appreciation for each other’s knowledge. The humanity of the staff and community make this place.’ DEMI SAYS... ‘I enjoy working here because of the community feel of the building. There isn’t a power imbalance, and no one is treated differently because of their role here. Everyone is just as important as each other.’ ‘I benefit from volunteering as a befriender because I get to talk to different sorts of people to those I normally speak to. I get to have different conversations than those I have at work, for example’ ‘The volunteers here work incredibly hard. They are an amazing team’ WHAT OUR STAFF SAY... WHAT OUR VOLUNTEERS SAY... ‘Its good fun and feel you put something back into the community’ ‘Volunteering here is a space to meet new friends’ ‘I benefit when I see how grateful the customers are’ ‘Volunteering at the pantry has helped me improve my English by talking to everyone. It’s very sociable’ ‘I enjoy being around the lovely team’ RICHARD SAYS... Manchester Settlement speaks one language that everyone understands 13 14
Health Creation is our new framwork for delivering a preventative approach to health inequity. The approach involves us working with local community organisations that have strong relationships with their communities. We support these organisations to develop their methods to focus on Connections, Confidence and Control as key aims. Health Creation describes the process through which individuals and communities gain a sense of purpose, hope, mastery and control over their own lives and immediate environment; when this happens their health and wellbeing is enhanced. We hugely value and appreciate our communities for the great work they do to make people’s lives better and we have found that supporting them to embed the framework into their work has proved beneficial to individuals and to our communities. We have seen this in our projects; working across neighbourhoods. PROJECT MANAGER MAQBUL SAID... ‘The sense of achievement for our Health Creators we trained up was marvellous. While they are very committed individuals, the programme itself gave them a feeling of getting equipped with knowledge and skills, which they can use to help family, friends and their community. The Health Creation programme is crucial for the communities where health outcomes are not great’ THE HEALTH CREATORS DIABETES PROJECT ‘Health Creation improved my community’s sharing of views and it’s supported people to have confidence in sharing and having their own opinion that may differ from others – it demonstrated that what they say is important and valid.’ ‘The programme provides a framework through which we were able to uncover concerns, needs and misconceptions that we then addressed.’ ‘As a result of Health Creation we relooked at our programme and we changed the contents of our diabetes education. Listening to our community showed that it was diabetes myths that were the biggest issue. It empowered us to deliver factual information by doing research via the NHS website and journals.’ We are... Health Creating! The programme offers a framework that gives people confidence Health Creation encouraged us to focus on strengthening our community... everyone has a role to play MANCHESTER SETTLEMENT WE ARE HEALTH CREATING FEATURES OF OUR HEATH CREATING PRACTICE ● LISTENING AND RESPONDING ● TRUTH-TELLING ● STRENGTHS-FOCUS ● SELF-ORGANISING ● POWER-SHIFTING ● RECIPROCITY 6 15
Nursery After School Clubs Wellbeing Support Family Support Community Information Community Arts Food Projects Youth Clubs Community Rooms Supported Housing Volunteering 1328-1330 Ashton Old Road, Openshaw, Manchester M11 1JG Tel: 0161 974 1300 Email: info@manchestersettlement.org.uk
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