Two members of TDC's Equalities Team, Mohammad and Maha, will be supporting people affected by cancer at the Macmillan Horizon Centre beside the Royal Sussex County Hospital.
Maha, who speaks Arabic, and Mohammad, who speaks Arabic and Farsi, are available at the centre on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in February and March. Their role is to welcome all visitors to the centre and to support people from ethnically diverse communities who might otherwise struggle to access Macmillan’s help. There is a safe and quiet space available to talk to Mohammad or Maha privately.
The initiative also supports Mohammad’s wider role in TDC as a community health connector, in which he helps to increase access to health services for people from East Brighton.
The Horizon centre's facilities include a café, a lounge, welfare benefits advice, nutritional support, physical activities, complementary therapies and more. These services are free to access and available to anyone affected by cancer, be that directly or through a loved one. The centre has been designed with input from people affected by cancer to make it the best place to offer the support and services that people in Sussex need. It offers all-round support from a team of specialists in a calm, friendly and welcoming environment.
The Macmillan Horizon Centre is a partnership between Macmillan Cancer Support, the Sussex Cancer Fund and Brighton and University Hospitals Sussex NHS Trust. To find out more about the facilities and services they offer visit The Macmillan Horizon Centre webpage.
A big festive thank you to all our amazing community members and partners we have worked with throughout a ridiculously busy 2022.
2022 has seen TDC’s fullest ever year. With our neighbourhood community development workacrossthecity at the heart of our work. Our MESH project helping over 50 people get jobs. Our youth work winning more awards. Our work with the amazing local Albanian community. Intergenerational fun at the Ageing Well festival. And so much more.
We understand that it has been another very challenging year for many – and we are now delivering Cost of Living pilots with local community organisations to support people through these tough times. We will be sharing more about this in the new year. Wishing all well over the festive break.
Best festive wishes
Athol
In 2022 TDC continued to work to support communities across the city of Brighton and Hove.
✨Here are our Highlights of the Year✨
Adam Muirhead, Director of Youth Work
"2022 was full of incredible activity from the whole youth work team here at TDC. My personal highlight was taking time out after a busy summer programme to check-in with ourselves and have some fun at the Youth Team’s overnight retreat in September. Along with some reflection, planning and monitoring, the team took part in some fun activities including raft building and archery before heading out for a meal and a gig in Shoreham-by-Sea.
Intended as part-treat/part-decompression, the whole experience allowed us time to acknowledge the challenges of the past year and to look forward together with some hope for great things to come."
Evie Beardmore, 121 Youth Worker
"My highlight of the year has been transitioning into a new role as a 121 Youth Worker. This role has been an exciting new challenge, allowing me to support the needs of young people and empower them through a person centred and asset-based approach.
The connections and work have been incredibly rewarding and I am feeling very fulfilled in my role at TDC”
Kate Barker, Consultant
"Curiosity youth club ran a three day summer project at the Whitehawk Inn experimenting with and creating a virtual reality of the local area. 16 young people attended and got involved with 360° filming, 3D scanning, creating virtual worlds, interviewing locals, and visiting areas of interest to them. It even involved the local bus station giving young people a free seafront bus ride just for them!
A young person commented 'You get to relax, but also to do cool virtual reality stuff. They supply food and it’s very fun. And the people and youth workers are really nice.'"
Emma Reeves, Community Development Worker
"This year has been an exciting one for me as I have worked more for the Equalities team, supporting people from diverse backgrounds into work via MESH, Finding Your Way and the Employability Support Ukrainian Project
One of the highlights of this work was the Inclusive Job Fair which was an event in collaboration with the Brighton and Hove Job Centres and the Brighton Business Chambers. It was great to see TDC staff in action supporting the job hunters and helping with translation. We had Arabic and Ukrainian speakers. It was a busy morning and it felt good to see people getting support not just in applying for work but also benefit and housing advice.
"Learn Around the World is my highlight of the year. We invited people from ethnically and culturally diverse backgrounds to join as each week to share experiences and learn together. The groups chose sessions about English language classes, setting up your own business on social media, fire safety, volunteering and the Mayor even popped in to give out certificates. It was a real TDC team effort from our multicultural support hub, social prescribing plus and community learning projects."
Claire Burchell, Citywide Manager
Caroline Vitta, Youth Work Manager
&
Tony Silesby, Community Development Worker
"Our Highlight would have to be the North Whitehawk BBQ. TDC’s Neighbourhoods, Equalities and Youth Team’s supported Due East to do a door knock in North Whitehawk to find out what sorts of things people would like to see improved locally.
Lots of people said they would like to see more community events, so Due East fundraised for some Community resilience funding to put on a free summer event. It was a great success with over 120 children, young people and families who enjoyed the Circus Skills activities and a lovely BBQ staffed by local volunteers.
With the children entertained, the adults were able to also pop over to the planning for real consultation being held in the park, so they could have a say on how the Swanborough housing development might benefit the area when it is built. The TDC Youth Team gave out free school uniform vouchers to parents and young people who needed a little helping hand with the soaring costs of living. The best thing of all was the sun shone for us all. A great day was had and many residents said how much they appreciated it and how much they enjoyed living in the area. Bring on 2023 when we can do it all again!"
Cal Chester, Community Development Support Worker
"My highlight of the year were the trips we organised as part of our Ageing Well work to Tilgate Park, Reystede Animal Rescue and the amazing English Church of The Martyrs in Goring and its painted mini version of the Sistine Chapel.
For some, these trips were the first time they had been outside of Brighton for several years following lockdowns. It was really amazing to see people enjoying the space, natural beauty and sociability. The trips also linked brilliantly into our regular Ageing Well work in both Woodingdean and East Brighton, with older people we had been working with already coming on the trips or the trips allowing us to link new people into our regular groups.
Loads of other highlights included, were working in the great Ageing Well team, hosting Intergenerational Bingo, organising 3 Ageing Well Festival Events, supporting Albion Life's launch in the spring, presenting an award at the AGM and working in new spaces with new people!"
"A few highlights from me this year was working with the Craven Vale Community. With their Wassail in January through to the Jubilee celebrations for the Late Queen and their Mediterranean fiesta which was full of music, dance, sangria and sun in September, residents had a great time. They have had a very busy and successful year. We will see out 2022 with our Annual Christmas party to celebrate with lots of festive cheer.
Plans are already being made for next years festivities, which will include Saturday teatime fever, monthly quiz evenings and the Coronation of our new King. I’m excited already and looking forward to 2023."
Anita Doherty, Community Development Support Worker
"My Highlight of the year was working in partnership with St Cuthmans in Whitehawk, signposting many people to local groups and services to get the right support, including getting energy support to those that needed it for this winter. I was able to refer lots of people to the over 50’s activities and enjoy a regular group get together for lunch and trips out. Seeing people engaging with the group and make new friendships has led to a lot of joy and lessened isolation.
It was also fun working on the activities for the Ageing Well Festival where we supported an Intergenerational event locally in East alongside our TDC Youth Team. It was wonderful seeing all the ages groups having fun and sharing conversations together. I am looking forward to how the group grows next year now they have been successful in getting some funding."
Anke Thurm, Community Development Worker
"We did it! Together with Moulsecoomb Local Action Team, Action for Bevendean Community and a local artist we managed to produce and publish our first “What’s on in Moulsecoomb & Bevendean”, which is distributed to all households in Moulsecoomb, Bevendean and Bates Estate!
Kirsty Walker, Director of Neighbourhoods Projects
"During recent years we have noticed increasing isolation and vulnerability for some members of our communities and one community that this is very true for is those with learning disabilities; so I was delighted to see our work with Speak Out enable some members create local connections with Sussex surplus’ café at Bristol Estate through creating a walking group to visit following their sessions.
Mike said about the lockdowns: 'I felt like a caged animal, it was awful'. 'I feel completely different now…I just want to do things and meet new people.' "
Amy Baker, Lead Youth Worker
"Our highlight of the year from the East team, is our trip from October half term when we went to the escape rooms and nearly didn’t get out!
We took our girls group and our Thursday café young people from Whitehawk, the girls did the raver quest room and café group did pavilion perplex. Everyone had such a lovely time and we ended the trip with a meal at Nando’s."
St Michael’s Way Traveller site became the home of one of the TDC ‘Girls groups’ in September 2017. TDC youth workers George, Reana, and Shannon have worked to strengthen the relationship between St Michael’s Way Traveller site and TDC. This work has been achieved by facilitating a space that provides social and emotional support, heightening levels of wellbeing.
We have achieved some amazing things! Fast forward to September 2021, and the easing of the coronavirus pandemic restrictions saw the friendly group re-open every Tuesday. The safe space located in the heart of both the fixed and transit housing sites, provides a wider sense of community and belonging for girls aged 11+.
Whilst offering young women the opportunity to communicate what matters to them, becoming a part of the group allows individuals to embark on adventure beyond their familiarities. The group has seen huge success in taking the young women to explore further with the use of trips that embody team building, resilience training and Christmas festivities such as LazerZone, GoApe, and more recently, a trip to the Ice rink situated at the Royal Pavilion.
Take it from them! One young woman shares her thoughts on coming to ‘girls group’:
“I love coming to group to speak to workers. I like to do the fun activities and to occupy my brain for a couple of hours instead of sitting at home”.
From our Albanian Community Engagement Worker, Sonila Deda.
TDC have been helping me engage my community for the past 18 months, although some of us have called Brighton and Hove home for more than 2 decades, contributing to the economy of this diverse city. I was proud to get this opportunity to help build our community and lives here in our diverse city.
The Albanians in Sussex Website was born in 2016 with seed funding and was a key element to sharing useful information, activities and resources with the wider Sussex community here. Alongside this is our Facebook page, helps engage new members of our community and keeps us up to date on services and opportunities.
I have worked with some enthusiastic volunteers, planning celebratory social events and activities. The biggest being Albanian Independence Day, celebrated in November. With some generous support from Albanian business owners, including donations of time, food, and music, over 160 people gathered together, after lockdown had dominated everyone’s lives for the best part of 18 months. There was much joy and dance and a great sense of pride.
These volunteers have recently formed an independent community group and have taken on supporting their own events and networking. I am proud to be part of developing this community group, which demonstrates how much my community can meet its own needs and how much we have to offer to the wider Brighton & Hove community.
It has saddened me to see recent negative reporting about fellow Albanian migrants when I see so many positive and valuable members of our community and Brighton & Hove society.
More about our work with the Albanian Community can be found here
This Autumn half term, TDC's Youth Team got together with theatre company Shakespeare in Italy to run the second year of our Apples and Eyes project. A group of young people spent the week creating a film inspired by scenes from The Tempest. The project was designed to be accessible to young people from all over the city, giving them access to the equipment, expertise and inspiration to create and explore the arts.
The rehearsals and filming took place in the beautiful setting of One Garden in Falmer. Transport was provided from central Brighton, which the young people were encouraged to manage by themselves. The sun shone in the woods around Stanmer Park as Prospero, Miranda, Arial and Caliban learned their lines, costumes and props were created and locations were found. A whole range of alternative craft projects were also on offer and lunch was provided by the One Garden cafe.
The final film will receive a world premiere later in the year for the hard-working young cast and crew. Watch this space.
"This is the second year we've run this project and it's great to work with professional artists and film makers bringing a new approach to youth work.
This week I've seen friendships forming and so much enthusiasm for this culture and creativity. It's great to give young people a chance to explore a world they might not get to see otherwise and really find out what they can do."
The auditorium was full of stalls representing employers from across the city. We publicised the event with flyers, posters and social posts translated into Ukrainian, Arabic and Albanian and the response was incredible, with people already waiting for the event before the 10am start time.
Our Employability Support Workers Maryna and Idris were available as Arabic and Ukrainian translators to help people communicate with potential employers about what they can offer.
"It was so good to have a Ukrainian speaker introduce me to employers as I didn't have the confidence to do it by myself."
Ukrainian Attendee
"I thought it went really well, good atmosphere and I could see a lot of good connections being made."
DWP representative
"It was a great lively atmosphere and we worked hard to make people feel welcome and help them connect with employers, colleges and BHCC advice teams, a very satisfying morning!"
This year's Ageing Well Festival took place from 19th September to the 3rd October all across the city.
TDC were involved running events at HAWKS cafe, Albion Community Garden and The Manor, focussing on intergenerational projects around the festival's theme of Challenging Ageism. Including a discussion with young people and older people over 50, Challenging Ageism -- Younger and Older.
TDC's new Equalities Co-ordinator Hannah Sherman visited the Older and Bolder event at The Manor. She said:
People were invited to come along to this wonderful community space and see what It has to offer. Everybody had a wonderful time doing yoga, arts & crafts, and had a go at something new, Swoove! We whooped, danced and sang our hearts out ; one person said: “See the smiles on their faces? Absolutely brilliant!”
Neighbourhoods Director Kirsty Walker said:
I was lucky enough to join a Holding Back the Years session where a fun time was had by all with young and older women sharing a cuppa and their experiences from music they like and what they do to stay grounded to things they worry about. There were lots in common – everyone liked a dance! And we all had a good laugh. To quote one of the younger girls – ‘who knew old people can be funny!’
Community Development Support Worker Cal Chester and Project Support Worker Anita Doherty also supported 'Holding Back The Years' at HAWKS Cafe,
Cal said:
We supported two lovely sociable and events, where older people were able to share their positive approaches to health and wellbeing.
As well as shared food, a relaxation session and even a raffle we facilitated a discussion of ' What brings us joy? How we can address our health and wellbeing as we age ? How do we support one another?' We received many, many positive suggestions, with one participant responding that we could address these concerns via "meeting and supporting one another at events like these "
Cal was also part of Sensory Overload , hosted by Albion Life at Albion Community Garden, bringing together a group of keen older gardeners who shared tea and cake, discussed herbalism and investigated what was growing in the amazing community garden -- build up over the last four years.
Attendees were given a tour by volunteers of the range of growing projects undertaken by the residents around Albion Hill. One attendee commented:
I had no idea there was this amazing space in central Brighton.
We were delighted to play our role in making Ageing Well Festival 2022 another great success.
On Thursday 29th September, with an invitation from the Ovingdean Community for tea, cheese scones and cake in the church, we met at 11am in Brighton Marina.
We cycled along the undercliff to Rottingdean, then on top of the cliff and inland to Saint Wulfran’s Church, which is 900 years old, in Ovingdean.
We were 13 women from Egypt, Iraq, Iran, Japan, Ukraine and the UK. For some of us, it was our first cycle on roads and our first time on the undercliff.
The sun shone, friendships strengthened, bicycles flew and spirits lifted.
For more information about the Brighton Multicultural Women’s Cycle Club, please contact Poppy on 07926 111 823
The prestigious awards are presented annually by the Howard League for Penal Reform to people and organisations whose innovative work helps to make communities safer.
The winners will be announced on the 22nd November 2022.
In 2022 Brighton Pride returned to the city, celebrating its 30th anniversary after two years of Covid cancellations. The huge event took place on a blazing-hot August day with the theme of Love, Protest and Unity. 300,000 LGBT people and allies from the city and all around the world packed the streets for the iconic parade and events.
As ever TDC's Youth Team were present with a Youth Welfare station just outside Preston Park. The shady spot offered young people at Pride space to chill-out, charge phones and rest with their friends and was used by hundreds of young people out celebrating.
We also gave out essential supplies for a day out in the hot weather including free food, water, sunscreen, hand sanitiser and menstrual products. 16 of TDC's trained youth workers were also on hand, offering extra support if needed, helping to make the event more accessible and welcoming for LGBT young people experiencing this much-missed Brighton celebration.
"A massive thank you. Can you be my new mum? This is so lovely. You're literally a lifesaver."
Our course Finding Your Way — which has helped scores of women and other marginalised groups into employment, volunteering and training — is kicking off again this autumn with two classes running from September to November.
The courses are running in Brighton near Preston Park and in Hove. The course in Hove has free childcare available. We are delighted to be able to offer childcare to help more people access our courses.
Students also have their travel costs covered, get lunch and receive a £50 bursary to cover further costs.
Topics Covered Include
Identifying your strengths and how to use them.
How to plan and set goals for your pathway into work.
Motivation and you, how to keep going.
Volunteering and how it can help you.
Online job applications and basic CV overview
Interviewing skills and techniques.
Exploring your next steps including opportunities to progress onto accredited courses.
"I really enjoyed the course and it gave me the confidence to think about volunteering and starting my own business."
"Thank you Emma. I find my inspiration and confidence."
We featured some of the brilliant graduates from last summer's course in this post.
In the early summer of 2021 Brighton and Hove City Council identified a need for the mobile vaccination unit sessions across the city to be more welcoming for people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities including visitors, migrants, and refugees.
Peer education is a tried and tested approach to health promotion where community members encourage healthy behaviour amongst their peers. TDC Peer Educators would be people representative of those communities, who could both welcome others attending for the vaccine and provide insight the mobile vaccine units could use to improve their accessibility.
TDC recruited a total of eight peer educators, a diverse mix of newly arrived refugees and long-term Brighton and Hove residents. Between them they speak a wide variety of languages, including Arabic, Farsi, Turkish, Hindi, Bengali and Kurdish. TDC's Peer Educators increased vaccine uptake at approximately three mobile vaccination sites per week.
The program reached a total of 2,935 people through our community outreach programme including 856 through closed social media groups (e.g. WhatsApp), 1,880 through flyers given out and 197 through conversations in community groups and out in the wider community
We also distributed 78 posters in locations frequented by people from ethnically diverse communities, including mosques, churches, shops and cafes.
Our peer educators project ran for one year in total, supporting the wide roll out of the Covid vaccine as it became available.
"I always tried to do a friendly and comfortable site for our clients that helps everyone who is stressed about getting a vaccine feel relaxed and at ease. We had many clients from different countries with different cultures and languages and this was a challenge. Since I speak fluently Arabic and Farsi and English, my language skills have been useful for people."
TDC Peer Educator
"Mo is always updating his knowledge by asking me if there are any further vaccination changes. When performing translation services Mo is sensitive in his nature to the patients and would only ask appropriate questions. He is able to recognise when the public needs more information than he is able to give, where he should then refer to myself or another senior member of staff. "
