Providing support to local families, migrants, refugees and asylum seekers
What We Do
The aims of The Good Shepherd Centre are to empower, engage and educate economically and socially disadvantaged people in Keighley and surrounding areas in order that they may be better able to participate fully in society. The Centre is open to all and we have a good reputation for bringing people together from diverse backgrounds. We are also known especially for our support for families and individuals from Central and Eastern Europe (mainly Polish, Slovakian and Romanian, several of whom are Roma). Refugees and immigrants from other parts of the world (Africa, India, and the Middle East) also make use of our services.
We have been working with diverse communities for over 10 years and have built up considerable relevant experience and skills, including
- Multilingual and interpreting skills
- Familiarity with government systems for accessing benefits and residency rights
- Registration with OISC (Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner)
- Running social support sessions
- Running accredited courses in partnership with local Colleges
- Mental Health Peer Support (2 workers are accredited at Level 3)
- Registration as Hate Crime Reporting centre
We support our communities in many different ways as listed below. Our ethos is very welcoming which has been vital to building up trust with a number of different communities. We are well-known amongst statutory bodies for having good relationships with “hard-to-reach” people in this area.
- Drop-in advice and advocacy, usually in the client's own language, on a range of issues including employment, school places, health matters, housing, hate crime reporting and workplace discrimination
- Parent and toddler group, offering opportunities for parents to make friends, and to receive support and signposting to relevant services from the Centre staff.
- Coffee morning for every age group to encourage more social interaction for isolated and lonely people.
- Medical support in partnership with local GP practices, offering health checks and advice at Parent and Toddler sessions and Coffee Mornings. We operated as a Covid Vaccination Centre during the pandemic.
- Free Counselling sessions
- A range of free courses including Adult Literacy, English Language, Maths, Digital Skills, Emergency First Aid Course and a Horticulture accredited course in partnership with Keighley and Craven Colleges and our volunteer teachers also conduct ESOL classes.
- Youth Club for 11- to 19-year-olds providing games, art and crafts, music & dancing, sports
- Mental Wellbeing Support Group
- Assistance with European Settlement Status applications, in partnership with the Home Office, Bradford Council and the Italian Consulate etc.
- Luncheon Club for any age and nationality particularly for elderly, isolated, people with mental health to combat loneliness and isolation. This is supported by children from local Primary Schools, which brings benefit to both age groups.
- Family Fun events throughout the year, e.g. to celebrate the Refugee Week, Platinum Jubilee, Family Picnics, International Events, Women’s Day, Mother’s Day, etc. which builds community cohesion and brings the diverse community together.
- Volunteering opportunities for our community to enabling them to increase their confidence and build their skills
- Work experience placements for school, college and university students
- Delivering food and furniture to deprived families
place of welcome
- A welcome to asylum seekers and refugees offering them a place of safety and including them in our activities. (City of Sanctuary)
- Clothing and furniture banks accessed by request.
- Access to the community garden, greenhouse, chickens, playground.
- Computer and internet access available.
- Hate Crime Reporting Centre.
- Dementia Friendly Centre
working with schools
Using already established links with schools to communicate with students and through them with parents. We also support teachers.
- Providing the Centre facilities to groups for away days and training.
- The Centre manager visits schools regularly as support for parents' evenings and interviews with parents.
- Protecting vulnerable young people from exploitation.
establishing community champions
- We encourage people to act as leaders in their groups to support and encourage involvement in the Hub activities. This will help community organisations to speak to individuals and groups who may feel isolated.
- Providing a safe place for victims and witnesses of crime.
- Support for those suffering from domestic abuse.
- A wider network for statutory bodies and voluntary organisations to access and engage with new and emerging communities.
eu settlement scheme registration centre
- Recognised by the Home Office, the Centre has reached out to many families.
- Over 5000 applications have so far been completed for people of different nationalities including Polish, Slovakian, Bulgarian, Czech, Dutch, French, Hungarian, Italian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Romanian, and Spanish.
- The process involves in-depth interviews and has thrown up issues of concern for new and emerging communities.
BUILDING TRUST
- We work in areas of deprivation with marginalised groups including refugees and asylum seekers.
- Providing opportunities for communities to air and discuss issues and opportunities for statutory bodies to respond.
- Helping to combat organised crime gangs.
- Supporting vulnerable individuals.
- Helping to make more efficient use of police time by establishing a forum for communications with whole communities and for crime prevention.
- Providing a welcome to people who are new to the area.
- Reaching out to people who may feel isolated for whatever reason.
- Breaking down barriers, sharing common values and respecting differences.
- Plans to use a new kitchen to provide hot meals and lessons on cooking and nutrition.
AIMING TO EXTEND COMMUNITY COHESION
Providing a safe place that can be accessed by different statutory organisations to address specific topics: police, health care, social workers and others, thereby reducing the day to day demand on their services and improving their contact with many more people.
- Establish a Hub that can promote good practice.
- Promotion of positive contact between police, health workers, social workers and other agencies providing a platform for engagement.
- Promote values of inclusion, cultural and religious pluralism, of mutual tolerance, respect and esteem for our different traditions.
