OAK Community Development (OAK CD) provides a range of high quality personal and social development solutions which help BAME communities thrive and reach their full potential.
We have provided a range of activities and support through this grant investment which includes the following:
- Information/advice and training delivered mainly through our ‘Coffee and Connect’ and ‘Learn and Connect’ activities at hubs based in local community centres, places of worship, schools and online via Zoom.
- Provided physical and wellbeing activities on a weekly basis that have included exercise sessions, Yoga, Zumba, walking groups, and other sports activities and games.
- Mental health and social isolation and loneliness support via activities such as workshops, social activities and 1-2-1 support and help by specialist providers. 1-2-1 Befriending and wellbeing support
- Covid-19 - We continued with the raising awareness of vaccination and clinic support. Helped individuals impacted by Covid-19 to re-engage, get support for symptoms and become confident again. We also provided food parcels and hygiene packs in collaboration with I Care.
- For those who are struggling and need more targeted support we undertook 1-2-1 befriending and wellbeing calls giving peer support and creating friendships.
- We recruited, train and supported volunteers to be involved with planning, organising and helping with the activities.
- Worked in partnership with Healthwatch to organise two Health Fairs which brought together a range of services and activities with local women and residents.
All our activities offer and promote the five ways to wellbeing, Be Active, Keep Learning, Give, Take Notice, and Connect. We have offered these through 4 weekly coffee mornings in different hubs across Oldham. Weekly Zumba, yoga and walking groups, Weekly Youth group etc.
Coffee & Connect
The Coffee and Connect sessions are fantastic way for anyone to join in, in a relaxed atmosphere, make friends and at the same time find out and learn more about different services and topics that improve overall wellbeing. We host four Coffee & Connects weekly across different community venues in Oldham. All our CC are very well attended with fresh faces benefitting every week. One of our CC is in the evening to cater for the worker as they requested this, and another is in collaboration with GM SAW (South Asian Women). We have delivered over 30 sessions with a health and wellbeing focus to more than 160 people. This has included:
- Kooth – Mental Health Awareness for adults and children
- Healthy Smiles- Oral Health
- Answer Cancer
- Healthwatch – Maternity voices focus group
- Healthy start vouchers survey
- South Asian women’s Gynaecology focus group
- Eating disorders in the South Asian Community
- Celebrating International Women’s Day Event
- Mehndi workshops
- Mindfulness
- Decorating candles
- Hair & Beauty
- Health & Wellness session
- IntraHealth- Flu Vaccine
- Covid-19 guidelines and vaccination
- Talk & Connect
- TOG Mind – Anxiety & Depression
- Dementia awareness
- Home-made self-care treatments
- Home start
- Genetics
Physical and Wellbeing activities
Get Fit & Connect We have offered a wide range of physical activities to promote wellbeing. Such as, weekly Zumba, yoga, wellbeing walks, swimming. The activities run throughout the week including in the evening and weekends to make them accessible to all. During school holidays we encourage all members of the family to participate in the physical activities and adapt them to make them fun and challenging.
- We hosted weekly Zumba sessions every Monday morning. The classes were very well attended with 25+ women attending on a weekly basis.
- Yoga classes are on every Wednesday evening attended by 15 + women.
- Walking sessions are every Friday, meeting point Alexandra Park. The women meet every week and walk around local walking trails in Oldham. The group is open to everyone, and people are free to join at any time. Walks so far have been around Daisy Nook, Hartshead Pike, Less brook Nature Trail and Alexandra Park. Many people have found the walks have had a positive impact on their mental health and lives.
- Cycling sessions - We were delighted to arrange some cycling taster sessions with TGFM and Sport England. Participants felt confident getting on their bikes more and using them as a means of transport as well as riding for pleasure with their families.
Befriending and 1-2-1 Support
Our one-to-one bespoke befriending package offers 6 weeks of support, with a further 6 weeks offered if the need be. Our befrienders check in with the residents on a weekly basis, face to face and over the phone. Support is given to individuals and their families through signposting, form filling, applying for school places, emergency food shop. Residents are encouraged to participate in activities and continue to signpost them to other activities in the borough.
Volunteer activity and support
We offer many opportunities through our groups to recruit and train volunteers. Volunteers can help with the smallest of tasks making a significant difference to the lives of Oldham residents. We have a good group of active volunteer that support us with weekly sessions and behind the scenes. Volunteers have accessed first aid training, walk champion training and Zumba instructor training. We have several distinct roles which our volunteers fulfil from making brews to offering peer support.
Girl’s Youth Club
On average 18 girls attend weekly. Girls attend from all areas of Oldham. The youth club is a safe place for young girls to make new friends, experience new things and express themselves. Feedback from parents and young people has been great. So far some of the activities the girls have experienced are mehndi workshops, canvas art, cooking, health & wellbeing sessions, sport day in the park and a trip to the trampoline park.
We believe the project has had a huge impact and made a significant difference to the lives of the people we supported. This is evidenced through the feedback we have collected and evaluation we have undertaken. See comments below of some of the users:
“Thank you for these get fit and connect sessions the shock of lockdown had really left me feeling down, I don’t know what is going to happen and coming in today and just focussing on my exercise and chat about what is happening is really helpful.”
"The session delivered were really informative and worker has really done a great job in organising the sessions."
"Really good session with Noreen. Learning about our self and looking after ourselves."
“I don’t go walking alone I get nervous and anxious when alone, so thank you for organising this it is my look forward to activity on Friday!”
"I have neglected my health and it has made me think that I haven’t had a smear test for over 6 year or more."
- Overall we have Increased social connectedness, friendships & networks
- Helped to reduced health inequalities
- Residents understand their health better and are motivated to live healthier lifestyles
- Residents better understand systems and how & when to access them
- Reduced dependency and Improved overall Wellbeing.