citizen magazine

of Leeds

+Small Change

InspIrIng LIttLe ways for your Loose change to make a bIg dIfference

BarakaHave your cake and eat itthe socIaL enterprIse supportIng garforth

Show me the moneyever wondered what happens to the cashyou donate? Mencap reveal all

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How St George’s Crypt helps provide homeless people with

hope for the future

CREATEThe Leeds-based resTauranT ThaT wanTs To Take over The worLd

real stories | real people | real change | citizenmagazine.co.uk

lesshomeautumn 2012

Shine is a stunning office, conference and events centre that re-invests in its

local community

0113 388 [email protected] shinebusinesscentre.co.uk

shineMeet Work Eat Socialise

est. 2006

Then this magazine is for you. Full of positive and inspiring stories, we celebrate all the good things going in our city to support individuals and strengthen communities. We make it easier than ever for you to get involved.

Citizen is a quarterly magazine. This is the pilot issue, so it’s your chance to let us know what you think! Please get in touch with your comments, thoughts and suggestions for future issues.

i hope you enjoy reading this new and exciting publication!

Bryn Abbott / [email protected]

0113 235 1118citizenmagazine.co.uk

Edited by Sophie Haydock

Thank you to all our contributors

Are you a citizen of Leeds?

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Not sure what these are?throughout this magazine you will see a lot of these. if you have a Smartphone, this is an easy way for you to find out more information.

How to use:download a Qr code reader by searching for ‘Qr code’ in your app store. open the app, and scan the code to get taken to the external content.

This magazine was printed by prisoners, helping to provide them with valuable work experience

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04 Createa top restaurant staffed by homeless people will exceed all your expectations

08 St George’s Crypt How dusty vaults in a leeds church were turned into a pioneering charity

12 Community CornerstoneMeet the established organisations still having a huge impact

21 Issue trackerWe get the low-down on the numbers involved and work being done in prisons

24 Show me the moneyMencap explain how they spend your generous donations

28 Small changeHow to make a big difference with the loose change in your pocket

31 Area Focusthe most inspiring things going on in east leeds

32 Volunteer listingsyour chance to get involved

34 Being the changeHow the toy club came into existence and brings joy to children in yorkshire

0113 388 [email protected] shinebusinesscentre.co.uk

Citizen is a Kitzo Ltd project Kitzo Ltd is a non-profit organisation using design as a medium for social change. Company number 08228546www.kitzo.co.uk

Thank you to UnLtd for the funding to print this issue

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We also want to hear your stories of those making a difference in your community. email your contributions [email protected]

autumn 2012

4 | real stories | real people | real change

‘in that kitchen, i know i am

useful… i can do things, i can learn

a new skill and produce things.

Create has lit up a new way for me’

create graduate

citizenmagazine.co.uk | 5

waiter hurries past deftly carrying an armful of plates. in the restaurant a group of suited women lean over their colleague’s laptop screen, while

a young couple accept another glass of wine from the man behind the bar. the hum of this busy, city-centre eatery is punctuated by calls of “Service!” as chefs put the finishing touches to meticulous gastronomic artworks at the serving hatch of the open kitchen.

We could be in any one of leeds’ 600 or so restaurants — but this one is unique. this is create: a social enterprise that launched in the city’s financial quarter last year. What makes it even more special is that it employs people from homeless or excluded backgrounds.

the idea is wonderfully simple. organised by the create Foundation, candidates can apply for a voluntary 12-week training course at the in-house academy, on which they gain

skills like money handling, food prep and service. they also develop their confidence dealing with customers face-to-face and at the Foundation’s outside catering unit in Holbeck. the result is that graduates up their employability in the food sector and beyond, and some go on to gain long-term employment at create itself. the positive benefits stretch further: recently, the supermarket Morrison’s vouched to place 1,000 create graduates in employment over the next few years, and more businesses are being encouraged to do the same.

the idea for create was born of a discussion between Gary Stott and Sarah dunwell in 2007. Stott was then working as ceo of the homeless shelter St George’s crypt. dunwell had her own successful catering business and would regularly drop deliveries of food she hadn’t used during the day in at the crypt. She soon started helping in the soup kitchen and realised that, beyond the usual charity model of giving food and shelter to the homeless community, there might lie a business model that would enable those people to get the thing they needed the most and would see them off the streets for good: jobs.

“together, Gary and i started wrestling with the question of how we link homelessness and worklessness — how do we try and combat those things at the same time?” dunwell says. “Historically, the charity world solved people’s emergency accommodation needs without any thought to how they would go on to become independent. We thought the key to that wasn’t soup kitchens, sandwiches and a blanket for the night. We thought it was a job. Homeless people do need all those things, but that’s the start of the journey, not the end of it.”

the pair were keen to show that a thriving social business — which reinvested its profits in order to help solve the homeless and workless issue, one person at a time — was possible.

But it wasn’t easy. dunwell had to close the successful catering business and cafés she ran with her parents, who as a result retired, and launch what was fundamentally the same business, only staffed by homeless people. But before long, there were five create cafés across leeds.

dunwell says: “i made my biggest mistake in the running of create when i imagined that because we were a social business we could only sell the cheapest cup of tea to the people

cr/eat/e

A

ServinG up cHanGeBy Ali Schofield


who could only afford the cheapest cup of tea.”

the profit margins were tight and often the

customers’ own circumstances were

very similar to those of the staff serving

them. dunwell and the team made the hard

decision to close the cafés and start from scratch with

the restaurant, which launched in 2011. now it serves

clientele she describes as “interested in social justice, but

whose personal circumstances take them a world away from that when they go home”.

enter create’s national executive chef, richard Walton-allen. named “the best chef in leeds” in the 2011 oliver awards, he was head chef at Harvey nichols leeds for 12 years; and prior to that, worked in australia and trained under Sir terence conran in london.

When dunwell and Stott approached him, he was already an advocate of the StreetSmart scheme — where diners in some restaurants opt to pay a pound to homeless charities during the winter months. Walton-allen recognised the opportunity being offered to him to make even more of a difference.

He says: “it was something i was genuinely interested in and passionately believed in, rather than simply a career move.”

Walton-allen’s job is to inspire and educate

the trainees, devise new dishes and manage all the “foodie” elements of the business. He is a member of the Slow Food uk chef alliance (which champions local heritage produce),

and of the chef’s academy (a group of industry professionals who teach school children how to cook, grow vegetables and enjoy food). recently, create leeds was thrown open to a group of children from Bradford, who gained a behind-the-scenes insight into how a restaurant works and learnt how to cook in a professional kitchen.

“create were happy to be involved because we wanted to tell the story of food’s importance — not only what you put into your body, but also as a life-skill and career to think about,” Walton-allen says.

the hard work has paid off. this year create opened a second

restaurant in Manchester, a mobile-catering unit in Sunderland and was chosen to provide the catering for Wakefield’s new civic hall, museum and library from october.

add to that an entry in the Good Food Guide 2013, alongside the editor’s award for “best value-for-money restaurant in the uk” and we can safely say that the team have achieved their goal of running a successful social enterprise.

dunwell smiles: “this is by far the most committed, the most hard-working, the most loyal workforce that i have ever had. and these are people the rest of society thought were unemployable!”

ON HOMELESSNESS:“We love the idea that the city thinks it has an idea of what homeless people can amount to — and we want to blow them away. We want to say ‘you thought you knew what they could do, look at them now!’ “these are bright, sparky, confident, incredible young people who had the

toughest backgrounds — the stories you hear in here would make you weep — but they want this chance. these are people that want to work more than anything in the whole world and we want to give them a window to demonstrate to the rest

of the city just how passionate they are about that. they’re not begging, they’re not out there asking for hand-outs. they’re asking for a hand-up, and that’s very different.”

ON SuCCESS:“it’s really fantastic actually: i’m lucky enough to have a job and have people around me who are inspired in the same way i am. that makes life a lot easier because they want to do the same things that i want to do. they want to get to the same place that i want to get to.

“We’re proud of them all, we’ve had some great successes and people have gone on to improve their lives in loads of ways…

“We’ve got someone at the moment who went through the scheme about six months ago, and is doing some good work. Her intention is to be an entrepreneur. We’re still helping her, getting in touch with organisations like the prince’s trust, so she can buy her own mobile catering unit and set up by herself. So that’s a real success.”

sarah dunwell

richard walton-allen

WHAT CrEATE GrAduATES SAy

“in that kitchen, i know i am useful, i know i am alive. i can do things, i can learn a new skill and produce things. create has lit up a new way for me, every day is a fresh day.”

“it’s changed my whole outlook. i don’t feel so low any more. Before, i couldn’t be bothered to do things, now i can be bothered to go out, and i do — with my new mates who i’ve met on this course. Some have become great friends as we’ve gone through this together.”

“Work is so important. i want to work as it is the only way forward… Before the academy, my only work experience was childcare, but now i have retail and catering experience. This improves my chances for getting jobs in the future.”

Chief executive and founder, the Create Foundation

ON THE GrAduATES:“now i wander through leeds city centre and bump into people, i get served in coffee shops, i get things cooked in restaurants by people who are create graduates and who’ve gone on to other things. it is a springboard to independence.

“i’d like create to be a highstreet name. our ambition has always been to create a movement almost like the Fairtrade movement; you just know when you buy a jar of Fairtrade coffee that something good is happening behind the scenes. you don’t need to get hugely involved, you just need to buy the product. the create brand is very similar to that. you don’t need to get your hands dirty. Buying a meal here on a Saturday night means you’ve engaged with that population, you’ve supported them, and if that’s as close as you want to come to doing something good, then that’s absolutely fine, we’ll do the hard work for you.”

National executive chef, Create

ON MAKiNG iT WOrK:“From day one, we wanted create to be a great restaurant, number one. let’s make it an amazing restaurant, where people are going to come and spend money anyway, regardless of the charitable aspect.

“i think we have a good percentage of diners who hopefully are just coming in here because they know they’ll get a good meal, and that’s great.

“But it has to be a good business, or there’s no point. to me, that would be the worst thing ever, if people paid for their meal because they felt they had to or felt sorry for us we would fail.”

They’re not begging, they’re not out there asking for hand-outs. They’re asking for a

hand-up, and that’s very different

This is by far the most committed,

the most hard-working, the most loyal

workforce that i have ever had. And these are

people the rest of society

thought were unemployable!

Pay them a visit!create restaurant31 king Streetleeds lS1 2Hl 0113 242 0628foodbycreate.co.uk


t’s been 80 years since St George’s church opened the doors of its dark and dusty crypt to leeds’ hungry and

homeless. Since then, it has offered support to the city’s most desperate

people during tough social upheavals. in recent times, the crypt has been transformed by million-pound investments, a visit form the Queen, and the changing values of the new millennium. throughout it all, the charity has offered a lifeline to those who would otherwise have slept on the streets and spiralled deeper into poverty and despair.

St George’s crypt first came into being during the longest and deepest financial crisis of the last century. it was during the Great depression of the 1930s, when economies plummeted worldwide, that an enthusiastic young reverend, new to his post at St George’s church in leeds, saw first-hand the effects of the desperate downturn: despair, hardship and hunger. reverend donald robins set to work looking for a practical and dignified solution.

the reverend decided that the crypt beneath the church was an ideal place for homeless men to receive food, shelter and clothing. it was full of vaults and coffins — but it was reasoned that those alive were in far more need of the space than the dead. With the first amount of money raised — a sum of £3

— they filled the gaping holes in the walls and covered the coffins in canvas. the work was not in vain: men soon flocked to the crypt — and haven’t stopped coming since.

the majority of the people who come through the doors of St George’s crypt have issues with alcohol and drugs, or mental health problems. later, two half-way houses — Faith lodge and regent’s terrace — were opened to help men settle back into “regular and respectable” lives. the vision of the charity is centred on the principles of christian goodwill: to relieve “poverty, hardship, sickness, and distress among needy and destitute persons”.

its impact has been profound. now, the crypt not only provides the basic necessities, but a whole lot more: life skills, such as debt management and literacy, as well as arts and crafts. there’s a selection of books and dvds, access to computers, a dentist on site and individual bedrooms. the people who use the charity now have better chances than ever of turning their lives around.

St George’s Crypt makes the promise of a new life possible for people who have not had the means to dream of fresh starts

lesshome

I

‘The crypt was full of vaults and coffins — but those alive needed the space more than the dead’

By Sophie Haydock


dougie looked like a tramp. if you’d have given him a passing glance in the street, you’d have seen little more than a dirty beard, matted clothes and alcohol-reddened cheeks. you’d have passed him by. But to dismiss dougie as someone who didn’t deserve your time or respect would have been a huge injustice. He was a man of depth and intelligence, with remarkable achievements to his name. as a young man, dougie studied numerical methods and mathematical biology at nottingham university. later, he spent his time — even when he was living on the streets — at the library, reading old texts like egyptian and Greek to “exercise my brain cells”. He travelled the world and knew how to entertain a crowd, having worked as a stand-up comedian: “i’ve got loads of jokes. i love to laugh,” he said. dougie knew he was better than the alcohol he was addicted to — and was determined to break the cycle of unlucky cards that he felt life had dealt him when his wife died of breast cancer soon after they married. He turned to booze then to “numb the pain”. at his worst, he was drinking up to 40 units of alcohol a day — around five big bottles of cider, which he described as “cheap and cheerful”. unfortunately, dougie died in 2009, not even 40 years old. “it was a combination of things,” said Martin patterson, fund-raising and public relations director at the crypt. “He had problems with his liver, which was brought on by alcohol, but in addition

to that, he suffered a stroke, and had diabetes as well. the combination was too much for him. it was a tragedy.” dougie died before he had chance to achieve his dream of getting off the drink for good, re-establishing his relationship with his children and moving back to work on his parents’ 22-acre farm in ireland. it was a big regret for dougie that he missed their 40th wedding anniversary because, as he said at the time, “i didn’t want them to see me like this.” the crypt was a valuable place for dougie. He often slept there. it would store his insulin at cool temperatures when he was on the streets. it provided a shower, change of clothes and warm dinners for as little as 50p. importantly, it was a place for him to “come and talk and get things off my chest”. people who knew dougie remember him as someone who was an inspiration for other clients and staff at the crypt. even now, patterson says, he is remembered affectionately: “He was very amusing and articulate, a bright man. immediately people would connect with him. He certainly won’t be forgotten.”

dougiE

to dismiss dougie as someone who didn’t deserve your time or respect would have been a huge injustice

© w

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russell made the transition from user of the crypt to a volunteer. He gets fulfilment from helping those who haven’t yet turned their lives around. life right now is good for russell: “things are absolutely magnificent now,” he says. “i can’t remember the last time i was this happy.” But it took a huge amount of commitment, the help of the crypt and a brush with death for

him to get his life back on track. at his lowest point, russell was in a coma for two and a half weeks, after prolonged alcohol abuse. His body couldn’t take any more. if he’d had one more drink, he would have died. “it was then i realised that i didn’t want to die. it had really come down to the wire. things couldn’t get any lower,” he said. russell’s life started off remarkably well, with a “faultless childhood”. He joined the royal Marines at 16, later qualified as an electrical engineer, got a good job and got married, living in a “nice house in a nice area of leeds”. But the drinking culture that he’d been used to in the army became a more and more significant part of his life. it slowly turned into a situation where drink was more important than his home, his wife and going to work. Sometimes russell would drink a litre of cider before leaving the house and five pints in a 30-minute lunch break. people

around him got fed up of being second best. He lost everything. “not just material things, but pride and self-esteem,” he says. russell was evicted from his home. He spent time in a psychiatric ward and in rehab. nothing worked. He lived on the streets, getting more and more desperate. it was only after his brush with death that he turned to Faith House and changed his life. today, he is playing saxophone and clarinet again, having been given a sax by a member of staff. russell now feels that he owes his life to the crypt: “i get satisfaction knowing that people’s opinions of me have changed. people now respect me as a human being.”

it’s taken a long time for Scott to find happiness. as a young man, he would physically fight with his mother and left home at 17; he was addicted to alcohol and cannabis and used drugs to cope with his problems. When his five-week-old daughter died suddenly in his care,

he was accused of murder (it was later shown that she died from cot death). Scott decided to turn his life around with the help of the dry house, which introduced him to the world of nature, of all things. Scott won silver medals in 2009 and 2010 at chelsea flower show. Scott also gained an nvQ in amenity Horticulture and now works as a volunteer, in the kitchen with nurture Food. He

found God during the difficult days, and went on to get a job with the pret Foundation. a big achievement for him was going to France — his first holiday abroad. “the crypt saved my life,” he says.

RussELL

sCoTT

RiChARdrichard is a volunteer at the crypt. His work involves helping out in the kitchen, working on reception and any admin that needs to be done, as well as working in the garden. He says the experience has boosted his self-esteem and confidence: “i feel a much better person; my life has completely changed, from having nothing at all and being at a complete low, to feeling like i have a reason to continue.” crucially, his experience will help him get a job in the future. on the first night at the crypt, he admits that he felt “out of place”. “i’d never been in a situation like that before.” But the staff made sure he was looked after: “they got me into the right state of mind to be able to look to the future and what would come of it,” he says.

read more real-lifestories on their websitestgeorgescrypt.org.uk0113 245 9061

‘i get satisfaction

knowing that people’s

opinions of me have

changed. people now

respect me as a human being’

‘The Crypt saved

my life’



eter richardson, director of leeds asylum Seekers Support network

(laSSn), spends his week in what has affectionately been described as leeds’ “charity House”. ebor court sits opposite the yorkshire post building, amongs dozens of solicitors’ offices. it houses many of leeds’ charitable and voluntary sector organisations — from Manuel Bravo to tidal; together4peace to city of Sanctuary. From this simple setting, the six paid staff of laSSn (a director, two administrators and three project managers) have been able to support over 700 asylum seekers in the region over the past year — all thanks to the tireless and dedicated work of over 270 volunteers.

originally set up in response to the arrival of kosovo refugees to leeds in 1999, laSSn registered as a charity in 2002 and has been empowering asylum seekers to build new lives in leeds for a decade since then.

that’s ten years of providing hope and practical supprt to distressed or traumatised newcomers to our city.

laSSn’s work focuses on four main projects: Short Stop (emergency accommodation for destitute asylum seekers); english at Home (english language classes for those without access to eSol or mainstream courses); Befriending (a one-on-one befriending scheme); and press Gang (a media collective working to promote positive media about refugee and asylum issues). each project is managed by a member of staff, and then supported by a network of volunteers. in 2011-2012, a total of 1,251 hours of english language lessons were taught; 574 nights of Short Stop and 1,107 nights of long Stop accommodation provided; and 703 asylum seekers directly supported.

SEEKiNG sanctuaryin 1999, changes to government policy meant that new asylum seekers were transported out of densely populated areas in the south of england and sent to northern cities like leeds, Sheffield and newcastle while they awaited the Home office's decision on their asylum claim. Since this dispersal procedure was put in place, leeds has accommodated the third largest population of asylum seekers outside of london.

contrary to many preconceptions, the British asylum system is not easy to navigate. the uk takes in less 2% of the world's refugees and the process of acquiring refugee status here is long and arduous. While awaiting status, asylum seekers are expected to live on 30% less than unemployed uk citizens, and cannot access many mainstream benefits. recent reports revealed that 85% of organisations working with asylum seekers and refugees said that their clients sometimes or frequently experienced hunger, while almost all (95%) said their clients couldn't afford clothes or shoes.

the fact is that the myths purported by much of our national media do not fairly represent the experiences of individuals who are seeking sanctuary in the uk; we are hardly ever shown the human story of asylum.

it’s worth remembering that each “asylum seeker” quoted in the press has a personal narrative, a story that is too often ignored in favour of stock characters and stereotypes. these personal narratives are of family and friends, lives lived and lost, often of persecution, fear and torture. in the words of one of laSSn's clients: ”it wasn’t about where i was going; it was all about escaping from where i was.” laSSn has, for ten years,

when I met an asylum seeker it changed my life. he was resourceful, energetic, interested and willing to help. he challenged my stereotypes — every day I meet more people with amazing and inspirational livesPeter RichardsonLeeds Asylum Seekers Support Network

p

communitycornerstone

a charity supporting

asylum seekers

celebrates

years of success

By Lorna Gledhill

Mee

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sti

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encouraged citizens of leeds to acknowledge a common humanity with those who seek sanctuary in this city.

FiNdiNG support Grace found herself sleeping rough while awaiting the Home office's decision on her asylum claim. For Grace and many others seeking sanctuary, destitution is a familiar aspect of the uk's asylum process: “if you imagine coming to a strange country, things are difficult enough — you don't know anything, you don't know anyone, you don't even know the language — and you're homeless. Being homeless is terrifying.”

luckily, Grace was put in contact with laSSn's Short Stop scheme, and was provided with a room, a hot meal and friendly company until she received news about her claim. now a trustee for laSSn, she finds herself in a position to thank those who supported her when she was at her most vulnerable.

“volunteers with laSSn open up their homes and their hearts,” says Grace. “if it was not for these volunteers, i don't know where i'd be today.”

CrEATiNG networksGrace's story is not unique. Her experiences of isolation, fear and homelessness are all too common for asylum seekers across the country, let alone leeds. For many in these situations, the simple opportunity for human interaction and dialogue becomes a vital lifeline for survival.

By fostering relationships rather than providing a simple “service”, laSSn is able to promote interaction and understanding between asylum seekers and local communities. according to peter richardson, this is down to the work of dedicated volunteers: “over 1,000 people have volunteered with laSSn over the past ten years, but i’d still rather have more

volunteers than more paid staff. that’s because we’re not about managing cases, we’re about meeting people. each volunteer develops a one-to-one relationship and gets fully involved with lives often fractured by persecution and torture. it is so important that our work is about relationships.”

the uk's asylum process requires claimants live a life dominated by officials and forms, suits and guards. For many of

laSSn's clients, their volunteer teacher, befriender or host is often the only non-professional they come into contact with. the friendly faces of laSSn's volunteers provide the support that those seeking safety and protection deserve. in the words of Grace: “By encouraging direct contact, people do not think of asylum seekers as lepers, but as people, as human beings, and you

can have a conversation. you learn something, and give something too.”

SuSTAiNiNG supportin a story so similar to many other charities, the demand for laSSn's services continues to outstrip their capacity for provision. While the number of people claiming asylum in the uk has levelled over the past few years, many who do seek sanctuary in this country are not sufficiently supported — financially or socially — by the government. especially in the context of the current economic situation; cuts to schemes for integration, support and community cohesion (especially to the refugee integration and employment Service), have run deep. it has increasingly fallen to the voluntary and charitable sector to paper over the gaps in

the government's approach to asylum support.

For many who are involved in supporting asylum seekers — from organisations like laSSn to faith-based community groups — politics can only ever be secondary to ensuring that those who seek sanctuary in the uk are welcomed, supported and made to feel at home in their new country.

as laSSn celebrates it's tenth year of empowering asylum seekers in the region, peter richardson believes that leeds is fast becoming a city with open arms to those seeking sanctuary: “We now have an army of local people who have got involved and recognised the need to support asylum seekers and refugees. i hope that in the future many more thousands of local people will volunteer.” He adds:

LASSN PrOJECTSand how to get involved

‘If it was not for these volunteers, I don’t know where I’d be today’Grace — a former asylum seeker

1,251 hours of English lessons taught

574 nights of Short Stop accommodation

1,107 nights of Long Stop accommodation

703 asylum seekers directly supported

250 volunteers, making it all happen…

numbersthe last year in

Watcha clip from

the beautifully animated BBc

programme Seeking refuge

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/

p00vdxrk

Left to right (back row): Rachel Pilling — Leeds refugee forum development worker; Katrina Burton — Short Stop project manager; Peter Richardson — LASSN director. (Front row) Pauline Cook — Befriending project manager; Maserat Lal — administrator; Catherine Tonge — English at Home project manager; Richie McAndrew — office manager; Kaveh Azarhoosh — regional asylum activism campaign manager

“volunteering changes lives — and not just the lives of the asylum seekers and refugees.”


PrESS GANGpress Gang is a leeds-based group of people who want to make a practical difference to help asylum seekers and refugees get their voices heard. Whether it’s writing articles, producing films or empowering refugees and asylum seekers to share their stories, press Gang seeks to provide an alternative platform for positive representation.

press Gang aims to rectify much of the misinformation found in the daily press about asylum seekers and refugees, and also attempts to make links with the local and regional media in order to get opinions across. Writers and contributors have already achieved brilliant things, from facilitating Sky news reports to hosting a film showing at the leeds international Film Festival 2011.

For more information:If you've got a story to tell, or think you could help someone else tell theirs, please visit www.pressgangleeds.blogspot.com or email [email protected]

SHOrT STOPShort Stop is a project that provides emergency accommodation to destitute asylum seekers and refugees. Guests are referred to laSSn and placed with volunteer hosts in their own homes. volunteers open their hearts and homes to people who would otherwise besleeping rough.

currently, the project has 77 volunteer hosts in 43 different houses, with 22 new hosts joining the project over the last year. in 2010-2011, the project was able to provide 574 nights of accommodation to a total of 143 adults and 13 children, who would otherwise have had no other option than to sleep on the streets.

Short Stop, however, does more than provide destitute asylum seekers with a roof over their heads: it does amazing things for increasing cultural awareness and understanding for hosts and guests.

in the words of one Short Stop host: “i feel hosting takes me back to something very ancient and very traditional that was the ‘done thing’ in so many cultures up until recently. But actually, hosting is a very natural thing to do: by simply being there and offering a roof under which to house someone. in that sense, it's not a big deal at all. it's not weird, it's fantastically normal. i feel connected to something quite human. this is a rare feeling, but it's pretty special.”

For more information:If you'd like to get involved as a host, please visit www.lassn.pir2.info or email [email protected]

ENGLiSH AT HOMEWhile mainstream colleges offer english for Speakers of other languages (eSol) classes, laSSn's english at Home offers an informal learning setting for asylum seekers and refugees who cannot access mainstream education.

there are many reasons why some asylum seekers and refugees cannot access mainstream classes. For some, their knowledge of english is below the entry level required, while for others, they are unable to access courses because of poor health or childcare requirements (the majority of english at Home's clients are women with pre-school children).

english at Home volunteers are matched individually with clients and provide weekly english language classes to help asylum seekers and refugees develop their understanding, speaking, reading and writing. Many asylum seekers and refugees struggle to find their way in a new country, to learn english and to cope with the asylum process, but support from laSSn's volunteers can help them build a new life in leeds.

like all of laSSn's projects, demand continues to outstrip supply and the project is often faced with a waiting list of 10-15 people.

For more information:If you'd like to volunteer your skills as an English at Home tutor, please visit www.lassn.pir2.info or email [email protected]

BEFriENdiNG“Before, i was depressed and too scared to go out. now i can go out and enjoy life and my children.” Befriending client

unfortunately, asylum seekers and refugees are rarely welcomed into our communities and over the years, they have been prevented from participating in and accessing services in the uk.

the Befriending project allows isolated asylum seekers and refugees, through regular visits, to forge a relationship with a trained, supportive adult for a period of six to 12 months. the aim is help people settle in leeds, integrate into the local community, access services and overcome the emotional stress caused by past trauma and the asylum process.

volunteers are recruited, trained and matched on a one-to-one basis. a lot of care is taken to match the right volunteer with the right client — being sensitive to the needs of both the volunteer and the client.

last year, over 103 asylum seekers and refugees were befriended by our volunteers who successfully improved their well-being and feelings of safety.

For more information:If you'd like to help welcome an asylum seeker to Leeds, please visit www.lassn.pir2.info or contact [email protected]

community cornerstone: LASSN

‘Before, I was depressed and too scared to go out. Now I can go out and enjoy life and my children’

LASSN PrOJECTSand how to get involved

of Leeds

help us tell the stories that are waiting to be told

If you are a photographer, writer or artist who would like to help tell some incredible stories, please get in touch

[email protected] / 0113 235 1118

we need you

Do you know of a story that needs telling? Email us at [email protected]

CitizenAds.indd 2 27/09/2012 21:54:12


community cornerstone: St Vincent’s

Most people in Britain (and indeed the rest of the western world), continue to face the penny-pinching measures imposed by the current double-dip recession. economists forecast many more months and years of demoralising statistics — which will bring more stories of doom and gloom, now all too depressingly familiar. less well known are the local advice and support services that work

with communities to alleviate the inevitable economic and social problems brought on by the downturn.

St vincent’s Support centre (SvSc), based on york road, works at bringing dignity, equality and equity to some of the most disadvantaged communities in leeds. as a charity, they offer help, hope and opportunity through free debt advice, therapeutic counselling, adult learning programmes, employability workshops and volunteering opportunities. the york road site houses a large bustling charity shop as well as a valued community café; both of which are vital resource for thousands of individuals and families in east leeds.

Hour Leeds is St vincent’s new campaign to raise awareness of the poverty that marginalises the lives of many people living in leeds. it also aims to raise funds to allow the charity to continue fighting poverty.

charlotte Walton, the centre manager of St vincent’s york road branch, encourages

citizen readers to get involved: “We want people to think creatively about how they can spend one hour raising money or awareness. people could begin by graciously donating an hour’s worth of their wages to helping families in leeds out of poverty… it costs less than you think to give someone a brighter future.”

at the launch of the Hour leeds campaign, supporters gathered in their numbers. among them was Greg Mulholland, Mp for leeds north West, and John Battle (a former Mp). there was also a large media presence. as a result, the launch generated several thousand pounds for the project.

in april 2013, Hour leeds plan to host a week filled with events organised by the public — all for an hour — to raise money for the campaign. the hope is that it will bring the rich and the poor of the city together.

stvincent’s

bringing dignity, equality and equity to some of the most disadvantaged communities in Leeds

Sarah came to St vincent’s as a volunteer five years ago. at the time she was struggling with poor mental health, due to long-term unemployment. in addition to this, she was grappling with rheumatoid arthritis, which restricted her physically. Sarah began her work at SvSc — helping out in the offices with admin work and in the charity shop.

over the following years, as her confidence improved, Sarah took part in training, accessed the debt and counselling services for additional support, and eventually felt ready to seek paid employment.

When the role of shop manager at St vincent’s came up, Sarah applied, and successfully gained the post. three years later, she is a vital member of the team. Her own experiences mean she understands what it means to be vulnerable, and people in a similar position are encouraged by her experiences.

in context

wherever you live in Leeds, you are no more than 10 minutes away from someone living in poverty

numbersin

The number of Christmas gifts presented to children from the most deprived families in leeds in 2011

200

1,500The estimated number of people who were helped last year through the support services, with many more visiting the shop and café. the shop works to sell reasonably priced, good-quality furniture and clothes to the local community

29,400The number of working hours (worth an estimated £264,600) provided last year to 66 adults who carried out volunteering placements in the shop, café, offices, debt and counselling service and learning departments. SvSc actively supports marginalised and vulnerable people; those suffering from ill mental health; and people with limited english speaking, reading and writing skills

351The number of families who received emergency food parcels in 2011, support they were in desperate need of

£2.6mThe amount of client debt that the debt advice team dealt with in 2011; successfully writing off £259,633 for vulnerable clients, in addition to generating £18.7k in grants to help those suffering extreme hardship

By Christopher St Clair-Whicker


smilesStranger

see in theyou wish to

be the

world

gandhiMahatma

Start by cutting this out Stick it somewhere you see

every day

ever felt bored on the bus, and wished you had something decent to read? or been famished at work, having left your lunch in the fridge at home?now is your chance to take a small step to eradicating work hunger and commuter boredom for ever. pull out these pages, and get to work making strangers smile. not only can we guarantee a surprising amount of satisfaction, but research shows that these random acts are actually contagious, and can have a significant positive impact on people’s health. in 2010, the university of chicago published the first laboratory evidence that kindness can spread from person to person. a game was created where participants had the opportunity to give money to help other people. the results showed that recipients of this generosity were then more likely to give away their own money in future games.*

So pull out your scissors and sticky tape, and get to work.

*Google ‘Cooperative behaviour cascades in human social networks’ if you don’t believe us!

For these page you will need:

a pen

scissors

a paperclip

tape

a willingness to brighten up someone’s day

and

use!

PULL O

UT


smilesStranger

The

is worth more than theact of kindess

grandest intentions

WildeOscar

another inspiring quote

projects:

Ever been bored on a bus?your first project — if you choose to accept it — is to share the joy and bring some literary relief into someone’s life. Scan your overloaded bookshelf and choose the book you most want to share. cut this nifty little slip out, rate your chosen book by highlighting the stars and grab your paperclip. voilà!

1

Ever had a really rubbish day, and needed someone to say something nice to lift your mood? Here’s your chance to do that for a stranger. cut these out and leave them hidden in public places.

2

Ever been hungry at work?Buy a small chocolate bar, stick this to it, and leave it in the tea jar at work (or somewhere else surprising and imaginative). We’ve all had those moments when we’re feeling peckish and in need of a sugar boost to brighten the day.

3

Twiddling your thumbs waiting in line at the Post Office? Give the person behind you something to do!

4


under a rockin a library book

smilesStranger

One for the office

Feeling peckish?This is for you!

insert free pen here

read me!read me!read me!

bored?finish the picture!

Relieve someone’s boredom

This book is yours if you’d like it. and when you are done, why not leave it for someone else, with your own note attached?

my rating

where to leave it:~ on the bus~ on a bench~ in your office kitchen~ at the dentist

projects:1

2

3

4

Leave it or

I read this book and

now you can too


smilesStrangerand use!

PULL OUT

you are beautiful

Wow! you have a great smile

write your own!

this was a ‘stranger smiles’ project bycitizenmagazine.co.uk




Issue Tracker citizen examines one pressing problem per issue, and explores what is

being done

PRison

76 51 46

39%

26 56

Short sentence prisoners at HMP Leeds

have been in prison before

need help with employment

of prisoners who have been inside

more than five times have relationship

problems

Storybook dadsthis involves fathers

recording stories from books onto cd, which can then be played at home by their childrenstorybookdads.org.uk

LifelineWith the aid of

lifeline and leeds primary care trust,

561 prisoners successfully completed a

prescribed detox in the 12 months before

June 2012lifeline.org.uk

Samaritansthe Samaritans have trained 20 prisoners to provide 24-hour support to fellow

inmates in distress and crisis and who are

at risk of self harmsamaritans.org

Prison inka range of greeting

cards that have been printed and packaged by prisoners working

in the printstudio. a percentage of the

sale of each card goes back to the prison to aid in further training

and resourcesprisonink.co.uk

WyCCPthe West yorkshire

community chaplaincy project has mentored 96 prisoners through

the gate and out into the community in the last 12 months. of the 96, reoffending was

reduced from 63% to 34%

wyccp.org.uk

have attempted to commit suicide

the risk of reoffending is

higher for prisoners who receive no visits

46.4%cited drugs

as a problem when released

used drugs in the six months prior to ending up in prison

% % % % %

Thank you to HMP Leeds for the above information, published in The 7 Outcomes, 2012

90% of offenders want a crime-free life


or nick and linda castle, the vision was to meaningfully connect people in

Garforth — the community they loved. and so Baraka coffee House was born.

Baraka, meaning “blessing” in Swahili, is a social enterprise that lives up to its name. nick says: “it’s a coffee house with a difference. our goal is not only to make great coffee, but to try and help the community thrive. there is so much going on locally, and we wanted to add something different alongside all that is great in our neighbourhood. We wanted to provide somewhere informal with nice coffee for people to chat and share their lives.” What’s more, Baraka donates all it profits back into community life. the contributions it makes to community life in Garforth are varied and creative, ranging from free english lessons for those to whom english is not a first language, to donating to school galas, raffles and community associations. the innovative couple also organise a number of annual events. linda explains: “every summer we facilitate a few trips, known as Baraka outdoors. this gives anybody local a chance to come along to something like a family fun afternoon or a kite flying trip, or a walk in the dales. at christmas we enjoy hosting a carol singing event. last year we got a big stage and a local brass band and had a good-old christmas sing-along. We also open Baraka on christmas morning, not to make extra cash or because we can’t stop working, but because on christmas day, it's so important to feel part of something. people come in family groups, others pop along

on their own, but once through the doors everyone is warmly welcomed and it’s free drinks for all.” Baraka also aim to make its trade as moral as possible, by using coffee which is ethically sourced and Fair trade loose-leaf tea. they have planted six trees around durham to offset the wood used in the coffee houses’ furniture and make sure all packaging is fully recyclable, if not biodegradable: even the paper towels are made from recycled office paper. even all the milk is bought from the local milkman, totalling around 25,000 pints a year. Baraka also employs 14 part-time staff and around 20 volunteers. this results in a diverse range of employees, from work-experience pupils to an 80-year-old couple. Baraka recently celebrated its fourth birthday and has begun to expand: there is now a Baraka express in the library: it’s a peaceful meeting place, with floor-to-ceiling windows, which gives a great view of Main Street, where people can relax or watch their children in the play area. this summer was also the first time that Baraka took its delicious drinks and food out and about to local galas and festivals, including the playground party during the Garforth arts Festival. the stall allowed them to show off the Baraka ethos and to offer a friendly, dry place amidst the showers! nick and linda have also taken over the Book Shop and Stationers, sometimes selling the work of local artists and supplying many of the local schools with their resources. However, as linda says, their desire for growth is not so that they can take over Garforth: “it stems from the importance we place on community and local business. if we can help, we will. the aim

is not to make nick and i rich (it won't), but to help keep our community alive by thinking creatively about what we can do.” as this creative thinking continues, hopefully more people may be inspired to ask themselves what they would do with their time if money was no object and they dared to follow their dreams.

Visit them!40 Main Street, Garforth, leeds lS25 1aa0113 286 3534

barakaonline.co.uk

this is something that we all wistfully

contemplate from time to time, but

for nick and Linda castle it was a question they did more than

just discuss. they allowed themselves

to dream — and dared to take action

our goal is not only to make great coffee, but to try and help the community thrive

If money was no object

and you could do anything

with your time, what

would it be

WHAT WOuLd yOu dO iF MONEy WErE NO OBJECT?

Take a minute to write down an answer. Then cut it out and keep it on you. The could

be the first step to making it happen!

By david Skivington


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1p 5p 6p 88p

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ou may have heard of Mencap via their national campaign and advocacy work on behalf of people with learning disabilities.

Less well-known is the work it does with people with learning disabilities in local centres across the country — and there is one right here in Leeds.

leeds Mencap is a local, grass-roots organisation that was founded almost 60 years ago by a group of parents who came to realise that there was no support or activities for families with children with learning disabilities anywhere in the city.

over the years, and with the significant input from the families who use their services, leeds Mencap has grown to include: junior youth clubs; a home educational project for under-3s; play schemes throughout the year; parent support groups; adult social groups; an adult residential home; 18-25 social group; as well as Me2, an inclusive dance group for 11-25-year-olds; and the Hawthorn Family Support centre for very young children with learning disabilities and their parents and carers.

LEEDSMENCAPthis independent local

charity helps adults and children with

learning disabilities

in 2011, 12% of Mencap’s income came from donations. so how do they spend every

£1 that you give?

£1

yBy Erik Peeters


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for exampleHAWTHOrN CENTrEOffering support and information to parents and carers of children aged 0 to three years who are born with a learning disability

words cannot describe how much charlie has grown and developed since his time at hawthorn. we love coming along to the centre. It’s such a special place and it’s fantastic that we and other families can rely on their support for another year


over the years, leeds Mencap has proved to be an invaluable support for parents and carers, and has done wonders for the quality of life of children, young adults and adults with learning disabilities across leeds.

this astonishing work is done entirely through donations from local people and with the support of volunteers. ruth Fawcett, head of fundraising and pr explains: “We are an independent charity, which must raise all of its own income. and while we get some statutory support for other services, Hawthorn receives no governmental support. We have over 250 volunteers who are a bedrock — providing vital support and allowing us to reach hundreds of families weekly.”

one of their initiatives is the Hawthorn Family Support centre. it is fair to say that Hawthorn is a pretty unique enterprise — there is no other centre like it in the city and it reaches as far afield as Boston Spa, Gipton and Wetherby. it offers support and information to parents and carers of children aged 0 to three years who are born with a learning disability. this support is crucial to parents at a time that is incredibly stressful for them, as they seek to adjust to a child with complex needs.

often the most valuable thing the centre does is offer parents and carers a period of respite and rest while their child is cared for. Fawcett explains: “nationwide research has

shown that eight out of 10 parents of a child with profound or multiple disabilities regularly reach breaking point. Hawthorn responds to these needs by providing crucial help and support with expert, non-judgemental guidance.”

in addition, Fawcett explains, the centre makes a huge contribution to the development of the child: “it is well documented that the first three years of a child’s life are critical in shaping their future life chances, based on evidence of brain formation, communication and language development. the children benefit enormously through specially adapted toys and games at the centre.”

Jodie Barrow attends the Hawthorn centre every tuesday with her son, charlie. She says: “Words cannot describe how much charlie has

grown and developed since his time at Hawthorn. We love coming along to the centre. it’s such a special place and it’s fantastic that we and other families can rely on their support for another year.” Her words are echoed by Sandeep, a parent who uses the centre, who says: “leeds Mencap do so much to help my family. i encourage everyone to get involved in this great local charity. any help you can give will help raise much-needed funds.”

Hawthorn has a waiting list and receives consistently excellent feedback from parents and carers, and yet it struggles for funding. as Fawcett explains: “We always have difficulties raising funds for the centre. at the moment we have a deficit of about £20,000 until the end of the financial year. We will cover this deficit with active fundraising from grants and foundations, corporations and the local community, but year on year it is a struggle.”

yet, it is easy to make a difference and to contribute to the great work that the centre does. the centre has put out a “wish list” of items, ranging from supporting a family to attend, or paying for a family’s travel costs to sponsoring toys, books and equipment.

You can donate money by text or via the website at www.leedsmencap.org.uk/Home/Hawthorn-Family-Support

Alternatively, you can come along to their annual ball, taking place on the October 13

You can also call, email and visit — Mencap welcome visitors and are also happy to do presentations for workplaces, churches, community groups. You can also become a volunteer for Mencap and reach out to and support families and individuals who will appreciate your help

moneyshow me the

Leeds mencap do so much to help my family. I encourage everyone to get involved in this great local charity

Want to find out more?www.leedsmencap.org.uk0113 235 1331

10th december 9-1.30pmThe Banqueting Suite - Leeds Civic Hall (Lunch at 1pm)

Leadersfor LeedsBring your passion, experience & wisdomand apply them ‘real time’ to help develop leadership in the city

Pioneers

networkers

entrepreneurs

change

agents

team leaders

senior leaders

mavericks

innovators

community leadersfixers

project leaderspolitical leadersfamily leaders

recognised leaders

unrecognised leaders

people who care

Business

politics

arts

sport

community

media

educationhealth

justiceenvironment

faithsustainability

social care

Leaders for Leeds is an open network to facilitate the kind of leadership the city needs right now. To find out more, or to register your attendance, please visit www.leadersforleeds.com

LeadershipForLeeds.indd 1 26/09/2012 15:41:21


paInT Want a cheap way to decorate, and save paint from going to a landfill site in the process?

Seagulls£1.50 for 1 litre of paint.Seagulls also have varnishes, wood stains, and a variety of decorating equipment.

Visit units 3 & 4, aire place Mills, kirkstall road, leeds lS3 1Jl

seagullsreuse.org.uk

Lunch pret a Manger are a company with a conscience, and have done various campaigns to help oranisations and charities like St George’s crypt in leeds.

pret also have a range of products where 10p from each sale goes towards the pret Foundation trust, which supports charities helping the homeless. PretFrom £1.40 love barFrom £1.60 lemon-aidFrom £2.99 pole and line-caught tuna baguette

change smaLL

Loose coins don’t have to weigh you down. spend them instead on ethical products

that will have a lasting impact. here are seven of our favourite

JeweLLery Scope’s charity shops generate around £3m a year to help fund their vital work with disabled people and their families. they offer practical support, from information services and education to everyday care.

A fantastic range of quality jewellery for autumn/winter 2012 can be purchased at Scope shops at bargain prices ranging from £1 to £6

£ £1.50

£1.60

£1from

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coffee there really is no excuse when it comes to coffee. there are so many places to buy your morning cappuccino from that promise to help the environment. you can support local businesses in the process.

Three of our favourites:

Fullcircleaire place Mills, kirkstall road, leeds lS3 1Jl

Opposite26 Blenheim terrace, leeds lS2 9Hd

urban Bean6 commercial road, leeds lS5 3aQ

cosmeTIcs We. love. this.

Minus the obligatory vat, 100% of the sale (not just the profit) from this charity pot hand and body lotion goes to grass-root charities and good causes.

Lush Charity Pot£6.95 for 95g£12.75 for 240g

GIfTs traidcraft, the uk’s leading Fair trade organisation, has a wonderful range of products that help fight poverty.

cards this range of greeting cards by prison ink were printed and packaged by prisoners at HMp leeds. Funds raised from the sale of these cards go back into training and resources for them. pick one up with a coffee from the cafe at Shine, a social enterprise in Harehills.

ShineHarehills road, leeds lS8 5HS

shinebusinesscentre.co.ukprisonink.co.uk

yourtrousersTM

This card was printed by prisoners in Leeds, helping to provide them

with an opportunity to spend more constructive time in work,

equipping them with new practical skills in publishing & printing.

50p from this sale goes towards their development and buying

resources to help get their creative juices flowing.

www.prisonink.co.uk

Designed by Bryn Abbott / kitzo.co.uk

yourtrousersTM

This card was printed by prisoners in Leeds, helping to provide them

with an opportunity to spend more constructive time in work,

equipping them with new practical skills in publishing & printing.

50p from this sale goes towards their development and buying

resources to help get their creative juices flowing.

www.prisonink.co.uk

Designed by Bryn Abbott / kitzo.co.uk

£1.90

£10.50

£12.75

£1from

check out this gem of a shop in chapel allerton that supplies traidcraft products, such as this “under the sea” jigsaw, for £10.50

The Beehive67 potternewton lane, chapel allerton, leeds lS7 3lWOpening hours: Wed 10am to 4pm/thu to Sat 10am to 1pm


Every single day, i learn something new when i come into work. really.

the passion and dedication to community that i come across astounds me. i work at the leeds community Foundation and, each day, i hear about extraordinary things that people are making happen in our city. i hear the energy and enthusiasm in their voices. and often i’m able to meet the people whose lives are touched by their efforts. people like Bridget, whose work resulted in creating a new home from an empty house. and Jimmy, who is reclaiming his life from the streets and now hopes reach out to others by a becoming a counsellor. and little Maisie, whose smile really does light up the whole room. nice job, right?

leeds community Foundation made its first grant in 2005 and since then has gone on to make a further £16m in grants to over 1,700 different community projects in leeds. We are now the largest independent grant-maker in the city, and ranked among the top five community foundations in the uk. along the way, we have had the privilege of meeting hundreds of ordinary people making extra-ordinary efforts to improve the lives of local people.

leeds is a modern city. and, like many modern cities, there is a gap between those who have — and those who have much less.

did you know that the life expectancy of a child born in Gipton is 10 years less than for a child born in Wetherby? Whether the needs in our community are related to health or poverty, or to the challenges of growing up or growing old, whatever and wherever they are, you can usually find a charity or community project working to help change the situation for the better. Many of these groups are quite small and don’t attract attention, yet every day they are providing services and support in the heart of our communities. our aim is to provide them with financial support in the form of grants, to enable them to do what they do best — helping improve lives in leeds.

We take time to understand local needs

and the solutions people are putting in place to help address them. We get to know people and we target grants to where we know they will be used well. Many national funders, like the

Henry Smith charity, comic relief, and Sport relief, recognise this and rely on us to help them distribute their grants locally. We also work with individual donors and businesses to establish local fund grants and to help them create new initiatives in the community.

last year, the Heselden family expanded their work in east leeds by creating a new fund to focus on supporting social enterprises. and this fall we will be launching yorkshire venture philanthropy — a new programme (partially funded by the european regional development Fund) that will focus on providing financial and practical support for social enterprises across yorkshire.

Social enterprises are perhaps the biggest change that’s happening right now, as community groups are evolving to meet the new economic climate. there is no legal definition of a social enterprise, but the

working definition is easy: an organisation that is established to provide a public benefit and generates income to help provide that benefit. you’ve probably come across some social enterprises already: this magazine, create restaurant, Shine Business centre, Seagulls (paint recycling) or paperworks (commercial print, mailing and packaging services), to name just a few locally. divine chocolate, key Bank and Jamie oliver’s Fifteen are also social enterprises.

at lcF, we believe local people are best-placed to create positive change in their communities, so we support them to do just that. in addition to our grantmaking, we act as a catalyst in the community. We bring people together, start conversations and help donors to connect, learn from each other, and discover how to create the difference they would like to see in our city.

HENry SMiTH CHAriTy FuNd provides grants for up to three years for a wide range of work in health and social welfare. their Small Grants programme is open to registered charities and offers one-off grants of up to £10,000 for organisations with an annual income of less than £150,000. their General programme is open to all voluntary and community groups, whether registered charities or not, and looks to fund specific budget items such as salaries. Grants can be used to support core costs.

yOrKSHirE VENTurE PHiLANTHrOPy the yvp programme is a new initiative supported by community Foundations in leeds, calderdale and South yorkshire, in partnership with key Fund, and part-financed by the european regional development Fund. it consist of several elements: a small grants programme of up to £5,000; a combined grants and loan programme for investments over £5,000; pro bono mentoring support; and access to a specialist consultancy fund.

LEEdS TrANSiTiON FuNd is funded by leeds city council. the aim of the fund is to support groups in changing their structure or service offering as a result of changes to the funding environment and to help them to look at how they can be more sustainable in the future. Grants of up to £10,000 will be given to eligible groups based in leeds Metropolitan district or providing services for people living in leeds.

helping ideas become a reality

amy hinrichs from Leeds Community Foundation explains how they are helping to transform our city

Interested in knowing more? call Leeds community foundation on 0113 242 2426 or get in touch at [email protected]/new-inspiring-stories

grants at a gLance

the life expectancy of a child born in gipton is 10 years less than for a child born in wetherby

our grant rounds open and close throughout the year, and open grants are always profiled on our website. Here are a few of the current funds open for applications from groups in Leeds:


easT LEEds

Leeds 14 Trust is a community-owned and -led organisation based in Seacroft. they have a base at kentmere avenue and support a range of local community activities, including Seacroft Gala and Sing on the Green. they provide help and advice to local residents who live in one of the largest social housing estates in the uk. one of the main services they offer is access to their digital lounge, providing free internet access to local residents to help them complete forms, search for information, and help in job searches. their aim is to increase the aspirations of local people and establish long-term relationships with individuals and organisations.

www.ls14trust.org.uk

Gipsil is a community-based organisation working in east leeds to provide housing-related support to teenage parents, single young people, and young people leaving care. as well as providing a secure home, they also help tenants develop the skills they need to live independently by teaching life skills and helping them to access training and employment. they also provide specific support to families affected by domestic violence.

www.gipsil.org.uk

The Beck is one of the key projects of local regeneration charity, re’new. Based on the killingbeck estate, they work with 13-19 year olds in east leeds, providing services and activities covering a wide range of topics, including physical and emotional health and well-being, mediation and conflict resolution, employability and careers advice and guidance. the team offers intensive one-to-one support, an off-site education programme, and group work and positive activities for young people. they aim to provide a wrap-around service under one roof to vulnerable young people, to raise confidence and build self-esteem in order for them to work towards achieving their full potential.

Osmondthorpe Allotment Association is an independent association serving the osmondthorpe and richmond Hill area of leeds. the group is very diverse, representative of the local community. they are keen to work with local residents who may be suffering from health inequalities through disadvantage, poverty, social exclusion or illness, whether physical or mental. they also like developing local partnerships with other organisations, too. they know that gardening is very therapeutic and has known health benefits and want to enable more people to take part.

Crossgates and district Good Neighbours Scheme works with older people living in lS14 and lS15 to support independent living and reduce social isolation. they run a variety of weekly groups and activities, providing transport and volunteer support to enable those with physical or mental health issues to take part. they provide information and advice face-to-face and via their telephone helpline, as well as through a quarterly newsletter, website and information leaflets. they run a range of activities at the centre, and organise trips to places of interest.

New organisations are also moving into the area, so we look forward to welcoming paperworks, currently based in Harrogate and opening a new base in east leeds very soon. it is a social enterprise offering direct mail, print and packing to both business and charity clients. the profit from their sales is used to fund skills training for people with learning disabilities and health-related issues that may be a barrier to them finding work. as well as employing some people with disabilities directly, they also help people find work placements with local businesses, too.


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We hope you’ve found snippets of inspiration within the pages of citizen — and that this magazine has shown that leeds is full of amazing people. why not be one of them? There are plenty of opportunities out there!

opportunity to facilitate activities with action for blind peopleAction for Blind People are looking for someone who is full of enthusiasm to ensure that blind people can fully participate in social activities andgroup trips. when:tuesdays, minimum four hours per week.requirements: you will need to have great communication skills and experience of working with people who are blind or partially sighted. you must be 18 years old or over.where:centre of leedsother information:they’ll give you training and an induction, and are happy to pay your expenses. you will be required to undertake a crB check.

contact:nicole Linaker on 0113 386 [email protected]

autumn is approaching! It’s the perfect time to get involved with an allotment

The Cardigan Centre are looking for someone who would love to work with the community and promote healthy eating, as well as have a go at being green-fingered and inspire others to do the same. you should be supportive, encouraging, and passionate about the environment and the idea of growing your own produce.

requirements:they ask for a minimum commitment of one session per week.

other information:they’ll give you training and an induction,

and are happy to pay your expenses. you will be required to undertake a crB check. there is disabled access to the allotment.

contact:andrina dawson on 0113 275 9282 [email protected]

Love Leeds and Live Green- retail assistant wantedLeeds university union (Luu) are looking for volunteers to run, maintain and develop their exciting boutique within luu and to take on the awesome challenge of creatively engaging students with greener living in leeds. there will be opportunities for volunteers to develop new skills and run workshops and events.requirements:previous experience of working in a charity shop is desirable, but not essential. they ask for a minimum commitment of two hours per week for one university semester.contact:alison dumphy on 0113 380 1202 [email protected]

enjoy the company of older people at Gledhow residential care homeGledhow residential care home have a variety of different opportunities, including working on the exciting sensory

garden project, the befriending scheme, letter reading, arts and crafts and book reading to residents, as well as assisting around the home with care assistant staff.


and are happy to pay your expenses. you

can take the number 13 bus straight from

leeds city centre.

contact: kim vodden on 0113 288 8805 [email protected]

For more information, contact voluntary action Leeds

volunteerlistings


Name Sandy NunnHometown Leeds Who do you volunteer for?i volunteer for the refugee council, a charity that gives advice and support to refugees and asylum seekers. the assistance is wide-reaching and covers areas such as finding a solicitor, help in accessing healthcare, housing and education, advice on travel documents, the asylum process and help with integration. in leeds, they provide english lessons and there’s a Women’s Group.

How did you get involved with this organisation?i did volunteering throughout my teenage years and always enjoyed the various projects. i love to teach and saw that the refugee council needed english teachers. learning english is a very big part of integration and affects every part of an immigrant’s life, so i felt that i could put my teaching skills to good use.

What sort of work does the organisation do?i volunteer with the Women’s Group, as an english teacher. the group is important as it creates somewhere women can go where they can socialise in a safe, relaxed atmosphere. Many of the women have been through very traumatic experiences and may have experienced or witnessed great violence. they are living in an alien environment and under the stress this brings to day-to-day life, on top of trying to come to terms with their recent experiences. Much in their lives is uncertain and several have young children they need to care for. they can come to the Women’s Group with their children and know that they will be treated with respect. they can meet other women in similar situations to themselves and make new friends. there are also occasional day trips, to explore places away from the city, which they may not get the chance to experience. the group helps to relieve isolation and creates an atmosphere of inclusion.

What do you love most about volunteering for the refugee Council? i enjoy meeting the women, who come from all walks of life, and i find their cheerfulness, in spite of what they have been through, inspiring. i try to remember these women when i have problems in my life. their lives provide a little perspective and if they can deal with the experiences they’ve had and stay cheerful, then i can deal with my comparatively minor problems.

What would you say to people thinking about volunteering to teach English or to volunteer with the refugee Council? i would recommend volunteering with the refugee council. there are many different ways to be involved and there is excellent support for volunteers, with training too. you can make a big difference to some very brave people who are trying to rebuild their lives.

featuredvolunteerfluent polish and russian speakers neededEmmaus are looking for people who can provide their language interpreting skills to support the community.

when:tuesday, Wednesday and/or thursday mornings, on an ad hoc basis.

requirements: you must be 18 years old or over.

where:lS6 area of leeds.

other information:there is disabled access and they will be happy to pay your expenses.

contact:[email protected]

campaign and fundraise for global justiceLeeds Tidal are looking for two volunteers for fundraising and campaigning. campaigning activities include organising actions and events, delivering projects, and building the campaign network. the fundraising volunteer would need to be enthusiastic about developing online and offline fundraising, working on communicating with supporters, and ensuring that it is as

easy as possible for people to donate.

when:they need someone who is able to commit a minimum of six hours a week for the fundraising position or eight hours

for the campaigning position.

requirements: they want someone who is well organised with good interpersonal skills,

and who can work independently as well

as part of a small team. prior knowledge

or experience isn’t necessary. you must be 18 years old or over.where:centre of leeds.


and are happy to pay your expenses.

contact:amy walker on 0113 373 [email protected]

calling all budding chefs

The Beck are looking for a lunchtime food preparer who’d like to work with a diverse range of young people. the Beck

works with 13-19 year olds and provides a range of fantastic activities for them. they also have volunteer opportunities available on their well-established offsite

education programme.

when:lunchtimes

where:killingbeck, just outside of leeds city centre

requirements:you must be aged 16 and over, have a food preparation/hygiene certificate and

be keen to work with young people.


and are happy to pay your expenses. you will be required to undertake a crB check.

contact:nigel wood on 07949 523788 [email protected]

opportunity for a creative person to use their talents to work with people with disabilitiesPyramid of Arts are looking for volunteers who will provide support for both the participants and the artists leading the groups. this is an opportunity to be involved in an exciting development in the provision of creative arts activities for the learning disabled across leeds.

when:Monday, tuesday, and/or thursday evenings. Minimum commitment of three hours a week.

requirements: you must be 18 years old or over.

where:pyramid of arts use a variety of community buildings across leeds. currently, there are groups based in Beeston, Burley, Burmantofts, Headingley, Horsforth and Middleton.

other information:they’ll give you training and an induction, and are happy to pay your expenses. there is disabled access.

contact:sarah kennedy on 0113 234 6040 [email protected]

ViSiT 2 Great George Street, Leeds LS2 8BA | 0113 395 0405 | www.val.org.uk

Whatever we learn to do, we learn by actually doing it

Men come to be builders, for instance, by building, and harp players by playing the harp. In the same way, by doing just acts we come to be just by doing self-controlled acts, we come to be self-controlled

and by doing brave acts, we become brave ~ Aristotle

34 | real stories | real people | real change 34 | real stories | real people | real change

Q: What is Toy Club?

toy club is a service for families with young children in areas of leeds that are at risk of high-interest door-step lenders and expensive money shops. toy club sells new, good quality, branded and non-branded toys and gifts. everything bought through toy club carries the option of interest-free payments. toy club does not offer credit and everything has to be paid for in full before delivery. in a world of high-interest lenders, toy club is breaking the mould.

Q: How did you come up with the idea?

a neighbour was telling us how her “loan man” was putting pressure on her to pay a loan she couldn’t afford. if she paid, she wouldn’t be able to buy her five children presents for christmas. We had a small amount of savings and access to a cash and carry, so we offered to help by buying her some toys and letting her pay us a little each week. the following year she asked if we could do something similar for her and a friend in a similar situation. From there, toy club was born.

each issue we meet ordinary people doing extraordinary things

Here, we talk to Andy Cowans from Toy Club

Q: How many families do you work with today?

already in 2012, 52 families are using our unique interest-free payment scheme. at the end of the 2011 season, this service had been accessed by 179 families across leeds.

Q: What has helped you grow?

toy club doesn’t advertise and all the families come to us through recommendations. this has been how we’ve grown, and we believe this proves that toy club is needed by more people than ever.

Q: What has been your biggest challenge?

Without doubt, funding is the biggest challenge we face. in order to offer the payment scheme as we do, all the toys have to be paid for in advance. in 2011, this amounted to around £17,000. as toy club is operated as a profit-free service, we have to get a large part of our funding in interest-free loans from friends and other sources. in 2011, we were supported financially by leeds christian community trust. the other big area of concern, as we help more families, is finding enough volunteers to help organise sales, sort toys, collect payments and deliver toys at christmas.

Q: What do you love most about doing Toy Club?

For many families in leeds, poverty is a real issue and not just a sound-bite on tv. it has been our privilege to get to know some of these families. From first-hand experience we know that without toy club, christmas morning wouldn’t be as exciting.

Q: if you could give one bit of advice to someone starting up a small project, what would it be?

Start small but aim high and just “do it”. toy club began serving one person, and from there it grew and continues to grow. When the opportunity arose to do something practical, we didn’t arrange a series of meetings to discuss strategy — we simply got on and did it.

Q: How can we help?

Get involved — join us as a volunteer or host a home sale for your neighbours. Best of all, tell others about toy club.

the changebeingwe didn’t

arrange a series of

meetings to discuss

strategy — we simply got on

and did it

of Leeds

Engage with an increasingly inspired readershipIf you are an organisation that cares about Leeds, then advertising here is the ideal way to

let people know what you do, and support this exciting new project

Please get in touch to find out more

[email protected] / 0113 235 1118

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