Dear Community Partners,

Programme Update

2022 has been an amazing first year for the programme. We introduced the concept of One Southwark to the borough in January and were soon inundated with enquiries from community partners and supporters. 70 applications later, we had the difficult task of selecting our final 21 members for the first cohort of the programme.

The year has provided many challenges, which were expected, but with the support of our Coalition and community stakeholders (businesses, funders, statutory agencies, charities and residents) we have been able to overcome those challenges and provide an effective person-centred service for our members.

We have been able to uphold the ethos of ‘giving’, and our members have benefitted greatly from this, as it has led to them being able to access a plethora of training and development opportunities, receive advice and guidance from local professionals, be mentored and experience the world of work through bespoke work experiences.

Some notable highlights from the programme this year:

  • We hosted 12 skills development workshops facilitated by Active Communities Network, the Money Charity, TSIP, Inzyme, Montagu Private Equity LLP, Community Southwark, Borough Market

 

  • Two of our programme members took part in a 3-day work experience hosted by Advent Capital management

 

  • We supported 3 programme members to have ADHD assessments which has greatly impacted their lives for the better.

 

  • our learning partner IVAR hosted a co-development session with our programme members.

 

  • 3 Mental wellbeing sessions hosted by Southwark Nest and Kooth

 

  • First Aid qualifications provided by Montagu Private Equity LLP

 

  • Individuals providing Mentoring / guidance sessions – Sophie Hadjikyriacos / Elliott Hawkins (Hudson Fuggle), Hannah Lemon (Oru Space), Neron Powers (Rich Power Films), Alastair Smith (Advent Capital Management), Kenneth Cruz / Maureen Makowski (Keegans), Cheila Dos Santos (The Body Shop), Serena De Biase (Mercato Metropolitano), Russell Dryden (Bermondsey BID), Oliur Rahman (Active Communities Network), Godwin Deveer (Step Now), Chique Narwan (Inzyme), Dave Walker (Calm), Ayo (Afroposure), Dee Aghoghogbe (Energie Fitness), Suzanne Ryan (Montagu Private Equity LLP), Jamie Anthony (Quay Health Solutions), Cara Jones (Southwark Council), Holly Fenshawe (Construction Youth Trust), Emilie Mendy (Bizzie Bodies) and Susie Sek (Hatch Enterprise).

 

  • Young people accessed events hosted by Rio Ferdinand Foundation, Community Southwark, TSIP, Active Communities Network and Borough Market.

Blogs:

If you have not done so already please checkout our suite of fantastic blogs that were written by some of our talented programme members and our :

 

  • Supporting young people in place: A story of youth social action in Southwark:

– https://www.ustsc.org.uk/news/one-southwark-blog/

– https://www.ustsc.org.uk/news/one-southwark-blog-for-iwill-week/

 

 

 

 

IVAR Update (Learning partner)

A message from Houda Davies – Senior Researcher, IVAR

We were absolutely delighted to be appointed the learning partner for One Southwark earlier this year and the experience so far has not disappointed. We spent the first few months getting to know the team at United St Saviour’s and the Coalition of local supporting organisations. This helped us understand the programme’s ambitions and different perspectives of people involved.

 Then back in October we met some of the young members at a workshop designed to help us focus our research and plan activities for the next 18 months. We were blown away by their commitment, enthusiasm and ideas. Part of our role at IVAR is to understand young people’s journeys and how One Southwark is supporting them. Although the programme is only just getting going, members are already making progress towards their goals. We heard about how One Southwark is creating opportunities to pause, take stock and plan for future, helping to overcome the ‘stagnation from the pandemic’. Members were also building networks and nurturing connections with peers and professionals and taking up all sorts of opportunities from workshops to work experience. Members felt supported and motivated and central to this is having access to key individuals who ‘get it’ and can respond to their interests.

 

We have exciting plans to take forward the research next year, which includes training and working with members to carry out focus groups, interviews and surveys with Coalition members, delivery partners and the asset network. We’re also hoping to use creative methods to capture people’s journeys. We can’t wait to be part of One Southwark’s development in 2023!

 

2023 Focus

Too many less advantaged young people are being let down by the system.  In a majority of cases, it is the nature of the world around them which puts up barriers to progress. With the support of our multi-agency Coalition, One Southwark will seek to change the behaviours and practices of community stakeholders (such as businesses, funders, statutory agencies, charities and residents) to better support young people. But it will also involve pushing for change in the behaviours or practices of the agencies that are sitting around the coalition table. We will take action around particular themes highlighted by the young people, like housing, mental health, education and isolation, to find solutions using their expert knowledge and our networks to create real change.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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