Aim 2: Improving Health

IMPROVING HEALTH, WELLBEING & RESILIENCE

EYST has helped me a lot with my confidence, working with different people from different backgrounds, and with my communication skills. Also, whenever I needed help, the staff members of EYST have been there to help and support me.”

Homework Club Tutee

Resilience Project

The National Lottery-funded Resilience project had its 3rd and final year during 2019, and ended with its busiest ever project year we engaged with 825 young people across South Wales across the 3 project strands, increasing their understanding and resilience to Far Right Extremism, Islamist Extremism and Child Sexual Exploitation. Of these, 76% reported increased understanding and confidence to discuss the issues. Across the 3-year project, 46 organisations referred young people to the project and we delivered training to professionals from 23 organisations. We also held an end of project conference in November 2019 at which both Deputy Minister Jane Hutt AM and South Wales Police & Crime Commissioner Alun Michael were keynote speakers.

BME Sports Project

Thanks to funding from Sports Wales and Swansea Council, we continued to support a range of BME individuals and organisations to increase their participation in sport through 2019, including working with African Community Centre to run Zumba lessons, Chinese Community Centre to access Squash and Badminton sessions, Congolese Development Project to apply for Community Chest funding; Swansea Mosque to run indoor football sessions, and St Helens Primary school to run a cycling project! We also worked with governing bodies including the Royal Yachting Association to help them increase their access to BME groups! Over 600 participants supported to be active during 2019!!

Family Link Project

The Family Link Project, funded via Swansea Council’s Families First programme, has continued to support families and young people in need of additional support as part of the wider Team around the Family approach in Swansea. Over the year, over 30 families and over 60 young people have been supported through a Team around the Family approach, working with over 16 different partner organisations. Cases supported have included Mental health needs, Homelessness and Safeguarding issues, impacting on the wider families’ wellbeing. In the coming year, this work will be replicated in Cardiff, Newport and Wrexham via funding from the Sustainable Social Services Third Sector Grant from Welsh Government.

Belonging

The Belonging Project, funded by Children in Need has continued to go well and increase the participation, aspirations, and sense of belonging of children and young people from minority ethnic backgrounds including refugees and asylum seekers. Led by Shahab Miah, the project has continued to offer three after-school youth club sessions per week, as well as one-to-one support, trips and activities. Around 180 young people benefitted from the project during the year, and 33 young people received one to one support. Highlights this year included a residential in the Gower, where 14 young people enjoyed some teambuilding in the great outdoors, and a youth-led family fundraiser day which raised over £300 for the homeless of Swansea.

2SC

We were thrilled to receive funding from Children in Need to support Children affected by Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia, the first project of its kind in Wales. This project is run in partnership with Cardiff Friends of Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia, Diverse Cymru, and Cardiff and Vale University Health Board. During 2019, it supported 39 children through a monthly fun and friendship club run every second Saturday of the month at Butetown Community Centre as well as trips, activities and one to one support. “ I like the 2SC because I meet other people and, in all honesty, I have a place to go and don’t have to just sit at home. I like the art and crafts best of all because I like drawing and painting. The food is also a plus"