17 Project Reports
Minority Ethnic Silver Surfers (MESS)
MESS team supporting clients at the Hindu Mandir
In the final year of the Transformation Fund, the Minority Ethnic Silver Surfers (MESS) project once again made a key impact on older South Asian communities in Glasgow. Striving to integrate older people with modern day technology, the project worked with communities in a group and one-to-one basis. Support included training on computers/laptops/ tablets and mobile phones. Staying connected and increasing health and wellbeing was the main focus and from our end delivery included setting up calendars, emails, social media, calling abroad, online shopping etc. The impact of the project enabled isolated individuals being able to stay connected with family and friends more easily and also meeting mainstream service providers when we organised quarterly events. This year a feasibility study was also carried out focusing on ‘bridging the gap between health service users and communities’ The key theme that
emerged included long term aims to combat isolation which often lead to poor physical and mental wellbeing. The key recommendations of this study, therefore, highlighted that there is more focus required on older communities to be supported in life skills, health and wellbeing activities and further opportunities to get smart through modern day technology. Unfortunately the Transformation Fund came to an end on 31st March 2018. WSREC will continue to seek resources to continue this invaluable good work.
The Project Supported:
97 people over a period of 3 years.
33 individuals in training within various community settings such as at the Hindu Temple, ASRA, Al Meezan and Gurdwara.
27 individuals were provided with one to one support
Clients participanting on the MESS walk
Funded by
Client 1-2-1 session
Javed Sattar Project Co-ordinator