Social Welfare Alliance
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The pandemic has taught us that if we work together on key issues in Newham then we can make a real difference to people's lives.
The Social Welfare Alliance is supporting all frontline workers with information and referral pathways to support residents around income maximisation, immigration support and advice, early years, housing issues and much more.
The purpose of this is to enhance the skills you already have and facilitate you getting in touch with others having similar conversations across the borough.
The training sessions are for anyone in the borough who is regularly having conversations with residents who are presenting with a range of social welfare issues. It applies to any of the borough wide workforce who intercept residents via support services, and in a community, food, or clinical setting where there are underlying issues that are affecting their health and where speedy and efficient support and/or signposting will make an immediate difference.
All sessions are free to attend and being delivered online.
View the training calendar
What has the Social Welfare Alliance achieved so far?
Since November 2020, we have been offering a training development pathway for those in the borough who are regularly having conversations with residents who are presenting with a range of social welfare issues.
There has now been over 4500 attendances by frontline workers from over 200 organisations with a variety of job roles including - social prescribers, advisors on money and debt, family support workers, and volunteers.
The training programme is regularly updated based on demand and the current challenges our residents are facing, there are a variety of sessions within different themes including:
- Mental Health
- Immigration
- Employment
- Housing
- Safeguarding
- Domestic Abuse
The sessions are delivered by expert tutors working within these areas, advising what you as a frontline worker can do to immediately support, and where you can refer to for more specialist advice.
Contact us
If you have any questions, have any accessibility needs or would like to discuss adding a new topic to the programme please contact Agata Roszczynska - Agata.Roszczynska@newham.gov.uk
What past participants have said
“Brilliant host. She made a complicated topic with lots of jargon that previously confused me into something clear, easy to understand and immediately applicable to my volunteering role. Fantastic training and a way to help us all understand our fellow Newham residents. Thank you!”
- Bitesize Immigration training attendee
“I didn't know much about processes for those that are homeless or under threat of homelessness so this session was very helpful at broadening my knowledge. There is much I can apply to my day to day working and I found the information on duty to refer and the homeless test very helpful.”
- Housing and Homelessness training attendee
Facilitator Profile: Bethan Lant, Immigration Practitioner
Immigration status underpins the right to access services such as health, welfare benefits and social housing. Insecure immigration status has a devastating impact on a person’s wellbeing. The work completed by Bethan and others at Praxis, enables people to move from a position of insecurity to one where they don’t just survive but thrive.
Bethan is a training, advocacy and development manager at Praxis, who work with the London Borough of Newham to provide immigration case work to it’s most vulnerable residents and advise on provision of services to migrant residents.
“Understanding immigration status is so important for anyone in frontline organisations within Newham. By being a facilitator for the Social Welfare Alliance, I am able to highlight the important of knowledge in this area and create a better understanding of immigration issues.”
“Immigration may seem complex – that’s because it is – but having some knowledge is critical in being able to do your job better. I hope that with my help, we will all be able to better support people facing migration by finding them a solution quicker.”
For more information on the services Bethan and Praxis provide, click on the links below: