Charity
Yeovil4Families
Yeovil4Family (Y4F) was initially a family support project set up in response to the fact that some families in our community are in need of additional support. Y4F was set up by churches in Yeovil who have a heart to see the tide of family breakdown turn in our town, to see children who are loved and cared for prosper and family relationships that are constructive instead of destructive and damaging.
Y4F is hosted by Yeovil Community Church, who since 2012 have delivered a contracted support programme by providing Family Link Workers and Volunteer Family Mentors, (if appropriate) to work alongside isolated families in South Somerset. We walked alongside families and single people for up to a 12-month period and extended this Early Help support to surrounding towns and villages in what was formally known as the South Somerset District Council area (SSDC)
This bespoke service offered one-to-one support around each family to enable them to take back control over their own lives – empowering and growing the skills needed to help themselves. Over the years we helped people to find solutions to the difficulties they were facing by building confidence and resilience to cope with future challenges. We linked them to the right services appropriate to their needs, whether it be health, school support, financial ETC, we helped advocate and empower. In addition to this we provided Peer Support Groups where shared experiences further grew connections and support networks for families in our community.
In 2023 SSDC became a Unitary organisation, now known as Somerset Council. Unfortunately, our core funding from Somerset Council was cut making the Y4F programme unsustainable in its current format from April 2024.
Being passionate about our community and the people living in it, we knew we wanted to continue the good work that Yeovil4family had started – because there is always a need for family support.
Due to the generosity, we have received from Yeovil Community Church, and the good connections and relationships we have built with other agencies and professionals, we have been able to gain some initial start up funding. These funds have enabled us to remodel our programme to meet the need in the community based on Peer Support. Our Peer Support Groups will run from the Gateway initially with a long-term vision to branch back out into the surrounding communities. These Peer Groups will be facilitated by experienced and capable Link Workers, with specific focus groups, drop ins and other professional agencies joining us to meet the need of families.
Yeovil Welcome Hub :One branch of Yeovil4family
Since 2015 Yeovil4Family has been working with families who had come to the UK through traditional resettlement routes, such as UKRS (UK Resettlement Scheme) and ARAP (Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy), funded by Somerset County Council. When the Homes for Ukraine scheme began, as a result of the war, many more refugees came to Yeovil and South Somerset, and we quickly realised that a new model of help and support was needed. We were gifted a donation of £10,000 from an individual in Yeovil Community Church which enabled us to put some support in place. So we opened the doors, put the kettle on and asked people what they needed! The heart behind the Welcome Hub has always been to base our practices around the needs of our guests. We want it to be a place of sanctuary and safety, where people navigating life in a new country can find help, acceptance, friendship and understanding. We are here to serve people of all nationalities. We also have worked hard to create family friendly spaces where children and young people can feel welcome too.
01935 530050
[email protected]
www.yeovilcommunitychurch.co.uk/yeovil-4-family/