COVID19 Restoring Communities Programme

 The COVID19 Restoring Communities (CRC) Programme

Motivation & Aims

At the RJ4All Rotherhithe Community Centre, serving our community is an integral part of our mission. South London and the SE16 postcode where we are based continues to suffer from the deep impact of COVID19. This relates not only to our communities physical and mental health, but also socio-economic status and education.


Through our partnership with Community Southwark, we have been fortunate to join the VCS COVID-19 outreach Grant, and the NHS COVID-19 Vaccination Uptake grant.


With a vision to create the first restorative postcode, we created the COVID19 Restoring Communities programmes bringing both funds under one roof. The programme focuses on empowering the community of Southwark through encouraging local residents to support the prevention of COVID19 and to increase the uptake of the vaccination programme. CRC aims to target priority community groups with the greatest COVID-9 vulnerability based on national and local public health intelligence insights, specifically:

  • Black African communities
  • Black Caribbean communities
  • Health and social care workers
  • Migrants and refugees
  • Muslim communities
  • Over 75s and under 25s
  • Pentecostal communities
  • People experiencing homelessness
  • People with disabilities
  • Roma, Gypsy, Traveler communities

Action

CRC builds on from our successful COVID19 poverty relief "You are not Alone project". Through this project we learned that in order to promote the prevention of COVID-19 and to increase the uptake of the vaccination programme, organizations must create community engagement activities and support their needs. To this end, we will:

  • Carry out face to face outreach and engagement at local community events and venues
  • Arrange and host ‘Let’s talk about COVID-19’ online and in-person events
  • Create and manage a sub-community of Community Health Ambassadors
  • Share relevant and up to date content with community members through the most appropriate communications channels (e.g., weekly newsletters, WhatsApp groups, social media, distributing flyers and posters)
  • Support Southwark-wide COVID-19 prevention initiatives (e.g., vaccine and testing pop-up events).
  • Offer lateral flow (rapid test) at the Rotherhithe Community Centre as well as information fliers.

RJ4All consultation on what young Londoners think about the vaccine

SE16: Looking back!

Resources & Network

This programme works closely with the Southwark Community Ambassadors Network, which has produced a series of resources that empower and support Southwark residents to stay up to date with the latest and most accurate advice.


The RJ4All Community Health Ambassadors are available to help you.

Our restorative ethos

As part of our vision for a restorative post-code, the COVID19 Restoring Communities programmes is grounded in our restorative justice founding value of power sharing, meaning, the activities that are implemented in these two projects allow the community to engage with project facilitators and not solely be subjects in an ulterior plan. These projects will enable an equal distribution of power through shared knowledge, opinion, and compassion. 

Our funders

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