Community Engagement Team

The Community Engagement Team head up our prevention and policy work, and spend most of their time out in the community offering individual and groups support, and collecting voices of lived experience in Haverhill and surrounding areas in order to influence policy changes. 

The team comprises Engagement and Advocacy Lead, Saffron, who works with the local community to drive change through campaigning; Community Finance & Wellbeing Advocate, Lizzie, who delivers financial literacy in schools and prisons on one hand, and is also the main presence at our Welcome Spaces, greeting and assessing the financial and wellbeing needs of anyone who drops by; Volunteer Co-Ordinator, Jessica, Community Connector, Elaine, who works with our beneficiaries to re-engage them with society, matching them to organisations and support groups to prevent them from falling on hard times again.

We know that there are wider factors that lead to financial hardship.  So, our Community Engagement Team have founded various projects that focus on tackling poverty locally, empowering the community, and preventing people from falling into crisis in the first place, equipping people with the tools they need to manage their finances and improve their futures.

Education

• cookery lessons to teach healthy meals on a budget
• teaching financial literacy in primary and secondary schools, and to A-level students
• financial skills education in prisons

Collecting local voices

• regular engagement sessions with clients
• ​attending community events, collecting stories of local experiences
• hosting events to engage with local people
• organising a Hustings event ahead of the 2024 GE at St Marys Church with candidates, and put forward questions submitted by the community

Influencing

• engaging with local, district and county organisations to improve local services
• invited to ask a question at the Suffolk County Council District meeting
• meetings with current and past West Suffolk MPs
• contributed to a national APPG addressing poverty

Organisations we're involved in:

• Tackling Poverty Sub-Group run by Suffolk County Council - discussing issues driving poverty within our communities and finding collective solutions to these
• ONE Haverhill Health and Wellbeing Sub-Group, run by the West Suffolk Alliance - increasing community engagement and local action to reduce health inequalities and improve the lives of people in Haverhill 
• Suffolk Food Partnership, run by Community Action Suffolk - helping make Suffolk a sustainable food place
• Mental Health Action Group, chaired by Saffron, of REACH, and attended by local GPs, many VCFSE organisations, citizens advice, west Suffolk council, social prescribers, wellbeing Suffolk and west Suffolk alliance - There are 6 main priorities, but our top one is opening a Wellbeing Hub in Haverhill. Keep an eye out for updates!
• West Suffolk Poverty Alliance, set up by REACH, with West Suffolk Council - localising discussions around issues causing poverty and increasing opportunities to work together and advocate to overcome these
• ONE Haverhill, chaired by Henry Wilson, CEO of REACH - driving change for a flourishing Haverhill for businesses and people

Circles of support

• connecting people to tailored support systems through our Long-term Support
• holistic support offering a befriending scheme to reintegrate a client in the community through our Community Connector
• Welcome Spaces available across Haverhill from 2-4pm daily, where people can drop in for advice or pick up their emergency food parcel

Campaigning

Why not join our Community Empowerment Collective, a passionate group of volunteers who work together with our Engagement and Advocacy Lead, Saffron, to design and deliver local campaigns to reduce poverty locally! Together, we can drive change!
 
Here's what they've been up to:

• Free School Meal campaign – helping everyone eligible apply for and receive Free School Meals and a vast array of additional support
• Guarantee Our Essentials campaign, in conjunction with Trussell - collecting local experiences and pushing for national changes to UC to ensure everyone can afford the essentials, such as food, warmth, and clothing.
• Empowering Communities campaign - trying to reduce the stigma of asking for help with food, debt, or financial advice.

You’ll see us around a lot at events but if you are interested in supporting the Engagement & Advocacy Team please get in touch!: community.organising@reachhaverhill.org.uk