Sandwell Services

Family Action currently runs the following three projects in the Sandwell area.

1. Family Matters

The Building Better Opportunities programme is funded by Big Lottery Fund and the European Social Fund (ESF) who are co-investing in local projects tackling the root causes of worklessness, promoting social inclusion and driving local jobs and growth.

Family Matters is one of four projects within this programme across the Black Country and will help people across Walsall, Wolverhampton, Dudley and Sandwell  move into or closer to employment by developing their skills and confidence.

Family Matters is managed by the Black Country Together CIC in partnership with 18 local organisations across the Black Country.  Family Action will be delivering the following specific activities:

• Advice Point to enable clients to improve their skills and support them into employment, volunteering or apprenticeships.
• One-to-one support to create or amend CVs.
• Job search via the internet.
• Help with completing application forms and help with universal job match.

For more information about the Family Matters Programme please contact Jamie Myers on 07970 168 911 or Nasear Khan on 07970 168 908. For more information about Family Matters in the Black Country please email BBO@blackcountrytogether.info or visit www.blackcountrytogether.info

2. Heath Champions

The Health Champions Project in Sandwell is a social prescribing project which trains volunteers as Health Champions to support families going through diagnosis of ADHD or ASD with their children.

As well as providing one-to-one support with a Health Champion, families can access group sessions and activities at a number of venues across Sandwell, for instance:

• Play and Share in Rowley Regis, 3.30-5pm on the last Thursday of the month
• Sharing Rooms at Burnt Tree, Tipton 10am-12pm every Tuesday, and Wednesbury Library 10am-12pm every Monday

3. Families Together

The programme aims to prevent Domestic Abuse and is designed to support those families where low level Domestic Abuse or coercive behaviour may be occurring in the home.  It is also aimed at parents who want a better relationship with each other and their children, and families where there may have been a first incident of Domestic Abuse and want support.

The Families Together programme recognises that there are many difficulties families will experience which could lead to family conflict and develop into more severe problems if left unresolved. Families Together is a unique programme designed to support men, women and children to recognise and overcome Domestic Abuse, enabling families to develop their awareness, confidence and self-esteem and ultimately supporting families to feel safer and have the tools to improve their family relationship. The programme is delivered in three elements:

Supporting Men

‘Any Man Can’ is a 12-week programme; each session is approximately 2 hours per week. The programme explores:

• Exploring the ‘Boy Code’ and being a man
• Developing vulnerability
• Understanding anger
• Family matter
• Responsibilities and relationships
• Me and my identity
• My dad and me
• Consent, love and sex
• Communication and assertiveness
• Future planning

Supporting Women

‘The Women’s Toolkit’ is a 10-week programme; each session is approximately 2 hours per week. The programme explores:

• Recognising abuse
• Introduction to self-esteem
• Self-esteem, coping and psychological wellbeing
• Effects of abuse on children and parenting skills
• Power of positive talk
• Anger and conflict
• Assertiveness
• Boundaries and trust
• Keeping safe
• Loses and gains
• Healthy relationships

Family Support

There will be a number of family-centred support sessions, tailored around the needs of each family and designed to bring the family together to experience fun and enjoyable activities and to develop lasting memories. Criteria include the following:

• The whole family must be willing and committed to engage in all sessions of the programme.
• This is a preventative programme and not suitable for high-risk families.
• This programme is not suitable for people whose primary need is alcohol/drug misuse.
• We cannot support those with a recent  high-risk criminal conviction or who may be deemed to pose a risk to staff and others.

For more information or to make a referral please contact:

Sonia Randhawa, Senior Support Worker – Domestic Abuse
Tel: 07967316802; Email: Sonia.Randhawa2@family-action.org.uk

Julia Westmacott, Senior Support Worker – Domestic Abuse
Tel: 07967316715; Email: Julia.Westmacott@family-action.org.uk

Burnt Tree Children’s Centre, 20-25 Tividale Street, Tipton DY4 7SD