Our aim
We aim to improve the quality of life of disadvantaged families by helping them find their strengths in order to make positive changes in their lives. Our services aim to:
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Build capacity and resilience
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Improve confidence and self esteem
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Develop access to peer support and networks
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Promote emotional and physical health in families
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Improve access to health and community services
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Reduce isolation
Our impact
The monitoring system we use was developed with support of the Charities Evaluation Service. Families’ complete scales at the beginning and end of support. Effectiveness is measured according to progress along the scale, which includes questions on mental and physical health, family, and friend relationships, and accessing local community resources.
In our initial evaluation with families who enter our services, the mental health score sits at an average of 5.3 (with 1 being bad and 10 bring good), while anxiety sits at 4.5. We see a 75-85% improvement in families at the end of our service.
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Anya's story
Anya is a single parent of four children, all with additional needs. Her two youngest girls both have support needs and learning delay.
Anya was the victim of a coercive marriage. Her husband has since abandoned the family, offers no ongoing financial support and has since re-married. Anya feels shame that her marriage failed and she feels responsible, despite trying her best to maintain/save the marriage.
When Anya was referred to Family Friends, she felt isolated as she could not talk to anyone about how she felt and did not want to burden friends, yet she struggled to manage all the demands of her children and the home. Her temporary accommodation was overcrowded and cluttered and she felt stuck and depressed, meanwhile the house was getting more chaotic.
Gill, who is training to be a psychotherapist, was matched with Anya. For several months, Gill would meet Anya in the park and she would listen as they walked around for 1-2 hours. Anya would speak about her anxiety and her exhaustion with all the demands of a large family with no support network. After 5 or 6 months, there was a noticeable change in Anya's confidence. She was beginning to get her power back and sense her capabilities increasing. This was demonstrated by Anya deciding to book a family holiday to visit her sister who lived abroad.
The relationship that Gill and Anya have built has been the source of enormous comfort for Anya, helping her to feel less isolated and more confident in herself and in her future.
Kabira's story
Kabira is a mother of three children, two of them baby twins that were born premature. She lives with her blind husband and three children in a one-bedroom first floor council flat. Kabira had very basic English. The referral was made with the concern that Kabira could be very isolated and overwhelmed with the amount of pressure the family were facing.
The focus of the support has been befriending Kabira, checking in with her each week and to see how she is feeling as well as more practical help of going out with her and her three children. Kabira has appreciated the weekly visits, the opportunity to practice her English and the support and encouragement to visit local places. Together with the volunteer and her children, Kabira has enrolled with the local library and got books out, taken part in singing groups and found out about local English classes. With the help of the volunteer Kabira has been assessed and joined a local English ESOL class.
The volunteer has accompanied Kabira to hospital and appointments with her doctor. They have supported Kabira and her husband with phone calls to the housing department; to check they are on the housing list, and with visits to other areas to give Kabira a feel for possible options.
Together they have also been to local shops, coffee shops and cafes, with the volunteer always encouraging Kabira to practice her English and speak to people. They have built a friendship where the volunteer feels she has learnt much from Kabira’s resilience and fortitude.