Toucan Employment Social Group

1) £28,139

2) We know that many of our clients live relatively limited lives, especially in terms of their socially activities, outside of attending employment sessions at Toucan Employment. This has had severe impacts on clients’ mental health, especially in the light of many other local services/charities closing down. We are also conscious, through discussions with clients, of the severe negative effects of the Covid-19 crisis on many of our clients, who were often isolated either through concerns about the crisis, or due to secondary health conditions that either they or their parents/carers had, making them more vulnerable than the general population. There are longer and longer referral times to mental health and although we have put a mental health focus into all our work, and trained staff as Mental Health First Aiders, we feel there is more that could be done.

The social group will have a range of purposes:

- Expand social engagement and knowledge of what is out there to do in a city like London. Southwark is particularly well located as far as distance is concerned to main centres of the arts, sports, parks etc, but many people with learning difficulties/disabilities and autism do not travel out of their immediate areas.

- Participate in activities during the evenings and weekends e.g. Heart n Soul or Bubble Club events; various free community festivals; sporting events; Southbank Centre events; going to the pub, cinema or theatre; cycling at the velodrome - Incorporate group sessions/workshops led by professionals in areas such as relationships; keeping yourself safe, both in person and online/social media; keeping yourself safe in the community/on the street. We feel this will be beneficial to both the mental and physical health of clients through having fun and engaging with peers, as well as activities such as park walks, cycling, gym and sports activities.

3) The project will work with Peckham and Brixton residents with learning difficulties/disabilities and autism.

4) The intended outcomes are, Vulnerable people with learning difficulties/disabilities and autism to have:

- increased employability skills;

- increased vocational skills; and

- increased social skills.

-      We feel the work of the project will support the wider work of Toucan Employment, in moving clients near to, and into, sustainable employment.

5) This funding will help the community as it is of benefit to everyone that some of the most vulnerable people in society are engaged in positive activities and are improving their mental health.

6) We feel this will be a success as we have run similar activities previously and had very successful outcomes for our clients, their parents/carers, and the wider community