People living in north-east Sheffield will soon benefit from a one million pound community fund to support healthy and happy neighbourhoods in the area.
NHS South Yorkshire is investing the funds to support these communities to deliver what matters to them, to help everyone live their best lives.
The programme called ‘This Is Us’ brings together NHS South Yorkshire, Sheffield City Council and the voluntary community sector to focus on four north-east neighbourhoods, Burngreave and Grimesthorpe, which includes Pitsmoor; Firth Park; Fir Vale and Crabtree, which includes Page Hall; and Longley.
These areas of Sheffield face inequality and deprivation, resulting in poor life expectancy, health, educational attainment, and skill levels, as well as disempowered and disconnected communities.
Disconnection and loneliness negatively impact health. By funding prevention and building community capacity in these areas, NHS South Yorkshire aim to connect and empower communities and in turn improve people’s health.
Emma Latimer, Executive Place Director for Sheffield at NHS South Yorkshire said:
“The north-east model neighbourhood programme (This is Us) is about creating health rather than providing health care or treating illness as we know people who are connected and empowered have better health.
"We want this fund we help develop communities where local people know their neighbours, have strong relationships and a network of people who support and look out for each other.
“Overall, this is about building connections and empowering communities to come together to focus and act on what matters to them, not us. This sets out an exciting new way of working for the NHS, with investment into communities to effect long-term change in people’s lives.”
‘This Is Us’ started last year as a key initiative to improve the lives and health of four Sheffield communities to reduce health inequalities. Part of this work involved investing in voluntary community sector organisations, who are helping lead the work. They are Aspiring Communities Together (ACT), Fir Vale Community Hub, Reach Up Youth and SOAR. You can read a case study from ACT below which shows the great work they have already been doing.
NHS South Yorkshire spoke to over 1,000 people in the area over the summer, to get a deeper understanding of the views, hopes and perspectives of the diverse communities in the north-east of Sheffield, to understand what their strengths are and to listen to what they feel is important to their health. This feedback will now be used by the voluntary community sector organisations to develop the work.
Emma continued: “We are investing in the voluntary and community sector as they are at the heart of our communities, tackling local issues and bringing people together. All evidence points to successful sustainable change happening at a grassroots level which is why we will facilitate that to happen.
“We want to change Sheffield, one neighbourhood at a time. By 2029, we hope to have happier and healthier populations, who are better connected, feel a sense of belonging, and work together to bring about change in their areas.”
The official launch of the fund takes place on Wednesday 15 January 2025 11.30am -1.30pm at Vestry Hall in Burngreave. Please click here for further information about the event.
Case Study - transforming lives through ACT health support
One of the individuals we have supported is a Eriterian woman who came to see us in an incredibly vulnerable state. She was homeless, having escaped an abusive domestic environment, and suffered from severe stress and mental health challenges as a result of her experiences. I immediately attached one of our health officers to support her .
The Intervention
Through the collaborative efforts with our partners , ACT (Aspiring Communities Together) and the Model Neighbourhood initiative, we were able to provide her with:
Immediate Support:
We assisted her in securing safe and stable accommodation, which was critical in providing a foundation for her recovery. Our link in the council homeless section and her GP was important to securing priority housing .
Health and Wellbeing Engagement:
She was introduced to our tailored health and wellbeing activities, including fitness sessions, healthy food workshops, and community engagement programs which also included English classes . These activities were designed to rebuild her confidence, improve her mental health, and foster a sense of belonging. She is now an active member of the community and a volunteer in our good pharmacy . The funding we received from the ICB last year made all this possible . In my opinion had we not intervened her situation would have required huge efforts from the NHS.
Holistic Care Approach:
We connected her with mental health counselling services to address her trauma, as well as social care support to navigate her new circumstances. Another officer from ACT played an important role in this regard .
The Outcome
Her transformation has been remarkable. She has regained stability in her life, her stress levels have significantly reduced, and she has expressed a renewed sense of hope for the future. She is now an active participant in our community programs, where she also supports others going through similar challenges. We are now working on finding employment for her .
What This Project Means to Us
This case underscores the power of collaboration and the Model Neighbourhood’s focus on holistic and community-based approaches to care. By addressing not just the immediate needs but also the long-term wellbeing of individuals, we are helping to transform lives and empower people to thrive.