Supporting disadvantaged families at higher risk of social isolation: New Routes Integration
New Routes Integration is a social charity supporting refugees, asylum seekers and isolated migrants in Norwich. They were established in 2003 to work with the first 30 asylum seekers in Norwich. Now, 20 years later, they work with over 600 people a year from over 50 nationalities.
Active Norfolk supported a number of New Routes projects historically, and therefore had a pre-existing relationship to build on. We were able to support the charity as they applied for initial funding in 2021, and then a further round of funding in 2022. This was initially to support the facilitation of their activities (MMA and Summer activities) and available allotment. It was later used to develop further opportunities to be active.
The Aim
New Routes applied for the first round of funding in 2021. They applied for £4246 which was allocated to cover the costs of the MMA sessions, an active travel allotment programme and Summer Outdoor Activities 2021.
Following their successful application in 2021, the charity applied again in 2022 for a further £3832, which was put towards another year of Summer Outdoor Activities, as well as the development of a football programme.
Their work focuses on helping people to integrate into the local community by providing practical skills and social programmes in a safe and welcoming environment.
The Challenges
New Routes praised the application process, calling it straightforward and easy to follow, thanks to the help of the Locality Officers working on the project.
As a result of the crisis in Afghanistan in 2021, and the more recent war in Ukraine in 2022, there has been a huge increase in the number of new communities in Norwich over the past few years. In addition, three Home Office Hotel accommodations opened in Norfolk in 2022. Many of these families find it difficult to afford equipment and transport due to low income.
Another challenge is spreading the word amongst these communities, and engaging participants; particularly those who are more isolated. However, as the programme grows, more people naturally hear about it.
“There was great communication and support with the funders throughout the application. We were able to work together to support provision of outdoor youth activities and adult football.”
Sadhia Islam (Youth Projects Coordinator)
“I had the chance to go out more than usual. Taking part has helped me build new friendships with different people in my community”.
New Routes participant feedback
The Approach
How the funds were allocated:
The initial funds were used to support the running and continuation of several local activities. This included MMA sessions, the annual Summer Activities programme and the allotment. The later funding was used as a continuation of these projects. New Routes also used this to establish a new football programme.
The annual Summer Activities program was introduced during the pandemic. It consisted of 2 weekly sessions of sport activities such as football, rounders, racing, dodgeball and much more. The outdoor summer activities directly provided opportunities to make new friends, settle into Norwich, encourage a healthy lifestyle and support emotional well-being.
Increased capacity:
The later established football programme has quickly become the one of the most popular activities on offer. Hosted at UEA, the programme’s attendance went from 20-30 attendees to now 50-60 attendees. After discussion, the provider adjusted the budget to cater to the increased numbers so that nobody would miss out. With the additional funding, the provider was able to buy additional football equipment and hire an additional football pitch. Additional funding was sought elsewhere to make up for the reallocated funds.
Tackling low income:
Many families New Routes work with find it difficult to afford equipment and transport due to low income. This can put them off reaching out to be a part of programmes. It also puts them at risk of inactivity and social isolation. The provision of funds supports the more disadvantaged families at higher risk of social isolation and poor mental health, especially in consideration of the rise in living expenses.
Asylum seekers have no right to work and do not have enough funds to invest in suitable sportswear. The provision of football boots included within the football programme enables asylum seekers to engage with football and exposure to potential opportunities in football beyond New Routes.
In addition, the allotment programme provides nutritious produce to those who need it most. This cuts down on expensive food bills whilst providing a fantastic outlet for mental health and wellbeing.
The Outcomes: New Routes Integration
Thanks to the funding, New Routes were able to meet a growing demand for football and Summer Youth Activities.
The Summer Activities were highly popular with participants. The provider hopes to continue to support the provision of this. They would also like to continue facilitating free football sessions for adults.
Feedback from participants:
The Summer Activities had 226 attendees in total, whilst the football sessions attendance doubled, going from 20-30 attendees per session to 50-60 attendees.
The provider collected feedback sheets from some of the participants, and there were some excellent responses to show how helpful the programme had been. A few key points were:
- 100% of those who returned the survey advised that they had enjoyed the sessions they’d attended, and when asked to rate the sessions on a scale of 1-10, the mean score was 8.8
- 94% reported building new friendships as a result of attending the activities
- 81% said it had helped them to manage their physical health
- 63% said the sessions had helped them to manage their mental health
Future plans:
Following the positive feedback, New Routes would like to continue developing their offerings. After seeing an increase in participants, they allocated funding to cater to the additional capacity requirements. This will hopefully ensure the continuation of the projects.
Find out more
New Routes Integration were able to apply for funding through the Together fund. Whilst applications for this has now closed, you can click below to see more funding opportunities near you.