During the time of
the project the following has been achieved:
Somerset Voices: a report documenting the interviews of over
100 people in eight parishes across rural Somerset, recording their
views and aspirations. From the issues identified, it is hoped,
with other agencies, to open those closed doors by addressing the
problems and creating sustainable solutions to make our communities
more inclusive and involving.
No one in their communities appeared to be aware of or concerned
about their plight. Poverty in rural areas is often concealed,
with neighbours frequently unaware of the suffering and trauma being
experienced nearby behind closed doors. The report can be viewed
on our publications page.
Go to publications
Below are a couple of extracts
from the Somerset Voices report.
A
single mum “transport is so worrying that is where I am most
vulnerable living on my own here with two children and trying to keep
a car on the road. Income support doesn’t allow for the fact that if
you are in a rural area you have to have a car as public transport is
just not available. It is by the nature of my situation that you are
always going to have a car that is going to break down as you can’t
afford anything better.”
Three
farmers interviewed during my research project. “When BSE came
in our profit dropped £15000 a year just like the animals were not
worth anything anymore. It has never recovered my parents retired 13
years ago and they were selling their animals for more than we are
getting now.”
Post Office Survey: In
November 2003 a survey was sent to all 149 rural sub-postmasters in
Somerset. With a 70% response rate the results and further
information can be found using the link at the bottom of the page to
Supporting Rural Post Offices.
Basic Financial Literacy:
In January and February 2004 a basic financial literacy course with
Holyrood School in Chard was piloted.
Aware of the distress caused to many
vulnerable people living in Somerset through suffering debt
particularly the numbers that visit Citizens Advice Bureaux locally
with such problems, discussions were held between the Community
Council for Somerset (CCS) and Somerset Welfare Rights Unit (SWRU) to
develop an approach to improve the basic financial literacy level of
school leavers in the County.
Following discussions with Somerset
Education Department, headmasters and other interested parties it was
ascertained that in the 2003/2004 school year there was no such course
being taught.
Holyrood Community School in Chard
was identified as a school that would welcome hosting a pilot project
to be delivered to two groups of Year 11 students that are likely to
leave school with few if any GCSEs due to them having low numeracy and
literacy skills.
The CCS and SWRU discussed with
interested partners Connexions and MIND ideas for content and delivery
of the course. Holyrood School had indicated that they would
prefer it as a module within the ASDAN (Award Scheme Development and
Accreditation Network) Bronze/Silver award. To be awarded 1/4
point towards the scheme the students would need to complete
successfully eight one hour lessons.
A total of 15 students completed the
course. Evaluations of the course by the school, the pupils
concerned and the partners all proved positive.
A copy of the report is available by
contacting
info@somersetrcc.org.uk
BEING HEARD? LISTEN UP! : The
Social Inclusion Worker was approached by Mendip Social Services staff
and asked how she could help the 3 Social Services run Day Centre
groups meeting in Frome, Glastonbury & Wells. After some
discussion it was agreed that she should devise an exercise whereby
people could raise, in confidence, whatever issues were bothering
them, regardless of the subject and nature of the complaint. It
was agreed that all these comments would be written up and then sent
to any service provider who could act upon and make changes as a
result of the comments.
The report therefore details details
verbatium every comment written or made in general discussions,
spelling and grammar mistakes are included and regardless of
'political correctness', as we did not want to be accused of altering
any of the comments. However in a few instances brackets have
been used to clarify some, more ambiguous, comments.
Click here to view the report (note it is pdf format)
Just click to
select
Return to top of page
