Anchor Early Action

Case Study One

Following the “drop-in hub” pilot at a local primary school, it became clear that the majority of families looking for support were from lower income households. Many of these families were not in receipt of the benefits they were eligible for. Nor were they accessing support such as; counselling, advocacy, and employability services that would be beneficial to them. Many did not have a close support network and often had had bad experiences with existing services. By helping these families increase their financial income and by listening to their stories, trusting relationships were built. The team raised awareness of the support they provided with school staff who could signpost and encourage individuals to come forward.

The team invited staff from other agencies with different experiences and expertise to work with them alongside families; trying to find out what works for families in our community and what doesn’t. They have created questionnaires for professionals and families to complete anonymously, and have carried out one-to-one impact assessments to see if we are on the right path. They have collated stories, quotes, and conversations, looking for patterns in what families are telling them. The Project is putting families at the heart of things, guiding the development of the support they need.

Case Study Two

One family supported by Anchor was signposted from the school and didn’t know where to turn. On the first visit, Mum was at her wits end and spoke for over an hour about all the issues going on in her life; her child’s behaviour, the volatile relationship she has with her partner and their financial worries. Anchor helped Mum to seek help from Citizens Advice for her debt and spoke about her mental health and problems with alcohol. The team suggested local services that would be available to her. Most of all, Anchor provided a safe space and a listening ear for someone that didn’t have anyone to share their burdens with;

“Anchor is a really good thing.  I found out about it through Sound School, got in touch with them and just offloaded everything.  They helped me with applying for grants and we get food parcels every second week.  I do have money but not much and they are really good at helping me. I’ve already told a couple of people about the service who I know are struggling.  Don’t be scared to ask for help – I did and it’s helped me a lot.”

Anchor is still in contact regularly with Mum.

What other feedback have we had?

Comment 1

"Having support has been really useful and Anchor has meant we get various bits of help including regular food parcels. We would have managed without it, just, but having the support has made life a lot easier and a lot better. If you need help, don’t sit and struggle – everyone struggles sometimes and those are the times you need to ask for help. I’m not the kind of person to ask – it’s one of the hardest things I’ve had to do. But the help has been amazing – I won’t always need it but it’s something I’ve needed at this time."

Comment 2

"I didn’t know about Anchor until a friend told me about it. At the time, I felt that I needed to talk to someone so I went to see Lynsey and Sandra and found them really nice and friendly. I talked to them about what I was going through and they listened and gave me advice. They also helped me get the job I’m in just now by giving me some support with my CV and to fill in the application. No one should feel scared to ask for help. People are there to listen to you and if you need help, just ask. You can talk about anything – personal problems, help with a CV and job applications etc"

Comment 3

"Anchor has been brilliant. It’s been fine to have someone to listen to me and not judge – I think that’s been the biggest thing. Sandra has also pointed me in the right direction when I’ve had questions or needed some help. The support is confidential and private and it’s been invaluable. I’d have struggled a lot without Sandra and I’d recommend the support to anyone who is struggling."

Comment 4

"I went to Anchor for help because I was struggling during lockdown. They helped keep me motivated with suggestions for me and my child. Lynsey has always been there when I needed her and I think it’s so good to have someone to support you like that. I’m involved in another community group and through that I’ve been applying for funding to help supplement the Anchor food parcels with fresh produce, to get help to those who need help, like I did. It’s important that other people who might be struggling know that you’re not the first person to go through hardship and you won’t be the last. Struggling isn’t failure and there’s no embarrassment in it. If you need help, please ask."