We are delighted to be one of Four Crystal Palace businesses to be nominated as Finalists in the 2022 Croydon Business Excellence Awards.

This is a real boost for the local area rebuilding after lockdown and a testimony to the support of our residents, the services we all provide and the support we give.

Working at a micro level, its sometimes easy to forget the impact we have in the wider economy and given the crisis in Croydon over the last few years it is nice to be able to celebrate the success of local, independent businesses and social enterprises.

So ClearCommunityWeb have been nominated for Best Social Enterprise and the other three finalists are ShopSE19, Craft & Courage & Haven Wellness and we are against some stiff competition.

To state our case, we work daily with older people, vulnerable adults and carers providing access to and building confidence with technology.

We provide classes, workshops, drop-ins and critical support in the home.

We work with both social prescribers and community leaders to reach the people most in need but also to help identify other areas of support such as with mental health and the cost of living so partnership work and a duty of care are essential.

As a team we are constantly evaluation and adapting the way we work to provide a better service and to also create opportunities for work and volunteering.

As a fairly new and growing organization we are really proud of this nomination as it really establishes us locally.

So, please, vote for us here

So who else was nominated?

We are all in different categories which means you can vote for more than one of us. Take a look at the other local nominees and vote for them as well 😉

Shop SE19 was founded in 2019 to formalize the links between local independent businesses in Crystal Palace. ShopSE19 has grown to offer much-needed peer support to local independent businesses, help them weather the storm during the height of the pandemic and to promote and increase the profile of our local high streets. Vote for ShopSE19 here.

Craft & Courage has just celebrated its 5-year anniversary in Crystal Palace and like many hospitality businesses soldiered on during the many different phases of lockdown. Craft & Courage did this by partnering with local food businesses and launching new products. Their latest venture is an in-house gin distillery producing Antenna Gin with their own botanical family recipe. Vote for Craft & Courage here.

Haven Wellness is a shop, apothecary and suite of therapy rooms height of lockdown in 2020 and has rapidly gained a following, offer wellness products. Vote for Haven Wellness here.

So does this sound familiar?

“Nani, I showed you that last week, for the tenth time, why cant you remember?”

Or how about this?

“I can’t right now, I’m busy”

Or how about?

“It’s really easy, why don’t you understand it?”

For many older people looking to family members for advice or help with their mobile phone or laptop this is exactly what they hear.

However, in turn, we hear:

“The younger generation go too fast, they do not have time for us”

And

“We are not stupid, we have learned complicated things, we just don’t understanding this bit and we are being forced to use it”

As well as

“This technology business is the future but we don’t know where to start”

All of this can make you stressed and when you are stressed it’s hard to concentrate and learn new things.

So we created the Mobile Phone Boot Camp; an opportunity for older people to go right back to basics and learn fundamentals such as changing settings, checking email, using maps or installing apps whilst practicing in small groups.

Even better, helping each other!

As the sun is starting to shine and we ease out of Winter, we want to take a little time out and thank our most recent funders for their support, allowing us to continue the work we do as well as to start some new projects over the next 6 months.

In chronological order, we thank

Cellnex Telecom: For supporting our work into Croydon via our Community Tech Support and Community Learning programme.

Good Things Foundation/ Scheinberg Relief Fund: For our Connect Up programme helping older people access the internet for the first time.

The London Community Foundation: To help us develop our digital programme for neurodiverse adults in Bromley.

Bromley Well/ BTSE: To pilot our Community Tech Support, Community Learning and Upcycling programme in North Bromley

Lambeth Together/ Norwood Forum: To continue our work into the immediate ward of Gipsy Hill

This funding allows us to build and deepen the core support we provide and improve the overall quality of what we do. By building our volunteer base and developing process we can also extend the opportunities we provide to the wider community.

THANK YOU

Following #socialprescribingweek, these picture sum up for us what both formal and informal Social Prescribing can look like in the community.

Helping an unpaid carer navigate many barriers and challenges with both digital technology and ‘the system’, our Community Tech Support Drop Ins are situated right where people are already seeking support, respite through the day or seeking connections.

The Platform Café and Loughborough Farm are not only perfect but NECESSARY partners for this work, providing the space, nutrition and a welcome to the spring ahead.

The mighty fine Lambeth Larder is ever-present providing access to broader information, advice & guidance directly for resident and for organization working with those in need.

Our Community Tech Support drop-ins provide digital support, access to fixing, provide a quiet and friendly space to practice and have a little time to learn something new. Many stop for a cup of tea and continue to come back.

By giving people the time and space to understand their challenges and a gentle push we believe that Community Tech Support is a crucial local service to help people be more digitally included.

We work to 3 principles

• Support is best placed where residents are already receiving other help or participating in activities.
• Small group and peer support, not only motivate, but can provide the best environment to learn new things or to get organized without it being too overwhelming.
• Traditional places of learning and ‘shiny new’ libraries can be intimidating.

It’s not surprising that many of our beneficiaries are directly referred by GPS, linkworkers, community builders, Mutual Aid, food banks and libraries across Lambeth, Southwark & Croydon.

We look forward to developing new relationships within the community network with BIG news beginning with ‘B’ coming very soon ……

We are at the following spaces every week:

• Tuesday 1.30- 30 Age UK Croydon, Thornton Heath
• Thursday 10.00 – 12.00 Platform Café, Loughborough Junction
• Friday 10.00 – 12.00 Upper Norwood Library Hub, Crystal Palace

Feel free to pop along with your questions or challenges!

If you would like to host one of our drop-ins in your Community Space – then contact us