CARIS stands for Christian Action and Response in Society. It is a Christian based charity but offers its help to those who need it, regardless of race or religion. Its primary objective is to assist those who are homeless and living in temporary accommodation. In this year over 800 homeless families or those threatened with homelessness have been assisted by CARIS’s services.
The need
This can rarely have been greater. Haringey is the 5th most deprived borough in London and the 18th most deprived in England. It has 3,294 families living in temporary accommodation – twice the number in most London boroughs and the second highest in the UK. These include many asylum seekers and refugees. 40% of Haringey remains in the top 10 local authorities for child poverty. Homeless families, particularly those recently arrived in the UK, will be heavily represented in the above grouping.
Government cuts in public funding have had a direct impact on the voluntary sector in the UK, to which CARIS is not immune. Changes going through in the Localism and Welfare Reform Bills represent the biggest shake up of housing and housing benefit policy in a generation. Cuts of 60% to affordable housing benefits mean grant rates per unit will fall dramatically. Legal Aid cuts mean huge concerns over funding for housing advice services. This advice will only be funded at the crisis point of losing one’s home. Over the last few years, cases have become more complex and with the demise of Legal Aid this has impacted on CARIS’s services. Families need a higher level of support.
Services
The mobile toy library is a cornerstone of CARIS’s outreach service for families in temporary accommodation. Every two weeks 229 children, mostly of pre-school age, borrow toys and books, some of them bilingual for children of other languages, with an emphasis on preparing them for nursery school. 30% of those seen are asylum seekers, refugees or have no recourse to public funds.
The family support worker goes out on the “toy run”, ready to help with child development concerns, schooling or health care provision, and to take back issues regarding benefits to CARIS advice workers. The FSW has provided support to 79 families, and delivered food parcels to families in crisis due to delays in benefit payments, or awaiting UK Border Authority documents for leave to remain, those fleeing domestic violence and those with no recourse to public funds.
The drop in centre was used by 384 parents and 583 children for play and early learning sessions. It is also a platform for information sharing and workshops on areas of concern such as health issues.. Creche provision has been made for ESOL students who have children aged 1 to 3 years. CARIS partnership with CoNEL to provide ESOL and literacy classes has also developed. Other services provided include the 3 week summer playscheme, attended this year by 181 children and young people, and workshops on media communication, animation and film making.
CARIS is accredited to provide professional advice on subjects relating to health, education, housing, women, welfare benefit and refugee and asylum seeker status.
A beneficiary’s view
A woman recently granted leave to remain in this country, who has a child aged 6 with special educational needs, wrote:
“When I first made contact with CARIS I was homeless, jobless and statusless. With CARIS’s advice and help I am now progressing in life to where I want to be. My status has been sorted out. I am now living in a two bedroom flat with my son.
I am now going to the City of Islington College studying to become a Teaching Assistant. I am doing 15 hours voluntary work as a teaching assistant…..and working 20 hours per week as a Care Assistant.
CARIS service was a light in my darkest hour. It was a God-sent service to me when I needed it most. With CARIS’s help I am a happier, more independent person, moving forward and fulfilling my goal and dreams. Thank you CARIS”.
Finances
CARIS’s income in 2010-11 reduced by over £15,000 and there was an excess of expenditure over income of £9,291. The trustees considered the state of affairs to be satisfactory, but the key risk to CARIS relates to funding. They are developing a funding strategy to diversify funding and address new areas of activity.
Food for thought
A few points made at CARIS’s AGM by those presenting its annual report seemed to me worth noting. The poverty of being unloved and unwanted may be greater than being poor, naked, hungry and homeless. There are wounds to heal. If there is no sense of caring, there is no community. You can find yourself by losing yourself in service to others. Life begins to end if we keep silent about things. And finally, what we do is a drop in the ocean, but if the drops are not there, there will be no ocean.
CARIS Haringey 2010-11
John Willmer