Invest to Save Budget (ISB) – The Changing Community in Crewe
Information about the project
Funded by the Home Office, the Invest to Save Budget (ISB) Project was established in 2006 as a direct response to the large influx of Eastern European migrant workers into the Borough of Crewe and Nantwich.
The project seeks to address the needs of the changing community in Crewe by co-ordinating an improved response and reducing any additional stress on service providers by new migrant workers and their families.
The ISB Project is monitored every quarter by a multi agency Steering Group with representation from the following: -
ISB Steering Group Partners
- Cheshire East Council
- Cheshire Halton and Warrington Race Equality Council (CHAWREC)
- Education Department
- Libraries Service
- Salvation Army
- Crewe CAB
- Central and East Cheshire Primary Care Trust
- Mid Cheshire Hospitals Trust
- Wulvern Housing Association
- Manchester and District Housing Association
- MMU Cheshire
- Cheshire Police
and is managed by a Project Officer, who is supported by three bi-lingual workers.
The Project provides a focal point for agencies and organisations wishing to engage with migrant workers.
Successes include: –- Training for staff in Advice and Guidance, and Diploma in Public Service Interpreting (DPSI)
- Delivery of 60 learning sessions which has engaged approximately 230 adults and 300 children.
- Over 400 Drop-In sessions at various locations which have supported some 2500 eastern European individuals with advice and guidance.
- Regular Focus Group meetings have been held allowing the community to find out about specific topics such as Benefits, Finance, Employment, and Health.
- Additional information is shared with the community via regular Newsletters
- Migrant families have joined other families on organised trips to the Zoo and the Christmas Pantomime
- Football Festival and Family Fun Day for Portuguese speaking families.
- Continuing support for the Polish Association which has increased services to its members. Successful social events have been held at Christmas and Easter. Directors of the Polish Association have also undergone training in committee roles and Representational Training.
- Delivery of OCN Level 1 and Level 2 Bilingual Skills for Public Service courses
- Development of volunteering and training opportunities within the Project
- Supporting the development of the East Timor Association
- Working in partnership to support the development of University Translate, a social enterprise delivering a local translation and interpretation service
- Maintaining support for Polish Association activities and assist further development into a self-sustaining Migrant Worker Association
- Hosting a number of good practice visits from interested organisations from across the UK
- Making presentations at National conferences and events
- ISB Project recognised as part of the Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA) Migration Excellence Programme
The ISB Project is funded for 3 years to June 2009. Continuation funding is currently being sought to maintain and develop current service levels and plans include: -
- Implementation of data sharing procedure and protocol amongst partners
- Ongoing integrated football sessions for members of the migrant community
- Development of appropriate community cohesion initiatives and increased partnership working
- Further development of family learning programmes and ESOL provision
- Explore qualification equivalence and support accreditation and transfer of skills
- Development of a wider remit to reflect diversity of communities living in Cheshire East, linked to the wider opportunities presented by local government reorganisation
- Support and host major conference in North West in Summer of 2009 to launch ISB Communication Strategy
