Rugby Community Hub & Cafe Project:
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The purpose of the project is to facilitate and enable the growth of an intergenerational community. This will be focused on volunteering, bringing together different age groups, breaking social isolation, and empowering individuals to make positive changes in their own lives; We aim to enable the improvement of community and individual resilience.
We will do this by:
Providing a safe, welcoming, space for people of all ages and backgrounds to meet and relax in, to find refuge, support and guidance.
The newly developed café area will, along with other facilities at RMCC, help to build social groups and where community projects can be developed.
Engaging with people in the local community to find out their priorities and needs.
Community research has shown that isolation and mental health are significant issues in our community. We already have c.500 people who use the building for various activities on a weekly basis, we aim to develop closer links with these people and help them to feel part of our overall vision of community transformation.
Working with the local community to develop resources and activities to help people address identified priorities and needs.
The NHS and Local Council wish to work closely with what we are doing. We operate a foodbank, and have established links Christians against Poverty, Hope4, Fareshare. With links with the local community centre, youth centre, and schools, and having identified partners and key issues we will aim to work together with our neighbours on projects that will help to grow a healthier, more resilient community and give individuals opportunities to improve their lives. We propose to operate a Time Builders Scheme (a Time Credit scheme for volunteers to encourage active participation and tangible rewards for volunteering). We hope this will enable us to reach those of greatest need.
Supporting the Community
Our initial focus will include:
Young people, a drop in cafe with a focus on mental and emotional wellbeing, developing from the growing work by our youth pastor in a local Secondary School and Secular Youth Club.
People who are isolated - The venue will open daily as a community space.
The 35-50 year old age group has been identified by others as a group suffering from isolation. We can provide activities and groups for people in this age group to meet with each other.
Elderly - We aim to provide a safe space for elderly people to meet and eat together. We aim to encourage inter-generational bonds to be created through group activities.
Structure
This initiative has been setup as a Community Interests Company (CIC).
Finance
The financial objective is that the project ultimately will be self-supporting after initially being grant funded. The community hub is a non-for-profit community project.
