Community champions are volunteers helping people in Wandsworth to be happier and healthier by talking about preventable illnesses, encouraging the use of health services, and telling authorities what works for real people. This way, locals can get the help they need before illness becomes more serious and potentially life-threatening.
From 2022/23 WCA worked with Elays Network, a charity that works with the Wandsworth community to promote inclusion and reduce inequalities. Elays Network used a grant fund to recruit 9 Champions: 3 young people, 3 men (aged 34-40) and 3 women (aged 30-50). Their ethnic backgrounds included Arab, Northern African, Somalian and Middle Eastern, and they spoke 9 different languages between them.
By being diverse like the group that they were serving, the Champions knew more about the issues affecting the community and could build trust much quicker. Local people felt much more comfortable talking to people that looked or sounded like them, went to the same places, perhaps knew the same people and community spaces.
The Champions were trained by a local Somalian GP. They learnt how it was better to address and reduce preventable health conditions rather than leave it until it became too late and try to treat the problem. This attitude from the Champions has given participants the knowledge that it is easier to get guidance and medication at an earlier stage, and the Champions believe they will see a decrease in severe symptoms and overall cases over a longer period of time.
One issue they found was that there were lots of gyms available, but they were generally very expensive for most people, or extremely busy and put-off newer, less-confident members. As a result, the Champions managed to find a women’s only activity session every Tuesday and Friday which was much less busy, and the single-sex event helped many women to join.
The Champions also helped start a weekly yoga session followed by a chat and a hot drink for women in the local community. One woman has shared that this session has made her feel younger, allowed her to be more able to do her day-to-day activities and is generally much happier. Another participant even described the programme as having changed her life.
*The Champions have supported health sessions with Healthwatch Wandsworth and Wandsworth Workmatch.
Through their work, the Elays Network Community Champions have taken a holistic, whole person health approach and have been able to connect with a diverse and wider network of people in their community.
