NHS Frimley staff announce fundraising partnership with Slough youth charity
Staff at NHS Frimley Integrated Care Board – the organisation responsible for NHS functions within the wider Frimley Integrated Care System – have voted to make Slough social change enterprise Together As One (formerly known as Aik Saath) its Charity of the Year.
Together As One have been working with children and young people since 1998 when a mediation project was established in response to gang violence between young people from Asian backgrounds in Slough. It has since evolved to work with all young people, regardless of their faith or background. Their projects are diverse and include open access youth work, conflict resolution work in schools, support for young carers, proactive efforts to strengthen young people's mental health, arts and heritage projects and physical activity.
The charitable partnership is a natural fit with NHS Frimley’s prevention strategy to improve health inequalities for vulnerable children and young people (CYP), transform CYP and mental health services and improve support for those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).
Many NHS staff have seen the work of the charity first-hand through their community programmes, such as placement of volunteers from the charity in the Emergency Department of Wexham Park Hospital, helping vulnerable young people access additional support. Together As One are also training 16 young people to be Mental Health Advocates as part of the Young Health Champions scheme led by NHS Frimley.
Fiona Edwards, Chief Executive of NHS Frimley ICB, said, “I know I speak for my colleagues when I say how touched and inspired we are by the amazing work taking place in and around Slough by the team at Together As One, so I am delighted they have voted to raise money for them as our Charity of the Year for 2023.
“Our strategy for Frimley states the importance of Starting Well, which includes raising the aspirations of our children and young people, hearing their voices, supporting quality of life after 16 years old and working much more closely with our education partners.
“We’re also integrating more than ever with our voluntary, community and social enterprise partners to learn new ways of working, share good practice and challenge how services are run. Their experiences, and those of local people they support, are so important and actively help us to improve health and wellbeing outcomes for the populations of Frimley.
“This charitable venture will touch upon all of these ambitions and we are excited to see and report more positive outcomes as they emerge for children and young people in the local area.”
Click here to find out more about Together As One and the work that the organisation does.