Voluntary Action Arun & Chichester
Voluntary Action Arun & Chichester
July 2024
Promoting Inclusivity in Sussex’s Health & Care Research: Community Research Final Paper Published
A 6-month Sussex-based project was funded by NHS England (£100,000) under their
Research Engagement Network (REN) development programme in October 2023.
This project had 3 key aims:
1. To create a regional network of diverse community researchers who could
support Sussex-based health and care research.
2. To build the capacity of community researchers through development training
and qualitative interviewing experience.
3. To engage minoritised groups from areas of deprivation in Sussex and
investigate how to improve their participation in health and care services and
research.
VCSE partners recruited fifteen community researchers with lived experience of the
communities and marginalised groups that were the focus of the research i.e., Lesbian,
Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning, and other identities (LGBTQ+), Trans,
Non-binary and intersex (TNBI) or Racially Minoritised/Global Majority. Forty-two people
were interviewed between 27th February 2024 and 22nd March 2024.
Sussex ren community researcher project findings july 2024
Brighton and Sussex Medical School HRP News and Events
Sussex REN Community Research Main Film
Barriers to attending cervical screening are generally well known; Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust list eleven different barriers that can prevent people coming forward for screening. Jo’s Trust themselves acknowledge that this list is not exhaustive and barriers can vary between different communities.
The focus of this piece of work was to identify which barriers were most relevant to our local communities and if there were any patterns associated with any particular geographical areas or GP surgeries. Going forward it is hoped that this information can then be used to inform and target any interventions or promotional work.
This research was conducted by Charlotte Walker, VAAC Community Participation Officer (Health Outcomes).
You can read the report below
Barriers to Cervical Screening report
This project, delivered by our Partnership Officer (Health & Wellbeing), Stephanie Mooney, looked holistically at ethnically diverse communities’ experience of living and working in Arun and Chichester.
The aim of the project was to:
You can read the report below
Conversations with ethnically diverse communities report
VAAC and Healthwatch West Sussex are working together to support the Voluntary & Community Sector (VSC) during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The following reports show the VCS’ response to Covid-19
The third report looks at the impact of the pandemic on the VCS locally. It illustrates the characteristics and challenges of the VCS response, and makes suggestions for how the sector can become more sustainable and continue to respond to the needs of our communities.
The following case studies support this work.
Arts/Skills Development
Community Based
Advice and Information
Health and Wellbeing
Disability
Adults, Children and Families
BAME
Homelessness
Transport
Infrastructure/Statutory/Funders
“The VCSE is ‘here to give hope’. We are part of the solution to recover and rebuild, addressing the inequalities that exist within our communities. We do not know when it is going to end but the sector will keep going. A reality check is important. Everybody needs to provide encouragement, support and communication, working as collective organisations.”
Our recent report shows that infrastructure organisations have a key role to play in helping the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise sector (VCSE) survive the Covid-19 pandemic; and to grow to meet the increasing needs within our communities. The report looks at the current state of the VCSE sector in Arun and Chichester, illustrates the key areas of support that the sector needs going forward and outlines how VAAC can deliver this support and enable the sector to rebuild.
