Yoker Resource Centre provides essential services during COVID-19

Yoker Resource Centre is working in partnership with other local community organisations to support people through the pandemic.

Yoker Resource Centre – G13/14 Community Support Hub supports many people in its local community who have varying needs. This includes older people with health conditions, families in poverty, people with mental health conditions and disabled people. The organisation has been in existence for over 20 years, working with community members to strengthen the area and build capacity so people are empowered to help themselves.

COVID-19 has seen the organisation spring into urgent action as needs have become more entrenched during the pandemic. For example, Yoker Resource Centre is now supporting families in which people have been furloughed who may have just been getting by previously but are now experiencing acute financial difficulty.

Before COVID-19 became a reality Yoker Resource Centre offered a disabled older people’s support project, money and debt advice, after school care, addiction services and support for those with mental health issues. The work the organisation had previously carried out means it is well established in the community, with solid relationships built with individuals enabling the organisation to respond rapidly to the pandemic. Yoker Resource Centre drew on its experience to quickly set up a COVID-19 hub supporting those whom staff were previously in contact with.

The organisation’s response to current circumstances is wide-ranging and relies on a person-centred approach to meet the many and varied needs across the community. Services include grocery provision for those who cannot leave home easily or are no longer accessing lunch clubs or other services that provided foods. This service is meeting the most basic of needs for people who find themselves in a hugely disadvantaged position due to COVID-19.

In addition, Yoker Resource Centre is continuing to offer money and debt advice at a crucial time where a greater number of people have financial concerns. A prescription pick-up service is in operation and emergency food provision is also in place for those who are struggling to put food on the table. A telephone support service has also been put in place to support those feeling lonely and isolated, with a focus on older disabled people.

The provisions put in place by the Centre have required meticulous planning and organisation and, as such, mechanisms have been put in place to enable this and to avoid duplication of services. As part of this coordination, local people who wish to volunteer have been recruited and the team is ensuring they are deployed in the most appropriate areas. At present there are up to 100 trained volunteers working to support people with the appropriate social distancing guidance. It is the intention of Yoker Resource Centre that these volunteers will be retained as we come out of the pandemic to continue to strengthen the local community and build capacity, keeping local people at the heart of solutions.

For Yoker Resource Centre partnership working is key and the list of partners the organisation engages with is vast. These include local supermarkets for grocery provision, GPs who signpost to services and aid with referrals, local pharmacies, local housing associations and Age Scotland. In addition, the Resource Centre partners with local churches, third sector organisation Heart of Scotstoun and two local elected members.

Yoker Resource Centre is working at the heart of the local community in an exceptionally challenging time to continue to support people in need. The swift response by the organisation is testament to its local knowledge and relationships and partnership working have enabled services to come together. The organisation’s work with others is a prime example of how communities are pulling together as we face COVID-19.