Who We Are - Our story
Salusbury WORLD:
a triumph in the face of diversity
The centre was set up with a National Lottery grant in 1998. This funded a full-time project manager, a part-time EAL teacher (English as an Additional Language) and crucially, the conversion of the old school music room into a dedicated space. Today the centre has grown, adding a part time Project/Play Leader, a second part time EAL teacher and a part time Home-School Liaison worker. Every week home visits, face to face interviews, or the after school club let the centre work with over a hundred people on issues as varied as English language support, sewing, home visits, recreation and homework support.
It's a triumph in the face of diversity. Already extensively featured in a Save the Children video, it has just secured funding for the next three years with a new Lottery grant. Through a link-up with Brent education, it is running training sessions for schools and teachers throughout the borough as a model of good practice.
The project works on three fronts: educational, social, and emotional.
Educational support ranges from special coaching in English to providing space for homework, arts and crafts - many families live in single rooms in hostels. It also helps bridge the gap between home and school - it became clear that some parents were missing key dates and meetings simply because they did not know what was expected of them. "Just think about secondary transfer deadlines which are a nightmare for everyone," Nina Chohda, the Project Manager, says. "We try to make sure that our families have the same opportunities as everyone else."
Social help is practical, helping parents negotiate the maze of bureaucracy, and deal with emergencies. As importantly, it's a crucial referral point for all kinds of services and support – welfare, education, training and employment.
The emotional support stems from the acknowledgement that many of the families have suffered trauma, loss, live in stressful conditions, or, as often, all three. "We are not counsellors and wouldn't pretend to be," Nina says, "but if we don't take the whole person into account, we can't do our job properly. And because we have one-to-one contact with the children, we're in a very good position to pick up on issues that might get lost otherwise."
Remaining responsive is also important. "One of the most challenging aspects of the work is that nothing stays still," Nina points out. "Population groups, each with their sensitivities and needs, change, and families move on – all the time. The nature of the work is that we're continually starting from scratch."
Salusbury WORLD's relationship with Salusbury School is crucial to its success.
To an outsider, it seems to sit very happily within the school while maintaining a strong independent identity. Both this closeness and independence are vital – the centre does not support the school, but the children, parents and teachers of the school – a crucial distinction. For example: by helping a child with their English, pressure is clearly going to be lifted from classroom teachers.