Support 4 vulnerable kids & families during crisis

Aim

Keeping vulnerable children engaged with positive messages, supporting mental health, learning, delivering thrive packs and food parcels.

Who are Kidz Klub Leeds?

We've been supporting children and families living in the poorest communities of Leeds for 20 years (within the top 10% of the social deprivation indices and in some within the top 5% (IMD 2019). We are a Christian charity working with over 1000 children each week of all backgrounds across the city. We take a unique approach, working in a relational way with children in their communities, homes and schools. The charity’s model and usual activities put children at the very centre - we believe that children are the community changers - our job is to invest in every area of their life, give them the encouragement they need and help them shine. 

We're helping those impacted the most by COVID 19

The current health crisis has hit all families hard, but none more so than those already affected by long term unemployment and in-work poverty and detrimental changes to the welfare system this last decade - sadly we're heading for a fresh child poverty crisis with rates rising and deepening. Inner South Leeds has the 9th highest rate of child poverty in any county (YEP 7th March). This project goes to support the communities of Leeds that are experiencing the very worst impact of the pandemic.

What will this project do?

Our safeguarding team are working alongside schools and agencies as usual supporting over 50 families (100 children) during this crisis. Our team are calling as many families (+1000) as we can, signposting families for support and for food boxes. We're posting out colouring / information sheets with useful links and we're putting Kidz Klub sessions, advice, craft and other activities on our You Tube channel - which since launch in March has over 500 new unique views. We're delivering "Thrive" packs that include play, craft and toys for those which we know just don't have at home and can't afford to buy.  We've also created a website solidarity photo wall so children and families can see that they are not alone and an information page for families.  

What will donations pay for? 

The money raised from this Crowdfund will help to fund our safeguarding team to support 50 families for six weeks, allow us to run our new website and develop our You Tube channel, help us post out activity sheets and to keep in contact with over 1000 + children, and help us fund our staff who are delivering our "Thrive" packs and food parcels. 

Current findings from our Community Key Workers 

• One thrive pack visit resulted in a referral for a food parcel. They also asked for medicine. I am so pleased you came, we really need food...
• Spoke to someone about getting outside and doing exercise to help their mental health.
• Managed to take 2 refurbished laptops out to families. One family particularly chuffed with it. 
• Took some fresh food we had received round to one family. Called Dad to tell him the food had arrived. He was very grateful. 7 people in the home and on a low income.
• Family with no money for internet. Took some food round for them. 
• Children haven’t been given much work to do from school. Mainly watching TV. I pointed them to the Kidz Klub YouTube channel said there were loads of ideas of fun things to do on there. 
• One of our families has moved out of area - fleeing domestic violence. They called asking for us to help them find where their new food bank was and where the library was for internet. They said, "Thanks so much for calling, it really does mean a lot, we know you're always there".
• Girl bored at home. I asked if she had received a Kidz Klub colouring in sheet. She has but doesn't have any colouring pens. I said I’d send her some which I did.

Thank you

We thank you for supporting this project and helping us support the most marginalised children and their families living in inner-city Leeds at this time. We are delighted to be part of the city's multi-agency approach #LocalLegend #TogetherLeeds 

This project successfully funded on 22nd July 2020