CARIS Christmas Parties

CARIS AGM

CARIS Haringey’s 2009 AGM & social

On: Thursday 10^th December at 7:00 pm

At: St Ann’s Church,

Avenue Road, Tottenham N15 5JH

Nearest rail & tube station: Seven Sisters:  Bus: 67, 41, 341, 259, 279

Come & socialise over pre-Christmas drink & refreshments, & experience:

A multi-media presentation about CARIS Haringey’s work

A musical performance by Lennie Ifield (Musician and sessional worker for CARIS) using a range of traditional instruments from the Middle East, from Africa and Brazil

(Official 2009 AGM Agenda overleaf)

AGM Agenda:

1.  Apologies for absence

2.  Minutes of last AGM

3.  Presentation CARIS accounts 2008-9 (Treasurer)

4.   Appointment of Auditor

The Board recommend: Michael Jellicoe, Registered Auditor and Chartered Accountant be reappointed as CARIS auditor

5.  Election of Trustees

6.  Any other business

The Trustees Board has not received any submission of motions or to the business to be discussed at this meeting; there is no other approved business.

CARIS needs your help!

As you all know, apart from the services we provide to homeless and families living in temporary accommodation, CARIS also supports families who have ‘no recourse to public funds’ and the families who are having temporary financial difficulties. This is done by providing weekly food parcels and toiletries. Many of the families we support are dependent on this weekly food supply.

We are running very low on our reserves thus urgently need donations of dry food such as: pasta, rice, flour, cereal, tinned food (no meet please), tinned fish, tea, sugar, soaps, shampoo and toothpaste etc

Please share this with your contacts, schools (harvest donations), churches, private business, companies etc

Don’t hesitate to contact me if further information is needed 02088005300

Summer 2009

CARIS Summer Playscheme 2009

20th July – 6th August

If you are living in temporary accommodation, and have children who you care for at home, we have a fun summer scheme packed with activities.

THREE WEEK PLAYSCHEME

Registration

Monday 20th July 2009 at 12pm

Parents & Child/ren 0-14yrs welcome!

Activities include: Music, Art, Photography, Modern dance, messy play and more play opportunities, two trips to the seaside

Please bring packed lunch.

Venue: St Ann’s Community Hall, Avenue Road, N15 5JH

Tube station: Seven Sisters & Turnpike Lane

Buses: 67, 41, 341, 270, 259,

Phone 0208 8005300 or visit www.carisharingey.org.uk for more information

CARIS Workshops 10th and 17th of June

Workshops with Paediatric Nurse, Health Visitor and Speech and Language Therapist

Discussions about children’s health, their development,  immunisation and  health services.  Information on children’s speech and language development, how to help your child, answers to your questions or concerns.

See leaflet for further information.

CARIS Workshops

CARIS NEWS

CARIS featured on “Secret Millionaire” has drawn not only media attention (Haringey Independent, Hornsey Journal)  but also attention from well wishers, donors, and offers of help with our work -supporting homeless families living in temporary accommodation. We have had high increase in phone calls  for housing advice and assistance requests.

CARIS has been nominated as a chosen charity by Hornsey YMCA 10K and Childrens Fun Run.  CARIS team will take part in this event providing art workshop, story telling, music and drumming.

If you wish to participate entry forms for the race are available here.

CARIS featured in Channel 4 “Secret Millionaire”

CARIS HARINGEY

& SOMERFORD GROVE ADVENTURE PLAYGROUND

FEATURED IN CHANNEL 4’S ‘THE SECRET MILLIONAIRE’

The documentary series with a social conscience highlights the positive difference community groups can make in deprived areas where homelessness can be rife, and aims to explore some of the challenges facing a cross section of diverse communities in Great Britain today. The programme follows a ‘volunteer’ as he spends some time with the community organisations in Haringey, to gain an insight into the work that they do to alleviate the effects of poverty in their local area.

In the first of the new series, Kevin Morley, the former MD of Rover, looks for work as a volunteer among community projects in Haringey, North London. The programme follows Kevin as he spends time with the community organisations in Haringey, to gain an insight into the work that they do to alleviate the effects of poverty in their local area.

Kevin spent several days at the Adventure Playground where he assisted with activities and spent time with young people attending the playground. At CARIS Kevin went on outreach visits with the Mobile Toy Library run to families living temporary accommodation with Indira Kartallozi- Senior Advice & Outreach Worker.

At the end of his stay, Kevin gives away nearly a quarter of a million pounds.

Nick Jackson, Director of Haringey Play Association and Gloria Saffrey , Director of CARIS Haringey said,

“We were approached by a TV company who told us that they were making a documentary about the positive difference that community groups make in areas of deprivation. We were happy to have them film our work as we know that our organisations are providing quality services that are desperately needed and highly valued by local parents, children, young people and the community. We were astounded and stunned when we were eventually told the truth about our ‘volunteer’.”

Secret Millionaire Kevin Morley said,

”I had no idea families lived in these conditions and the daily challenges they face”.

The programme was shown on Sunday 22^nd March on Channel 4 at 9.00pm

www.carisharingey.org.uk

www.haringey-play.org.uk

CARIS Visit to Earlham Primary School

CARIS was invited by the Earlham Primary School Interim Deputy Head Mary Conelly, to provide a workshop to parents on the topic of housing and homelessness, housing options, new strategy and imminent changes in LB of Haringey Housing Services.

The workshop was very useful for parents some of whom have been affected by long term stay in temporary  accommodation. Other issues discussed were property disrepair, infestation and overcrowding. The parents talked about the negative effects of homelessness  on their children’s abilities to learn and develop.

CARIS has been requested to provide further workshop by other schools on the topic of homelessness and the negative effects on families and children.

For more information regarding our services, the workshop or contents of the blog please contact Indira Kartallozi Senior Advice Worker on 02088005300.

New at CARIS: Music Sessions

These  sessions will run during the drop in every Wednesday between 10-12 for 5 weeks starting 25 February 2009-06 April 2009

If  you wish more information please contact office on 02088005300

CARIS Services

CARIS Haringey

CARIS Haringey

(Christian Action and Response in Society)

“People who are homeless are not social inadequate. They are people without homes.” (Sheila McKechnie)

People loose their homes or become homeless for many different reasons e.g. unemployment, low wages, divorce, domestic abuse, mental illness, redundancy and   financial problems. When approaching local authority for housing assistance these families are not fully aware of the procedure, are unsure of the options available and often have to wait for the local authority to make a decision on their homelessness application which can be a long process and can cause stress and instability in the family life. In Haringey there is a shortage of social housing. Families deemed “priority need” been placed in long-term Private Sector Leased for 3-8 years.

CARIS Haringey is a registered charity that works with and on behalf of some of London’s poorest and most deprived people – homeless families living in temporary accommodation. We operate right across the London Borough of Haringey, a Borough that has more than 5,000 households which are officially registered as homeless.

CARIS Haringey has been providing a holistic range of services for families in temporary accommodation since 1990. We are the only organisation in the London Borough of Haringey that exists solely to work with and for homeless families. Our services are open to everyone in temporary accommodation in Haringey Borough. We are accredited with CLS Quality Kite Mark for general help with casework (housing, education, women, employment, debt, welfare right, education, Refugee & Asylum Seekers) and with OISC level 1 -immigration. These accreditations mean we can be a ‘one stop shop’ for families.

“Homelessness for me was not just about having no place to live. It was about loosing my independence and purpose in life, being isolated, humiliated and ignored.” (CARIS client)

We can be a ‘one stop shop’ for families who would otherwise have to attempt the daunting task of securing support; by offering advice on their legal rights offering a place where families can turn up to socialise, enjoy various activities with their children and for events such as our weekly drop-in or summer play scheme.

During this time families may experience problems with overcrowding, disrepair and conditions such as damp, condensation, electrical faults, damages to interior or the exterior building structure, infestations e.g. cockroaches and bed bugs, mice and rats etc. For some families CARIS Advice Workers is the only life line to deal with resolving disputes with landlords.

“…I was being truly listened to with a sympathetic ear and there was warmth in the reception I was given and I felt relaxed to unburden myself.” (CARIS client)

CARIS continues to raise awareness of the effects of homelessness and poor housing to families. Our efforts to improve communication with the local authority have proved positive CARIS is part of Haringey Homeless Steering Group. This group has been set up to review and produce Haringey’s new Homelessness Strategy 2008-2011 that is fit for purpose and addresses local and national priorities. CARIS is committed to partnership working so that we continue to “make a difference” for the vulnerable families and their children in our society and ensure temporary accommodation is more than a “just a roof”.

Indira Kartallozi

Senior Advice & Outreach Worker