Compass Support, the charitable subsidiary of The Pioneer Group has secured £75,000 from the HS2 Community and Environment Fund to support more families across the Castle Vale estate through a family coaching provision called On Track Family Support.

The HS2 Community and Environment Fund supports local communities that are demonstrably disrupted by the construction of Phase One of the brand new high speed railways which is being built between London and the West Midlands. The Fund is administered by community charity, Groundwork UK.

The £75,000 will enable family coaches to support 80 families, particularly those with multiple and complex needs, over a period of 18 months.

Families will receive up to six months of coaching, at home or at The Sanctuary, in Castle Vale, via a team of family coaches who:

• work with families to help them through their areas of need and prevent social exclusion
• enable families to create bespoke solutions through wider wrap-around provision
• intervene early in order to prevent issues from escalating into a crisis

The coaches maximise a family’s opportunities by building resilience, developing practical life and parenting skills, enabling families to respond to issues affecting them on a day-to-day basis. Typical support includes emotional wellbeing, seeking employment and community cohesion.

As part of the project, the Compass Support team is looking to identify fifteen parent champions from the local community. These are volunteers who would like to get involved in organising activities to benefit their community, such as fun days and trips. They will also spread the word to help the project reach out to families in the local area who might benefit from the family coaching service.

Currently, several families are benefiting from the coaching, including those where parents have mental health issues. The coaching team looks to improve the family dynamic, communications with other agencies and schools, and ultimately improve the life chances of any children.

As part of the initiative, partnerships are vital, and Compass Support has strong links to schools, social and medical services, who are encouraged to refer families for support. Self-referral is also possible.

Shamsa Mughal, Support Services Team Leader at Compass Support commented:

We’re very excited about this opportunity to help more families, create parent champions, and empower families in Castle Vale to improve their lives and our community. It’s rewarding to see our families grow in confidence and embrace the opportunity to help other families that may be facing similar struggles.

“We expect the outcomes of the support to be a stronger more resilient community, where families develop healthy coping strategies and improve opportunities for their children.

Independent Chair of The Community and Environment Fund (CEF) and Business and Local Economy Fund (BLEF), Cathy Elliott, said:

I’m delighted that that Compass Support have received funding for the On Track Family Support project that will go a long way in helping families in Castle Vale. The HS2 Community and Environment Fund is available to support local communities that are demonstrably disrupted by the construction of HS2 and I encourage other organisations near to the line of route to apply and benefit from funding.

This is the second project funded by HS2 in Castle Vale. The first one was Upcycle, a furniture recycling business.

To find out more, please contact Compass Support on 0121 748 0892