Overdue: 107 days
Public benefits
A. The benefits which flow from this are children and young people from the community are encouraged and developed in a safe environment, through which positive life skills are gained and diversion from unsocial activities is created. The benefits are evidenced by the numbers attending the Toddlers, After Schools Club and Friday Engage Club which
are supported and witnessed by Lisburn Neighbourhood Police Team and the PCSP. Staff and Volunteers are required to undertake training to ensure best practice is applied in the delivery of programmes. No fees are charged for attendance at the Toddlers Group or any of the Youth Activities. Carers pay £1 for tea and coffee and the young people pay for items purchased from the tuck shop. B. The benefits which flow for the beneficiaries of this purpose are improved financial and social circumstances. This is achieved by providing help to complete application forms for Disability Living Allowance, Employment Support Allowance, and Job Seekers Allowance together with the preparation of letters to resolve housing and other social benefits. Frequently the benefit provided is critical to the well-being of those who seek advice. Also emergency food parcels and furniture is provided to individuals in crisis situations which clearly alleviates distress and difficulty for the beneficiaries. The benefits are evidenced by the increased number of persons from the community who request appointments and the continuation of people to request repeat appointments for new issues. A number of clients have described the help they receive as lifesaving. Staff and Volunteers are required to undertake continuous professional development to ensure best practice is applied. The Advice Service is linked to Advice NI and supports the public benefit delivered by Advice NI. The Trustees are confident the risk of any harm befalling the beneficiaries is mitigated through using professional staff and adhering to good practice. No fees are payable by members of the community for the services provided. C. The benefits which flow from this are reduced social isolation coupled with improved health for the beneficiaries who tend to be the most vulnerable members of the community (mostly elderly). A key benefit which flows from the Befriending Service is that it may enable the beneficiary to continue to live independently thereby delaying or eliminating the need to be placed in a Residential or Nursing Home. Referrals for this service are received from Safe & Well and other local organisations The benefits are evidenced by requests from those befriended to continue providing the service at the annual reviews and comments from family members. All Befrienders are Volunteers and training is provided to ensure good practice and the safety of the Client and the Volunteer. No fees are payable by the Elderly Person or their Family for Befriending. An admission charge of £3 is payable for entry to a monthly Tea Dance primarily for those over age 55. The persons attending this activity are different from those befriended. D. Damask Community Outreach is a Christian faith based organisation, working in partnership, with Seymour Street Methodist Church and within the ethos of the Methodist Church in Ireland. Damask Community Outreach activities are open to all in the community and invitations, posters, leaflet distribution and local press notices indicate this. The benefits which flow from all Damask Activities are evidenced by the wide range of organisations with whom Damask are linked and who provide referrals. There are no private benefits arising from the purposes that are more than incidental to the purposes.
... [more] [less]What your organisation does
Damask provide activities for our beneficiaries as follows:- Advice Services including Tax, Tax Credits, Disability Living Claims, Benefits Checks and Counselling. Toddlers and carers group providing fun, fellowship and prevention of isolation for many of those attending. Tea Dances providing fun, fellowship and prevention of isolation for over
55s After School Drop In including home work club. Engage Youth Club Anger Management Courses in the local Integrated College Befriending Service providing support and assistance for over 70s Collection and distribution of food and household items for those in need including referrals from other local charities.
... [more] [less]The charity’s classifications
- The prevention or relief of poverty
- The advancement of education
- The advancement of citizenship or community development
- The relief of those in need by reason of youth, age, ill-health, disability, financial hardship or other disadvantage
Who the charity helps
- Children (5-13 year olds)
- Community safety/crime prevention
- General public
- Older people
- Parents
- Preschool (0-5 year olds)
- Unemployed/low income
- Voluntary and community sector
- Volunteers
- Youth (14-25 year olds)
How the charity works
- Advice/advocacy/information
- Counselling/support
- Education/training
- Playgroup/after schools
- Relief of poverty
- Sport/recreation
- Volunteer development
- Youth development
