Tower Hamlets Projects – Black Caribbean Engagement

Engaging Our Community in response to Covid-19.

The Newham African Caribbean Resource Centre (NACRC), working in collaboration with Rights & Equalities in Newham (REIN) and African Youth Organisation (AYO) was commissioned by Tower Hamlets Public Health in October 2021 to engage with the Black Caribbean community in Tower Hamlets..

With over 35 years experience of engaging with the African Caribbean community, the health and wellbeing of our people has been of paramount importance to us.
We believe that our health, which is our human right, is our wealth and we need to protect it.
To this end, following the onset of the pandemic, several of our people lost their loved ones, businesses and source of income, while some are still hospitalised due to covid-19 or suffering from the effect of it emotionally, mentally and otherwise. In addition, health and socio-economic inequalities and deprivation plaguing our community may have also placed us at high risk of infection. 
Unfortunately, many more of our people are still contracting the covid-19 at an alarming rate; perhaps, due in part to information disseminated on social media, cultural or religious beliefs or simply mistrust in the efficacy of the vaccine. 
Considering the prevailing situation, during the month of October this year, we organised a series of events to celebrate our rich cultural heritage as well as acknowledge the contribution that the black Caribbean community has made to the world.  The event provided us the opportunity to articulate our Project aims to our community at an opportune time, which took into consideration the covid-19 pandemic with speakers drawn from across various health professionals, academics, faith and community leaders.
To engage positively with the Black Caribbean community in Tower Hamlets, we have adequately completed a mapping exercise that will give us an indication of where the black Caribbean reside, work, study, socialise and do their business in and around Tower Hamlets.
Our ongoing direct outreach engagement, informed by the mapping exercise, will enable us to provide the community with current up to date, relevant and factual information from LBTH Public Health.

Additionally, our experienced Outreach Workers drawn from different professional backgrounds will during their engagement provide support, including peer to peer support, signposting to relevant health services and conducting a survey to gain insight into the underlying cause of the prevailing trend.

The engagement will be targeted at individuals, organisations, Schools & Colleges, social groups, community groups, faith leaders and community leaders, etc. both within and outside the Borough of Tower Hamlets.
It is our hope that the outcome of the campaign will improve the overall health of our people and the insights gained will enable the relevant agencies in Tower Hamlets to inform their future policy decisions in engaging with the Black Caribbean community.
Attached is our survey, please download, complete, and email to david@nacresourcecentre.org
Your contact information will be kept strictly confidential.

Aims & Objectives of the Black Caribbean Covid-19 Vaccine Hesitancy & Uptake Awareness Campaign.

In response to the global Covid-19 pandemic key measures have been in place to control the death rate, reduce the spread and protect people from the virus. This has included extensive testing through the national NHS test and trace programme and more recently the national vaccination programme.

Evidence shows that the Black, Asian, Ethnic Minority community has been adversely affected by Covid-19, experiencing significantly higher death rates than the general population.

Uptake of vaccination and Covid-19 testing are two vital measures which contribute to reducing the spread of the virus including recently detected variants of concern (VOCs). This is in addition to hands, face and space and self-isolation guidance when indicated. Evidence is also emerging that the vaccination is effective against identified variants of concern.

In response to this, The London Borough of Tower Hamlets has commissioned The Newham African Caribbean Resource Centre, an experienced community organisation, working in collaboration with Rights & Equalities in Newham and African Youth Organisation, to deliver a programme of community outreach, engagement and support that ensures Black Caribbean community members living, learning and working in Tower Hamlets are fully engaged in the prevention of Covid-19, including but not exclusively its NHS vaccination programme, NHS Test and Trace and Covid-19 prevention and protection messages and future national campaigns.

The commission is needed to ensure that the Black Caribbean community in Tower Hamlets are actively communicated to clearly and are enabled to fully engage in Covid-19 prevention and protection programmes, receive accurate and timely information and are supported to access services to enable them to live safe and healthy lives in Tower Hamlets.

Campaign Summary

• The overall requirement of this programme is to engage, communicate and support the Black Caribbean population of Tower Hamlets in a coordinated culturally sensitive and competent manner, to enable and increase the protection and prevention of Covid-19 and the uptake of NHS vaccination programmes and NHS Test and Trace.

Scope of the Campaign:

• Black History Month Celebration:  As part of the coordinated approach to reaching the black Caribbean population in Tower Hamlets, we organised 3 events to commemorate and celebrate our rich cultural heritage during Black History Month in October / November 2021. The events were geared towards enabling the black Caribbean population living, working or studying in Tower Hamlets to make informed decision about covid-19 vaccine uptake through a series of community conversations lead by Health professionals, scientists, religious leaders, academics and community influencers.

• Desktop Mapping to identify businesses and social groups and organisations within Tower Hamlets to inform targeted outreach into the Black Caribbean population.

• Outreach: Conduct proactive and innovative outreach including face to face (within PPE guidelines),
  • To key places Black Caribbean community meet frequently, such as visiting residential and business establishments such as but not limited to food outlets, barbers, hairdressers, markets, social clubs, independent churches and events.
  • to engage and provide information,
  • to provide information and support to residents to enable adherence to Covid-19 guidance including vaccinations and NHS Test and Trace guidance and communications relating to national and local Covid response plans.
  • Utilise geographical data provided by the commissioners to conduct targeted residential outreach within the Black Caribbean populations.
  • Conduct targeted outreach to the 50 years and under target population

Did you know that? – Download our COVID-19 factsheet here

COVID-19 survey – Download it here

COVID-19 questionnaire responses – Download it here

Data Analysis – LBTH Vaccination Hesitancy Community engagement & outreach project survey 1b