KITES - WHEN YOU ARE YOUR OWN VOICE

Kites is an innovative project. It serves as the space where both immigrants and project volunteers meet to prevent occurrence of the health and socio-economic problems within the migrant population in Northumberland, resulting from loneliness, low mood and social isolation.

Kites is aimed at creating a safe and inclusive space for people from various ethnic backgrounds and at risk of social isolation to make new friends, promote cultural exchange, discuss issues relevant to their socio-economic status, well-being, integration and record their views and experiences of health and social care services in Northumberland. 

We work towards to promote cultural bridging by inviting local support organisations to deliver workshops and promote their services through this project. The sessions are hosted twice a month in Ashington and Blyth at different times of the day and week to assure the full inclusion and accessibility of the asylum seeking and refugee families settled in the above areas and the neighbourhood areas such as Bedlington and Cramlington.

The sessions are based purely on the HCD - Human centred design model where the focus is on people participating in the activity.  We have a full belief that through Kites we can promote an active inclusion of disadvantaged people who are furthest from having their say in the community. We want to assure that their voice is their authentic self speaking. They feel safe and supported to express their views around the health and social care services. It will help us to remove barriers to work in a holistic and integrated way, including through supporting early action, outreach activities and access to local services.