COVID-19 RESPONSE
Project Manager Mark Wood and resident Corban discuss life during lockdown at Korban Project.
Thanks to Healthwatch Essex
This is a summary of the steps taken to ensure we were Covid-ready and compliant during the lockdown.
Colchester Korban Project is continuing to provide a much-needed service at this difficult time.
Korban is a supported housing project for vulnerable young homeless people aged 16-25. We provide 8 beds across 2 houses which are our residents’ homes. We also give them the support needed to help them move on to independent living. To close or withdraw this service at this time would be extremely detrimental to our residents' lives.
What services / activities are we providing during this period?
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As usual, our services are only available for our residents.
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We continue to offer 1-to-1 meetings, holding them outdoors or walking so as to avoid close face to face contact in a confined space.
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We have stopped our weekly communal meal, but instead will cook something for the residents (at the same time as the meal would be) inviting them to collect it one at a time or eating outside observing social distancing (2 metres apart).
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Weekly food donations (with changes below)
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Weekly gardening (with changes below)
How are we changing how we operate?
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We have a small staff team and we are limiting contact as much as possible to avoid risk of all staff being infected or in isolation at the same time!
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All team meetings are over the phone or video conferencing.
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We are having no external visitors at this time, except in an emergency.
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We have a large garden, so we are doing meetings outside (weather permitting) or walking and talking.
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We are offering weekly relaxation sessions (outside), for a maximum of 5 residents at a time, where chairs are put more than 2 metres apart.
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From next week our gardening sessions will be led by support staff, rather than the external gardener, and we will be offering additional gardening sessions so residents can engage 1-to-1
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Weekly food donations will be given out by staff to individual residents instead of allowing them all to come and look through and choose.
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We are encouraging sports activities which can be done outside, as an individual
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We are providing goodie bags with activities for the residents to keep them mentally active and engaged whilst in lockdown.
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Standard measures to increase cleaning and limit the spread of infection.
If you need to contact Korban at this time, please contact us via phone or email. DO NOT visit the Korban properties at this time.
We are responsive, adapting and managing the current situation. However, we have a small staff team so we are stretched and value your cooperation at this time.