celebrating 120 years of changing lives

1-5 Rushworth Street London SE1 0RB

Tel: 020 7928 9521 Fax: 020 7620 1409

Blackfriars Settlement Mission Statement

•To add our expertise, encouragement and support to the efforts and achievements of local people and create opportunities for them to reach their educational, social and economic potential.

•To unite the contributions of local volunteers and community partners to achieve shared objectives.

•To encourage funds into our community to deliver and support quality services for people of all ages.

The Blackfriars Settlement was incorporated as the Women’s University Settlement on 22nd March 1887and changed its name to Blackfriars Settlement by special resolution on 16th June 1961. The charity was established to:

“Promote the welfare of individual persons, families and communities in London and elsewhere by all practicable means by the provision and maintenance of a residential or other centre or centres in Southwark or elsewhere and the fostering of community activities.”

And “to promote and carry out research into social problems

The Blackfriars Settlement was incorporated as the Women’s University Settlement on 22nd March 1887and changed its name to Blackfriars Settlement by special resolution on 16th June 1961. The charity was established to:

“Promote the welfare of individual persons, families and communities in London and elsewhere by all practicable means by the provision and maintenance of a residential or other centre or centres in Southwark or elsewhere and the fostering of community activities.”

The organisation works with local people in North Southwark and North Lambeth particularly those who are disadvantaged. Our local neighbourhood is Bishops ward in Lambeth, Cathedrals and Chaucer wards in Southwark. Our charity works to enable the local community to fulfil their economic and social potential and to overcome the effect of any disadvantage. Our neighbourhood is used as a reference area to determine needs but people outside of this area can, and do, access our services.

The Settlement has developed a deep understanding and perspective around challenges, issues and needs in our community (both locally and regionally) and for those individuals who are most vulnerable and isolated and affected by these challenges.

We continue to operate as a collaborative, multi-purpose organisation because we believe this approach enables us to address individual needs in a holistic and inclusive way. People can come to the organisation to access a particular service and subsequently benefit from participating in other services and activities. This operating model provides added benefit through shared costs and governance.

Direct services are provided for older people, people with mental health problems, basic skills students, parents of very young children and for children and young people. A free legal advice clinic, access to affordable community space and outreach service support wider community needs. An average of 1700 individuals access our services annually.

We are committed to delivering services that meet the needs of individuals, promote independence and achievement of choice, especially to those who are isolated or lack opportunity and/or face barriers to progression. The individual services have produced business plans that demonstrate how, through reshaping services, they will support delivery of local needs in line with the Settlement objectives, values and target impacts.

Our expertise is in our current service delivery areas – Skills For Life and ICT training, play, sport and skills development for children and young people, community involvement and outreach for older people and personal and vocational development for people with mental health problems.

Our area is immensely diverse: multi-ethnic; poly-lingual; steeped in history; boasting a range of heritage and cultural attractions and; setting pockets of conspicuous affluence with pockets of identified deprivation; new communities alongside long-standing communities. In many ways, social polarisation intensifies the feelings of social exclusion experienced by those people with least and makes the contrast particularly marked.

Our centre is well served by public transport but is equally accessible by foot. This community presence and easy access is important in reaching our members, providing space and capacity for partners and other community organisations to work with us and facilitates outreach in order to include the most vulnerable, isolated and hard to reach members.

  1. The Blackfriars Learning and Development Service runs classes to address language barriers through accredited ESOL classes. Learning and Development also deliver childcare courses, CV writing, Interview Skills and ICT courses.
  1. The Children & Young People’s services work with over 400 young people aged from 0-25yrs who are developed through provision of play, social activities, sport, training, educational and volunteering opportunities. A Children and Young People’s Committee exists to enable all members of our groups to have a voice in determining activity, programmes and priorities for the service.
  1. Our Older Peoples’ Service improves the lives of over 350 marginalised older people through weekly activities with lunch included on some days, a befriending project, outreach support services, an outreach activities project and development of groups around areas of interest. The activities focus on reducing social isolation and removing any barrier that age might pose to learning new skills or gaining new experiences.
  1. Our Mental Health & Wellbeing service addresses the issue of isolation, choices and employability for people with mental health problems by delivering and facilitating support groups. There are a range of activities available through the week including art classes, woodwork, DIY, ICT courses, graphic design courses, healthy cook and eat classes, reading group, action planning group and the Breakfast club.
  1. Art2Print is an established graphic design social enterprise . The enterprise was established in 2010 to deliver a structured training course in graphic design and provide employment opportunities for people with mental health problems. The social enterprise has a broad portfolio of commercial design including brochures, annual reports, Logo design, corporate branding, posters, leaflets and business stationery.
  1. Volunteeringunderpins Blackfriars Settlement Service Delivery. We are supported in our work by over 100 volunteers who have worked over 4,000 hours in different roles last year.

LIMITED COMPANY REGISTERED IN LONDON NO: 31105REGISTERED CHARITY NO. 210558