By Misak Ohanian | CEO
Empowering Disadvantaged Armenians
CAIA’s advisory services are much more than about helping people gain access to their statutory and legal rights about immigration, entitlements, housing and employment.
CAIA also strives to address the inherent causes of the poverty and inequality people experience through social and cultural exclusion, language and digital barriers.
CAIA’s advisor provision is therefore the gateway for us to deliver a bespoke holistic service for the most disadvantaged, voiceless and marginalised to ensure their healthy personal development, and an opportunity to fulfil their potential by becoming more independent, productive and thriving in society.
2020 has been a very challenging year for everyone as a result of the world wide Covid 19 pandemic which has brought destitution to people of all walks of life, irrespective of status, age, gender, religion, ability and potential.
Not only many people have died, but ‘normal’ lives have been disrupted and dreams, plans and ambitions shattered.
For those who rely on CAIA’s services, Covid-19 has had a significantly negative effect as we had to adapt and change the ways we support people.
Much of our centre-based face to face programmes were delivered online or by phone between March to August 2020. At the same time we also delivered much needed food, ran a ‘befriending service’ calling people weekly, as well as providing practical support to isolated older people and carers. See Infographic via the following link:
The Pandemic has caused significant stress, loneliness and great sadness to our service users. This has resulted in a significant demand by those struggling to access health services , education, and other statutory services which are mainly online and are difficult to access as many experience language and digital barriers.
The mental well-being of our members was further impacted negatively in the past few months with the war against Armenians by Turkey and Azerbaijan which has resulted in many deaths, injuries, displaced people and the destruction of the local economy/environment and important cultural heritage sites.
Many of our service users in the UK lost friends/relatives and are traumatised. Many sent significant portions of their savings to support humanitarian efforts during this two-fold crisis, to survive the pandemic and make donation for humanitarian aid to Armenians which means they are now much poorer.
https://caia.org.uk/we-are-our-borders-all-for-artsakh-relief-fund/
Many have lost jobs or face the prospect of losing their jobs during the economic downturn as a result of the pandemic.
CAIA is helping them to recover by delivering English language classes to encourage their integration, empowering them with Job-finding skills.
https://caia.org.uk/free-training-in-job-search-skills-2/
The CAIA as a community/user led charity offers its service users with friendship and community to ensure that they do not feel hopeless in the face of the enormous challenge they and their families are facing for many years to come either in UK or in Armenia.
Follow CAIA’s work via social media
https://www.facebook.com/Hayashen
https://twitter.com/caia_hayashen
https://www.youtube.com/user/CAIAHayashen
https://www.instagram.com/CAIA_Hayashen/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/2706396/admin/
Links:
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