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Our Impact
Note: These impact statistics reflect data up to the end of 2024, based on our report completed in late 2024.
Figures continue to grow as our work progresses.
How we've helped
A new home for a friendship group
When I first came here it was with all my friends from another centre that shut down. We used to hang out, talk and watch telly, and it was a safe space for us.
Financial struggles during cancer treatment
I am a carer for my wife and was also working when I was diagnosed with cancer. Due to my diagnosis and necessary treatment I had to stop working. As a result my financial situation worsened significantly just in a few days.
From volunteering into paid employment
I have always been a person who thrives off helping others and being able to share my own skills with others. Through WDH Sandwell, I have been receiving support from the Kuumba team in developing my job ready skills and I now have a job!
Help with housing and health
I was in a tough spot. I’m living in a hotel, feeling really down and having health problems. My child has special needs, ADHD, and a learning disability.
Supporting mom with an under 1
Samerina had a 6-month-old baby who wasn’t sleeping. She was suffering with some mental health issues and was socially isolated and struggled to leave the house.
From overwhelmed to coping
I was anxious, depressed and overwhelmed by the pressures of family life. I felt like I had to carry everything on my own, and it left me exhausted, ashamed and unsure where to turn.
Rebuilding self-belief after bullying
Aisha was bullied and exploited by a friend (colleague at work) which caused her to lose confidence and lowered her trust in people “all round”.
Frank finds new friends
I’m Frank and I’m 90 years old. I find getting old really sad – one day you have a fulfilled life and gradually your world gets smaller and smaller, so do the people in it. So you feel unconfident, little tasks become big tasks. The things you used to do like read, take part in your hobbies become hard to do.
Skills support helping to fight depression
I found myself struggling to express my emotions while on maternity leave and I knew I needed to reach out for support to better my skills – I was experiencing depression and anxiety and I refused to let this control my life.
Still here today
I was in a desperate situation and was admitted to hospital after a suicide attempt. My mental health had deteriorated because of a series of major losses, family problems and past trauma, and I needed help to stay alive and understand what was happening in my mind.
Parenting through grief
I was struggling because someone very important in my child’s life had died, and I had so much grief and unfinished emotion tied up in that loss.
Volunteering as a Digital Champion
When I joined the project, I was unemployed, with an I.T. background with outdated qualifications. At the time I was feeling fine, but occasionally would feel lonely as well.
When Old Grief Resurfaced
I was re-experiencing grief from a loss many years ago and it was affecting me deeply. I was anxious, very low, and wanted to move forward and talk more openly about how I felt.
Claire’s story
Claire was a victim of domestic violence and as a result has suffered a life changing condition resulting in her no longer having the same capacity to take care of herself and her family in the way she used to. This has led to the children being removed from her care temporarily.
Support for lone-parent experiencing abuse
I’ve recently become a single parent and have been feeling stressed and under pressure being a lone-parent. It took courage to disclose my history of being a victim of domestic violence.
Getting involved in the community
I had not long been in the UK, finally coming over from Nigeria to join my wife. I didn’t really know anyone and was/am in the process of finding meaningful opportunities and friends to connect with.
My voice, my language
I was struggling with pressure at home, difficult family dynamics, and the emotional toll that was taking on me. I felt overwhelmed, anxious and alone, and I needed help to manage my emotions and speak more honestly about what I was going through.
From homelessness to stability
I was homeless and struggling with substance misuse when I approached European Welfare Association (EWA) services at YMCA. I was depressed and didn’t see the way out of the situation I found myself in. I needed a hot drink and some food, and I wanted to get off the streets and get to work.
Becoming a better me
I had built up a lot in my mind that I needed to talk about. I wanted to understand who I was, who I wanted to be, and how I could become a better version of myself.
From Depression to Hope and Direction
I was going through a serious bout of depression and bottling up how I was feeling. I felt depressed, anxious, worried and scared, and like my life was going nowhere.
A different way of thinking
I wanted to understand myself better and see whether there were things I had not fully recognised about the way I think and feel. The support gave me space to explore that honestly with someone who could challenge me in a helpful way.
Boosting motivation to improve mental health
I was doubting myself as I found myself lacking motivation to do my daily routine that I had been doing for years. Even tasks I had been doing my whole life like cooking.
Grief on my hardest days
When I first came for support, I was struggling deeply after the sudden loss of a close family member, alongside other major bereavements in my family. I felt like my life was pointless and I needed someone to talk to who would not judge me.
Getting active to boost wellbeing
I joined the WDH Sandwell service to socialise, be active, make new friends, and gain more independence. Break thru has helped me to become more active without having to go to the Gym, and I have learnt fitness techniques I can do at home.
Facing eviction as a single parent
I was served a Section 21 eviction notice and was I was feeling very stressed and found it hard to have a positive outlook on my situation. I am a single parent to a child with additional needs
Living after loss and looking forward
Losing my wife, of 65 years, done me in. I felt very low, and struggled with depression and knew that I needed to be around people. I’d stopped going out, even to get my shopping.
New friends for mom with sight loss
I have no vision at all, so I was very isolated and I was feeling low and down. I’m a single mom with 6 children, so doing something for myself was important to me.
Coping with the loss of a loved one
Following devastating news of my partner’s death, I think I was at the brink of a complete mental breakdown. I didn’t know where to turn for help; I didn’t know what to tell my kids; how to cope with everything myself.
Changing unhealthy drinking habits
I have mild learning difficulties and issues with my leg following an accident 20+ years ago. I was drinking every single day. I really wanted to cut down and even consider stopping for good. I don’t want to be someone who is defined by my disabilities and difficulties.
Learning to Live with Loss
I was grieving the loss of five people all at once. It felt like a dagger and I knew it wasn’t right. I was crying a lot and felt really depressed. I was experiencing a lot of sadness and would weep a lot.
Ukraine to UK – how volunteering helped
I had been removed to the UK from Ukraine because of the war. I felt confused and joined the Volunteering Plus project to gain experience and help me to get a job.
Battling cancer and domestic abuse
I am a single parent who is undergoing treatment for cancer. After my diagnosis, I began facing domestic abuse which led to them leaving the family home.
Help with ill-health and time off work
I’ve suffered with anaemia for 20 years, but in April 2022, I was taken off my iron supplements by my GP as recent blood tests had come back with more positive results. When I came off the supplements, things began to change.
From panic to peace
I was experiencing extreme panic attacks, especially at night, and my anxiety was getting too much for me. I felt anxious all the time and had no real sense of peace, even in my sleep.
Moving on after divorce
After separating from his second wife, Paul was experiencing severe anxiety and depression and was having suicidal thoughts.
Emma’s* story
Emma* was referred to the PAGE project for ‘Independent Advocacy Support’. They believed it would be beneficial for her as it would be someone that she could build a trusting relationship with and would support her with meetings and Court Hearing’s.
Volunteer experience builds young persons confidence
I am doing work experience for a school. When I joined Volunteering Plus, I was scared and anxious. I wanted to try working with older people and to gain experience and learn new skills but I needed extra support and reminders because of my autism to help direct me.
Finding Relief from Stress and Anxiety
I had been struggling with stress and anxiety for years, but in recent months it had started to have a massive impact on me.
Tackling anxiety and alcohol concerns
I was in a dark place. I felt alone and like I barely had anyone to talk to. I generally feel okay a lot of the time, but when I get really down and lonely, I start to drink.
Finally Being Heard
I had spent years trying to get the right help and was often told I needed to go elsewhere first. By the time I reached this service, I was feeling suicidal, overwhelmed and close to breaking down, but I knew I needed face-to-face support and the chance to really talk.
Getting back on track
My life was awful. I was severely depressed, drinking heavily, and felt like everything I had worked for had fallen apart. I wanted peace of mind, freedom from anxiety, and some sense of my old life back.
A work in progress
I was suffering so badly with anxiety that I could barely leave the house. My head felt chaotic, noisy and exhausting, and I could feel myself slipping back towards a very dark place.
Breaking free from Domestic Violence and Abuse
Michelle felt totally stuck in a relationship with someone who was controlling her.
Finding Myself Again
I had split up with my husband, fallen out with family members, and felt like I was losing myself. I was overthinking constantly, very emotional, and struggling to cope.
Lifestyle changes improving health and wellness
Since leaving work, I had put on four stone, yet I generally considered my health and fitness okay, although I did have a pacemaker following heart complications as well as osteoarthritis.
Finding hope again
I was dealing with loss, grief, health problems and stress, and I had started to lose hope. I felt trapped, misunderstood and exhausted, and I needed someone who would listen without judgement.
Finding Peace with the Past
I had lost my mom and was carrying a lot of grief, anger and past trauma at the same time. There had been difficult things in my family that were never really talked about, and my mom’s death brought so much of that back to the surface.
Community centre supporting relocated family
I am 45 years old, a single mother of three beautiful children. Life has not been easy for us, especially with my limited English skills. I remember the first few months in this new country. My children were trying to adjust to their new schools while I juggled multiple cleaning jobs to make ends meet.
Taking Grief One Step at a Time
I lost my partner and really struggled. I felt sad, lost and lonely, and I needed help to make sense of my grief and learn how to cope with it.
Finding my voice again
I had really bad anxiety and depression, and because of my selective mutism I found it especially hard to be around people or speak in busy situations.
Paul’s story
Paul received support from our Independent Advocate as he navigated ongoing care proceedings to see if his daughter could be safely returned to his care.
Former NHS Worker volunteers in local charity
Pre COVID I worked in HR in the NHS, and after COVID I worked within the physio department, beginning to move into and support more in the clinical care side of things.
Community connection through creative crafting
Before I came to Ileys Community Association I felt overwhelmed, lonely, and disconnected from my surroundings. I needed to get out of the house
Finding strength for my family
I felt completely isolated and like everything was on my shoulders. I was struggling with depression, low motivation, poor sleep, and the pressure of trying to hold things together for my children without a reliable support network around me.
Supporting me to support my family
A close family member was receiving support for their mental health, and we were struggling at home. I was feeling depressed, lonely, overwhelmed and lost, and I knew I needed support too.
Putting ESOL learning into practice
I’m from Bangladesh. I studied English in my own country, but it was very different from here, so my confidence dropped, and I got extremely nervous.
Weekly walks providing benefits
Prior to coming on the wellbeing walks I was feeling lonely as I had lost my husband only recently. I didn’t have people to speak to.
Volunteering to build skills
I love helping the elderly, and its in line with my career choice as I want to be a Mental Health Nurse. I was nervous when I joined, because it was my first time working with people I didn’t know.
Caring for myself while caring for others
I was already carrying ongoing mental health struggles when someone close to me became very unwell. I felt isolated, torn and emotionally exhausted, and I needed somewhere safe to explore how I was feeling.
Ukrainian mom re-builds emotional strength
I am a Ukrainian war victim. I left my home country to save the lives of my three children and immigrated to the United Kingdom under the Homes for Ukraine scheme. I was terrified, worried, and lonely without family or friends.
Hands-on activities boost confidence
It was really quiet having left college and not going to school, I felt like I didn’t have anywhere to be. I helped my mom, but I wanted to do my own thing too.
Letting go of guilt
I needed to understand more about what had been going on with me and get better tools for dealing with my anxiety. I was carrying both past trauma and current pressures, and I needed a space where I could speak honestly about both.
Recovering from physical and emotional trauma
I have had great support from Ideal for All. I was not under no pressure to do anything. I have choices I can make now and decide for myself. People are coming back into my life.
Forging friendships through fitness
When we first met, I was unhealthy physically and nutritionally. I was experiencing low self-esteem and felt isolated. My mood was low, and I felt lethargic and unhealthy.
Finding Hope Again
I was isolated, lonely and struggling badly with my mental health. I had reached a point where I didn’t want to be here anymore and knew I needed help.
Feeling freer again
I wasn’t eating properly, I wasn’t coping, I was shouting at people, and I wasn’t looking after myself. I was withdrawn, lonely and depressed, and I had no one I could talk to about what I was going through.
Small steps to soothing social anxiety
Before counselling, I was really anxious in public, struggled with crowds, and found it hard to imagine getting back into work. I wanted to feel more comfortable around people and build my confidence.
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