Sovereign supporting inclusive communities through partnership with youth group

Members of Oxfordshire’s DAMASCUS Youth Project have hosted a community event in Sutton Courtenay, as part of the group’s efforts to bring different generations together and improve wellbeing.

Thanks to funding from Sovereign Housing Association, members of the Youth Project hosted a community ‘tea party’ earlier this month with live music, bingo, and food. The event, organised by members aged between 11 and 15, builds on the success of other DAMASCUS projects. Intergenerational in nature, they are designed to bring people of all ages together to support vibrant, cohesive communities.

Previous DAMASCUS initiatives include ‘Doorstep Bingo’. This was introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic as a way for people to come together during a period of uncertainty and improve wellbeing.

Sovereign is providing additional funding to the Youth Project, which will support the group to host more activities in the future.

Rita Atkinson MBE, Trustee for DAMASCUS, said: “Building positive intergenerational bridges is vital for a cohesive community, which in turn provides a sustainable support for young people. It also reduces isolation and loneliness in the elderly members of our community.”  

Jenny Bowley, Sovereign’s Community Development Officer, added: “Events such as this bring people of all ages together in a way which is fun - and in doing so, they help to create thriving and inclusive communities. This is fundamental to making our homes great places to live, which is why we are delighted to continue our partnership with DAMASCUS. “

To find out more about DAMASCUS’ work, please visit: https://ycat.org.uk/

For more information on how Sovereign is creating thriving communities, please visit: www.sovereign.org.uk/thriving-communities