Building a resilient London

A call to action

Contents
> Building a resilient London: a call to action > Building resilient communities through schools and learning > Supporting older people in London > A safer London for all > Supporting those who seek a safe haven in London > A vision for volunteering 2 4 6 8 10 12

Building a resilient London

Building a resilient London: a call to action

Every day, the British Red Cross helps individuals and organisations to face crisis. Across London our network of 90 staff and 3,200 volunteers helps some of the most vulnerable Londoners in times of need. We provide many vital services to Londoners: from immediate assistance in a major incident and building more resilient communities through first aid education, to supporting new arrivals to the capital and helping people regain their confidence and independence after a stay in hospital. All our activities are guided by our fundamental principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity and universality. We work closely with the mayor of London, Greater London Authority (GLA), Londons emergency services and London boroughs to ensure we focus our response on people with the greatest humanitarian need. The challenges Londoners face are complex and growing. Economic conditions and their consequences are putting a strain on many people and their expectations of decision-makers. Yet despite these tough realities there is much to celebrate. London is a great place to live, work and visit. And, as host of the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games along with the Diamond Jubilee, the capital will be at the centre of the worlds attention. Before, during and after a crisis, the Red Cross will be there, working with Londoners preparing for emergencies, helping people in immediate need, and supporting them through their recovery. By better integrating our expertise with key agencies and decisionmakers, and partnering with statutory organisations, we can make Londons communities stronger. Based on our values, principles and experience, we call on Londons decision-makers to act and help us build a more resilient London.

Photos on page 3: www.photo-banks.com, Layton Thompson/BRC, Anthony Upton/BRC

We call on mayoral and GLA candidates to support:

> increased investment in preparedness for crises or emergency incidents in London to improve the ability of individuals, volunteers, communities and organisations to respond in their local area > equipping every London child with basic first aid skills through schools and education > the survey on extreme exclusion among asylum seekers, vulnerable migrants and refugees promised in the London Enriched Implementation Plan > the work of health and wellbeing boards in every London borough to better promote integration of health and social care services, and to recognise the potential contribution of the voluntary and community sector > best practice in employersupported volunteering by ensuring volunteering opportunities for GLA staff in line with the most pioneering workplaces.

Sir Nicholas Young Chief executive

Building a resilient London

Building resilient communities through schools and learning

> Half of the attendees at accident and emergency departments could have benefited from first aid education in their accidents.1 > Ninety-eight per cent of parents want first aid education to become part of the school curriculum and over 90 per cent of teachers support a focus on building resilience in the classroom. > In London we teach over 30,000 pupils first aid and humanitarian education each year.
Encouraging Londoners to learn how to make their community stronger cant start too early. There are basic skills and ways of looking at the world that everyone can learn to make their communities more resilient. Basic first aid skills and the confidence to act can make a huge difference to peoples chances of survival in an emergency. Immediate resuscitation CPR can double or even triple the chances of survival

after a heart attack. That is why we have been campaigning for first aid education to be a compulsory part of the school curriculum. Our humanitarian education materials help young people explore the world around them. We explain the complexities of providing humanitarian assistance in an interconnected world and encourage the participation of students as active local and global citizens. We explore crises arising from conflict, disasters, and pandemics, and also cover some of the challenges people who have faced such crises might experience in integrating into life in London. Our first aid and humanitarian education work reaches the most vulnerable in London. For example, we teach first aid to the homeless and drug users. We provide humanitarian education to young people who arrive in the UK as refugees and have first-hand experience of conflict. Many of these young people sign up as Red Cross volunteers to educate their peers about the costs of conflict. As the British Red Cross recognises the value of cross-sector partnerships, we work closely with the private sector. For example, Allen and Overy has worked with us to produce international humanitarian law resources for secondary schools and Brit Insurance has funded a pack for primary schools with key first aid messages.
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Photo: Jonathan Banks

We call on mayoral and GLA candidates to support:

> equipping every London child with basic first aid skills through schools and education > increasing the awareness and accessibility of first aid education across society, particularly the groups that are hardest to reach, as a vital life skill > highlighting the positive impact of diversity and Londons proud history of sanctuary and integration, using humanitarian education.

Our first aid and humanitarian education work reaches the most vulnerable in London

Life. Live it research project, 2006, British Red Cross

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Building a resilient London

Supporting older people in London

> In some London boroughs the average life expectancy is as much as 17 years less than in others.2 > Each year in London the British Red Cross helps 3,000 people over 60 live independently in their homes. > The British Red Cross also supports rapid response assisted discharge in Kings College Hospital, one of the four major trauma network hubs in London.
Although living in one of the wealthiest and most vibrant cities in the world, Londoners face serious and wide inequalities in health outcomes. An ageing population means demand for social care services will increase. Older Londoners are already particularly affected by social isolation and poverty.3

Ensuring London gets a proportional share of resources is vital to meeting the needs of the most vulnerable. From our experience of supporting people in their own homes on discharge from hospital, we see the challenges that many elderly Londoners face: getting the right, personalised support to enable them to continue playing an active role in their community. British Red Cross staff and trained volunteers help reduce service users stress and isolation. We help them plan for the long term, manage emergencies and maintain their independence. Our services can also prevent readmission to hospital or a move to residential care. Recent changes in the commissioning environment recognise the role of the voluntary and community sector in health and social care services. This represents a great opportunity for voluntary sector involvement in publicly-funded services, but we need support from the GLA and the mayor to ensure the new commissioning environment reflects our sectors traditional strong focus on the beneficiary and their needs. Better integrated care will also be essential in achieving the step change needed to cope with an ageing population and provide the best outcomes for Londoners.

Photo: Patrick Harrison/BRC

We call on mayoral and GLA candidates to support:

> the development of panLondon initiatives through the London Health Improvement Board to deliver a holistic approach to health and social care and improve wellbeing > the work of health and wellbeing boards in every London borough to better promote integration of health and social care services and to recognise the potential contribution of the voluntary and community sector > better targeting of resources in London to tackle health inequalities.

From our experience of supporting people in their own homes on discharge from hospital, we see the challenges that many elderly Londoners face
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London Health Inequalities Strategy: One Year On, GLA Social isolation among older Londoners. Oct 2011, IPPR

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Building a resilient London

A safer London for all

> There are 450 Red Cross volunteers on stand-by in emergency planning and response roles in London at any one time. > The British Red Cross has responded to over 400 emergency incidents across the capital since the last mayoral elections. > One in every two fires in London takes place in a dwelling, the highest percentage in the UK.4
While no-one can predict when an emergency will occur, whether its a terrorist incident or a serious road traffic collision, being sufficiently prepared is crucial. The disturbances across London during the summer of 2011 reminded us of how quickly a crisis situation can occur, as well as the long-lasting impact it can have on individuals, businesses and communities. The mayor and GLA are in a unique position to ensure that Londoners are better prepared when responding to any crisis, no matter how big or small.

As a humanitarian auxiliary to government, the British Red Cross supports statutory emergency responders in a crisis. In Mitcham, for example, working with the London Ambulance Service, Red Cross volunteers react to 999 calls on Friday and Saturday nights, alongside regular ambulance responders. In the first three months of this scheme we responded to 104 calls, ensuring an even faster response to patients in potentially life-threatening situations. Based on our experience we also know the positive impact of informing and raising awareness of what to do in an emergency. Providing effective community information messages in the local media and on public transport can help ensure Londoners are better prepared to respond in an emergency situation. The impact of an emergency on individuals and communities goes beyond the initial emergency situation itself their need for support may be ongoing. Helping individuals, families and communities rebuild their lives by providing practical and emotional support after a crisis is also a key part of our mission. Peoples ability to withstand a crisis depends on their own preparedness and planning, and how empowered they feel to respond. Communities, the voluntary sector and emergency services also need to co-ordinate their resources in a crisis.

Photo: Anthony Upton/BRC

We call on mayoral and GLA candidates to support:

> increased investment in preparedness for crises or emergency incidents in London to improve the ability of individuals, volunteers, communities and organisations to respond in their local area > promoting the contribution of voluntary and community organisations in emergency response to the London Resilience Partnership, particularly those with enhanced capacities such as the British Red Cross > effective dissemination of community safety messages from statutory agencies, local authorities and the community and voluntary sector.

Based on our experience we also know the positive impact of informing and raising awareness of what to do in an emergency
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National Statistics and DCLG: http://www.communities.gov. uk/documents/statistics/pdf/568234.pdf

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Building a resilient London

Supporting those who seek a safe haven in London

> One in five state-supported asylum seekers in the UK lives in London, but two thirds do so with subsistence-only support.5 > Recent studies indicate that 15 per cent of the capitals rough sleepers are migrants without recourse to public funds.6 > The British Red Cross destitution projects in London provide nearly 100 people with support each week.
Londons place at the heart of a globalised world brings great opportunity but also challenges. Our city has a proud tradition of offering sanctuary to those in need and providing a new home for citizens from every country on earth. But there are more and more destitute, homeless asylum seekers coming to our projects in London needing the basic necessities for survival. This situation can only add to their stress and hardship, as

well as potentially weakening community cohesion. As a humanitarian organisation, we have first-hand experience of the deep challenge inherent in the system at a national and local level. There should be sufficient support for those seeking safety to ensure peoples humanitarian needs are met with dignity and safety. As well as our destitution projects, last year British Red Cross international tracing and message services helped 129 asylum seekers and refugees make contact with relatives they had been separated from. In partnership with Tavistock and Portman Foundation Trust, we also provide mental health support and consultations for beneficiaries who may have difficulty accessing services because of their asylum status. Many London agencies believe that trafficking will increase around the Olympic and Paralympic Games. We are already helping to combat trafficking through our work on the London Safeguarding Children Board Olympics Sub-Group and the National Trafficking Board for Young People. The mayors office and the GLA have rightly provided clear leadership on issues around integration, asylum and migration through strategies like London Enriched. We believe the mayor could lead efforts to ensure sufficient support is available for these vulnerable groups to maintain their dignity and access the services they need while in London.

Photo: Layton Thompson/BRC

We call on mayoral and GLA candidates to support:

> widening the remit of the London Health Inequalities Strategy to include addressing the health needs of asylum seekers and vulnerable migrants > the survey on extreme exclusion among asylum seekers, vulnerable migrants and refugees promised in the London Enriched Implementation Plan > a forum for dialogue between the London boroughs, the GLA and the voluntary sector around the nature of statutory obligations for those living in London with no recourse to public funds > funding the No Recourse to Public Funds Network to help ensure the provision of necessary services to councils, the NHS and the voluntary sector regarding those individuals with no recourse to public funds.

Gidley, B. and H. Jayaweera. An Evidence Base on Migration and Integration in London. Centre on Migration, Policy and Society, University of Oxford, 2010. 6 Communities and Local Government. Rough Sleeping 10 Years on: From the Streets to Independent Living and Opportunity. Communities and Local Government, London, 2008.
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Building a resilient London

A vision for volunteering

> One in five 16-24 year-old Londoners now has no job,7 a trend that looks set to continue.8 > Forty per cent of children who appeared in court in London for offences linked to the 2011 riots were on free school meals compared to 26 per cent of all London pupils in secondary schools.9 > The British Red Cross has almost 700 volunteers aged 15-25 across London.

people in the capitals most deprived neighbourhoods. The mayor of London could be the champion for volunteering across London. We also believe that some of the best advocates for volunteering would be GLA staff themselves. Employer-supported volunteering can complement existing training and development programmes and provide real-life experiences and insights that traditional training courses cant. London has a huge opportunity to develop its capacity for volunteering as part of the Olympic legacy. We believe new volunteers should be offered a chance to continue their work with the capitals charities and voluntary organisations once the Games are over. If a creative partnership can emerge between London policymakers and the voluntary sector, we believe people can be optimistic about their chances of getting a fulfilling voluntary role. We can make London the best city in the world to volunteer in.

Photo: Anthony Upton

We call on mayoral and GLA candidates to support:

> best practice in employersupported volunteering by ensuring volunteering opportunities for GLA staff in line with the most pioneering workplaces > an increase in volunteer opportunities within the most deprived areas of London. This could be done by providing more training for youth and community leaders and the funding of youth champions within Team London > the removal of the financial barriers to volunteering that young people face, such as cost of travel and remuneration for expenses, and provide a wider range of opportunities > strengthening the Olympic volunteer legacy by helping Olympic volunteers continue their volunteering with existing voluntary organisations in London.

Analysis of young peoples involvement in the summer disturbances in 2011 found that young people themselves reported a lack of things to do and a lack of a stake in their local neighbourhood as key motivators.10

In our experience, volunteering can form a crucial part of addressing these issues by providing structure, pride in ones community11 and a sense of belonging for young people in London. It can also give skills and development opportunities to young

London has a huge opportunity to develop its capacity for volunteering as part of the Olympic legacy

ONS via the GLA: e.g. http://www.london.gov.uk/media/ press_releases_assembly_member/news-john-biggs-14people-looking-every-job-tower-hamlets 8 ONS: http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/dcp171766_250148.pdf 9 Ministry of Justice: http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/ datablog/2011/sep/15/riot-defendants-court-sentencing 10 The August riots in England: NatCen Research on behalf of the Cabinet Office and also see Independent Riots Communities and Victims Panel 11 A Place For Pride: 2011, Demos.
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British Red Cross 44 Moorfields London EC2Y 9AL Tel 0844 871 1111 Fax 020 7562 2000 redcross.org.uk Published 2012

The British Red Cross Society, incorporated by Royal Charter 1908, is a charity registered in England and Wales (220949) and Scotland (SC037738) Front cover photos: Anthony Upton, Layton Thompson/BRC, www.photo-banks.com, Hannah Maule-Ffinch/BRC, Kristian Buus/BRC Back cover photos: Layton Thompson, Jonathan Banks

Email: production@redcross.org.uk Tel: 020 7877 7029