07/05/2021 Ola's Poem
This beautiful piece was written by a participant in John's writing group. We are so grateful to her for allowing us to share it.
I would like…
I would like to create a world of love and enthusiasm,
I would like to create a world full of dignity and honour,
I would like to create a world where racism is eradicated,
I would like to create a world of freedom and liberty.
Freedom of speech,
Right to votes,
Freedom of choices,
Right to work.
I would like to create a world where unity exists among everyone,
I would like to create a world where Government treats immigrants as human beings,
I would like to create a world where asylum seekers are properly cared for and not treated as slaves,
I would like to create a world where lives are valued and of high esteem.
I would like to create a world where human beings live together in peace,
I would like to create a world where education is free and available to the less privileged,
I would like to create a world where medicals are easily accessible,
I would like to create a world where killing of innocent souls is stopped.
I would like to create a world of no discrimination,
I would like to create a world of kind-hearted and helpful people,
I would like to create a world with a sense of balance and happiness,
I would like to create a world where food is available to the poor.
I would like to create a world where customs, cultures and beliefs are one,
I would like to create a world where I give a hug to a homeless person today,
I would like to create a world of putting a smile on everybody’s face,
I would like to create a world full of surprises.
I would like to create a world to say “Thank You” and “I Love You” to 10 people today.
23/04/2021 John's Thoughts on the Writing Group
‘I can shake off everything as I write; my sorrows disappear, my courage is reborn.’ Anne Frank’s The Diary of a Young Girl is one of the world’s best known books, written during the German occupation of the Netherlands in World War 2. As she and countless others have discovered before and since, there are tremendous benefits to writing: a chance to express deep-seated feelings; to understand more about the world and our place in it; and to give others valuable insights into our lives.
CWIN Writing Group meets on Zoom every Thursday, and is open to everyone – just bring a pen and some paper. Topics for discussion are wide-ranging – music, food, nature, language, friendship. You name it, we can discuss it and write about it. In a typical session, you will read a poem or a piece of prose, before discussing what it’s about and how it makes you feel. What do you think about the imagery, the language, the sounds of the words?
Next, if you like, have a go at writing something, and share it with the rest of the group. You could write about your experiences in Glasgow, or your life before you came to the UK. What type of music do you like, and why? Which is your favourite food? Describe your favourite place in the world. Write a story where a person travels back in time.
No matter what your level of writing experience, you’ll be welcome in the CWIN Writing Group. You will find friendly faces, and you can choose whether to write and talk, or just listen to the conversation. It can take a little courage to share your thoughts with others, but the rewards are great when you do.
18/03/2021 Reflecting on International Women's Day and Virtual Communities of Support
International Women’s Day 2020 marks the last event that we were able to hold in-person at our Centre in Garnethill. As the first lock-down descended, our work moved online and at-distance. Now on International Women’s Day 2021- one year later- our Zoom Social group has developed into a community of support for families and individuals who are isolated, and an opportunity to craft, make art and play games together.
This Women’s Day, we celebrated the accomplishments of the women in our group and learned new things about each other along the way. We learned that some of us used to be involved in sports such as long distance running and playing basketball on a college team. Many of us learned how to drive a car back in our home countries, and now miss the freedom of being able to get into a car and drive anywhere we desire. Many of the women in our group speak up to 3 different languages. We have crafters, artists, cooks, musicians, and bakers among our group. And of course, our group includes many mothers- raising children in a new country, far away from family.
We also talked about women who inspire us. One of our members found inspiration from Margaret Hamilton, an engineer who helped NASA land a spacecraft on the Moon while also raising her daughter and defying social conventions about women in work in the 1960’s. There were also more personal stories. Many of us draw inspiration from our mothers and grandmothers- women who have lived through social upheaval and violence; women with big hearts who raised and supported their biological as well as adopted children; women who defied social conventions to start their own businesses and give birth unaided at home; women who crossed oceans to support their families; women who always had a word of support during difficult moments and a plate of food for anyone who was hungry.
We hope that this time next year, we will be celebrating Women’s Day in-person again. But in the meantime, our on-line group has grown strong and we will continue to share our stories and experiences with each other, and offer mutual support.
10/3/2021 An update on our work
What's happening at CWIN?
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Our Foodbank is providing more food than ever before. Last week we delivered 135 boxes directly to families’ homes, plus some walk-ins which totaled 150 food parcels in total. Our food parcels are expanding to include ingredients for more culturally diverse meals. Each week we aim to include an ingredient based on requests from our service users such as cassava, maize meal, kidney beans, plantain, sweet potato and extra cooking oil and flour. We have also begun to offer feminine hygiene products. Providing these new ingredients has increased our costs and we have started a crowdfunding campaign to offset these. If you would like to share this campaign with your network, you can find it here https://www.givey.com/supportcwinsfoodbank?fbclid=IwAR0hbz9UpjRdf94IJrN7KB6hXJsS4hU43Ly2rXZ-m5r6JHIqE4yKDXjeUF0
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We are collaborating with Mears to offer integration opportunities to people living in two hotels in the City Centre. We are providing snack parcels and phone top-ups, running Esol classes, hosting social projects, helping with registration for college classes, and offering volunteer opportunities.
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We are delighted to announce that we’ve been awarded 28 devices from Connecting Scotland, a Scottish Government initiative, to help people get online and become more digitally skilled. Find out more about the programme at https://bit.ly/2U7J64Z
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Our Women’s group has transitioned to Zoom and is keeping busy with activities ranging from cooking, sewing and crafting, to Covid information sessions delivered by NHSGGC.
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We run Writing workshops over Zoom each Thursday, facilitated by one of our fabulous volunteers. This is an opportunity for anyone interested to explore different subjects with fun writing exercises and friendly conversation.
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We run weekly Zoom Social activities every Tuesday. This is a project intended to combat social isolation, increase connection and wellbeing, and foster a sense of community during the lockdown. Each week we play games, have discussions on various themes, or share a craft project. Participants receive a pack with craft materials delivered to their homes before the session.
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CWIN ran a February Break programme for young people on 9th and 10th February in partnership with the Glasgow School of Art. The programme involved 4 Zoom art sessions for the children facilitated by an art tutor. Children received materials in packs delivered to them at home. Children also received vouchers which parents could buy a healthy lunch and snack for the 2 days of the programme.
Covid update: This group is not currently running
Please contact us for up to date programme of activities
John's Writing Group
** Suspended until we can meet in person again. Looking froward to writing again with you soon!
Explore different subjects each week with fun writing exercises and friendly conversation. Everyone welcome. Just bring pen and paper.
Craft and Chat Group
We started this group during lock down to stay connected and combat social isolation with our Zoom Socials every week. We have now moved to a hybrid model with alternating activities each week:
- Conversation group for adults: Every Other Thursday at 5pm on Zoom . Email cwinoutreach@gmail.com to join.
- Family friendly Picnics and Crafting sessions: Every other Thursday at 5pm in a park or on Zoom if the weather isn’t good. We will hold the picnics in various parks around the city. This is to make them more accessible to people living in different parts of Glasgow and so that people can make friends near them. Picnic food provided. Email cwinoutreach@gmail.com to join
Central and West Integration Network's Youth Club
CWIN Youth Club meets every Monday and Friday @ Garnethill Multicultural Centre
Creative Youth Cafe' Fridays 4 to 6pm (Age 12 to 15 years old)
Monday: Homework Club & Fun Friday: Sport & Creative Activities for young people age 6 to 12 years old.
More information is available at https://www.facebook.com/cwinyouthclub/
Men's Group
Central and West Integration Network Mothers and Children project runs every Friday in Garnethill Multicultural Centre, 21 Rose Street Glasgow G3 6RE.
They run activities such as cookery classes, information services, drama workshops, theatre workshops, performances, art and crafts and events.
Youth Project
CWIN has obtained funding from the Big Lottery Fund’s Young Start programme to set up a Youth Project for young people from black and minority ethnic, asylum seeker and refugee communities.
The project will be run with young people themselves at the heart of decision making for project activities. It will bring young people from diverse backgrounds together, encourage friendships by working together and supporting each other, reduce isolation, boost children's confidence in themselves, their ideas and abilities, and encourage them to assert their skills and ideas in innovative activities and enterprise.
The Youth Project will have four clubs – an Outdoor/Adventure Club, a Young Chefs and Mini Café Project, an Arts and Photography Club and a Newsletter Project
Initially in summer 2017 the Project is running weekly activities at the Summer Sessions.
Food Security Project
Central and West Integration Network is working in partnership with Community Food and health Scotland to carry out a community led research into food security. Central and West Integration Network recruited 11 volunteers who attended a number of training sessions, held interviews with community members and analysed evidence collected in the process.
