Press Pack

BIOGRAPHY

Govan HELP (Home Education Link Project) is a charity which supports families in Govan and surrounding communities. It provides five distinct services to address a wide range of needs, improving the circumstances of families and resolving social issues before the need for statutory intervention.

Hundred of families access Govan HELP’s services each year. Services are delivered via the charity’s network of schools, nurseries and local partners, to create a package of support specific to each family.

Established in 1996 as Hill’s Trust Home School Community Project, the charity’s mandate has grown in line with the needs of local families, eventually rebranding as Govan HELP in 2003. Now based at The Pearce Institute, the charity continues to evolve, introducing and adapting services in response to the pandemic and the cost of living crisis.

Govan HELP’s services consist of:

Family Support — helps parents/carers to build and maintain family relationships by advising on issues such as family routines, budgeting, and ideas for play. This service additionally connects parents/carers with like-minded people, and can direct families on to specialist support for mental health, legal issues and debt management.
Play Therapy — supports children aged 4-12 years who’s mental health has been adversely affected by difficult life circumstances. Structured play sessions delivered in local schools and nursaries allow children to come to terms with their feelings, in a safe and emotionally supportive environment.
Training & Volunteering — offers volunteering opportunities for local people within Govan HELP’s other services, strengthening Govan’s sense of community. Volunteers receive ongoing training which develops skills and enhances employability prospects.
Adult Counselling — offers counselling sessions for parents local to Govan. These can be face-to-face or via video call, and sessions are flexible in line with individual needs.
The Govan Pantry — a membership-based food pantry (initially set up as a food bank in response to the pandemic) where subscribers can purchase food products and other essentials for £3, allowing families to make huge savings on weekly shops. Food is supplied by FareShare, a food redistribution organisation which diverts surplus or short-dated food from landfill, thus making significant environmental savings. From its launch in November 2020 up to March 2022, The Pantry has distributed 100 tonnes of goods — roughly equating to 268,683 meal portions, a monetary value of £385,025, and saving 96 tonnes of CO2 by diverting food from landfill.

NEED WITHIN GOVAN

Greater Govan is a historically deprived area (SIMD level 1-2). It has a high proportion of people claiming out of work benefits, as well as young people not in education, employment or training compared with the Glasgow average.

High levels of social deprivation means that a disproportionate number of families in Govan are vulnerable to issues that often accompany poverty — such as poor physical and mental health, homelessness, food insecurity, relationship breakdown etc. Govan HELP’s work tackles social issues before they reach crisis point, and empowers families and children to succeed despite adversity.

KEY PEOPLE

Viv Sawers, Chief Officer

Viv is responsible for all aspects of the charity’s operations and development. She worked in a range of senior management roles across public and third sectors before joining Govan HELP in 2019.

Stephen McFadden, Operations and Development Manager

Steph is responsible for the ongoing development of The Govan Pantry, managing The Pantry team as well as supply chain networks and corporate partnerships. Joining Govan HELP in 2020, Steph has previously overseen the development, strategy and operations of various charities.