As we countdown to Christmas, many of us are aware of the diversity of experiences this may bring for those we support, both personally and professionally.  We hope the below resources and reports in December’s Sector News Digest below will be useful now and in the coming year.

December’s Sector News Digest

Childhood Trauma Film

The UK Trauma Council and Anna Freud Centre have launched a short, animated film entitled Childhood trauma, war and conflict to support young people (aged 12-21) affected by long-term trauma after war and conflict. The film, available in multiple languages, uses storytelling to help inform young people about common physical and emotional responses to trauma and is accompanied by a short, written resource.

Tackling stigma associated with gambling

Gambleaware is running a campaign to tackle the stigma associated with gambling related harms. They have produced a short quiz for people who are worried about how gambling makes them or someone else feel, and upon completing the quiz they will be signposted to support.

Measuring the social impact of community transport

ECT Charity’s Social Value Toolkit provides a resource for measuring and articulating the social impact of community transport services. This toolkit includes a guide and a Microsoft Excel-based calculator, helping to turn activities such as trips and training into quantifiable data. It aims to strengthen the sector’s ability to communicate its value to stakeholders. Find out more about the toolkit here.  Alongside this, the Community Transport Association is crafting a ‘Manifesto for Community Transport’ to present a collective vision and identified needs to the future UK Government, and they want your insights and experiences to ensure it truly represents the community transport sector. The survey is open until 3^rd January 2024, and they are keen to hear from everyone involved in Community Transport, whether on the front lines or behind the scenes.

Transport Costs for Rural Communities

A Social Market Foundation report reveals the extent of the financial burden transport costs is putting on rural communities. It says: “as the single largest cost for millions of households across the UK, understanding the financial burden of transport is critical to decreasing poverty. Yet, unlike for energy or housing, there is no metric in place to track the cost and accessibility of transport. This report seeks to fill that gap by developing a measure to demonstrate the causes, locations, and depths of transport poverty.”  In rural communities, transport is the single largest household expense (excluding mortgage repayments) whilst in urban families, it is the second largest expenditure. As such, the report says that transport costs contribute significantly to poverty in rural areas, pushing over 5 million people into poverty. The report goes onto say that the average car journey in the UK costs £6.20, compared to just £2.41 for the average single bus fare. Furthermore, the figures show that while the per mile costs of driving a long journey are cheaper than a short journey due to fuel efficiency, those in areas which must consistently drive longer distances tend to spend more annually.

Issues associated with an ageing population

State of Caring 2023 (report) brings together data and analysis to paint a detailed picture of our ageing population and how it is changing, shining a light on the diversity and inequality amongst the country’s older populations including the growing financial pressures felt by many. Also, a 2023 Disability Diversity and Inclusion Index has been published showing the inequalities that people with disabilities face in the workplace.  While the UK Consumer Digital Index 2023, which includes the 2023 UK Essential Digital Skills benchmark, measures the fundamental tasks needed to access the online world including the essential digital skills needed for life and work.