Four neighbourhoods of North East of Sheffield are embracing a proper community-led model. It will support the work of people dedicated to working on the quality of life and health outcomes for people where they live and could be even become a blueprint for the rest of the country.
Over the past 6-months Eski have had the honour of getting to know Megan Ohri, Abdul Shaif, Safiya Saeed and Gulnaz Hussain who are amazing community leaders along with swathes of dedicated people getting on with the stuff that matters. The work that the VCS does is unique in bridging gap between people from diverse background and statutory services.
The programme called ‘This Is Us’ brings together NHS South Yorkshire, Sheffield City Council and the voluntary community sector to focus on four north-east neighbourhoods of Sheffield facing inequality and deprivation, resulting in poor life expectancy, health, educational attainment, and skill levels, as well as disempowered and disconnected communities.
Disconnection and loneliness negatively impact health. By funding prevention and building community capacity in these areas, NHS South Yorkshire aim to connect and empower communities and in turn improve people’s health.
Building on a consultation with over 1,000 local residents over the summer, Eski has had a supporting role in the branding and messaging. We will throughout 2025 work with communities to help build capacity and capabilities in media and storytelling so that the community can demonstrate the impact that this way of working can have.
As Emma Latimer, Executive Place Director for Sheffield explained on the NHS South Yorkshire website:
“The north-east model neighbourhood programme (This is Us) is about creating health rather than providing health care or treating illness as we know people who are connected and empowered have better health.
“We are investing in the voluntary and community sector as they are at the heart of our communities, tackling local issues and bringing people together. All evidence points to successful sustainable change happening at a grassroots level which is why we will facilitate that to happen.
“We want to change Sheffield, one neighbourhood at a time. By 2029, we hope to have happier and healthier populations, who are better connected, feel a sense of belonging, and work together to bring about change in their areas.”
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