Kilcooley Women’s Centre, who delivers the service, now has a dedicated Project Worker funded by the Housing Executive’s Sustaining Tenancies programme.
This fund supports a range of projects which help tenants create more resilient and sustainable tenancies.
Emma Geddis, Manager of the Sustaining Tenancies Funding Programme at the Housing Executive, said: “Our Sustaining Tenancies fund has awarded the centre £50,000 to provide it with a dedicated Project Worker for the next two years.
“This Project Worker supports tenants and can refer them to a number of initiatives run by Kilcooley Women’s Centre.
“One of these is the centre’s fantastic Social Supermarket, Kilcooley Pantry.
“Social Supermarkets are great initiatives which combine a discount food store with additional, complimentary, services aimed at people with debt management, legal and social welfare issues.
“These services form part of the centre’s Star Project and include money management and benefit advice clinics, mental health support initiatives, wellbeing clubs and parenting programmes.”
Sarah Collyer, Training and Education Manager at Kilcooley Women’s Centre, added: “After researching many different models of food provision we decided the model of a Social Supermarket afforded beneficiaries more dignity, a greater chance of moving to independent food support and gave the centre the ability to provide wraparound support.
“Members apply to the scheme and complete an initial assessment of needs. They then have an opportunity to talk through the issues that have led to the need for food support.
“This allows us to create an action plan and offer people the appropriate support.
“One of the barriers people were facing in accessing support was that they did not want to be seen to be using ‘charity’.
“Our Social Supermarket addresses this by allowing participants to pay a small nominal weekly fee, giving them an allowance equivalent to the cost of a weekly shop. They therefore feel they are being more proactive in helping themselves.
“Another issue was choice and people wanted to be able to choose what food they could avail of.
“Kilkooley Pantry is set out like a shop providing a simulated shopping experience. Clients can choose at leisure from the shelves with a good level of choice across, food, cleaning, and personal care products.
“There are no prices in the supermarket taking monetary pressure out of the shopping experience.
“Dignity was a main factor in the decision to run with this model. People have said they feel ashamed or embarrassed to be in a position of need.
“As such, all our visitors on the scheme are greeted with tea and coffee and treated with respect and kindness.
“Shopping times and days are set to allow for privacy and our shopping bags are unbranded to avoid embarrassment.
“Our Social Supermarket has proved to be a hub of activity and we have received excellent feedback from the community.
“This vital service has been made possible thanks to the Housing Executive’s generous funding towards a Project Worker.”
