By Nikita Malik, Head of Work and Welfare at The Centre for Social Justice
The Oasis Centre states that it is a lifeline for the people of East Manchester, and after an Alliance visit to the centre this week, I can see why.
Escaping a rainy morning outside, as we entered the space, I was first hit by a smell of delicious food emanating from the cafeteria downstairs, where breakfast and lunch are prepared for free for anyone who needs it. The promises of food and companionship are what draw vulnerable people to the Oasis Centre, but the organisation offers much more in the form of wraparound care, advice, and support. Alan, like the other volunteers at Oasis Gorton, exuded warmth when he shook our hands and welcomed us inside.
I was taken on a tour of the facilities, including the shop (where volunteers often have their first experiences of work, or practice returning to work), the crisis support and emergency provision centres, and the rooms where education (such as English as a second language) and employment programmes take place.
Overall, I was struck by the community feeling within the centre, where people gathered round the tables to eat together and share stories. When asked what the greatest challenge facing those who visit the centre, Paul, the centre director, responded immediately: housing.
I found this interesting, as I assumed the people using the centre would be out of work and using the facilities to find, and train for, jobs. While the centre does this very successfully – by helping people into work and supporting them in retaining their jobs – many visitors face multiple issues that have been exacerbated by the cost-of-living crisis. They often don’t have heating or food at home and come to the centre because they trust the people there can turn to them for help, advice, and tailored support.
As the Oasis Centre operates on a first-come-first-served basis, people queue up outside from the early morning to get the help that they need. Operating on a basis of word-of-mouth recommendations, the centre even had a visitor from as far as London coming to see them – over 200 miles away!
The Oasis Centre also runs regular events for its attendees, including national trips and activities to allow them to feel part of the wider community. The large art piece hanging outside the building was created by regular visitors, and the rooms inside are filled with pieces of art and photographs of people who come by, and the friends that they make.
The one thing I took away from the visit was that because the centre operates as a home away from home, the people who use it trust and help each other.
In this way, they are given the support they need to move out of poverty and into work, where they can then support themselves. Despite people finding employment, the sense of community that the centre provides means that people continue to visit it even after they have escaped poverty. This is testament to the important work that Paul and his team do to support their local community.
The Oasis Centre won a CSJ Award in 2023 and I can see why. From start to finish, my first visit to a frontline charity in the CSJ Alliance demonstrated to me the power and impact of a genuinely trusted community organisation quietly helping people on their journeys out of poverty.
