Categorie: News

We are thrilled to announce that the RCCT CIC has been awarded five years of funding from the National Lottery Community Fund’s Reaching Communities programme. The news arrives just as our previous three-year National Lottery grant, which helped us open the first Romanian Community Centre in the UK, comes to an end, meaning there will be no gap in support for our community.

Building on three years of impact

Over the past three years, demand for our Food Hub, Warm Hub and advice services grew steadily, with every target met or exceeded, including a rise of around 30% in people reached in the final year alone. The funding also helped us open our community centre and deepen partnerships with local authorities, the NHS and voluntary sector organisations. Time and again, the people we support told us that crisis support alone was not enough, they also wanted connection, purpose and prevention. That learning has shaped our plans for the next five years.

What the next five years will bring

We will continue delivering the services our community relies on: our Food Hub and Warm Hub, one-to-one support with benefits, debt and fuel poverty, interpretation and form-filling assistance, digital inclusion support, and befriending and emotional wellbeing support, including Mental Health First Aid.

We’re also introducing a sensory and community garden at Kenmore Park Hall, growing herbs, berries and flowers, harvesting rainwater and composting food waste, led by a new dedicated Garden Coordinator, alongside our existing morning walks, litter-picking sessions and volunteering opportunities, including Duke of Edinburgh Award support for young people.

Why this matters

For many in our community, language barriers and mistrust of statutory services mean there is nowhere else to turn for guidance they trust. Our centre exists to change that, a safe space to access food and warmth, ask questions without judgement, and build confidence to engage with services like the NHS and local authorities. This funding lets us keep doing that work while investing in wellbeing through nature and connection too.

A milestone for our community

As an organisation founded and led by first-generation Romanian migrants, this milestone means a great deal to us. We set up RCCT because we understood first-hand how hard it can be to navigate life in a new country without trusted information, and this five-year commitment is recognition of the difference community-led support can make.

We are enormously grateful to the National Lottery Community Fund and its players, and to our staff, volunteers, partners and community members whose feedback has shaped this plan. Here’s to the next five years.

To find out more or get involved, visit us at Kenmore Park Hall, Warneford Road, Queensbury, HA3 9HY, or get in touch through our website.

Last year together with three other Romanian organisations The Romanian Support Network, Romanian Mothers in the UK and Roma Voice Centre we delivered a voter registration project for the GLA. It was a milestone project for our community and these blog posts showcase the impact of our projects and the creativity, dedication, and energy we brought to strengthening civic and democratic participation across London:

• RCCT – Voting and Representation for Romanian and Romanian Roma Community | Democracy Hub
• Blogs and news | Democracy Hub

The full report can be accessed here and the executive summary is also available to read here 

We are looking for a new employee to join our small but mighty team!

RCCT CIC is recruiting for a dedicated RCCT Outreach Worker (Romanian speaking) who will work as part of the CGL Barnet Drug and Alcohol Service, both within CGL Barnet Dennis Scott Unit and within outreach/satellite locations across the borough of Barnet.  The RCCT Outreach Worker will be co-located with the Barnet Rough Sleepers Drug and Alcohol Service 4 days a week, and within RCCT 1 day per week, starting in July 2025 to do as follows:

• To identify and establish contact with rough sleepers and beggars, working within protocols to rapidly assist service users through street outreach shifts at a variety of times and a range of locations.
• To identify and establish contact with entrenched rough sleepers, including those unwilling to engage with services, providing assertive outreach.
• To assist homeless service users to be discharged from hospital at an appropriate time by moving them into appropriate accommodation as quickly as possible.
• To work closely with the drug and alcohol teams within the service to ensure that substance misusers and problem drinkers are able to access treatment.
• To advise service users regarding their substance misuse, using recognised theoretical models (e.g. Motivational Interviewing), supporting them to identify and explore concerns before deciding on a possible course of action.   
• To work with Mental Health Agencies to ensure that where appropriate, service users have access to address their mental health issues.
• To work proactively to ensure that service users have access to ongoing healthcare.
• To divert people who are new to rough sleeping when appropriate and to encourage and assist people to return to their home communities.
• To work closely with the Housing Strategy Team and Supported Housing Providers across the local area in order to maximise accommodation opportunities for the service user group.  
• To convene and contribute to service user case conferences where appropriate.
• To work closely with all partner services, with a focus on co-location with key partners Homeless Action in Barnet and Barnet Homes and sharing appropriate information and ensuring that action plans are carried through.
• To represent the team at external forums where appropriate and requested to do so.
• To participate in the ongoing statistical analysis of rough sleepers, as part of the MHCLG ongoing monitoring programme.  
• To participate in street counts when requested.
• To maintain accurate and comprehensive service user records in line with Change Grow Live’s procedures and protocols and the requirements of the local authority, maintaining confidentiality and sharing information with appropriate agencies.
• To participate in patterns of shift work to enable the team to maximise potential contact with service users, which will include working unsociable hours and sometimes in severe weather conditions.
• Supporting service users with GP registration

The day-to-day activities of the post will be overseen by the leadership team within CGL Barnet, more specifically the Community and Outreach Team Leader, Criminal Justice Team Leader, Deputy Services Manager and Services Manager.  The leadership team will be directed by the London Borough of Barnet Public Health team, via the Barnet Homeless Meeting and quarterly contract monitoring meetings.   

A multi-agency approach is expected for work with such vulnerable service users. As such, the RCCT Outreach Worker will contribute to the wider plan held by CGL Barnet and any partner agencies such as Barnet Homes and Homeless Action in Barnet (HAB) for the individuals accessing support. The RCCT Outreach Worker will communicate with all other agencies providing support and care to those accessing these interventions.

The successful candidate will also be assisting RCCT for a day a week where they will be required to:

• Work with our clients during the Food Hub/Warm Hub and record their details on our database
• Make referrals and follow up with them 
• Make email enquiries and appointments for clients

Requirements:

• Proficiency in using databases (training will be provided) 
• Strong computer literacy skills including proficiency to a high standard in Windows-based software packages including Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint
• Ability to be patient and thorough when dealing with complex paperwork (relating to both the organisation and the personal matters of vulnerable clients)
• High levels of accuracy and sharp attention to detail
• Excellent verbal and written English and Romanian language
• Strong awareness around risk assessment and management of risk
• Basic understanding of some of the issues that someone who is homeless/substance user might experience
• Ability to engage positively and constructively with people at all levels
• Strong organisational skills and efficiency
• Ability to take responsibility for a project and see it through from start to finish
•  Ability to work to strict deadlines
• Resilience to manage multiple demands whilst maintaining an organised work environment
• Experience of working independently in a busy environment
• Ideally living within five miles of our location or in North West London

Personal Style and Behaviour

• Loyalty
• Integrity
• Ability to relate to people with sensitivity and respect
• Confidentiality, tact and discretion at all times
• Calm nature
• Positive outlook and willing to “muck in” on a wide variety of tasks
• Willingness to be a flexible, helpful member of the staff team
• Ability to use initiative and work independently
• Ability to work occasional out of office hours as required
• Desire to learn and ability to accept instruction
• Passionate to make a difference working for a small but high-impact community interest company

The role is for one year with the possibility of extending subject to approval of grant.

Salary: £34000/year

To apply please email your CV and cover letter to office@rcct.uk by 8 July 2025

About us: RCCT CIC is a not for profit organisation based in Harrow which aims to assist and support the Romanian community. We also promote Romanian culture and traditions while helping our members integrate and be an active part of the overall community. For the past five years we have continued to provide information and advice, run our food hub and warm hub as well as promoting mental health in our community. We are a small but ambitious organisation and if you would like to make a positive change in people’s lives, we look forward to having you join us!

On Saturday 9 November we held our first outreach event inviting members of our community to join us to find out how they can use their civic and democratic rights as well as to taste the winning cake of our vote – which is better: the Romanian “chec” or the English “cake”. Ahead of the event, to help us to spread the word and to encourage the Romanian community to vote we asked the popular food influencer Barbosu to share the initiative on his social media pages and promote the event.

Over 255 people on his Facebook page voted in the post comments and the Romanian chec was deemed the winner.

Everyone who visited us on the day got the chance to taste a fresh slice of chec, have their picture taken with Barbosu and find out more about getting their voice heard and getting involved in the democratic process. We were happy to find out that most of those we chatted with had registered to vote in elections held in the UK and we reminded them of the need for an accepted form of photo voter ID in order to vote in person.

Our project partners The Romanian Support Network and Romanian Mothers in the UK were also present on the day, and we look forward to our future outreach events.

This event was delivered as part of our civic and democratic participation project funded by the Greater Londoner Authority Democratic Participation Grants Programme.

Sâmbătă nouă noiembrie am gǎzduit primul nostru eveniment de informare în care am invitat membrii comunității sǎ afle mai multe despre drepturile lor civile și democratice și să deguste prajitura câṣtigǎtoare la votuli- care prǎjiturǎ  este mai bunǎ: checul românesc sau “cake-ul” englezesc. Înainte de eveniment și ca sǎ ne ajute sǎ rǎspândim mesajul şi să încurajăm comunitatea românească să voteze am colaborat împreună cu cunoscutul influencer Barbosu care a postat pe paginile lui de social media.

Doar pe pagina lui de facebook a avut peste 255 de voturi în comentarii și checul românesc a fost declarat câștigător.

Toți cei care ne-au vizitat în ziua evenimentului au degustat o felie de chec proaspăt, s-au pozat cu Barbosu și au primit informații legate de cum își pot face vocea auzita şi implica în procesul democratic. Am fost plăcut surprinși să aflăm că majoritatea celor prezenți erau deja înregistrați să voteze în alegerile din UK și le-am amintit de nevoia de a avea cu ei un act de identitate cu poză acceptat pentru a putea vota în persoană.

Alături de noi au fost partenerii noştrii din proiect The Romanian Support Network şi Romanian Mothers in the UK și aşteptǎm cu nerăbdare și evenimentele de informare viitoare.

Acest eveniment a fost livrat ca parte a proiectului de participare civică şi democratică acordat de programul de granturi pentru Participare Democratică al Greater London Authority.

RCCT CIC is recruiting for an experienced Monitoring and Evaluation Officer.

The role would include but not be limited to:

• Detailed analysis of projects
• Development of monitoring and evaluation methods
• Implementation of monitoring and evaluation methods ad-hoc, weekly, monthly or bi-monthly as the projects demands it
• Preparation of draft and final reports
• Monthly meetings with directors to discuss performance per project and consultancy to improve delivery
• Creating and implementing monitoring forms for evaluation of employees and volunteers

The role is suitable for freelance/self-employed specialist who can use their experience and make full use of the two days per week given to these tasks.

Requirements:

• Experience of at least two years in a similar role
• Strong computer literacy skills including proficiency to a high standard in Windows-based software packages including Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint
• Ability to be patient and thorough when dealing with complex paperwork (relating to both the organisation and the project grants)
• High levels of accuracy and sharp attention to detail
• Excellent verbal and written English and Romanian language
• Ability to engage positively and constructively with people at all levels
• Strong organisational skills and efficiency
• Ability to take responsibility for a project and see it through from start to finish
• Ability to work to strict deadlines
• Resilience to manage multiple demands whilst maintaining an organised work environment
• Experience of working independently and delivering results

Personal Style and Behaviour

• Loyalty
• Integrity
• Ability to relate to people with sensitivity and respect
• Confidentiality, tact and discretion at all times
• Calm nature
• Willingness to be a flexible, helpful member of the staff team
• Ability to use initiative and work independently
• Desire to learn and ability to accept instruction
• Passionate to make a difference working for a small but high-impact community interest company

The role is for one year.

Salary: £20/hour

To apply please email your CV and cover letter to office@rcct.uk by 28 May 2024

About us: RCCT CIC is a not for profit organisation based in Harrow which aims to assist and support the Romanian community. We also promote Romanian culture and traditions while helping our members integrate and be an active part of the overall community. For the past five years we have continued to provide information and advice, run our food hub and warm hub as well as promoting mental health in our community. We are a small but ambitious organisation and if you would like to make a positive change in people’s lives, we look forward to having you join us!