Our Services

Community Drop-in and information surgeries are a regular service provided by the Afghan Community & Welfare Centre, where practical help and on-going support and assistance is offered free of charge to all clients. Information is provided on a range of issues including welfare benefits, education, childcare, health and immigration as well as information about other community and council projects.

In addition to the information service, we also offer a confidential, mentoring service to our clients. Afghan CWC provides a range of services for all of our clients whatever their background, religion or culture. We are therefore able to work in a way with our clients, which promotes and fosters cultural inter-change and, in a manner, that promotes mutual understanding and respect across cultures, ethnic groups and faiths.

We continue working with include: Pashto, Farsi, Arabic and Urdu speaking communities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, Syria, Iran, Romania, Hungary, Norway and others. The majority of our clients are excluded from society due to a language barrier, which is further compounded through the lack of childcare provision, unemployment, poverty and economic disadvantage. Many of our clients are refugees and asylum seekers. Our main services were:

• Help and support with housing, immigration, health issues, school admission

• Local area information and tour services

• provides a culturally sensitive environment where our members can discuss any problems in the strictest confidence.

• Referral service to other agencies and community groups.

• Parental support service

• Self-development and confident activities.

• Education and employment support service.

• EU settlement application support service

• Universal credit and other welfare support services.

We continue supporting the Afghan families coming to the UK through the government ARAP and ACRS schemes, there is has been increased demand for housing from many families wanted to move to the midlands especially in Walsall, We provide directly support over 20 families in Walsall 12 of them accommodated by us through private landlords.

We also increased our long terms support to families arrived in the area by offering:

• Initial introduction and invitations to our community social gathering for both men and women.

• Job search and Employment support

• School admissions and GP registrations

• Support with benefit application e.g. Universal Credit, child benefit and PIP

• Housing support

• Community day trips

• Support wider community engagements and positive integrations.

• Ongoing integration support work

• English classes

• interpreting and translations

• Parenting support

• Online safety and child safeguard awareness.

Our weekly community social gathering has been very effective bringing people together over a meal discussing ideas and issues facing the community also provide educational sessions and activities, as well as bringing together newly arrived and existed members of the community sharing their experience and to organise support, the gathering is not only to make new friends but also opportunity for people to integrate and engage in the wider society.

We have successfully delivered the bespoke HAF for children from newly arrived families during the Easter, summer and Christmas school holidays.  HAF is a free and exciting holiday programme for children and young people who are aged 5 to 16 eligible for benefit-related free school meals, HAF is funded by department for education through local authority.

As a result of this programme, we want children who attend this provision to:

• eat healthily over the school holidays

• be active during the school holidays

• take part in engaging and enriching activities which support the development of resilience, character and wellbeing along with their wider educational attainment

• be safe and not to be socially isolated

• have a greater knowledge of health and nutrition

• be more engaged with school and other local services

After the covid restriction lifted we have restarted our community day trips to seaside and local attractions during the summer for families, the day trip helps a variety of different people, but has a particular focus on newly arrive and socially isolated people whose opportunities to get out and about and enjoy sustained periods of social interaction can sometimes be limited.

After the covid restriction lifted we have restarted our community day trips to seaside and local attractions during the summer for families, the day trip helps a variety of different people, but has a particular focus on newly arrive and socially isolated people whose opportunities to get out and about and enjoy sustained periods of social interaction can sometimes be limited.

The service promotes mental health well-being, particularly among those who might have experienced trauma. The counselor helps the clients who have suffered from the effects of displacement and traumatic experience, should cope with the cultural clash and can experience anxiety, low confidence and lack of motivation.

Afghan CWC has a strong commitment to community development, social justice and empowerment with the primary aim to identify and address barriers to cultural inclusion and social and economic participation for our members. We celebrate cultural diversity and engages its constituency and the wider community to share and exchange cultural experience.

We had number of free events throughout the year which includes Eid celebrations and connecting communities’ events, as well we been able to bring many people and our diverse communities together.

We also been part of Taste the cultures of Walsall annual event celebrating the different cultures of Walsall.

We provide a free Sunday school, where we offer Pashtu and Dari (beginners, intermediate level) classes for children and young people between the ages of 4 to 19.

Our aim is to keep the Pashtu and Dari language alive and vibrant amongst young people, especially those of Afghan heritage.

Afghan Funeral fund is for the Muslims population of the Afghan community living in the UK, to cover the cost of funeral services/burial or to cover the transfer of a deceased in case of a death in the members of the fund according to Islamic Rules.

We have dedicated team of volunteer who responsible for this service and have a separate bank account for funeral fund. If you want to be part of this fund please get in touch with us to obtain your membership form.

We offer free ESOL classes 2 days a week, the classes are run