02/07/2021
A little bit about how Nucleus started off:
In 1971, Inner London Educational Authority funded a research project to assess young people’s needs in Earl’s Court. The report published in 1972 recommended that a multipurpose advice and contact centre be developed in Earl’s Court. We secured further funding to help local people create a management committee.
In 1974 the volunteer trustees secured further funding to deliver services. We used Philbeach Gardens Church Hall to provide an information service directed at people in Earl’s Court and to begin to develop truly innovative projects in order to tackle the needs of local people.
In the next few years, we helped launch a community newspaper, a substance misuse support group, mother and baby groups, young mother hostels and even a small housing association.
It soon became clear that, if we wished to work to combat poverty and its effect, we needed to develop the advice services to enable people to take control of decision making when faced with life major events: losing the roof over their heads, losing their jobs or being refused basic needs.
Social welfare issues cause people a lot of stress, even meaning that they cannot keep themselves or the families warm, fed and safe. We decided to take a holistic approach to try and help people tackle the underlying problems and not just help to pick up the pieces.
To provide this holistic approach, we have developed expert knowledge of the law and of the practical issues round our major areas of work: debt, housing and welfare benefits.
And that’s where you find Nucleus today; helping to provide access to justice for disadvantaged members of the community in social welfare law. 🗣💚
