Helping residents access the support they need
At Sunrise Multicultural Project, we know that finding the right help is not always straightforward. People may be dealing with financial hardship, housing concerns, benefits, official paperwork, digital exclusion or difficulty understanding and navigating public services.
In response to these needs, Sunrise developed its Community Help & Information Officer service, providing accessible, one-to-one practical support within a familiar and trusted community setting.
Our Community Help & Information Officer, Tahera Saeed, supports residents to understand their options, complete essential processes, access appropriate services and obtain further specialist help where required. The service combines practical advice, advocacy, early intervention, follow-up and warm referrals, helping people address difficulties before they escalate into more serious problems.
Why this service matters
Many of the people Sunrise supports experience barriers that can make accessing mainstream services more difficult, including language barriers, digital exclusion, financial hardship, low confidence, ill health, disability and unfamiliarity with formal systems.
The Community Help & Information service provides an important bridge between residents and statutory, voluntary and specialist organisations. Support can include help with benefits, housing, household bills, forms and correspondence, digital services, administrative applications, hardship support and referrals.
The service is designed around early intervention and accessibility, helping residents move from confusion, difficulty or crisis towards greater understanding, stability and independence.
Evidence of impact
Between November 2024 and October 2025, 65 individuals received personalised advice, guidance and practical assistance through the Community Help & Information role. Monitoring during 2026 continued to demonstrate regular demand for the service, including support to individuals and households experiencing financial and practical difficulties.
The service has also attracted residents from outside Banbury, with people travelling from Bicester specifically to access Community Help & Information support, demonstrating the trust that has developed around the service.
About the Impact Report
Our Community Help & Information Officer Impact Report 2025 – 2026 brings together service monitoring, organisational evidence and funding information to explain:
- why the service was developed;
- the needs it responds to;
- how support is delivered;
- who benefits from the service;
- evidence of demand and reach;
- the outcomes the service is designed to achieve;
- how Sunrise monitors impact and develops future evidence.
The report has been prepared as part of Sunrise Multicultural Project’s commitment to transparency, accountability and evidence-led service development.
Read the full report
To learn more about the Community Help & Information service and the difference it is making for residents, you can read the full impact report below.
