South Essex Community Hub is a registered charity set up to support the communities of South Essex and enable them to thrive. We’re here to promote and strengthen community cohesion and to lend a helping hand in our Hubs through:
We work together with the community to understand needs and challenges and to find solutions. We believe in the power of volunteering. We are committed to collaborating, developing new opportunities, initiatives and partnerships to improve people and places.
We care about our community, and we believe that when people feel supported, change happens. As SECH we listen and appreciate the voices of everyone in the community. We ensure that diverse perspectives contribute to our understanding and decision-making.
We adapt to the evolving needs of the community; this is integral to our approach. We strive to be responsive and flexible. We shape our work to best serve the dynamic requirements of the community.
People are at the heart of SECH. We are built on the foundation of dedicated and passionate volunteers. At SECH we are focused on uplifting communities, channelling our efforts to not only address needs but to inspire positive change and foster a sense of strength and capability within the communities we serve.
We deliver services that strengthen our community. Last year alone, we helped 6728 people in the Southend area to increase their skills, improve employment prospects, and help them access the right services.
In 2020, we were awarded the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. Awarded in recognition of our contribution to the Southend community, this is the highest award a voluntary group can receive in the UK and is given to organisations delivering exceptional service within their communities.
“We are delighted that your group’s work to provide wide-ranging services in Southend has been recognised, pay tribute to hard work and commitment of your volunteers and dedicated staff.”
Mrs Jennifer Tolhurst, Lord Lieutenant of Essex
After listening to the needs of our community we have successfully developed and trialled a new Youth offer, SECH Youth Hub. We have had over 1092 Youth engagements between 2024 and 2025.
Eleven young people have received the Outstanding Achievement Award from Jack Petchy through our Youth Hub and three Youth Staff have recieved Leader Awards for exceptional support within our youth setting. We have been able to secure four years of funding from the National Lottery’s Community Fund to continue this successful project.
SECH has used a cost-benefit analysis tool (Greater Manchester Cost-Benefit Analysis Tool) to articulate the fiscal, economic and social value of SECH’s work. In 2022, SECH’s work generated £212,122 in public value with savings of fiscal value of £113,556 to the Department of Work and Pensions and £11,029 in savings to the local authority.
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