Following our statement earlier in the week, we have updated our planning and precaution measures being put in place across Halifax Opportunities Trust regarding Coronavirus.

As of Monday 23rd March 2020 we will suspend delivery of all our community activities and face to face meetings across the Trust in response to the growing coronavirus pandemic and in line with Government advice. This will affect activities across all 6 of our areas of work.

For more information about how individual areas will be affected please read on.

Children & Families

• All community groups will be suspended, but information will go out weekly via our website and social media with a different activity that can be completed at home with children.
• Speech and Language measures will still take place via telephone calls.
• All short-breaks will be completed via telephone calls.
• All family support, perinatal and family outreach cases will receive weekly telephone support (more contacts if deemed necessary).
• All nurseries will remain open for as long as possible, but we may cancel funded places in the event of staff shortages.

Community & Wellbeing

• Suspension of all groups and face to face activity with participants on our programmes however our Community and Wellbeing team will be continuing to offer support, advice & guidance through telephone, email, text and online methods.

Employment

• Suspension of all face to face activity with participants on our programmes however our Employment Team will be continuing to offer support, advice & guidance through telephone, email, text and online methods.

Enterprise

• Our two business centres at Hanson Lane and Elsie Whiteley will remain open until official advice changes.
• Reception services are continuing at this time but we may have to revise due to staff shortage and / or offer reduced hours and services as the situation dictates. We will endeavour to maintain the best service possible at both centres.
• HOT Networking is suspended until further notice.

Inclusive Integration

• Suspension of all classes, events and face to face activity with participants on our programmes however our Inclusive Integration team will be continuing to offer support, advice & guidance through telephone, email, text and online methods.

Learning

• Our apprenticeships are currently continuing to run as normal.
• In the event of business, school or nursery closures our Learning team will continue to support current learners on programmes through regular email, phone and Facebook updates with the provision of a range of online learning.
• If our Learning team are unable to have contact with learners for more than 4 weeks the Trust would apply for a ‘break in learning’ which is available for up to three months and can be requested at the moment by the employer, learner or us as providers.
• Our Learning team have also delayed some planned starts until after Easter

The suspension of these activities will stay in place until further notice.

Finally, we are a community organisation and very proud of our community work here in Halifax, Calderdale and beyond. The measures we have set out above have been informed by our values of care, collaboration, commitment and enterprise.

The scale of the challenge our communities are set to face will test us like never before which is why we would like to take this opportunity to ask everyone to remember the principles of neighbourliness and friendship.

Please carry on checking up on neighbours, the elderly and the vulnerable either by phone or online if you cannot do so in person.