Croydon Community Profile by GANCHEVSKA, SVETLANA

Croydon Demografics

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Demographics of Croydon

The population of Croydon is 392,224 according to mid-2022 population figures published by the ONS. Croydon's population growth rate between mid-2021 and mid-2022 was 0.4% per year. Croydon covers an area of 86 square kilometres (33 square miles) and has a population density of 4,535 people per square kilometre (km²), based on the latest population estimates taken in mid-2022.

According to the latest 2021 census, the population in Croydon is predominantly white (48%), with non-white minorities representing the remaining 52% of the population.

The median average age in Croydon in 2022 was 37.9, with people of working age (ages 16-64) representing 65.6% of the population. The sex ratio was 92.7 males to every 100 females. Compare average age by area.

The largest religious group in Croydon is Christians who account for 49% of the population.

English is spoken as the main language by 83.6% of people in Croydon, and spoken either well or very well by 13.1% of the population. 2.5% reported having poor English language skills, and the remaining 0.8% spoke no English at all.

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

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POPULATION

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Population of Croydon

Main page: Croydon Population

The population of Croydon is 392,224 according to mid-2022 population figures published by the ONS. In the year between mid-2021 and mid-2022, the population in Croydon grew by an estimated 1,533 people, and in the ten years before mid-2022, the population grew by 18,596.

Croydon's population growth rate between mid-2021 and mid-2022 was 0.4%, which is 0.1% lower than the average population growth rate in Croydon for the ten years before mid-2022 (0.5%).

Croydon covers an area of 86 square kilometres (33 square miles) and has a population density of 4,535 people per square kilometre (km²), based on the latest population estimates taken in mid-2022. That figure has increased by 215 people per km² over the past decade.

Community safety

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The places and spaces we live, play, work and socialise play a pivotal role in shaping our physical and mental health and overall wellbeing. • For example, access high quality green spaces could lower our stress levels, promote social activity and increase our daily physical activity, improving our physical and mental wellbeing. Similarly, safe, clean, healthy and well-connected neighbourhoods could cultivate a sense of belonging, feelings of security and safety, contributing to an overall sense of community and improved mental and emotional wellbeing. Conversely, environments characterised by pollution, noise and limited recreational areas could have adverse impacts on our physical and mental wellbeing. (GCPH 2013) • The figure on the right-hand side summarises latest available data on Croydon’s built natural environments including data on transport, neighbourhood design, and natural and sustainable environments. • The most recent Environment Report for Croydon can be found at https://www.croydonobservatory.org/environment/#/vie wreport/04f70e9e81d54d578c2ccdc0c5456e23/___iaFirs tFeature/G3. Source: Office of Health Improvement and Disparities Summary data on transport, neighbourhood design, and natural and sustainable environments. Building blocks of our health and wellbeing: community safety JSNA Summary: November 2023 26 Community safety • Community safety plays a crucial role in shaping our health and wellbeing. Experiencing crime or fear of crime can adversely impact our mental and physical health. These impacts could be direct or indirect. • For example, being a victim of crime could cause direct physical or mental harm, leading to poor health and wellbeing. Among some people, it could also lead to loss of confidence and isolation over time. Fear of crime impacts all of us and could erode our sense of freedom and personal safety, which could harm our health and wellbeing. • Feeling safe and secure in our environment is an important enabler for behaviours, such as outdoor physical activity or social activities, that contribute positively to our overall health and wellbeing. • This section summarises key data on community safety. Between July 2022 and June 2023, a total of 33,089 crimes were reported in Croydon. The figures on the right-hand side compares crime rates between Croydon, London and England and provides a breakdown of crimes by type. • A detailed profile of Croydon’s Crime & Community Safety can be found at https://www.croydonobservatory.org/crime-and-communitysafety/#/viewreport/48facb1714aa4261a67cbe7d59bfec28/___iaFirstFeature/G3.

Healt-wellbeing in Croydon

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Health in Croydon

In 2021, 47.9% of Croydon residents described their health as "very good", increasing from 43.3% in 2011. Those describing their health as "good" fell from 36.4% to 34.5%. These are age-standardised proportions.

This section uses age-standardised proportions. These proportions enable comparisons between populations over time and across geographies, as they account for differences in population size and age structure.

The proportion of Croydon residents describing their health as "very bad" was 1.2% (similar to 2011), while those describing their health as "bad" fell from 4.4% to 3.8%.

These data reflect people's opinions when describing their overall health on a five-point scale, from very good to very bad.

Census 2021 was conducted during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This may have influenced how people perceived and rated their health, affecting how they chose to respond.

The percentage of people in good health in Croydon decreased by 1.9 percentage points

The age-standardised proportion of usual residents by self-reported health, CroydonLondonEngland

2011

2021

comparisons

ClassificationPercentage in CroydonPercentage in undefinedVery good health43.3%
47.9%

Good health36.4%
34.5%

Fair health14.6%
12.7%

Bad health4.4%
3.8%

Very bad health1.4%
1.2%

- Community-based MHPSS Initiatives

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Understanding Cultural Sensitivity

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Table of Contents

Training Local Facilitators

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Building Trust and Respect

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Building community trust involves respecting local customs and traditions and ensuring interventions do not undermine cultural practices. Facilitators should use culturally appropriate communication and incorporate traditional healing practices where possible.

Stakeholder Engagement

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Maintaining positive stakeholder relationships helps groups work together more effectively and enables more holistic decision-making.

If you get the stakeholder engagement process right, then your stakeholders might become champions of your project. They will be more accepting of your decisions and might even help you deliver positive outcomes.

BUILDING LONG TERM MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT

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RECOMMENDATIONS In order to overcome these challenges, long-term commitment and joint efforts are crucial. To achieve better mental health and wellbeing for all, NGOs, policy makers and donors should work together. This study shows that the integration of MHPSS within health systems in low- and middle-income countries is crucial but is often lagging behind. Therefore, we recommend MoFA to consider the following: 1. Ensure MHPSS is incorporated in the health system; this includes making it part of the essential health service packages; making available sufficient human capacity and financial resources.. 2. Build on existing health structures and staff capacities, ensuring a long term vision when developing MHPSS policies. 3. Ensure MHPSS integration into the health system in low and middle income countries becomes a priority theme amongst governments, international donors and high-level agencies to achieve health and wellbeing for all in its fullest definition. 4. Invest more capacity and funding into research and awareness raising on (cost)-effective ways to integrate MHPSS into the health system, particularly in low- and middle-income countries and fragile settings. Apart from the above, actors in MHPSS should be cognisant off and intensify the efforts to: 5. Ensure health services are inclusive, non-judgmental and safe for people with psycho-social and mental health issues. 6. Address stigma and exclusion of people with mental health issues in communities. 7. Support investments in prevention of and response to (S)GBV in LMIC’s using a gender transformative approach. 8. Invest in exchange, partnerships and joint advocacy between beneficiaries, health practitioners, donors, NGOs and other institutions to promote learning on MHPSS in the health system. In addition, we fully support the leadership of the Dutch MoFA to realize all multisectoral action points of the Declaration Mind the Mind Now.

Reference:https://www.cordaid.org/en/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2022/11/Integrating-MHPSS-in-health-systems-in-low-and-middle-income-countries_Cordaid.pdf

Ensuring Ethical Integrity

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Informed Consent and Confidentiality

Ethical integrity is maintained by ensuring informed consent and confidentiality. Participants should be fully informed about interventions, their rights, and how their information will be used, building trust and ensuring safety.

Non-Discrimination and Equity

Interventions must be accessible to all affected individuals without discrimination, addressing barriers for marginalized groups and ensuring equitable resource distribution.

Monitoring and Accountability

Regular monitoring and evaluation ensure accountability and adherence to ethical standards. Community feedback is incorporated to adjust interventions based on evolving needs.

Poster Presentation: Conducting a Community Needs Assessment in Croydon

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Poster Presentation: Conducting a Community Needs Assessment in Croydon

Our poster presentation showcases the comprehensive process of conducting a community needs assessment in Croydon. This entails identifying key health and social needs, existing resources, and service gaps to develop targeted interventions for improved community well-being.

Objectives and Goals:

To identify and address the needs, resources, and gaps within Croydon.
To guide the development of targeted health and social interventions.

Tools and Approaches:

Demographic and Statistical Data Collection:
- Tools: UK Census data, Croydon Council reports.
- Approach: Aggregating data to create a detailed demographic profile.
Surveys and Questionnaires:
- Tools: Online and paper surveys, structured questionnaires.
- Approach: Gathering quantitative and qualitative data from residents.
Focus Groups and Interviews:
- Tools: Focus group discussions, in-depth interviews.
- Approach: Collecting insights on lived experiences and perceptions.
Public Forums and Community Meetings:
- Tools: Town hall meetings, listening sessions.
- Approach: Engaging residents in discussions to identify common concerns.
Asset Mapping:
- Tools: GIS mapping software, community resource directories.
- Approach: Identifying existing resources and service gaps.
Literature Review:
- Tools: Academic journals, government and NGO reports.
- Approach: Reviewing best practices and successful intervention strategies.

Integration of Findings:

Data Analysis: Utilizing statistical and thematic analysis.
Reporting: Compiling a comprehensive report of findings.
Stakeholder Feedback: Validating findings with community stakeholders.

Continuous Improvement:

Monitoring and Evaluation: Tracking intervention impacts.
Community Engagement: Maintaining ongoing dialogue for strategy refinement.

Conclusion: By employing a multifaceted approach combining demographic analysis, surveys, focus groups, asset mapping, and literature review, our needs assessment provides a holistic understanding of Croydon's community needs. This ensures that interventions are effective, culturally sensitive, and community-driven, ultimately leading to enhanced health outcomes and well-being for all residents.