Impact of Community Connectors for MMR

The Community Connecting for MMR project was commissioned to reduce health inequalities in Enfield and Haringey by empowering trusted grassroots organisations to increase understanding and uptake of MMR and childhood immunisations through culturally tailored, co-produced engagement.

We partnered with Community Connectors from:

Dalmar Heritage & Family Development

(Somali community)

House of Polish & European Community

Sewn Together

(Black African & Afro Caribbean Community)

Turkish Cypriot Community Association

Engagement

Community centres: coffee mornings, health talks, drop-ins, workshops •
Schools and nurseries: coffee mornings, ESOL sessions, playgroups
Family hubs and children’s centres: play and mothers groups, support sessions
Community events: Somali Week, Turkish Cypriot Cultural Day •
Health community groups: Sip & Paint, sewing, wellbeing sessions •
Public spaces: libraries, cafés, markets, gardens
GP surgeries and hospital: outreach, clinic visits, maternity liaison
We engaged with a diverse group of residents and reached a high proportion of those of parental age.

“I initially approached vaccination as a public health responsibility, focusing on delivering accurate information. Through engagement with my community and the robust evidence from trusted Somali professionals as well as direct observation of uptake improvements, this reinforced my own confidence in vaccines as being safe and essential.”

Somali Community Champion

Reasons for Vaccine Hesitancy:

Turkish Community

Side effects and ingredients
Number of vaccines given at once
I wasn’t vaccinated as a child, therefore I see no need

Polish Community

Side effects and ingredients.
All vaccines in general.
Number of vaccines given at once

Black Community

Concerned about all vaccines in general
Find it difficult to arrange childcare
My child isn’t at risk of the disease

Across all communities, the top 3 reasons given:

Side effects/ and or ingredients

Number of vaccines given

No risk of the disease/ they’re not around anymore

Case Study

In an informal discussion in Somali about childhood vaccinations. When this mother heard the term 'jadeeco'—the Somali word for measles—she immediately made the connection between the disease and the MMR vaccine for the first time. Until then, many in the group hadn’t realised that measles (jadeeco), mumps, and rubella were all covered under one vaccine. She said.

"We fear that illness more than anything. Now that I know, I will take my child.”

Following this session, this mother and two other mothers in the group booked appointments with their GP and followed through with MMR vaccinations for their children.

What does this tell us?

Her story highlighted the importance of language and cultural context in public health messaging. When community members receive information in their own language, it becomes more meaningful.

The story sparked further discussion among attendees and deepened trust in the messages being shared during the workshop. It also validated Dalmar’s approach of tailoring health information to the cultural and linguistic needs of the Somali community

Other reasons given: Age at Immigration experiences- differences in ability to remember experiences of illness in home country • Perceived physical defects from MMR vaccine- scarring • Cultural and linguistic gaps can delay vaccine uptake • Lack of trust in NHS services • Health literacy and navigation skills • Unfamiliarity with clinical roles • Immigration and system differences • Lack of education and MMR awareness

Best Practice for Successful Engagement

Linked MMR talks with wider family health support
Incentives (e.g. clothing) drew residents into dialogue
Open, non-judgmental questions built trust effectively
Honest but reassuring tone eased vaccine concerns

On-the-spot MMR bookings
Culturally sensitive visuals improved engagement and trust
Translated resources available

Autism and Vaccine Hesitancy

Autism related concerns are widespread, even among pro-vaccine families •
Lack of autism understanding fuels misinformation •
Trust grows through familiar and representative messaging
Education on autism helps increase vaccine confidence •
Confidence built through community representative clinical leads on conversation
Concerns causing the delaying of vaccination until they have passed developmental milestones of walking and talking.

Outcomes

Learnings shared with ICB, GP federations, councils, and partners to improve practice
Trial catch-up clinics implemented as a result of the project
Co-produced resources with grassroots organisations
Improved translations and use of culturally sensitive imagery in resources.
Translated FAQs in several different languages
Established team of community ambassadors in Enfield and Haringey

Recommendations

Make autism education a core part of vaccine engagement
Invest in culturally and linguistically appropriate resources
Equip connectors and health champions in future to confidently talk about autism
Use storytelling and real-life examples to shift beliefs
Continue to centre trusted professionals in delivery
More diversity in skin tone representation
Simplified booking processes for digitally excluded families
Integrate services to reflect whole child concerns

A mother of three, new to the area, was unsure about her children’s vaccine records. After a connector helped her review her red book and contact her previous GP, she booked MMR catch-up doses for her two youngest. She’s now part of a community group and shares her story with new members.’

Kindly Funded by: