Tenants Community Cohesion Project News
Notes from Community Cohesion in Social Housing Meeting at Nawaab 14th April 2003
1. Introduction by Sue Page – District Tenants Federation and the benefits of community involvement.
Sue welcomed everybody and introduced herself and asked everyone else to introduce themselves. Sue gave a brief outline of what the Cohesion Project is about. She would like the project to bring about a return to the olden days type of neighbours where people looked out for each other. Sue said that it was important for the project to be tenant led. She hopes the project would be about the community working together to sort out their own problems e.g. neighbourhood nuisance instead of waiting around for statutory agencies to respond. Sue said that community cohesion is not just an ethnic issue. A key outcome for the project would be to have a representative for each street on the four estates. Sue provided examples where ‘issues’ on estates had been resolved by local people in their own way. Therefore, with more support, there are many more problems, which can be dealt with by local people, and there should be partnerships with agencies such as youth services, police and housing.
2. Overview of Project – Michael Churley
Michael said that the Project Management Group were lucky to have Bernadette on board, as she has experience of helping arrange work programmes for the Neighbourhood Action Planning Assistants. Michael said that the people here today are the Project Management Committee, and asked if any of those present can not attend future meetings themselves, please could they try to get someone else from their organisation to attend. On each of the estates there is to be a Local Steering Committee and the Tenant Involvement Section have been doing some groundwork on establishing initial contacts and making introductions. The areas need to be mapped initially and then street reps are to be encouraged. Michael said that communication is a large part of the projects work. The Outcome from the project is to include a support network for ethnic minority tenants. Lessons are to be made from experiences on the Canterbury estate; Michael said that it is very useful to have Mandy from Accord sitting on the Project Management Committee and a good Tenant Representation with lots of experience.
The aims of the 12-month project are to extend community involvement to more local people particularly those who have not become involved in the past.
A package of free training and events will be made available to local tenants and residents that will include community work skills, cultural awareness.
A Project manger and four local assistants will be employed to provide the face to fact contact required to motivate local people and assist in developing a local steering group on the four estates (Parkside, Lower Grange, Scholemoor and Bradford Moor) and determine how the money should be spent.
Each group will also apply for funding to prepare a Neighbourhood Action Plan, which will tie in with the involvement/cohesion work and provide a strategic element for forward planning.
The outcomes that are planned are to:
Ø Develop a local support network of street representatives
Ø Works with Bradford Accord to tackle areas of local friction
Ø Youth exchange work
Ø A resettlement and support package available to BME tenants.
Matters arising from questions put to Michael after his overview:
The owner-occupiers are to be included in the project. (Where documentation refers to ‘tenants’ please assume this includes all residents.)
Before the Assistants are in position more background research is needed.
A logo, poster and postcard are to be produced. Draft to be circulated with notes.
A newsgroup is to be set up.
Bases are needed for the Assistants and Project Manger, somewhere where they can receive direction and a good induction and support structure is needed if they are to hit the ground running.
A recruitment and selection committee is needed.
Need to meet again in a month. Meetings to take place on location at the project areas.
The Anti-crime partnership contact for North is Linda Cleveland.
3. Role of the Video
Louise spoke about a similar video project she has been involved with. It was done using a video room a bit like on the big brother programme. It provided strong views from the communities. An example of a question asked was ‘what would you wish for if you had a magic wand?’. The video at Lower Grange had a slow take up at first. A major theme coming out from the videos was around the fear of crime. Participants felt that the video would be ‘listened’ to. Louise offered to video the whole Community Cohesion Project and process from start to finish, the main cost being from duplication of videos, and is to bring along a sample of her work to the next Project Management Meeting.
Michael informed the group that a video showing was planned for the launch of the project.
Alex is to have a word with Derek Palmer (BCHT finance) regarding monies for preparation of the launch.
4. Job descriptions
Those present raised the following points:
Who is supporting street reps?
Possible to have assistants working 4/5 days instead of 3 for the salary proposed (approx. £11,000)
The accountable for is too weak
Qualification needs to be inserted in mangers jd, suggested equivalent of Tenant Participation Cert.
Experience of involving hard to reach groups should be moved to essential.
Training delivery experience could be added
Need to make it essential that the manger has worked with local volunteers
Insert warning – to be prepared for knock backs
Skill of working with local management committees could be added
Liasing skills, are essential, budget management – possibly include a mention.
5. Any Other Business
The funding has come from Central Government.
Everyone agreed for their organisation to be on the Management Steering Committee
The next meeting was set for 19th May at the Lower Grange Centre 6pm.
It was great to see such a project being run by tenants!
|
