Community engagement

Need

Residents on the local housing estates need effective ways to address the problems that are affecting them.

Evidence

The information provided below is an example. When referring to consultation or research, you should include dates to show when it took place (ideally within the last two years to ensure it is up to date) and clarify the source of the evidence.

Several meetings have been held between local tenants' and residents' associations in 2010 and 2011 - minutes are available highlighting issues identified such as lack of community cohesion and anti-social behaviour.
In June 2011 a consultation process within each estate was held by the Hollybrush Association to identify the needs of local people. 200 people responded to surveys highlighting concerns such as older people feeling isolated, anti-social behaviour and insufficient opportunities to have a say in local issues. Residents felt that local statutory services and organisations were not listening to them and doing enough to assist with these concerns.
Engagement with the local community and the local council by the Hollybrush Association in early 2011 helped to develop ideas and identify actions to create a strategy for the area. This was achieved through a series of community arts and social events between March and December 2011. This process gathered ideas over the last nine months with existing groups and members of the community not currently involved in groups.
These events were followed up with focus groups run by the Hollybrush Association in early 2012 to create an overall strategy map. The process gained contributions from 250 people aged from 8 to 80.
The Index of Multiple Deprivation statistics for 2010 rank the area 52nd most deprived out of 354 local authorities in England. The Child Poverty Needs Assessment for the area found that one in four children live in poverty, ranking it 2nd most deprived out of 48 local authorities in the region. The Joint Strategic Needs Assessment identifies specific health related problems in the area, including obesity, poor diet and low rates of exercise, linked to low incomes and high unemployment.
The project clearly complements specific elements of the local authority's 2011/12 Sustainable Communities Strategy

The overall aim for the project

To reduce isolation and improve the quality of life for excluded communities on the two estates and increase engagement in local networks and activities

Outcome(s) for the project

Local residents feel less isolated as a result of participating in new social networks or activities
Local residents feel greater ownership of their local community and have a greater voice in issues that affect them
Services are more responsive and have a better understanding of local people's needs that will help them to plan and deliver more appropriate services on the estates.

Tracking progress

Outcome	Indicator	Indicator level	Timescale
Local residents feel less isolated as a result of participating in new social networks or activities	Number of new projects and participation levels	Three new projects have been set up	By the end of year two
		40 local people participating in new activities	By the end of the project
	Number feeling less isolated	50 people report feeling less isolated through engaging with their neighbours and taking part in activities	By the end of the project
Local residents feel greater ownership of their local community and have a greater voice in issues that affect them	Number of individuals involved in local issues	Eight people become involved in local forums and partnerships	Annually
		10 people have become community champions'	By the end of the project
		A total of 23 community members on the estates feel more confident in an advocacy role	By the end of the project
Services are more responsive and have a better understanding of local people's needs that will help them to plan and deliver more appropriate services on the estates	Number using services	A sample of 50 local people report they have better access to local services	Annually
		Organisations report a 20 per cent increase in take up of local services	By the end of the project
	Organisations reporting a better understanding	18 local organisations report a better understanding of the needs of their users through feedback from forums and community champions	By the end of the project

Activities

Hold three community meetings in each estate to support community in identifying needs and running projects
Carry out capacity-building work, providing six training sessions, and one to one support for 25 community members
Help residents set up five social groups in each estate
Carry out lobbying and advocacy activities and disseminate information between communities and the Council
Hold three community events in each estate

Learning

The project examined which groups of people were more likely to be involved, considering age, ethnicity, gender and disability. There was then a discussion about how to engage those who were under-represented.