Our Happy Place - Worcester City Council
Transcription
Our Happy Place - Worcester City Council
Our Happy Place Our Five Year Report 2010/15 YEAR’S PROGRESS Contents 5 WELCOME 6 BACKGROUND 7 STARTING OUT 8 OUR PARTNERSHIP 20 CONCLUSION 10 OUTCOMES, IMPACT & LESSONS 21 NEXT STEPS HYPERLINKS Please note that this document contains hyperlinks, so you can click on the words underlined to access further information. Also, to help you out - just click the contents boxes on this page to be taken straight to those pages. 5 Welcome In this report you’ll be able to discover just some of the ways in which the Our Happy Place Partnership has been able to create real, lasting change to the lives of individuals, communities and the issues we strive to tackle. We have worked hard over the course of the last five years to ensure that we provide opportunities and support to our communities in order to fulfil their potential. A range of projects have been delivered and a diverse range of community organisations have been involved along the way. Through its strong team of local partners with effective reach into communities, the OHP partnership has aimed to provide local solutions for people. The scale of the activity within these communities over the past five years has been remarkable, and really has changed lives. I would like to thank each member of the partnership board, our sponsors, and most importantly our community members who dedicate so much of their time and energy to lead, support and deliver this amazing work. Nina Warrington, Chairperson of the OHP Partnership, Strategic Housing Service Manager, Worcester City Council 6 Background The area of highest need programme was We used the indices of Multiple Deprivation a Worcestershire Partnership initiative and other sources of information, such to bring members of both County and as annual household incomes, health District Local Strategic Partnerships data, and crime data to identify which together to tackle the issues affecting areas of Worcester to focus on. the county’ s most deprived areas. Based on this data funding was targeted In 2010, the Worcestershire Partnership to benefit communities within the wards awarded funding to Worcester City of Warndon, Gorse Hill and Rainbow Hill, Council, from the Local Area Agreement outlying neighbourhoods in the north east reward grants, for five years (2010-2015) of Worcester City. These wards contain to address inequalities that existed in a total population of 16,853 (ONS mid ‘areas of highest need’, designated as year population estimates, 2011) which is such due to the high levels of deprivation roughly 17% of the Worcester population. outcomes amongst local residents. 7 Starting Out Data from a range of sources and organisations indicated significant inequalities between residents living in the wards of Warndon, Gorse Hill, and Rainbow Hill compared to the rest of the city. For example, life expectancies of people living in these target wards were typically five to ten years below those living in the rest of the city, and annual household income was significantly below the city average with 19% of households in Warndon earning less than £10,000. During 2010/11 we worked with our communities in our target wards to find out what their key issues were, where they thought support was needed and how this related to our data. We conducted street surveys and group conversations, talking to over 800 people. Based on the knowledge gained, we chose the following overarching aims for the focus of our work: • to improve outcomes for young people • to improve outcomes for families • to improve health and well being • to improve the environment • to increase levels of skills, learning, training and employment • to increase financial inclusion • to improve safety • to increase community involvement and engagement 8 Our Partnership A group of like minded local organisations from the public, community and voluntary sector formed a board to provide strategic direction and oversee the funding. The board consists of the following members: Warwick Neale Team Manager, Cleaner and Greener City, Worcester City Council Sue Rogers Head of Service, Worcester City Early Help, Action for Children Nina Warrington Service Manager, Strategic Housing Service, Worcester City Council Rosemary Williams Director of Practise, Engagement & Service Development, NHS South Worcestershire Clinical Commissioning Group Jude Langton Community Safety Manager, Worcester City Council, Safer Worcester Partnership 9 Jan Nelson Healthy Communities Manager, Public Health, Worcestershire County Council Councillor Jo Hodges Chairperson of the Warndon & Tolladine Community Forum Helen Scarrett Chief Executive, Worcester Community Trust Carolyn Davies Economic Development Officer (People), Economic Development and Planning Policy, Worcester City Council Sue Heelas Assistant Director of Housing and Community Services, Fortis Living Outcomes, Impact and Lessons 12 The challenge: Improving Community Safety Crime and anti-social behaviour was higher in our area than in the rest of the city. Domestic violence was particularly high, with a total of 555 calls made to West Mercia Police relating to domestic violence from our area, which is nearly 30% of all domestic violence calls for the whole city. The What challenge: has changed? Improving Community Safety There is strong evidence that crime and anti social wider reporting of incidents and perhaps a greater behaviour incidents are down and there are fewer confidence in the criminal justice system. victims in our communities. This is in line with falling crime nationally – however, we believe that our local prevention activities have had some Baseline 2014/15 1,558 (in 2009/10) 1,314 impact on specific local issues, such as burglary Crime Incidents and domestic abuse. People feel more confident Burglary incidents 176 (in 2009/10) 111 about the reporting processes meaning that issues Anti Social Behaviour incidents 2,123 (in 2009/10) 1,203 Domestic Violence Incidents 2,151 (in 2011/12) 2,174 get dealt with quicker and more effectively. An increase in domestic violence incidents shows Snapshot on what we did DAWN Project Door Knocking Project Since the project began it has supported over Safer Worcester has worked with partners 200 women and 252 children. The service from the Fire Service, Police, Housing, offers a variety of support including safety Neighbourhood Watch, and County Council planning, guidance in accessing benefits and Public Health to deliver over 600 anti financial advice, help in accessing the criminal burglary home smartwater kits and free fire justice processes, emotional support, raising safety checks to local households, and to self confidence and promoting well being. make referrals to lifestyle services such as health trainers and smoking cessation. People have turned their life around with the support of the DAWN project. Some of these women have formed a survivors group called “DAWN’s Little Sister” and they have been supporting DAWN by making and selling jewellery to raise funds for the project. For more information please watch this film. 13 The challenge: Reducing Smoking Our target area showed significant health inequalities compared to the rest of the city. Men from the city’s richest areas could expect to live over nine years longer than those in Warndon, Gorse Hill and parts of Rainbow Hill, while women in the richest areas could expect to live five years longer. Smoking was a major contributing factor to these early death rates and our target area had the highest smoking rate in the county (40.8% compared to a 25.7% average in the rest of the city). Warndon has the highest smoking related mortality rate in Worcestershire. A consultation with residents showed that 78% of the people living in the area wanted to quit smoking. 65% of these people wanted their stop smoking provider to provide them with advice and support to quit smoking. What has changed? Stop smoking services within our target area In 2015, Worcestershire County Council and have displayed pleasing figures, with providers Worcester City Council signed up to the Local reporting a 78.9% success rate throughout 2013. Government Declaration on Tobacco Control, This means that those using the services are very showing a renewed local commitment to act likely to succeed in stopping smoking. However, at a local level to reduce smoking prevalence. we still need to make sure that local people are This is a welcome sign that the major cause of aware of the service available to help them to ill-health and early death in the OHP target area quit, and have every encouragement to do so. is now seen as a priority for the whole Council. Snapshot on what we did Family Quitting Project Smoke Free Campaigns This project encouraged women of child The partnership has worked together to bearing age to access stop smoking support a range of smoke free campaigns services and quit smoking for good which which aimed to raise awareness of the produced some promising results. dangers of smoking and to signpost people to the right support to help them quit. 14 The challenge: Improving Health and Wellbeing Many people in our target area experience poor health and well being. For example, 21.4% of people in Gorse Hill have a limiting long term illness compared to 16.2% in Worcester. The self reported health of residents shows that 25% report as “not good” in Gorse Hill. The What challenge: has changed? Improving Community Safety The good news is that people are living longer smoking, poor diet, physical inactivity and within our target area and life expectancy has drinking too much alcohol. The OHP partnership increased similarly across the population of tried two new ways to address lifestyle choice Worcester. However, a small number of conditions more widely, by engaging local people as still cause the majority of premature death and health champions, and empowering them to ill health within our target communities. These support others in seeking early access to services conditions are linked to four key behaviours: which would encourage behaviour change. Snapshot on what we did Strengthening Healthy Communities Community Connectors The South Worcestershire Clinical Commissioning ‘connect sessions’ which help people to improve Group funded an organisation called Turning their physical and mental health and well being. Community Connectors run free and informal Point to run this local project. Seventeen local people were recruited as ‘community The sessions help people to problem solve key health champions’ and trained to conduct issues in their lives by signposting them to the right local research, surveying over 300 local support needed and supporting them to make key residents, and working on the co-design of lifestyle changes. Participants also benefit from three new support services for local people. mutually supporting each other where possible. Within 10 months the Community This project started a new dialogue between Connectors have supported 420 people stakeholders, residents and commissioners about ranging in age from 18 to 81 years old. what support the community requires and how it can be achieved. It centered conversations Within these 420 people: 221 people have around the real-lived experiences of members been signposted to further health support, of the community and provided channels for the 100 people have been signposted to specialist voice of the seldom heard residents to be heard services for older people, 25 people have been by commissioners and service deliverers. For signposted to specialist financial services, further information have a look at this film. 5 people have learnt to use the internet for the first time, and 5 unemployed people Some of the learning from this project has been have gained employment. Five people have embedded in the health sector more widely, also started to volunteer for the project. and one local GP practice now has a community health champion available on site, and a local GP championing this new approach. 16 The challenge: Improving the Environment and Community Facilities Our initial surveys showed that people’s top three environmental concerns were: litter, dog fouling and unkempt public spaces. 27% of people wanted more provision for young people (facilities, play and green areas, youth facilities). What has changed? The challenge: Improving Community Safety The whole community has worked together housing has been built, outdoor park gyms to create better facilities, housing and cleaner have been installed, a new youth centre has green spaces in neighbourhoods such as been built, existing housing has been upgraded Warndon, Brickfields and Blackpole. and a range of community facilities have been improved. Local services that look after the Trees have been planted, community gardens community facilities, housing or the environment have been created, park and play areas have have also changed the way they work locally to been revamped or cleaned up, new affordable meet the changing needs of their communities. Snapshot on what we did Housing Improvements Fortis Living have worked hard to deliver: • 16 new affordable two and three bedroom homes built for rent in Ennerdale Close; • Six new affordable homes built for rent in Troutbeck Drive; • £1,000,000 spent on sprucing up over 700 properties (including three sheltered housing schemes); Transferring Assets to Communities Three community centres within our target area have been successfully transferred from the city council to the management of a local community organisation: Worcester Community Trust. This has enabled greater ownership of these community hubs by the communities who benefit from them, while securing their future to be maintained as community spaces. • 36 flats in Randwick Drive, Warndon, 28 flats in Avening Close, Warndon and 14 flats in Rose and Lilac Avenue, Tolladine, benefitted from upgrades to communal areas; • 14 homes in Maple Avenue and Portesfield Road, Tolladine had their garden extended through the removal of a redundant access road that had become an antisocial hot spot; • Installation of a new play area in Rose Avenue, Tolladine. 17 The challenge: Increasing Financial Inclusion Levels of personal debt have increased significantly over the last 10 years nationwide. 10% of adults in Warndon were struggling to pay off debts of £5k- £15k in 2012. Fuel poverty has also been increasing, which is defined as those who have to spend 10% or more of their income to achieve adequate warmth and light. 45% of people we surveyed told us that ‘money problems and debt’ had the most impact on their overall health and well being. The What challenge: has changed? Improving Community Safety Our target area remains a place where people are it is hard to know the full extent of the problem as on low incomes. Local people have benefitted we do not know how many people are struggling from access to appropriate financial products and with debt but have not sought help locally. advice. Debt is still an issue for many people and Snapshot on what we did Loan Shark Campaign The Illegal Money Lending Team is a criminal investigation team based in Birmingham and covering England. They are a standalone Trading Standards unit who identify, investigate and prosecute Illegal Money Lenders or Loan Sharks. The Team has worked partnership with the OHP Partnership to deliver a wide Budget Management Courses A number of free courses have been delivered to local people teaching them budget skills and toolkits for managing their money. This has put more people in control of their finances enabling them to save and prevent debt. range of projects over the last four years. This work has highlighted the dangers of loan sharks and worked to prevent these criminals reaching vulnerable people in our communities. Front line staff and volunteers have been trained in the dangers of loan sharks which has enabled them to support and signpost anyone they meet in their day to day work who has been a victim of this crime. Our joint work has raised awareness locally and reporting of known loan sharks has increased. More Homes Heated Fortis Living used Energy Company Obligation funding to apply external wall insulation to hard to heat homes in our target area, helping residents to reduce heating bills. The scheme was extended to private home owners too. 1,500 homes in the area are now warmer, adding value to the house prices and reducing the energy bills. 19 The challenge: Increasing Community Engagement Our baseline figures told us that 62% of our residents felt that they did not belong to their neighbourhood. Local involvement (such as volunteering) in our target area was low. Our survey told us that 78% of people were not interested in volunteering and many of them did not have an understanding of how volunteering would benefit their community, while 75% of people did not wish to influence decision making. 83% of people did not want to be part of a group that helps to address local issues. We also recognised that there was lots going on locally, but that people were not aware of the activities and support services available to them, or how to access them. What has changed? The challenge: Improving Community Safety The amount of people and the time given in has helped design, implement and sustain volunteering to support local activities has some fantastic projects. However, it has not increased gradually over the last five years. proved possible to communicate with all groups equally and community engagement Across the project, community engagement still requires substantial time and resources. Snapshot on what we dvid Community Funding Panel We were successful in becoming part of the National Community First Neighbourhood Matched Fund Scheme which meant we were able to allocate match funding over four years to our voluntary and community groups to deliver, in their view, the best solutions to meet our local priorities. Local residents and other public representatives formed a funding panel to make decisions on how this money would be allocated to local projects. Further information on our panel members can be accessed here. Sharing Information Projects 2010/11 £14,060 grants allocated to community groups to support local delivery. Approximately 10,000 hours of time given by volunteers 2011/12 £21,223 grants allocated to community groups to support local delivery. Approximately 14,000 hours of time given by volunteers Community Notice Boards have been 2012/13 £21,223 grants allocated to community groups to support local delivery. Approximately 18,000 hours of time given by volunteers regular ‘What’s On’ guide to let people 2014/15 £31,896 grants allocated to community groups to support local delivery. Approximately 24,000 hours of time given by volunteers installed and the OHP publishes a know about the many activities, events and services available locally. OHP Champions The OHP Partnership has benefitted from working with seven local leaders who have volunteered their time to work as ambassadors, advocates and supporters of our local communities. Further information on our champions can be found here. 20 Conclusion Overall the OHP Partnership has succeeded in making sure more things work for local people. Warndon, Gorse Hill and Rainbow Hill are now better places to live. The outcomes and impacts highlighted in this report are testament to the investment of our local communities to work together in a more focussed and coordinated way to tackle local challenges and deliver better local outcomes. The OHP Partnership has started to give people more power over local services and budgets in their neighbourhoods, aligning these with all the other resources that the community can bring. Many of the OHP initiatives have contributed to wider local improvements and leveraged wider investments into the areas. OHP Partnership activity has given a useful insight into some of the city’s hard pressed communities, and has shown how we can work to reduce inequalities in these areas. A partnership response to interventions within neighbourhoods suffering from multiple problems has provided a more comprehensive approach to the challenges faced and has proved important in any efforts to affect change. Working collaboratively with our communities to address shared priorities has produced long term benefits. 21 Next Steps The OHP came to an official end in May 2015, but its legacy will continue in a number of ways. The OHP Partnership members have committed to continue to work as a local group to tackle inequalities in the city. Following a Worcester City Council Scrutiny Committee Review, Worcester City Council has committed to provide match funding grants for community groups to support our on-going work to reduce inequalities. The council will also provide officer time to support coordination of all OHP work. As a partnership we have already held some initial workshops to develop a new action plan and are working to secure more resources to support any new delivery. We aim to maximise the potential for learning from Phase 1 of the OHP Partnership’s work, and are looking forward to this exciting second phase of OHP. 22 Message from the Coordinator It is impossible for me to list everyone who helps us continue our work. The partnership would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to all our supporters particularly those listed who work closely with us to help build resilient communities and a sustainable future. We thank you: Worcestershire Partnership Shenstone Group - especially our champions Blackpole and Fairmount Community Group Warndon and Tolladine Community Forum Friends of KGV Playing Fields Disability Sport Worcester Rainbow Hill Centre Worcester Play Council Nexus Housing Hollymount School Warndon Primary School Cranham Primary School St Barnabas Primary School St Joseph’s Primary School Tudor Grange Academy Worcester Worcester Volunteer Centre England Illegal Money Lending Team Community Development Foundation Turning Point Francesca Davies, Community Partnerships Coordinator, Worcester City Council For further information please contact: Francesca Davies, Community Partnerships Coordinator, Strategy and Partnerships Team, Strategic Housing Services, Worcester City Council, The Guildhall, Worcester WR1 2EY Tel: 01905 721 131 / 07768 055191 Email: Francesca.davies@worcester.gov.uk Worcestershire County Council Identity Guidelines Twitter: @OurHappyPlace_ Corporate plan style Facebook: facebook.com/ourhappyplaceworcester Wherever possible what we do should be tied into one of our corporate plan priorities, this document shows how the corporate plan style should be applied through the use of priority visuals, colours and The Corporate Style Font is Sketch Block Bold and Sketch Block Light, this is to be used in conjunction Worcester Cityvisuals Council. rights permitted for research, styles. One of the priority should be usedAll to highlight which reserved. area of our corporateReproduction plan the work with the WCC corporate Font, Agenda. contributes toward, two visuals have been developed for each priority, each priority area has been assigned a colour from the and WCC colour palette private study internal circulation within an organisation. Extracts may be reproduced provided the source material is acknowledged. Sketch Block Light Championing... Open for Business Championing... Open for Business WCC Light Blue C100; M32; Y2; K0 | R0; G122; B201 pantone 3005 Sketch Block Bold This report was designed by University of Worcester student Martin Price, Supporting... Supporting... WCC Purple C85; M100; Y0; K12 | R55; G25; B114 with support from Helen Holmes, Senior s pantone 268 Lecturer / Practitioner in Graphic Design. n and Familie Childre Protecting... The Environment Promoting... Health and Well-being Children and Families Protecting... The Environment Promoting... Health and Well-being WCC Green C93; M4; Y100; K26 | R0; G121; B52 pantone 356 WCC Magenta C19; M99; Y0; K8 | R164; G0; B114 pantone 675 9