Communities First Participation...
Thomas Crockett is employed by Interlink as Communities First Participation Support Officer for Rhondda Cynon Taff. His role is to work with Communities First staff in Rhondda Cynon Taff to increase participation in the programme, particularly amongst disadvantaged groups. He also gives direct support to partnerships on developing more inclusive ways of working, for example by compiling their own Codes of Conduct.
Project Highlights of 2006/07 were...
Skills for Regeneration Apprenticeship Scheme
In 2006 Interlink decided to bid for the WCVA Skills For Regeneration Community Development Apprentices scheme. The bid was supported by twelve Communities First wards and six support agencies. Our bid was successful and Interlink is now employing two community development apprentices (both previously volunteers from CF areas). They are on placement three days a week (Glyncoch, Gilfach Goch, Cwmclydach and Penrhys have benefited to date), and are being mentored and assessed through NVQs in Community Development Work. This project has the strategic aim of training up local people to fill a skills gap in the local economy in terms of community development workers.
Community Consultations
In 2006/07, two major community consultations were carried out in Gilfach Goch and Tonyrefail West, and a mini-survey was carried out at the Glyncoch Carnival. The first survey was carried out with colleagues from Gilfach Goch Community Association and Age Concern Morgannwg, and was based around developing a park project in the High Street area of Gilfach Goch. Feedback was collated from 139 people in 6 different locations. In Tonyrefail West, a number of agencies supported a general CF consultation roadshow on community priorities, and 308 people were contacted directly on a bus, on the street and on their doorsteps over 4 days in 18 different locations. In both cases, following the consultations, full reports were presented back to the relevant partnerships. Both of these consultations showed that residents’ major ‘wish’ was to see increased and improved facilities for teenagers and children. The consultations were carried out by means of open questioning and routinely ensured that excluded groups were involved by targeting old peoples homes, local post offices, schools and shops, etc. Every word of feedback was recorded and the reports are available on request. As a result of the consultations, the findings are being used to help guide the CF Action Planning process in the relevant areas. Also new people accessed during the roadshow are attending partnership meetings and new groups are being accessed and supported.
Glyncoch Visual Action Plan
In order to overcome the jargon barrier preventing residents engaging with the Glyncoch Communities First Action Plan, a pilot project was arranged whereby a local artist supported young residents to produce a poster communicating the Action Plan via photographic images. Eight young people are currently following an OCN course in photography whilst working on the project, and it is envisaged that the poster will be launched to coincide with the Glyncoch Carnival. There is anecdotal evidence that the participants are now relating much more closely to the CF Action Plan and it is hoped that more residents will do so once the poster is released and is on display around the village. The Creative Communities project were involved from the start and offered specialist advice; and the idea of using the arts to bring the Action Plan closer to the community will hopefully develop in 2007/08.
Currently the following projects are ongoing:
Skills for Regeneration Community Development Apprentices project
Taff Ely Mental Health Awareness Day - September 21st 2007
Women Making a Difference Taster Session - capacity building course for women - September 25th 2007
For more information on any of these projects please contact
Thomas Crockett
Communities First Participation Support Officer
Interlink
Maritime Offices
Woodland Terrace
Maesycoed
Pontypridd
CF37 1DZ
Telephone: 01443 484925
Fax: 01443 486107