Co stories co12 v3 (dragged) 2

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Healthy Start Julianne Simons Hartlepool

Taking the community organising approach to better health

association who provided equipment and prizes. Families took part, more than in the past but we were still not reaching out to as many as we had hoped, but by then we had a core group as well as our ‘local whirlwind.’ We arranged meetings in a local community room but we didn’t get the same feel as when it was over a cuppa in a kitchen, so as the weather perked up we held back garden meetings. The group agreed to call the police or local authorities each time there was

I guess a good place to begin would be the assessment day.

an incident at the waste ground and conducted follow up with

So many characters… It was loud, and competitive, interesting

the council and the police.

and intense and it completely exhausted me! I thought… how do they select candidates? What are they looking for?!

They started to discuss ideas for the summer and thoughts for a street party. Fundraising and organising took place, volunteers

In true trainee form, I think you take in learning, wonder why

went door-to-door collecting items to sell, raffle prizes, selling

on earth… then you get out and it all clicks. During my training

football tickets and taking up stalls at local fayres. There were

time I have met and worked with many interesting people, who

over 60 people involved on the day and highlights included

have opened up their homes, told me their stories and gave time

old-fashioned street games, singing, magic and a table brimming

towards making a difference. A special mention must go to VCO

with home-made food. The attendees worked on a letter to the

Khan who I have worked with throughout training. He offered to

housing association and since then the residents have managed

volunteer for the programme before I had even told him what it

to contribute towards securing the wasteland and are working

was about! Wow! I thought….. yeah like it’s always that easy. I lost

on a plan to fund a communal gardener for the area.

touch for a while when I moved areas, which taught me another lesson about going to someone and asking for forgiveness

These are just a few of my stories which I think highlight some

and another chance. These special people are what makes

of the small but positive connections that were made and

community organising work.

sustained throughout my training.

In the first half of my training time I listened in a community

Other community achievements included:

local to me, this progressed into dividing my time between a

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One man becoming a tenant representative for his landlord

local social housing estate and some urban street houses.

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A meeting with the council which resulted in a consultation on traffic

Residents on the social housing estate spoke about missing

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a sense of community and the possibility of having a tenants’

An underused community room being made available for local people to use free of charge

association. There were a couple of locals who had enjoyed

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People making a stand on noise pollution

getting involved in events in the past and were pro-active about

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A voting awareness and educational event

the area, yet there were others who felt left out and didn’t

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A group of people organising a training event

experience any sense of belonging or community.

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A walking and swimming group

House meetings took place and similar feelings came out.

I have also been involved in developing a CIC and the company

People’s concerns included feelings of having lost a good

aims to use organising to deliver projects which encourage

relationship with their social landlord; an area of wasteland which

people to become healthier and more active. Our pilot has made

was being used as a hangout on the edge of the estate; adults

a positive start, and we are looking at health from many angles;

taking drugs and drinking nearby; vandalism; speeding cars and

members are coming out door knocking and learning to organise

children being bored and misbehaving.

themselves and encourage others and the community are developing activities and mini projects. We were introduced to a

A key community member offered us her home to meet in and

local organisation who have embraced our outlook and we will

began to look into ways of bringing us together… A big clean-up

be community organising and delivering the project in another

was agreed and residents got in touch with the housing

area in our second year!


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