Report for Decision

REPORT FOR DECISION

Agenda item no:

Overview and Scrutiny Committee - 16 th January 2012

Report of the Chief Executive

CALLED-IN BUSINESS: ROCHDALE TOWNSHIP COMMUNITY CENTRES

Wards affected: Report Author: Peter Thompson

Telephone: (01706) 925209.

The report presents details of a decision by Rochdale Township Action and Resources Committee (Delegated Sub-Committee) on 24th November 2011 that savings from Rochdale Township’s budget for Community Centres approved. ,

1. It is recommended that: 1.1 The Overview and Scrutiny Committee give consideration to the above referred business and either:-

a. confirm the decision of Rochdale Township Action and Resources Committee in which case the decision will take immediate effect;

b. recommend to Rochdale Township Action and Resources Committee that they reconsider the decision on the grounds to be specified by this Overview and Scrutiny Committee, in which case the matter will be considered at the next meeting;

c. To refer consideration of the item to Full Council to determine a recommendation as to whether the decision should be reviewed in which case a meeting will be arranged.

2. Reasons for recommendation:

2.1 The recommendations present three options available to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee in consideration of this issue which are considered in the Overview and Scrutiny Procedural Rules in the Council’s Constitution.

3. Alternatives considered:

3.1 None.

4. Consultation undertaken/proposed:

4.1 None.

5. Equal Opportunities Implications:

5.1 Not applicable.

6. Background:

6.1 Councillors Neilson and James Gartside have Called-in a decision of the Rochdale Township Action and Resources Committee (Delegated Sub-Committee), taken at its meeting on 24th November 2011, that for Rochdale Township the following savings from the Community Centres budgets be agreed:–

a) Bangladesh Association and Community Project grant be reduced by 15%; b) Deeplish Community Centre a15% reduction to the grant; c) North Area Partnership a 15% reduction to the grant; d) Rochdale Women’s Welfare Association a 15% reduction to the grant; e) Castlemere Community Centre a 23% reduction to the grant; f) Kashmir Youth Project a 23% reduction to the grant; g) Sparth Community Centre a 23% reduction to the grant; h) Spotland Community Centre a 23% reduction to the grant; i) Sudden and Brimrod Community Centre a 23% reduction to the grant; j) Turfhill Community Centre a 23% reduction to the grant; k) Wardleworth Community Centre a 23% reduction to the grant.

6.2 The following papers are attached for Members consideration:-

(a) Details of the Call-In (Appendix A).

(b) The relevant Minute of the meeting of Rochdale Township Action and Resources Committee (Delegated Sub-Committee) held 24 th November 2011 (Min no. 154 refers) (Appendix B); and the related Committee reports of the Service Director for Housing and Regeneration (Appendix C – which is attached separately).

6.3 The following Members have been invited to attend and have confirmed their attendance:- Calling-in Member(s): Councillor(s) Neilson and James Gartside. Responding Member: Councillor Surinder Biant.

7. Financial Implications:

7.1 Not applicable.

For further Information and Background Papers: For further information about this report or access to any background papers please contact Peter Thompson, Lead Scrutiny Officer, Performance and Transformation Service, Floor 6, Telegraph House, Baillie Street, Rochdale; telephone - 01706 925209; e-mail [email protected]

Roger Ellis Chief Executive.

APPENDIX A – DETAILS OF CALL-IN

Meeting: Rochdale Township Action & Resources Committee (Delegated Sub- Committee)

Date: 24 th November 2011

Minute: Number: 154

Item: Rochdale Township Community Centres

Calling-in Members: Councillor Neilson and Councillor James Gartside.

Reasons for the Call-in as provided by the calling-in Members: -

(a) There is not sufficient information on which to make a decision.

Councillors Neilson and James Gartside have supported their call-in on the grounds that there was insufficient information on which the Committee could make a decision with the following statement:-

“There are high density of community centres in some areas and duplicating services for some neighbourhoods which are not considered as value for money and also officers have failed to highlight such crucial issues to the members of Rochdale Township Action and Resources Committee”.

APPENDIX B – BACKGROUND MINUTE AND REPORTS

The decision of Rochdale Township Action and Resources Committee on 24th November 2011, (Minute no. 154 refers), in relation to this matter is detailed below, together with the report of the Service Director for Housing and Regeneration, on which Rochdale Township Action and Resources Committee based its decision.

ROCHDALE TOWNSHIP ACTION AND RESOURCES COMMITTEE (DELEGATED SUB-COMMITTEE) 24 TH NOVEMBER 2011

ROCHDALE TOWNSHIP COMMUNITY CENTRES 154 The Sub-Committee considered a report of the Service Director for Housing and Regeneration detailing recommendations for delivering efficiency savings from the Community Centre budget in Rochdale Township. The Service Director for Housing and Regeneration updated the Sub-Committee as to an amendment to the submitted report in relation to Turfhill Community Centre which amended the overall saving being considered.

The recommendations were put forward as part of the Council’s efficiency programme, Phase 2 where a proposal was developed, Cust 12d, to reduce the overall community centre budget by 23%. Members agreed the proposal but requested that the implementation be deferred for 12 months so they could receive detailed information on each centre and make a decision based on value for money. The report presented an evaluation of each community centre in the Rochdale Township along with a recommendation relating to each centre.

Alternatives considered: to apply a 23% reduction to all grant aided centres or consider proposals to attain the equivalent savings.

In considering the submitted report, the Chair invited representatives from Community Centres to address the Sub-Committee.

DECIDED – That for Rochdale Township the following savings from the Community Centres budgets be agreed: –

REPORT FOR DECISION Agenda item no:

Rochdale Township Action and Resources Sub- Committee 27 th October 2011

Report of Service Director Housing and Regeneration

Delivering Phase 2 efficiency savings from the community centre budget – Cust 12d

Wards affected: Report Author: Stephanie Thornton

Telephone: (01706) 924355

This report presents options and recommendations for savings following detailed evaluation of each community centre in the township.

1. It is recommended that:

1.1 Members consider the options below and each centre’s evaluation report and decide how the savings requirement is to be delivered. 1.2 Centres with a grant or budget of less than £10k are not affected by a cut unless there are significant concerns. 1.2 The options are: 1.2.1 Apply a 23% per cent cut to all grant aided centres with more than £10k. Consider total withdrawal of the grant where/if indicated. 1.2.2 Apply a 23% cut to all grant aided centres with more than 10K. Apply a 15% cut to community centres which display good or exemplary practice and are considered good value for money. Consider total withdrawal of the grant where/if indicated. 1.3 For Rochdale township, the recommendations are: 1.3.1 BACP – 15% reduction to the grant Deeplish community centre – 15% reduction to the grant North Area Partnership – 15% reduction to the grant Rochdale Women’s welfare association – 15% reduction to the grant 1.3.2 Castlemere community centre – 23% reduction to the grant KYP – 23% reduction to the grant Sparth community centre – 23% reduction to the grant Spotland community centre – 23% reduction to the grant Sudden and Brimrod community centre – 23% reduction to the grant 1.3.3. Turfhill community centre – withdraw 100% grant funding 1.3.4. Wardleworth community centre – 23% reduction to the grant. Consider amalgamation with BACP. 1.3.5. This represents a saving of £82,195

2. Reasons for recommendation:

2.1 As part of the Council’s efficiency programme, Phase 2, a proposal was developed, Cust 12d, to reduce the overall community centre budget by 23%. Members agreed the proposal but requested that the implementation be deferred for 12 months so they could receive detailed information on each centre and make a decision based on value for money. 2.2 The centres with a 15% reduction recommendation are considered good value for money with no concerns about their governance or services. Castleton community centre has little or no controllable. 2.3 Officers have not been able to make contact with Turf Hill community centre volunteers/management committee despite several attempts. It has not been possible, therefore, to submit a report.

3. Alternatives considered: 3.1 The original proposal was to close one of the centres, withdraw all the funding from a further three centres, offer up all the ex-RCD budget and top slice all the community centres’ budgets by 23% but members were keen to receive more detailed information which would allow them to make a more informed decision based on what services are being delivered and how well each centre is being run. Also to acknowledge where improvements have been made. Members also wanted to give centres 12 months to prepare for reductions to their funding.

3.2 The overall savings requirement of £402K from this proposal has been factored into the council’s overall savings.

4. Consultation undertaken/proposed:

4.1 The evaluation process for the community centres was developed by the Council’s community centre co-ordinator in consultation with the Community Base network. This network is attended by most of the Community centre managers and they were keen to play an active role in the design of the process. A sub group was formed to steer the work and report back to the network. 4.2 Once developed in draft, a report on the evaluation process was taken to the Voluntary sector Partnership on 24 May 2011, where it was agreed. 4.3 Each centre has received a draft of their report and have been encouraged to correct factual inaccuracies. Conclusions could be challenged only where the centre could provide evidence to back up their assertions. 4.4 Two meetings have been held with Chairs of Townships to explain the decision making process and to seek advice on how best to share the information on each individual centre. 4.5 Prior to each decision making committee detailed information has been made available to township councillors including each centre’s report, annual report, accounts, publicity material etc.

5. Main text of report:

6. There are 23 community centres in the Borough of Rochdale. 18 of these receive a grant from the Council of between £900 and £ 59K. The Council holds the budget for a further 3 centres and there are two ‘social’ centres in Middleton which were originally satellites of Middleton Civic Centre. 7. As part of the Phase 2 efficiencies programme a proposal was put forward by the Executive Director with responsibility for the Regeneration service to cut the overall spend on the community centres by 23% - a figure which reflected the size of the overall cut to council budgets at that time. The proposal was also based on the closure of one centre and the withdrawal of the grants to three others in the Rochdale township – Wardleworth, Spotland and Castlemere. 8. Members considered the proposal, agreed it but deferred implementation for 12 months in order for an in depth evaluation exercise to take place. This would provide members with detailed information on each centre, its activities, quality of services and overall value for money. 9. The process was subsequently developed by the Community Centre Co- ordinator working closely with the Community Base Network. This is a network of managers, management committee members and volunteers who meet monthly. It is a requirement of grant funding to attend the meeting. 10. Each centre was sent, in advance, a list of the questions to be asked and this was followed by an in depth interview with the Manager or lead volunteer and members of the management committee. Some centres provided additional written material e.g. an Annual report or accounts. A number of visits to the centres have been carried out to assess the numbers of people accessing some of the activities. 11. A report was put together on each of the centres and a draft sent to the Manager/lead volunteer and management committees. The report was a summary of all the information provided as part of the process including conclusions drawn. There was then an opportunity for the centre to correct any factual errors or omissions. 12. The options for saving the required overall amount were then developed to reflect the quality of services delivered by each centre and based on the principle that the centres with the best services would receive the least cut to their budget. 13. There was discussion initially about developing a scoring system to help differentiate between the centres but this has proved impossible as we are not comparing like with like. The centres receive vastly varying amounts of funding and are run in a variety of different ways, some by volunteers only and a very small grant, some with a number of paid staff, a grant and external funding. 14. A 23% reduction is a significant cut to the centres and may result in redundancies, reductions in hours and even closure. However, centres have been aware of the proposal and most have made plans and adjusted their budget plans.

15. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

16. The overall savings amount of £ 402K was proposed as part of a phase 2 efficiencies proposal, Cust 12d. 17. This figure was based on an assumption that all of the budgets at the budget held centres – Castleton, Heady Hill, Wardle and smallbridge, Jumbo and Stannycliffe – were controllable. This had now been found not to be the case. The majority of the budget is for caretaking/cleaning and this is a budget controlled by Facilities Management not by the Regeneration service. 18. It was also based on the closure of Jumbo social centre and the withdrawal of grants to Wardleworth, Spotland and Castlemere community centres due to previous concerns. These have now been largely addressed. 19. As a result there is currently a shortfall in achieving the savings requirement.

20. LEGAL IMPLICATIONS

21. The government’s best practice guidance on local authority relationships with the third sector and the council’s own compact with the third sector commit to a minimum of three months notice if funding is to be reduced or withdrawn. A decision at this meeting will enable the council to fulfil that requirement.

8. RISK ASSESSMENT IMPLICATIONS

8.1 All the issues raised and the recommendation(s) in this report involve risk considerations as set out below:

• Reduction in services by the centres due to staff reductions. • A 23% cut to some of the less well funded centres could result in closure.

9. EQUALITIES IMPACTS

9.1 Workforce Equality Impacts Assessment

There are no (significant) workforce equality issues arising form this report.

9.2 Equality/Community Impact Assessments

There are no (significant) equality/community issues arising form this report.

For further Information and Background Papers: For further information about this report or access to any background papers please contact Tel:

Evaluation Process

Name of Community Centre:

Sparth Community Centre

Current Funding:

£59,300

Date of Initial Monitoring Visit: 10/05/2011

Monitoring Officers: Nasser Afzal/Stephanie Thornton

Sparth Community Centre Evaluation Report 27 th October 2011, Rochdale Township Action & Resources Committee

About the Community Centre

Sparth Community Centre is a Company Limited by Guarantee, Number 3714966 and a Registered Charity Number 1076292. The Centre operates in the Milkstone and Deeplish ward. Sparth is a small, compact area located half a mile south-west of the town centre of Rochdale, which grew up along the valley of the River Roch. At the height of the industrial revolution, the area boasted at least six mills, two coal mines and a gas works. Today Sparth is a mixed residential/industrial area comprising of just over 300, mostly pre-1919 pavement fronted, terraced houses. There are approximately 900 people living in the area.

The area is 50% residential and 50% industrial with much of that industry being scrap metal, skip hire. The geographical area was originally comprised of Pakistani, Irish catholic and white English people. This remains very much the same however there are now a few Eastern European families, 1 Chinese family, and 1 Indian family.

Dedicated people, from different sections of the community, came together in the early 1980’s and identified the need for a Community Centre, a building which could be used by everyone. The dedication and community spirit paid off, and in 1984 the first spade went in and the building work started. Members of the steering group formed the Centre’s first Management Committee.

Sparth Community Centre was officially opened in March 1985 by Sir Cyril Smith. The centre is a purpose-built, single storey building with a large hall, smaller hall, two offices and a well equipped kitchen, plus an outdoor kick pitch and two adjoining play areas (one for younger children and one for older children). It is core funded by Rochdale MBC and is run by a voluntary Management Committee.

Sparth is identified as being one of the most deprived neighborhoods in the borough of Rochdale and in the country. Sparth was included within the borough’s three main regeneration programmes, Neighborhood Renewal Strategy, Housing Market Renewal and the Single Regeneration Budget. The residents of Sparth have been identified as falling behind the national and borough averages within the educational attainment and employment rates.

There are significant levels of unemployment and low skills in the area. Many unemployed are in receipt of incapacity benefit. These have become reliant on incapacity benefit and are now in distress that the benefit will be taken away. Health problems include diabetes, heart disease and obesity. There are a number of large families living in 2 bedded terraces and overcrowding is an issue. This brings about other issues like mental health, domestic violence. Crime stats are thought to be low; however this maybe down to local people not reporting low level crime. Local residents have been encouraged to report crime.

The traffic calming measures have been implemented in the area, this was funded through environment money brought into the area by Sparth Community Centre in partnership with St Vincent’s Housing Association. This funding also enabled the community centre to install lighting opposite the centre, at the rear of Briar St and Norman Rd, and alongside the footpath which runs from Norman Rd past the Centre to Corporation Rd.

Environment funding also enabled the Centre to purchase two wooden planters, which are located between the Centre’s play area and kick pitch, and outside Sparth Islamic Centre. These will be maintained by the Centre’s newly formed Childrens groups.

Further, the Centre was the driving force in the recent clearing of the overgrown bushes, and subsequent landscaping of, the strip of land running alongside the Gas Works wall along the top of Briar St, Maple St and Heath St.

Governance

In terms of governance there is a management committee of 8. Local councillors are invited to meetings but have non voting rights. The management Committee is largely representative of the local community. There will be a push to encourage young people on the management committee. Six management committee meetings have been held within the last 12months.

The community centre has 7 user groups, which are independently constituted, have their own management committees and bank accounts. This means Centre staff are tasked with completing their accounts and banking any monies they collect. Further, even though the Centre supports these groups and identifies and completes grant application forms, this is not reflected in the community centre’s accounts.

The 7 user groups are:

Nursery Saturday Club Evergreen Luncheon Club Dance Group Playscheme Afterschool Club Girls Group

There is 3 paid staff directly employed by the community centre, a full time Centre Manager, Assistant Co-ordinator on 30hours and an Admin Officer working 10hours which help to run the day to day running of the community centre. There is a total of 8 other staff that are employed by Sparth Nursery and other agencies using the community centre. Apart from the management committee there are 16 regular volunteers and trainees from Future Jobs Fund and placements from school & colleges . Many of the volunteers use the experience as a platform to securing jobs elsewhere. A number of our volunteers have gained full or part time employment through the support of the Centre staff. For example, one of the volunteers has recently secured a position with Barnardo’s, as an Assistant Manager within one of their charity shops. The Centre staff supported her in carrying out job searches, updating her CV, and offering her a mock interview session. Another Centre volunteer has managed to access a college Literacy and Numeracy course, after support from Centre staff, and many of our playscheme volunteers have used the experience and skills they gained with us to secure paid employment.

Activities Offered By Sparth Community Centre

The community centre offers a range of activities for the local community it serves. The clientele is predominately from the surrounding area but does extend out to people from across the borough for certain activities such as the luncheon club.

Current activities at the community centre include:

Nursery which runs four times a week in the morning Older People’s Luncheon Club- self funded & managed. Job (Work) club Men’s Group Rochdale Army Cadets Force Women’s Group Literacy Class Healthy Cooking Class Army Cadets Textiles Craft Asian Women’s Mental Health Group Youth Group Sparth Area Forum Meetings (Quarterly) UK Online Computer Training Friday Dance Group Girls Group After Schools Club Homework Help Saturday Club Councillor Surgeries

As demonstrated by the timetable there is activity taking place in the evenings and on Saturdays.

Playschemes take place over Easter and summer with two age categories. The Community Centre secures funding for the 12-14 year olds. RADPAC cover the funding for the 5-11 year olds. 65 children attend the 5-11 and up to 25 attend the 12-14.

One off events include the Summer Festival organised by the community centre which can attract 300-400 people over the course of the day. There is a different theme each year.

The activities & services are promoted by website, leaflets and word of mouth. The centre also works closely with the local Islamic Centre/Mosque, to promote some of the activities. The Centre has recently set up a Facebook page, which it will give them a wider audience to promote fundraising activities, therefore not totally relying on a community which includes a high percentage of low income families.

Funding of Sparth Community Centre

Sparth Community Centre currently receives a grant of £59,300 which contributes towards staffing, maintenance and other running costs. Additional income is generated from room hire, fundraising and bids to external funders. Examples of fundraising include bonus ball, raffle fundraising, centre fees/donations, rents and the Summer Festival. External funding includes funding for the playschemes for the older age category. The community centre is currently working on a funding bid to Lloyds TSB to restart the after school club, Girls Group and a Saturday Club.

The manager helps write the funding applications for these groups and charges them a management fee on success.

Income for the year end 31.03.2010

Alplexus Fundraising 719.27 Bank Interest 6.86 Bonus Ball Fundraising 904.00 Donations 165.00 Easy fundraising 79.05 Grants

Community Foundation for Greater Manchester 23, 752.58 RMBC (Core Funding –Grant Aid) 59,300.00 RMBC (Members)-Celebration party 500.00 RMBC (Boules Pitch) 327.75 Youth Opportunities Fund 2000.00

Hire of Centre Inside Centre 2,982.30 Outside Centre 7,377.15

Other Income 335.00 Refunds (milk) 529.27 Services 310.05 Summer Festival 758.50

Total Income 101,962.69

The Centre has recently been successful in securing funding for two years to employ three sessional workers, who alongside the Community Assistant will staff the After School Club, Girls Group and Saturday Club.

Added Value of the Community Centre

People Development: By engaging local people in the activities provided by the community centre, the centre helps people improve their confidence and self esteem. They are then able to access higher education or employment opportunities that they may not have considered otherwise. Employment prospects are enhanced by the jobclub, training, skills and CV writing. Placements and experience is also provided at the community centre.

Young people from the youth group have undertaken training such as First Aid, Basic Health & Safety and Sports Leaders Awards. Some of the young people have secured part-time employment, or entered college through developing their personal skills.

Confidence levels and employment prospects are also enhanced through the Centre’s free basic I.T./computer classes, which are available twice weekly.

Advice/Information Local residents will access the community centre with general enquiries; the community centre will try will to help with the simple information & form filling and signpost to more appropriate agencies such as CAB and Jobcentre plus for the more challenging enquiries. Very recently support was provided to help complete the census forms that some residents were unable to complete on their own.

The advice and information given by the Centre staff within the Community Centre includes counter-signing passport application forms (where we charge £1 per passport, in contrast to charges of £15-£25 pounds charged by Doctors/Solicitors).

Space for Democratic Involvement The Community Centre is used for engaging local residents on local issues and needs. The community centre can often be the link between the Council, other agencies and local residents. The community centre is used for Councillor advice surgeries and as a polling station in times of election. Sparth Area Forum meetings also take place quarterly. These forums have enabled many of the residents to be involved in decisions on proposals such as the waste development plan and the issue of a recycling plant within Sparth. It is also a forum that is used by residents to influence the different funding and resources which are brought into the area and what they are spent on. The Area Forum meetings are chaired by centre staff, and the agendas for the meetings come through the centre from local residents.

Capacity Building The community centre works with the local statutory and voluntary services for the benefit of local people. The centre has helped improve traffic calming and better street lighting to name a couple of examples. The community centre has developed working relationships with the local authority, local community centres and other agencies. The community centre is often involved with influencing services in the neighbourhood – environment, transport and improving safety. The community centre and staff also encourage local people to get involved in the decision making process, giving them confidence to take part in consultations and in meetings.

An enabler of Community Cohesion With a diverse management committee of people from the local community. The needs of all members of the community are considered and this often means a good diverse range of clientele accessing the centre and interacting which fosters good community relations. Cultural barriers are also being broken with Asian women accessing the community centre more frequently than before.

Strategic Relations

The community centre will engage with regeneration of the local area for example the demolition of the mill and a recycling site. Influencing where it goes and what happens on the site.

The community centre has developed close relationships with a range of agencies and organisations over the years. These include the following:

Local Community Centres, Deeplish Community Centre, Falinge Community Hub. Local Mosque St Vincents Great Places Local authority and various departments Army Cadets Fire Service Asda Falinge Hub CVS Salford University

Challenges for the Future

No business plan currently in place, however a basic development plan provided. The community centre has highlighted some of the following as part of their development for the community centre and local residents:

• Development of Mandale Park to increase usage by local residents • Funding for Afterschool Club, Girls Club & Saturday Club. • Sparth Nursery Extension, to help increase the numbers using the nursery and free other space for room hires. • Health activities for men and women

Conclusion

The community centre has been instrumental with developments of the local area, which has seen recent improvements in traffic calming, better lighting and general improvements in the area. The community centre has developed and leads on the Sparth Area Forum, which gives an opportunity for local residents to get involved in the decision making process and influence services in the neighbourhood. It is from this that the local residents have been able to get involved in the waste development plan and the issue of recycling within the area.

The community centre provides a range of activities on the timetable; this has been developed with the additions of a Jobclub and a Men’s Group that have recently started. The community centre recently secured funding that will enable it to restart the afterschool club, girls club and the Saturday club. The community centre should continue with its efforts to develop the timetable to meet local needs.

The community centre has expressed interest with PQASSO, the two day training course was not attended but the community centre is in the process of starting implementation with the help and support of Deeplish Community Centre.

There is currently no business plan in place but a basic development plan was provided for monitoring officers. The management committee will need to consider putting detailed plans in place for the future.

Evaluation Process

Name of Community Centre: Wardleworth Community Centre

Current Funding: £ 51,700 (Budget £61,900)

Date of Initial Monitoring Visit: 6th June 2011

Monitoring Officers: Nasser Afzal/Stephanie Thornton

About Wardleworth Community Centre

Following extensive campaigning from the local community, Wardleworth community centre was built during the late 1970’s as part of the Government’s Urban programme and opened in 1979. The Community centre association was formed in 1986 and in 1990 became a registered charity and a company limited by guarantee. Originally the local authority managed the building and delivered youth and community services from the building aided by a local management committee.

In 1997 responsibility for managing the centre was passed from the local authority to the management committee who were provided with a grant for this purpose and started to employ a centre manager.

The Building

The building has been extended and refurbished extensively, most recently during 2005/6 with the aid of a £210K fund from the SRB5 programme. There is a 20 year lease in place from 2005 on peppercorn rent.

The building is in good repair with a large hall which can be sub divided, a computer room, small hall and large kitchen. There is a reception area at the entrance to the building.

The Area

Wardleworth is an area of deprivation, being ranked 1,512 out of 32, 482 super output areas in the country and, therefore, in the 5% most deprived in England.

95% of the local population are of South Asian origin – 45% Bangladeshi, 50% Kashmiri/Pakistani and 5% white/eastern European.

Local issues include high unemployment and low skills levels, high numbers of elderly people in poverty, crime, particularly drugs related including dealing drugs. There are significant health issues including high levels of diabetes, depression and oral cancer.

Governance

The management committee of the centre includes 4 user group representatives, 2 elected members and 5 others. The committee is made up largely of men of Bangladeshi origin. There is one woman on the committee and one person of white origin. The committee meets every month. There is a staffing sub group and 4 honorary officers. Appropriate policies are in place and reviewed annually or as the committee is alerted to new requirements.

The committee have an Away day each year where they undertake a SWOT analysis of the organisation which then informs their business plan and a work plan for the development worker.

There are 3 paid staff, 1 full time development worker, 1 part time administrative worker and a part time caretaker. There are also 2 sessional workers. There are currently 4 volunteers, two working with a girls group and 2 with a young men’s group.

Other There is a website but this is out of date containing information about events during 2009/10 and plans for 2010/11.

RMBC Community Centre co-ordinator (CCC) has worked closely with the management committee following the departure of the centre manager in 2008 and concerns expressed about the performance of the centre which also resulted in the grant being reduced by £20K.

This close work resulted in the release of £10K of that reduction to employ a development worker, supported and line managed by the Community Centre Coordinator in the first instance. This led to the appointment of a community development worker and the centre began to improve in terms of the services it offered.

The committee are prepared to consider amalgamation with another organisation in the Wardleworth area – BACP - but would want partnership not take over.

Another option the committee is prepared to consider includes the sharing of the building with Youth Services. This was originally explored but agreement not made.

Activities Offered by Wardleworth Community Centre

The small hall of the centre is used Monday to Friday, 9.00 – 4.30 by a group of adults with learning difficulties, facilitated by RMBC Adult care service. A rent is received by the centre for this.

The centre holds Arabic classes once a week for local women to meet and explore their culture. There used to be twice weekly sewing classes run by the WEA but the numbers outgrew the facilities and the classes relocated.

A welfare advice worker holds surgeries at the centre twice a month which are well attended and appreciated as the worker is bi-lingual. A weekly advice session was also offered by the Citizens advice bureau but this finished in March 2011.

The centre offers a number of health related activities weekly – badminton, and carom board sessions, women’s gentle exercise and Boccia.

In addition there are women and men only social clubs twice a week.

The centre has installed 8 new computers and partnered up with UK Online, a government funded IT scheme aimed at people who have not tried using a computer before. The suite is open to the community every day and the staff provide guidance and support including encouraging users to do online IT training courses. IT drop in sessions can also include informal advice on job search and help with C.Vs and there is a weekly work club including job search and advice on interview techniques.

The centre runs Community Education courses including basic spoken English, reading and writing twice a week. This service is provided by the centre staff in direct response to community need.

There is a boys youth club every Friday – the chill out zone – for boys aged 8 – 16 with a range of indoor and outdoor activities provided and a young women’s group every week.

The centre has tried a number of taster sessions following local consultation asking what services local people would like to see at the centre. The sessions included drama acting sessions, guitar lessons, belly dancing and zumba, girls sport sessions and boys sport sessions, digital music making and healthy cooking. These have not continued due to low attendance or cuts in funding but funding is being sought for the most popular sessions.

One off activities have included an NHS open day raising awareness of bowel cancer and offering general health checks. This was well attended by over 140 people. The Shaw trust ran an open day offering work related training, help with CVs, interview techniques etc. An energy awareness session was attended by 26 people and one first aid course has been run. During the school holidays there have been fun days and a half term place scheme which was full.

The centre holds sari sales 2 or 3 times a year.

In addition the centre offers informal advice and information during the opening hours. Local people can be signposted to a variety of organisations including Employment Links, the job centre, welfare rights, housing providers and so on.

The centre publishes its annual report on Rochdale online and a newsletter every 2/3 months which is distributed locally. Activities are promoted via Crescent radio and the Mosque and within local shops/cash and carry.

Quality of services offered is assessed via questionnaires, feedback and informal conversations with service users. The centre is not currently implementing PQASSO.

Funding the Community Centre

The centre receives a grant from the council, paid quarterly in advance, of £51,700. The amount available is £10K higher but the grant was reduced as a result of concerns over performance of the centre during 2009/10.

In addition the rent and hire of rooms brings in £20 – 25K per annum.

Small amounts of external funding is received from UKonline. A funding bid was submitted to Sports England but was unsuccessful.

Added Value and Benefits of the Community Centre

The centre provides a safe haven for local people to visit and raise queries with an ability to engage in their first language.

It is a good sized community venue which can host sizeable occasions such as sari sales and weddings.

The local PCSO is a regular visitor and can pick up from local people and staff any concerns they may have and share information and intelligence.

The centre offers volunteer placements, work experience and has had a Future jobs trainee.

Strategic Relations

The centre works closely with Rochdale Healthy Living Initiative, Adult Care, Police, Regenda and Great Places, Surma, Link4Life, RMBC Youth service and community affairs team and the local councillors.

They have strong working relationships with Rochdale women’s welfare association and the WEA, BACP

Conclusion

The building is a good community resource in an area of significant need. Its size means it can cater for large events. However there have been concerns about the performance of the centre over the past 3 years and these concerns remain. The centre is not very well used at present. Figures provided by the manager/committee indicate a poor take up of many of the activities offered . The centre has responded to local need with the provision of community education classes but there are no activities for children under 7.

Little external funding has been secured in the last financial year which indicates an over reliance on the grant. The organisation needs to promote its activities through more active marketing and publicity. There is little on offer to very young children or elderly people and many activities are poorly attended.

The website should be updated or scrapped.

The management committee have shown loyalty and dedication to the organisation over many years. Many of the members are also members of other local organisations. However the committee is almost exclusively male and consideration should be given to diversifying the membership.

Further discussions to progress possible amalgamation with BACP or sharing of the building with Youth Services is positively encouraged.

Evaluation Process

Name of Community Centre:

Bangladesh Community Association

Current Funding:

£39,400

Date of Initial Monitoring Visit: 27/6/2011

Monitoring Officers: Nasser Afzal/Stephanie Thornton

BACP Community Centre Evaluation Report 27 th October 2011, Rochdale Township Action & Resources Committee

About the Community Centre

The Bangladesh Association and Community Project (BACP) established in 1971 received its formal recognition from RMBC in 1983. The aim of BACP is to promote the welfare of the deprived and disadvantaged communities within Rochdale without any discrimination of race, colour, ethnicity, gender or views held such as political, religious or other. BACP aims to achieve this in partnership with the communities, the Local Authority, government agencies, private and voluntary organisations through the effective delivery of advice, information, vocational training, educational assistance, care of the elderly, youth activities, health related initiatives and other relevant support services.

BACP relocated to their building at 108 Ramsay Street in October 2001, and most of the services are offered from this location. This is a refurbished two-storey building adapted to facilitate provision of these services. The reception, advice centre and the day care centre are located in the ground floor while the IT suite, training rooms, the meeting rooms and the offices are on the first floor. The basement was converted into a modern community gym in December 2005. The premises are accessible to disabled users. Their other building, at 131Entwisle Road, is used as a meeting and training facility. BACP, located at the heart of Rochdale’s “inner” areas, has established itself as a leading voluntary organisation within Rochdale. Rochdale is one of the 88 most deprived local authorities. Statistics show that over 70% of the people from ethnic minorities live in these 88 most deprived local authority districts, compared to 40% of the general population. The majority of the people living in BACP catchments are from the Asian communities, predominantly Bangladeshi, Pakistani and Kashmir’s. Almost half of all Bangladeshis and about a third of Pakistanis have no formal qualifications. The Asian children, particularly, the Bangladeshi children are under-achievers in educational attainment. In many instances the SATS results are 50% below the Rochdale average. In all relevant areas of housing, employment, health and elderly care these ethnic minority communities are struggling. With regard to the general health, people from the Bangladeshi community are 3-4 times more likely to suffer from ill health compared to the general population. It is estimated that 70-80% of ethnic minority women and 40-50% of ethnic minority men fail to reach the minimum recommendation of 30 minutes of moderate activity at least five times per week. The picture among the Bangladeshi and Pakistani communities are even more precarious – only 11% of Bangladeshi women and 26% of Bangladeshi men 14% of Pakistani women and 28% of Pakistani men undertake the recommended level of moderate exercise.

BACP is actively working to narrow the gaps between the deprived communities and the rest by: • Providing welfare advice, information, guidance and relevant support services • Facilitating vocational training • Assisting in the advancement of the educational attainment of children • Providing day care facilities and activities for the elderly and promoting active ageing • Promoting healthy, active lifestyles and providing gender specific fitness facilities • Promoting and facilitating positive youth activities • Promoting community cohesion by celebrating cultural diversity and encouraging racial harmony • Fostering a positive outlook, by engaging young people, women and the elderly in productive activities.

Milestones

1996 - BACP registered as a Charity and was awarded a 3- year grant by The National Lottery Charity Board.

1999 – Bid successfully to the Lottery and European Regeneration Development Fund which allowed relocation to the current premises at 108 Ramsay Street in Oct 2001. This new centre was officially opened in Jan 2002 by Angela Eagle MP.

2001 – Day Care Centre opens to provide day care service to the elderly.

2005 - Following support from Sport England BACP was able to start a community gym in December 2005.

2010 – BACP registers as an UK Online Centre to promote digital inclusion by providing computer and internet courses.

BACP is located in the inner Rochdale area of Rochdale Township which includes the wards of Wardleworth, Hamer, Smallbridge and Belfield. These are amongst the most socially and economically deprived areas in the Rochdale Borough and indeed within the UK itself. The wards themselves have a predominately Asian population and BACP is now recognised as a significant provider of local services.

BACP attracts users, particularly, Bengali/Sylheti speaking from all over Rochdale. The services are open to all as they maintain an Equal Opportunities Policy. Other than Asians, some of the other ethnicities who visit our services are Polish, Iraqis, Somalians/other Africans.

The vision is to reduce the deprivation of the ethnic communities within Rochdale by bringing to them opportunities to break down social and economic barriers and, thereby, help effective integration with the wider community.

BACP promotes the welfare and wellbeing of the deprived and disadvantaged communities within Rochdale without any distinction or discrimination.

This work complements RMBC’s objectives contained in Aiming High, Healthy Living, and Pride of Place and aims to make Rochdale a better, brighter and a more cohesive place to live in.

BACP is governed by a 15 member Board of Trustees who represent the local community and the organisation abides by a written Memorandum/Constitution.

The Board is responsible for providing leadership, setting overall organisational policy and development of strategic direction.

In addition, the board also elects 3 member sub-committees for the effective monitoring of the individual services, these are the Gym sub-committee, Day Care sub-committee and the Bangla School sub-committee. The sub-committees may meet on a regular basis or when the board deems it necessary to do so for particular issues, and report back to the board.

Within BACP, the day to day management is delegated to the Centre Staff headed by the Centre Manager.

Currently, BACP employs four full time and five part-time paid staff for its various services. In addition, there are three volunteers, three FJF trainees and one trainee from Rathbone.

To ensure an effective management system, BACP pursues the principles and guidance of PQASSO (Practical Quality Assurance Systems for Small Organisations).

Activities Offered By BACP

Timetable is attached.

The core services include: • Advice , Information and Guidance service • Day care service for the elderly and vulnerable adults focusing on prevention • Training/Learning service – ESOL, UK online Training • Gym and Fitness service • Weekend Youth club for children 8-15 • Drop –in after-school computer club for children • Drop-in ICT Learning suite for job searching, IT skills building, networking • One to one support for developing computer & internet skills, employability skills. • Children’s play scheme (5-11) during term holidays • Weekend Language school for children of the local community • Community cohesion activities • User Group activities • Room hire for meetings, consultations • Photocopying, faxing, translating, printing.

On average the community centre has 70 to 80 users accessing the different services during the course of the day . In 2010/11, for example, the Advice service dealt with over 2000 client issues, the Day Care centre had over 4300 visits from the elderly men and women, the drop- in ICT suite recorded over 2000 visits, the children’s computer club had 277 visits and the centre facilitated 70 adult ESOL learners.

Centre is open all 7 days of the week including out of hours provision offering the flexibility to the local community to participate in different activities.

• 9-5 provision - Monday to Friday – the core service areas such as advice, ESOL, IT, day care, gentle exercise sessions, drop-in ICT learning suite, gym, health surgeries, photocopy, fax, translation, printing, computer club etc • Evening Provision – user group, gym & fitness centre, room hire/external bookings, community events • Weekend Provision – youth club, gym & fitness centre, bangla school, community events/external bookings.

Funding of BACP

Roughly, 20 -25% of BACP’s total income is self generated from room hire, gym subscription, translating/printing/photocopying/faxing, membership fee.

RMBC core funding (£39400) accounted for about 27% of BACP’s total funding income in 2010/11. Other sources of funding were – • SLA (Service Level Agreement)with Social Services Adult Care - £59802 • UK Online Smarter Govt Direct funding - £ 9268 • Awards for All - £ 9946 • Lloyds TSB Foundation - £23650 ( commitment for 2 years i.e. £47300 in total) • Rochdale Healthy Living Initiative - £1560 • RADPAC Play Scheme - £ 345

Total external funding during 2010/11 £ 104,571

RMBC Core funding accounted for less than a quarter of BACP’s total income (i.e. external funding plus self generation) in 2010/11.

Added Value of the Community Centre

People Development

The community centre is instrumental in helping develop local residents with social and employment skills to engage in the decision making process and to help develop their quality of life. This is done by the various activities and courses provided at the community centre.

Employment Support - Community Centre offers work placement and volunteering opportunities to help local residents gain employability skills, confidence and self esteem.

The community centre provides services like IT training, ESOL etc which help develop local residents and help them seek employment opportunities.

Voice for local community

The centre works as an advocate and enabler for the local community. BACP enables the community to voice their concerns and needs by raising those to the appropriate authorities through relevant networks, agencies e.g. housing redevelopment, recycling/refuse collection issues. BACP promotes community cohesion by undertaking different activities and projects bringing people together e.g. ‘meet the neighbours’ programme in partnership with Falinge & Spotland Community Centre, Freehold housing Association, Wardleworth Community Centre, Rochdale Women Welfare Association.

Health Awareness & Development

The community centre helps raise awareness on issues such as CHD, asthma, diabetes, high blood pressure, mental health issues and provides activities which help address these. These include the community gym, armchair exercises, boccia and group activities to name some examples.

Community Cohesion

The community centre is working with Spotland & Falinge Community Centre and Rochdale Women’s Centre with activities and events that will help enhance community cohesion.

Strategic Relations

Rochdale MBC Rochdale MBC Advice Service Rochdale Township Youth Fund Sport England Community Foundation For Greater Manchester UK online Centres Learn Local Hopwood Hall College Basic Skills Solutions Rochdale Healthy Living Initiative Link4Life Heywood, Rochdale, Middleton PCT CVS Rochdale Department of Works and Pensions Rochdale Citizen Advocacy Worker’s Educational Association (WEA) Rochdale Citizen Advice Bureau (CAB) Rochdale Law Centre RMBC Drug Outreach Team Greater Manchester Police Rathbones Aapi’s Angels People’s First Women’s Housing Action Group Youth Connection Meghna Women’s Group Community Accountancy Service Rochdale Training Rochdale Business Link Rochdale Youth Service Spotland & Falinge Community Centre Freehold Community Centre

Challenges for the Future

The key challenges for the future are dictated by the funding uncertainties in the face of cuts imposed by the Government. BACP will look at the following:

• Sustainability of core services –reshape the organisation internally to further strengthen management practices, productivity, governance, partnership working and externally to educate the community to adapt to the changes in service accessibility and thus adapt to the changes in the macro environment

• Fund raising – focus on diversifying fund raising activities to address the critical impact of the financial constraints on service delivery.

• Social enterprise – examine the possibility of becoming a social enterprise in the long run.

• Facility expansion – address space constraint by pursuing an expansion of the existing facility to enable more and better service delivery.

The community centre has a 3 year Business Plan and prepares annual development plans to carry on its activities. These help to focus on and prepare the community centre for some of the uncertainties of the future.

Conclusion

The centre provides a wide range of activities on its timetable for all age ranges. This also includes regular provision in the evenings and on the weekends.

The community centre is active in securing external funding and generating income. This is illustrated by the fact that the Rochdale MBC core funding accounted for only 27% of the total funding generated by the community centre and less than a quarter of its total income.

The community centre is unique in the way that it promotes membership and has a membership of over 700 people at the centre. The interest to join the management committee is exceptional, up to thirty people standing for election in one year. However the community centre must try and develop a diverse board of trustees to reflect the local community which should include representation from local women and the wider community.

The ICT suite is particularly popular with a regular number of users. This provision is used by children, young people and also by the elderly for the first time in many cases. In 2010/11, the centre registered 264 new first time learners on to the online computer & internet course. Health provision for the elderly in its Day Care centre is taken up well; armchair exercises and boccia have been popular with outputs exceeding forecasted outputs.

The community gym has over two hundred regular members and has had over 6500 visits from users in 2010/11. This service is invaluable as many of the users would not have the confidence to access other facilities locally.

The Advice service has been a core service and is attracting clients from the wider community as well. The service has recently been strengthened by a two –year special advice project funded by Lloyds TSB Foundation and is being supervised by Rochdale Citizen Advice Bureau.

Evaluation Process

Name of Community Centre:

Rochdale Women’s Welfare

Current Funding:

£21,400

Date of Initial Monitoring Visit: 18/7/2011

Monitoring Officers: Nasser Afzal/Stephanie Thornton

Rochdale Women’s Welfare Evaluation Report 27 th October 2011, Rochdale Action & Resources Committee

About the Community Centre

Rochdale Women’s Welfare is a Company Limited by Guarantee (05631310) and Charity Registered (1113487). It has been in existence since 1984 and is actively involved in the provision of training opportunities and services to predominantly, but not exclusively, Asian women and young children. The centre is unique in Rochdale Borough in the provision of dedicated female-only access to address the needs of women and girls who are at risk of, or who are, socially isolated, at risk of discrimination and or lacking in family support. The centre also meets the needs of women made vulnerable by age, disability or illness. These women can be “hard to reach” for many reasons including low self esteem, cultural, language, isolation, lack of knowledge and being victims of domestic abuse. Issues for local women include: The East & West Culture, Older Women Needing Support, Mental Health, Young Women-Self harm, Confidence Building/Self Esteem and Language Barriers

Rochdale Women’s Welfare is based within the Central Rochdale Ward (Wardleworth) but serves the whole of the Borough. The centre is available to women, girls and boys (up to twelve years of age) and is housed in a two bedroom terraced council property. The centre has, part disabled access, three training rooms, an office, kitchen and three toilets, one of which is adapted for use by disabled people.

Three years ago the Centre was granted ERDF and SRB funding for an extension at the back of Trafalgar Street residing on Fitton Street. The building was needed to accommodate 35-40 women. The building consists of the main hall, disabled toilets, kitchen and a play area outside.

The women served by the centre are made up from black and ethnic minority groups (BME) mainly from South Asian, the specific needs and wishes of these women are taken into account when classes, courses and support sessions are devised and delivered from within the centre.

Over the past twenty three years the Association and centre have provided educational, health, social and recreational services designed to build self-esteem, emotional, mental, physical and spiritual well being within its target group. The centre safely and sensitively have been working on issues around forced marriages, domestic violence, mental health and learning disabilities within a warm, accessible, women friendly environment. The ultimate aim is to build confidence, independence and social inclusion, thus achieving positive lifelong changes.

Governance

The Management Committee is actively involved in the work of the Association. The members of Rochdale Women’s Welfare Association management committee are women from the BME community and they ensure that the Association and its work are successful in meeting the aims of Mission Statement, and represent and are open to all females from the various BME communities. The full board has 12 members and 6 hold office. There are several sub committees; these include finance, marketing and personnel. The community centre employs four staff which includes the Centre Manager, Development Officer, Outreach/Development Worker, Development Officer and Domestic Violence Co- ordinator. RMBC part funds the Centre Managers post.

In addition the centre is supported by 32 volunteers who help in different areas of the service; playscheme, luncheon group, afterschool, youth group, administration, domestic violence and walking scheme rangers.

The centre staff and many of its volunteers are multi-lingual which ensures that they are able to offer a comprehensive package of support, information and training as required. These skilled staff and volunteers have in turn over the years built up and maintained excellent local knowledge, positive working relationships and effective working relationships with user groups, members and external agencies.

Local Area

The population of Rochdale in 2001 was 205,000 It is increasing (0.7% from 1991 50 2001) going against the regional trend (Greater Manchester fell by 2.8% in the same period) 51.4% of the population are women. The population in the borough is ageing less rapidly than in the country as a whole. There were comparatively more children in Rochdale than in the country as a whole, and fewer people aged 60 and over. The largest minority ethnic group is Pakistani (7.7% of the population) being the third largest. There are 19,248 Muslims in Rochdale (9.4% of the population)

Activities Offered by Rochdale Women’s Welfare

• ESOL at different levels (accredited) • Arts & Crafts • UK Online • General Advice Sessions • Tackle the Takeaway • Job club • Housing Related Advice Drop In • Sewing Classes • Cooking/Weight Management • Youth Group for 13+ • Arabic Language • Keep Fit Classes • Luncheon Club • Women’s Health & Keep Fit • Youth club 5-7 yr olds • Boys Youth club • Girls Youth club • Healthy Walking • Numeracy (accredited) • Learn Arabic/Urdu for Children • Mental Heath support work • First aid/Food Hygiene • Domestic abuse report • Playscheme

Events held in 2009/10 Annual Events

Hepatitis C Event Women’s International Day Misconception (Islam/Domestic Violence) Fun Day for Kids Cultural Awareness Day White Ribbon Event Solidarity for Sisters Event Come Dine with Me Meet the Neighbours Food Festival Arts Festival

Funding of Rochdale Women’s Welfare

End of March 31 st 2010

£ Community Foundation 40,000 Lloyds TSB 4,167 RMBC- Area Based Grant 7,500 RMBC-Core Funding 21,400 RMBC_Family Fun Day 250 Youth Opportunity Fund 2, 884 Room Hire 6,756.73

Total Income 82,957.73

End of March 31 st 2011 £ Arts Grants 3,500 Lankelly Chase 15,000 (£45,000 over 3 years) People’s Postcode 3,354 Youth Service 7,500 Nationwide Foundation 5,000 UK Online 6,000 Awards for All 9,140 RMBC 21,400 Room Hire 7,790

Total 78,684

Added Value of the Community Centre

Advice & information Women with language barriers and Literacy problems and/or communication problems receive support, advice and information.

Capacity Building Regular events held at the centre to highlight issues that affect the communities’ i.e health and wellbeing

Campaigning Rochdale Women’s Welfare have campaigned with Amnesty International for more than 3 years on no recourse to public funds, for women facing domestic violence that have come from abroad such as Pakistan e.g. as spouse. Nationally Rochdale Women’s Welfare have been lobbying and campaigning alongside Solidarity for Sisters and Oxfam on many issues that affect women such as domestic violence and poverty.

Health Promotion The Health and Wellbeing project has targeted women of all ages by promoting mini projects on self-management and long term health conditions such as Expert Patient Programme, Health and Weight Management, Exercise Programme and many more. Mental health has been highlighted on the agenda for BME women as one of the main issues affecting the community, Rochdale Women’s Welfare have worked out a programme to deal with this issue as well as networking with mind. This has locally been recognised by Age Concern who given the centre manager Dignity in Care Award for mental health work.

Employment Support A Job Club has given the women a chance to receive support from the workers at the project. They support the women to help with their C.V. job search and how to fill in the application form as well as how to give interview support. The women can use the phone and computer to log on line and complete application forms and receive any other the support they require.

Skills Development (ESOL/IT) The women are enhancing their skills to learn various subject such as IT, Esol entry 1, 2, 3 and as well as joining in classes to help them improve their job prospect.

Social Community Base The project is well coming and any women and young girl can walk in at anytime and receive support and help they need. No appointment is needed social events are organised to help women break down barriers such as language, culture, therefore building the women’s Confidence Building/Self Esteem. The project works around the women’s needs and issues that affect them.

Working with Asylum seekers and Refugees The project helps and supports the women from Refugee Action as Rochdale is a gateway. Last two years Rochdale Women’s Welfare have worked with women from Congo and Nepal these women have attended Esol classes and IT class, their children have joined in the afterschool clubs and Playscheme. The women have received help around the issues that affect them as some have come from a war torn country.

Strategic Relations

Rochdale MBC Richard street Impact Partnership Domestic Abuse (GMP Police) CVS Falinge Park High School Jobcentre plus Refugee Action Employment Links Hopwood Hall Falinge Hub Mind Rochdale Youth Service Asian Women Health Project Homelessness Sports for All W.E.A Age Concern Heybrook School Greenbank Primary Wardleworth Community Centre Surestart BACP Southall for Black Sisters Rochdale Leisure Centre Black Health Service Healthy Living Initiative UK online Community Police Officers BME Network Women’s Housing Action Group Omega Women Regeneration & Renewal Team Meadowfields Community Centre PCT/ NHS Councillors/MP’s Skylight Circus RADPAC M6 Theatre Company Midwifes/Health Visitors

National Agencies International Agencies Solidarity for Sisters Oxfam Cedaw Amnesty UK

Challenges for the Future

As the project expands Rochdale Women’s Welfare Association needs more space to work from as numbers are increasing. The funding has always been a challenge for the project but it will be more of a challenge next year given the current climate. Three staff posts are coming to an end in April 2012, this includes the manager’s post, for the project this will be an even bigger challenge given the future cuts from Rochdale MBC. Domestic Abuse (violence) is on the increase as are forced marriages in the BME community. Year 2012/13 could be the last year of funding for the Domestic Violence Co-ordinator post as future funding for the post has yet to be identified.

Conclusion

The community centre is unique to all other community centres in that it specifically caters for BME women in a women only centre as well as other women from all communities.. If this service did not exist these women who are hard to reach would struggle to engage via any other agencies due to cultural, language and confidence barriers. It is invaluable for many families and women as the centre is the foundation to engaging with other agencies.

Rochdale Women’s Welfare is a centre which is recognised both regionally and nationally for its service and campaigning. This is demonstrated from its wide range of partners both locally and nationally. It has received national recognition for its work in recent times for dealing with domestic violence within the BME community. Recent campaigning includes the white ribbon campaign, domestic abuse with no recourse to public funds and saving the local hospital.

The community centre offers a good range of activities which help local women as well as children and the elderly in the Wardleworth area and across the borough. The community centre has held over ten one off events during the course of the year, which generally attract over a hundred people to the community centre during the course of the day.

The centre is a leading agency in tackling domestic abuse across the borough. Other agencies such as the Police, Housing and Omega are reliant on the domestic abuse project and other services provided by the centre.

The community centre has developed a very good relationship with Crescent radio and uses the radio to promote a lot of the work taking place at the community centre. This is something that be could be considered by other community centres across the borough.

Rochdale Women’s Welfare has a good track record for securing external funding. Most recent successful applications include bids to Lankelly Chase, Nationwide Foundation, UK Online and Awards for All. The community centre is reliant on external funding to keep the service going.

The community centre value volunteers and has a pool of volunteers to help across the different sections of the service. These volunteers have been enhanced with the required experience and skills to seek and secure employment where possible. Rochdale Women’s Welfare have also accommodated and helped six trainees from the Future Jobs Fund, one of which has now secured work at the centre.

The community centre has a business plan in progress and this needs to be completed for the future.

Evaluation Process

Name of Community Centre:

Spotland Community centre

Current Funding:

£38,800

Date of Initial Monitoring Visit: 7/9/2011

Monitoring Officers: Nasser Afzal/Stephanie Thornton

Spotland Community Centre Evaluation Report Rochdale Township Action & Resources Committee 27 th October 2011

About the Community Centre

Spotland Community Association was established in 1970, with the aim of providing a wide range of services and activities to the local community, one of the main aims was providing local people with basic advice and support to access services better in Rochdale. In 1988 the organization became a company limited by guarantee (number 224377) and in 1996 a registered charity (number 1055809).

Based in the heart of the community the centre delivers much needed services and projects in the Spotland and Falinge ward. This work has been possible with funding from the local authority and various small pots of external funding applied to from time to time. Spotland Community Association provide a variety of support services to the local community and opportunities of skills and knowledge development. It works to deliver services to disadvantaged individuals, ensuring everyone has equal opportunities in accessing services, information, and a variety of training and courses locally. The services users are 60% from ethnic minority backgrounds and 40% white background. The management work to promote community cohesion through the service and work within the community.

We have successfully formed professional partnerships / networks with local agencies, groups and organisations in Rochdale and delivered some excellent initiatives in the past few years, and currently are delivering a variety of courses and sessions. These partners include Rochdale Borough Council, Rochdale Youth Service, Sure Start, Greater Manchester Police, Rochdale Library, Blue Orchid Business Support, Rochdale Advice Service, Rochdale Law Centre, Hopwood Hall College, Link 4 Life, Job Centre Plus, Connexions and many others.

The Centre has and continues to consult within the community to ensure that the activities and services it offers remains in line with their wishes and needs.

The Community Centre has the following facilities;

• Main Halls x 2 ( upstairs and downstairs) • Reading Room / Lounge (also used for chair based exercise for elderly people) • Main Lounge – used for advice surgeries and various sessions • Main Office - ground floor (manager’s office) • Community Kitchen – used by service users and staff • Front eating area ( holding up to 25 people) • Male & Female toilets on both floors (disable access) • I.T. room – with 10 computers • 2 x Office accommodation on the second floor. The two offices on the second floor of the centre continue are rented by Rochdale Citizen’s Advocacy and Spotland and Falinge Housing Association which have been based there for 20 years.

The whole of the Community Centre, including all the public rooms and toilet facilities are accessible to people with disabilities.

Local Stats

Spotland and Falinge Ward Profile contains the following information: (taken form 2001 census)

• There are 10,749 people living in the ward in 4,296 households. • Children (aged 0-15), make up 24.64% of the total population, elderly people, (aged over 75) form 7.06% of the total. • 82% of the population is white. The largest minority ethnic group is Pakistani 14.5% of the population.

Governance

Management committee currently consists of 12 main members, including chairman, vice chair, secretary and Treasurer. The committee meets on a monthly basis to discuss the business of the charity, plan activities and projects, discuss finance and highlight any issues or concerns. There is a governing document (constitution) in place. Staff members include a full time manager and a part time caretaker. Spotland Community Association has 2 volunteers who attend regularly to help with centre activities. The organisation is in the process of recruiting an administration worker, an advice worker and sessional workers to help support some of the new activities starting. Membership of the community centre has increased under the new board from one hundred to over five hundred people. Services are monitored and evaluated effectively.

Community Activities Offered By Spotland Community Centre

The new Manager has developed the timetable with the help of new partnerships. There are new activities that cater for the whole of the community. An example is the set up of luncheon clubs that cater for both the Asian community and the wider community, depending on cultural and diet differences.

On a weekly basis, the following numbers of people are attending regular:

• Coffee Morning – 12-15 • Mother and Toddler Group - 8-10 parents anticipated with children • Women’s Exercise Class – 10- 12 attending • Numeracy class – 15 • Community Work Club – 5-6 anticipated to attend • Literacy Class -15 • Women’s Sewing class – 25 weekly • Basic Welfare Advice Session – 6-8 • Asian Luncheon Club – 10-12 • Young Lads Youth Group – 12-15 anticipated • Over 50’s Luncheon Club – 10-12 • RMBC Advice Surgery – 4 • Rochdale,O,B Epilepsy Group – 10 • Church Group mid week – 10 • Immigration Advice Surgery – 3 • Finance Advice surgery – 3 • Women’s Group – 15-20 • Police Surgery – 3-4 • Girls Youth Group – 10-12 • Alcohol Anonymous Group – 20 • Ladies Zumba Exercise class– 15- 20 • Saturday SDA Church Activities Group – 20-30 • Children’s Urdu class- 15-20 anticipated • Children’s Arabic Class – 15-20 anticipated • Healthy Walk Session – 10-12 anticipated • Sunday Church Group – 20-30

Occasional Events

• Open Days • Fun days • Health Awareness Events • Councillor Surgeries • Women’s Cultural Event • Healthy Cooking Days

These events are generally attended by 50-150 during the course of the day.

Spotland Community Centre has weekday provision from 9.00am – 4.30pm which are office hours. 5.00pm-8.30 is evening provision for classes, and agencies delivering sessions, and have weekend provision 9.00am-4.00pm for classes delivered and external groups using the building.

Marketing and promotion of activities has improved. There has been an update of centres display areas, information and posters. The production of a banner displayed in and outside the centre helps the public and community to recognise the centre’s existence and highlights the mission of the organisation. A quarterly newsletter is in production, to be delivered to every household in the area, which will promote all centre activities, and give community members opportunities to have their say, apply for volunteering and be aware of centre services available.

Funding of the Service Spotland Community Association receives funding from local authority £38,000 over 12 months, this is in quarterly amounts. The organisation applies for external funding from various sources for projects and activities, but this is not a regular income and is spent on that particular activity. The main regular income is as follows on an annual basis

Total External income: £38,800 Total Internal income (Room Hire and other): £14,319.22 applied for funding to Awards for All – successful with £9,910 this will be Asian weekly lunch club, mother and toddler group, sessional advice worker twice a week, re-launch event of the centre, and for 2 trips for in the year ( male + female) to for an educational and new experience visit. successful with £1,000 to community foundation Greater Manchester, for set up of a women’s group, run 20 cooking sessions and 20 exercise sessions and development of a women’s management committee, recruiting volunteers

Applied to SITA trust - £10,000 for kitchen refurbishment costs, through providing opportunities for young people in volunteering in a community cafe, and also gaining accredited training course in catering etc. - awaiting outcome in December

The Association has applied to Lloyds TSB, for £30,000 over 2 years (£15k per year) to support managers post, in addition to council's core funding. The Association has passed the interview stage of assessment, through a grants officer visiting.

The centre is working with BACP and KYP to apply for joint pots of money, and to run a cohesive work club.

Strategic Relations

With Spotland and Falinge Housing Association ; work together to advice housing tenants about any advice and information they require about making any welfare claims. With Rochdale citizens advocacy – refer clients and signpost residents to this team who have special needs, a disability etc to gain extra support from this service. Rochdale Youth Service - delivering a joint girls youth group for 11-18yr olds once a week. Share resources & equipment RMBC – delivering advice and information service every fortnight to BME community members, a bilingual member of staff runs the sessions Hopwood Hall College – delivering Adult literacy and numeracy courses, ESOL and IT courses at our centre, using our facilities and resources to make these courses more accessible in the heart of the community Link 4 Life - delivering exercise sessions for women and promoting health and wellbeing Workers Education Authority (WEA) Providing tutors and sewing machines for local women to learn how to sew at the centre. The centre offers sewing machines, room facilities and refreshments every week. Seventh Day Advent Church – running their church group open to all every Saturday morning providing a range of activities for all ages to enjoy. Greater Manchester Police – The centre hosts monthly PACT meetings with attendance from local police officers, and local pcso’s attend our coffee morning and occasional youth groups. Rochdale, Oldham and Bury Epilepsy Society – deliver a fortnightly support session open to all who suffer themselves or care for someone with epilepsy. Bolton Council of Mosques – Spotland Community Association will be carrying out a number of exchange visits to the youth girls group there and them here, to work on a calligraphy art project, and plan an event for international women’s week in March 2012.

Heywood, Middelton and Rochdale Pennine Care – 2 health trainers attend weekly to work with community members, advice around health issues, weight management. Blood pressure and weight is monitored weekly, healthy cooking recipes given to members attending.

Other partnerships:

KYP Groundwork Falinge Community Hub CVS Rochdale Youth Connections CAB Rochdale South & Heywood Newbold Housing

Challenges for the Future

Basic Community Advice Sessions

To offer weekly advice surgeries to the local community. An Advice Worker will be employed to deliver two sessions a week for general enquiries around immigration, welfare, domestic bills, letters and more.

Community Engagement

To secure funding to employ a development worker to do outreach work in the Spotland & Falinge community and to further develop the timetable based on the needs of the local community.

Community Newsletter

To promote the service at the centre to local residents in the form of a newsletter. This will go out quarterly. The Association will work in partnership with other local groups, agencies and Rochdale CVS, so local residents were kept informed of local issues and opportunities in Rochdale and borough as a whole.

Health Walk Sessions

To develop regular health walks around the local area, other townships and the northwest to address health inequalities. The centre hopes to take advantage of the community transport service offered by Deeplish Community Centre.

Conclusion

In October 2010, Spotland Community centre was left in turmoil when the Manager and the Management Committee resigned unexpectedly. This left the Community Affairs Unit and volunteers from the local vicinity to help stabilise things at the centre. A new diverse board of Trustees were recruited in November 2010 and now help to govern the community centre. A new Manager was also appointed in June 2011 and together there has been dramatic change in the quality of service being provided to the local community. The following changes have been implemented with the new management taking charge:

• All policy and procedures have been reviewed and a number of new ones implemented which include conflict of interest policy, communications policy and whistle blowing policy. • New systems and procedures are in place, which have been welcomed by both staff and user groups based at the centre. This includes an improved administration and finance system at the centre. • Upgrade and refurbishment of the centre. This includes a change of centre layout which makes it more welcoming and suitable for the services offered and for the user groups and users of the centre. • A development plan and basic business plan have been put in place. • Close working partnerships with the Police, Falinge Community Hub, Hopwood Hall College and Rochdale MBC have been developed and joint work taking place. • The centre now offers a finance advice surgery to local residents, which is proving popular given the current climate. This is something that could be promoted across the borough with other community centres. • The community centre is also unique in that it provides two different types of luncheon clubs at the centre, one that caters for the Asian community and one that caters for wider community. • Effective running of the management committee and governance, with training identified and accessed as needed by all staff and volunteers for further development

There has been significant change at the centre within recent months and this needs to be sustained. The community centre is exemplary in the way that it has gone from a poor performing centre in recent years to one that now provides a wide range of activities on the timetable to meet the needs of local people.

Evaluation Process

Name of Community Centre:

Castlemere Community Centre

Current Funding: £17,000

Date of Initial Monitoring Visit: 12 th and 28 th July 2011

Monitoring Officers: Nasser Afzal/Stephanie Thornton

About Castlemere Community Centre

Castlemere community centre is located in a large, red brick 2 storey building, previously a primary school. Approximately 20 years ago, the plot on which the building is located was put on the market by the council as potential housing land. A group of local people raised enough money to buy the land, build a new mosque on part of it and bring the old school building into use as a community centre.

There is a 999 year lease in place for the mosque and a separate sub lease between the mosque and the community centre.

The centre is a membership organisation, a registered charity and company limited by guarantee. It offers a range of commercial and non commercial services designed to meet the needs of the local community and generate income which is reinvested in the organisation.

There is an active management committee of 14, 50/50 men and women with a good mix of ages. There are 2 sub groups – Human resources and Finance. A 5 year business plan is in place which is regularly reviewed by the management committee and updated.

There are 3 full time paid staff – manager, administrator/reception/accounts and a chef. There are 6 part time staff in the gym and 6-12 volunteers.

The centre is located within the Milkstone/Deeplish ward. The local people are predominantly of South Asian descent with small numbers of immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers from the African continent and eastern Europe.

The indices of multiple deprivation 2010 indicates very high levels of deprivation with problems such as poor health, low income, unemployment, education and skills and crime including using and selling drugs. There is considerable under attainment by young people.

The centre staff have been on the PQASSO training but this has not yet been fully implemented. The centre has Investors in people status.

The Activities Offered by Castlemere Community Centre

There are a number of training courses on offer at the centre including ESOL, Childcare and healthcare and I.T. Some of these are delivered through local colleges and the centre is registered to deliver literacy and numeracy and ESOL.

The WEA runs Arabic cooking classes and sewing classes.

The fully equipped gym is open 7 days a week, has 3,000 members and offers women only and men only sessions. Training is offered to volunteers in Sport Instruction. Healthy walking sessions are offered to older women.

There is a luncheon club for older people which runs Monday to Thursday offering two women only and two men only sessions.

The large hall has been used every afternoon, Monday to Friday to accommodate schoolchildren from St. John’s primary school during the recent refurbishment of their school buildings.

The centre also offers classes in Jujitsu , aerobics, kick boxing, exercise and there is a weekly weight watchers session each Saturday morning.

The centre hosts an Arabic Language school and a Children’s academy offering support with Maths and English, Science and IT to local children. Much of this activity has now relocated to their recently acquired other building.

There is an Immigration service with open and free access each morning 10 – 12 and appointments from 2.00 – 5.00.

Two offices are occupied by HMRPCT health trainers and part of the building is rented by Sure Start.

There is a catering service operating within the centre.

The centre regularly offers work experience and student placements and has accommodated a number of Future Jobs trainees – 6 in the gym of whom 4 gained a qualification and 2 in the kitchens.

As a social enterprise, the centre advises other organisations looking to develop and improve their income generation.

There are a number of one off events each year including health events and the centre is hired for celebrations.

Funding Castlemere community centre

In 2010/11 , the centre showed an income of £271, 829, of which the council revenue grant is £17,000. The council also funds the Asian Elders luncheon club/day care facility, c £31K.

Other income includes gym fees, training and room hire, the catering service and donations.

Total expenditure for the year was £279,734

Added Value and Benefits of the Community Centre

The centre has developed relationships with statutory and other partners which enable it to contribute to the wellbeing of local residents. The centre is seen as the hub of the community. The centre contributes to community cohesion by bringing together all parts of the community, all ages and promoting and encouraging higher aspirations amongst local people.

The centre staff and management committee speak to their customers regularly in order to ensure that the services they provide match their needs and wants. Formal feedback is gathered from gym users and has resulted in a number of changes and improvements to that service.

The range of activities offered means that the centre contributes to borough priorities through raising educational attainment, offering opportunities to improve skills and qualification levels and advice on social enterprise. There are a range of health related activities offered in a culturally sensitive way in order to reach all parts of the local community.

The centre is designed by the local community for the predominantly Asian local community to promote social inclusion. The close working relationship with the mosque is a useful way to promote activities and issues.

Strategic Relations

The centre has ongoing working relationships with NHS, RMBC Adult care and regeneration services, Hopwood Hall college, GM Police, Surestart, Link4life, fire brigade, local businesses and the probation service. Third sector partners include the Princes Trust and Groundwork and other community centres in the area.

Members of staff attend the Multi Faith Partnership and the BME network and Social Enterprise forum. Members of the management committee attend the Voluntary sector partnership and the community base network.

Conclusion/Recommendations from the Panel

Castlemere community centre is a busy, well run centre offering a wide range of activities reflecting the cultural needs of the predominantly Asian community in the immediate area. The centre’s staff and committee have a vision of the centre as a social business which is self sustaining within 5 years, able to generate enough income from its commercial activities to provide social , health and economic services to all who need them.

This model of working is to be encouraged and the good practice shared with other centres. As public sector funding becomes harder to access , centres must become better at income generation/attracting external funding in order to survive.

The centre should continue to develop its working relationships with public sector partners and look for opportunities to collaborate with other centres in the borough.

Evaluation Process

Name of Community Centre:

Sudden Community Centre

Current Funding:

£12,100

Date of Initial Monitoring Visit: 28/06/2011

Monitoring Officers: Nasser Afzal/Stephanie Thornton

Sudden Community Centre Evaluation Report 27 th October 2011, Rochdale Action & Resources Committee

About the Community Centre

In August 1991, the community of Long Hill where given £20,000 from a local business for leisure facilities, the money was used to purchase a pre-owned prefabricated building (portacabin) which was then handed over to Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council and sited on a clearance land on Cheltenham Street, for which the group pay an annual rental fee. Sudden Community Centre was officially opened in June 1995 and in 1998 the name was changed to Sudden and Brimrod Community Centre to further reflect and address the needs of the area. In 2000 the centre was shut for 2 years following differences among the committee and volunteers. A small grant was secured from the council of approximately 6K, subsequently increased in 2009.

With help from RMBC the building was furnished and as the group had quite a few willing volunteers the centre hosted a number of activities including; • Youth Club • Mothers and Toddlers Group • Senior Citizens Group

By the year 2000 the initial momentum of the group went into a decline with a number of volunteers moving on to other interests or retiring, the group requested help for the Youth Club from RMBC who in turn provided staffing until 2002, however the decline continued, and the centre has undertaken several surveys and door knocking campaigns with help from RMBC to raise awareness of the centre and its work and recruit new volunteers.

Throughout this time the Centre has been kept clean and regularly redecorated, the perimeter of the building has been fenced, creating a designated car park which can, when not in use be used for play activities.

Some original activities continue to thrive at the centre including Keep Fit, Autumn Leaves seniors group and an IT class funded from Hopwood Hall College and the centre hosts other meetings from time to time including RAGE and the Foster Carers Support Group.

The centre has: • Main Hall with room for at least 80 people depended on the lay-out of the furnishing required. • A well equipped kitchen • For social events the centre has a TV License and a renewable entertainment License. • The office accommodation has telephone, computer, photo-copier, filing cabinets and a secure stock –room for equipment when not in use. • There is access and services available to wheel chair users.

Recently the group have made several attempts to promote interest in the use of the centre, the small management committee has held activities to raise the profile of the centre including, cultural celebrations, opening a new junior youth club and an open day.

Governance

There are currently 3 paid staff, each paid for 10 hours a week. There are 7 volunteers, 2 of whom also sit on the management committee of 17. The committee is a good mix of ages, gender, and race to reflect the make up of the local community. The committee meets every 3 months with an executive committee meeting every 6 weeks. The executive consists of committee members who hold office e.g. chair, treasurer. Generally there are 2 or 3 new members elected at each AGM.

The organisation is a company limited by guarantee and they are applying currently for registered charity status.

The Centre is working with CVS on developing a plan for the future looking at funding and sustainability. There have been a number of recent improvements to the building including repairs to the roof and hanging baskets.

The area is mixed housing, privately owned, social housing and private landlords. There are 175 homes on the Kilworth street estate. The centre is accessed by local people with issues and problems but also serves a wider area.

There are needs locally around unemployment and low skills and enabling better integration and cohesion.

Activities Offered By Sudden Community Centre

• Support session run by MIND • Advice session run by RMBC • Access to immigration advice • Healthy cooking with WEA • Banner making with WEA • Keep fit • Jujitsu • Walk and talk – NHS • Health trainer - NHS • Coffee morning • Reading circle • Learn urdu • Make up classes • Employment links surgery • Volunteer placements • Social activities including day and weekend trips

There is open access to IT and courses are run according to demand e.g. teaching assistant course, open days, fun days. The centre responds to demand e.g. during the Census they invited local residents to the centre who needed assistance with their forms.

There is a lot of signposting and advice given informally as people drop in and solutions to local issues e.g. fly tipping. There is also access to the local PCSO who calls in 2 or 3 times a week.

Funding of Sudden Community Centre

Grant - 12,00 Income generated External funding

Reserves – c 10K

RMC GRANT £13,100 Revenue Generated £2,307.80 Councillor’s grant £400 Surgeries/Election £200 Kitchen Grant £5,000

Total Income £21,007.80

Added Value of the Community Centre

Enhancing Employment Opportunities- The centre has run 2 teaching assistant courses – 9 learners, 7 gone on to further learning or employment. Many prefer to come to a local setting and this enables confidence building prior to the formal course.

Advice & Information. The development officers provide basic advice and form filling service for local residents. Recently the centre also helped local residents with the completion of the census forms.

Volunteer Opportunities- The centre offers many volunteer placements which build confidence and may lead to IT and skills enhancement.

Voice for Local Issues- The centre helps to solve and facilitate solutions to local problems e.g. fly tipping.

Strategic Relations

Groundwork Police WEA Rochdale District Mind Blue Pitt Project Employment Links Local Schools Community Payback-Probation Service Deeplish Community Centre Sparth Community Centre

Challenges for the Future

• Securing funding to build an extension, to enable children type services to be provided at the community centre

Conclusion

The community centre is in a transitional period with a number of new members on the management committee and three development workers recently appointed. The development workers have started to develop the range of activities at the centre with the introduction of keep fit, reading circle, make up classes to name a few examples. The building places restrictions on what the centre can do. The staff and management committee are keen to provide pre and after school activities but Ofsted have judged the building to be unsuitable.

The management committee need to be strategic in their thinking, with the limited funding the centre may benefit from aiming services towards a specific target group.

The following are areas which need to be addressed:

• Charity registration needs to be in place for the organisation to meet it’s legal obligations and to be proactive in their search for external reading. • The community centre may benefit from the development of its links with local community centres such as Deeplish Community Centre and Castlemere Community Centre. This could also be extended to Rochdale Women’s Welfare. • The community centre could look at other income generation, external funding, donations, raffles etc • Support on producing annual account and reports to promote the community centre could also be looked at.

Evaluation Process

Name of Community Centre: North Area Partnership

Current Funding: £19,400

Date of Initial Monitoring Visit: 11 th July 2011

Monitoring Officers: Nasser Afzal/Stephanie Thornton

About North Area Partnership

Members of the community came together in 1999 to form the ‘Friends of Syke pond’ group which aimed to refurbish a large public pond on Cronkeyshaw Common. Once this had been achieved the group continued to meet as they felt work was needed to bring the community together. This group became Syke Area Strategic Partnership. Successful bids for funding led to the employment of a development worker and subsequently one Unit on an Industrial Estate was identified. As other pots of funding became available the organisation was able to rent further Units and offer more services and activities. In 2003 the organisation achieved registered charity and company limited by guarantee status. In 2009 the organisation changed its name to The North Area Partnership to reflect the fact that service users come from all over North Rochdale.

The area

There are 4,000 households in the Healey ward. Healey is predominantly white but this is changing with people being settled from Eastern Europe and Africa. The other side of Fieldhouse Road which is also in the centre’s area of benefit is an area largely occupied by people of South Asian descent.

Local issues of concern to residents include anti social behaviour including drugs and alcohol issues, community cohesion as the area has become more mixed racially, unemployment and low skills and health issues. There are a high number of incapacity benefit and disability living allowance claimants in the area.

Governance

North Area Partnership is a registered charity and a company limited by guarantee. There are 8 people on the management committee which has a total of 15 available places. The committee meets monthly. There are over 20 volunteers in the centre at any one time across all the activities. There are 7 paid staff including sessional workers.

The centre’s workers have worked through and completed Level 1 PQASSO. The centre has won a number of awards and been recognised through OFSTED for the Pre School Nursery, R.M.B.C. Environmental Management for compliance with food hygiene and safety regulations, structural and cleaning requirements and confidence in management procedures, R.M.B.C. Youth Services evaluation, Golden Grin award from the NHS Early Years nutrition and oral health promotion team and from GM Police ‘Make a Difference’ award. RMBC Sure Start High Five rating classification was “Universal”

All appropriate and relevant policies and procedures are in place. Each member of staff or volunteer is required to sign that they have read and understood each policy. These are reviewed annually by the management committee.

Other

North area partnership hosts and runs monthly ward forums which consider local issues and allow local residents to have a say in the running of their areas. Regular inter agency meetings will re-start in September.

The centre is open 50 weeks per year – Monday to Saturday and is open from 8.00am to 9 or 10 in the evening, most evenings.

There is a 3 year lease in place for their commercially rented property which all Units on the ground floor – 6 large rooms plus toilets, kitchen and corridors of the Sir Cyril Smith Business Centre on the Fieldhouse Industrial Estate. The centre also occupies fenced outside space for outdoor play for the Pre-School Nursery.

The Activities Offered

There are a very wide range of activities offered. These are chosen through listening to centre users, evaluation forms and suggestion boxes.

From September 2010 there is a full time Pre-School Nursery operating from the centre which means there is a potential for 30 places in a morning session and 30 in the afternoon session, there is also the provision of a breakfast club and a wrap round lunchtime. There are Stay and Play sessions for 0 to 4 years, and Playschemes are held during Easter and Summer school holidays funded through RADPAC.

There are a number of physical and mental health related activities – Walk and Talk groups, Yoga, Tai Chi, Karate, Water Colour Painting and general Art and Craft classes. There is a luncheon club once a month and an over 50’s Social Afternoon every other Tuesday.

Young people have access to a Girls Group, 2 youth clubs, 11+, 2, Out of School Clubs and 4 Amateur Boxing clubs. Efforts have been made through detached work to reach out to and engage with more the young people from different ethnic backgrounds in the area to now access the centre.

Work related activities include I.T. Courses and a large number of volunteering opportunities within the centre, plus apprenticeships within the Pre School Nursery, also there is help with CVs and job applications, promotion of further education and Duke of Edinburgh. 5 placements were offered to unemployed people accessing the government’s Future Jobs scheme, 1 gained NVQ 2 in Business Admin, 1 Level 3 Childcare,1 Level 2 in Youth Work. 3 placements were given to Apprentices to gain NVQ Level 2 in Childcare

The local beat police and PCSO’s have a desk within the centre and local people can drop in with any crime or community safety concerns.

Funding the Community Centre

During 2010/11 it is estimated that it will cost £120k to run the centre and that it will have an income of £119K.

The centre received funding from RMBC of £ 79,909 including the core grant of £19,400. £46K of this would not be available for 2011/12 but a further £9K was identified by the council and paid to enable the centre to seek funding elsewhere and ensure its sustainability. Room Rental income was £ 12,123 Income from classes £7,029 Income from trips and events £ 482 Donations £666 Other income £3,930

It is estimated that the Sources of Income for 2011/12 will be

RMBC Rochdale Township Grant £19.400 RMBC Rochdale Township one off grant £ 9.000 Reclaimed through being registered for Gift Aid £15.500 One off Grant Zochonis £ 5.000 Room Hire £ 6.000 Pre-School Nursery £29.000 Carried forward from 2010/11 £27.500

Prior to March 2011 the centre received income from Quality of Place ABG of £36K plus £10K in commissioning to deliver Youth Work also £19.440 from Rochdale Township’s Community Centre Budget this totalled £68.400. £46k of this was lost so, the Management together with the staff restructured to ensure they had a viable budget for the year 2011/12,

Added Value and benefits of the Community Centre

The centre is a hub of the local community where residents drop in for informal advice and information.

There is a monthly Ward Forum where local issues are raised, debated and tackled.

The regular Inter Agency meetings have been temporarily suspended but due to restart in September. These have been recognised by attendees as critical to community cohesion in the area. Schools, Housing providers, GM Police, RMBC youth service, Environmental Management and Community Safety and Sure Start meet together for the well being of all the residents of this area. The meetings have led to environmental improvements, significant reductions in anti social behaviour and collective problem solving of local issues.

The boxing club, in particular, is felt by the police to have provided diversionary activities for youths and led to significant reductions in the levels of crime and anti social behaviour.

Volunteering opportunities have led to individuals gaining self confidence and, in many cases, improving their skill levels, gaining qualifications and moving into work. 5 placements were offered to unemployed people through the Future Jobs fund, 3 of whom gained full time employment within the centre. 4 apprentices gained NVQ 2 qualifications in childcare and one was offered employment by the Centre to gain Level 3 The centre provides activities which prevent social isolation and enable healthier lifestyles e.g. regular health checks, healthy walks, over 50’s club. Yoga and Tia Chi The young people who attend the centre are growing vegetables in Gro bags in partnership with ASDA and the local Rotary Club.

The centre is central to a number of local campaigns, e.g. dog fouling and doorstep crime. Section 106 money was identified and used to refurbish Syke Bowling Green area into a pocket park. The centre was instrumental in the further refurbishment of Syke Pond.

The local police and PCSO have a base at the centre. They view the CCTV cameras which were placed around the Syke estate from funding the Centre sourced. Local residents, and particularly elderly people, call into the centre based office to discuss local issues with the police and seek reassurance.

Strategic Relations

North Area Partnership has developed positive relations with a number of external agencies including the council – Community Safety, Environmental Management, Regeneration, Highways, Planning and the Youth service plus local councillors, GM Police, local schools, Tenants and Residents Association, housing providers including RBH, Link4life.

In addition there are strong relationships with several other community centres across the borough and regular attendance at the Community Base Network.

Challenges for the Future

Funding remains a significant challenge for the centre. External funding must be identified and successfully applied for, to guarantee the future of the centre.

Conclusion

North Area Partnership offers a full range of services to local people from the youngest members of the community to the oldest. The organisation is well run, well used and pro active on behalf of local residents.

The involvement of agencies and residents within the centre is an exemplar of local democratic involvement and has led to significant improvements in the area including significant reduction in crime and anti social behaviour and environmental improvements.

Care is taken to regularly evaluate activities and consult users about new activities which are then provided if possible and appropriate by the securing of small pots of external funding.

The centre is willing to consider providing unique activities e.g. the amateur boxing club which they are currently providing is proving to be well used

Securing large amounts of external funding to ensure the sustainability of the organisation is an immediate priority.

Evaluation Process

Name of Community Centre:

KYP (Kashmir Youth Project)

Current Funding:

£21,800

Date of Initial Monitoring Visit: 20/6/11

Monitoring Officers: Nasser Afzal/Stephanie Thornton

KYP Evaluation Report Rochdale Township Action & Resources Committee 27 th October 2011

About the Community Centre

KYP is a Company Limited by Guarantee (registration number 06624117) and Charity Registered (1003644). Its base is the Unique Enterprise Centre on Belfield road and the new building consists of four floors:

• Ground Floor; Reception, IT, Café, Little gems Nursery, Toilets and Lifts. • First Floor; KYP offices, Training Suites, IT labs, and KYP project base. • Second Floor; business offices (Incubation Units) and conference room • Third Floor; this accommodates Great Places, Shamwari Project and has a meeting room. • Next to the centre is another KYP building, The Apna Ghar Daycare Centre. This is a new state of the art building which was officially opened in March 2010 to provide daycare for elderly people, welfare rights & advice and various community events.

KYP was set up in October 1979 by a group of four local Kashmiri youths. Its main purpose was to bridge the gap between what the community wanted and what the local authority provided. At the time, the only skills that the four youths had were the ability to speak, read and write English. It began to provide very basic services such as translating and form filling. It quickly gained momentum and soon became a hub of community activity. It kept local youths off the streets and supported them into socially productive activities. It carries that tradition today by providing a range of services and activities to not only youths but the wider community.

The KYP ethos is one of community empowerment, whether that is through enterprise, employment or training. And the motto is “Delivering to the community, by the community”. Being in a community for over 30 years, the organisation has extensive experience in recognizing and breaking down barriers to care, skills, employment, enterprise and training. KYP is an independent charity dedicated to the development and economic regeneration of the local community. The organisation moved all its operations to the state of the art Unique Enterprise Centre in November 2007, to provide an opportunity to those individuals who wish to develop and enhance their personal, learning and development skills. KYP maps service provision with a particular focus on the recruitment of individuals who, by life circumstances, inappropriate learning environments, delivery styles, low or no educational attainment have meant that they have not managed to achieve personal goals, training or sustainable employment.

A quality training and personal development service is achieved by continuing investment in personnel representing the company, and by ensuring that the each individual undergoes a tailor made programme that will be continuously monitored and met through quality assurance processes already in place. KYP is an ISO9001, IIP, Positive about Disabled, and Community Legal Services registered organisation, it is also an approved C&G training and UK On-line centre.

The organisation is dedicated to helping individuals obtain the services they require to meet and fulfil industry needs. KYP offer practical experience, know-how, and a network of industry contacts, so clients gain the finest learning experience possible.

KYP strives for this by providing community services and facilities. This includes information, support, advocacy, communication, and both social & personal development focused on the creation of a balanced, integrated community with the prospect of quality employment.

Emphasis is on empowerment through education and enterprise, with lifelong learning and training opportunities for all, along with suitable community-owned social and care facilities for all life stages. The grant provided by RMBC to Kashmir Youth Project contributes towards providing a Welfare and Advice Service predominately to residents from Wardleworth and across the borough generally.

Over the past twenty-five years it has developed into a fully-fledged welfare service providing help and advice to the local community as well as to the learners who attend KYP for vocational training. The range of issues which KYP deals with is immense including welfare benefits, housing, education, interpretation, translation, employment, basic legal advice and immigration (though KYP does not provide immigration advice but refers clients to the other Agencies).

The advice service is open from 9.00 a.m. - 5.00 p.m. Monday to Wednesday. Anyone seeking advice does not need to make an appointment on these days, they just make themselves known at reception and their queries will be dealt with accordingly, on a first come first served basis. However, an appointment system is available on Thursdays and Fridays 9.00 a.m. – 4.30 p.m.

By working in partnership with statutory bodies, the private sector and voluntary organisations KYP ensures the best possible service available to the community. Since obtaining the ‘Quality Mark Certificate’ there has been an increase in the number of clients using the advice service; thus making them more confident in using the centre on a regular basis.

Occasionally KYP also facilitate legal and financial; surgeries from established firms such as Molesworth Bright & Clegg

Governance

KYP has fourteen members on the board of Trustees. Majority of these being men. There are 27 paid staff employed by the organisation across the different services working on part- time and full-time basis. 12 of these staff are employed within the nursery (Little Gems). In direct operations, there is an Operations Manager and staff for I.T, Admin, Facilities and Projects.

Community Activities Offered By KYP

Advice and Welfare Apna Ghar ESOL provision Immigration Surgery IT Learning ( the centre is an accredited UK Online Centre) KYP Youth Council Activities Youth Service Activities GCSE Revision Classes Enterprise Support Club Arm Chair Exercises Relaxation Activities Massage Sessions Workclubs UK boys scouts activities Flower arrangements Aerobic Classes Low Intensity Girls Activities Cookery Classes Coffee Mornings Skills Training Meeting rooms

KYP provides regular services/activities in the day and evenings and are looking to extend their service with weekend provision.

Apna Ghar Daycare

Established in 2001, Apna Ghar provides day care service to the elders. The daycare centre has been running for 10 years and has over 63 regular service users attending every week

To encourage elders to use the services, KYP provides a whole array of activities including:-

• Day trips • Arts & crafts • Pool • Cards • Aerobics • Massage

Business Support

KYP’s Business Support programme provides Information, Advice and Guidance to members of the BME communities in Oldham and Rochdale who wish to start their own businesses. The Business Startup programme has specialist business advisors in Oldham and Rochdale who provide hands-on, intensive support from the pre-start stage through to post-start support for up to three years. This service is absolutely free.

Business Training can be provided in subjects such as:-

• Creating a Business Plan. • Marketing. • Tax and VAT. • Cash flow forecasting. • Record keeping. • etc.

EMWE Project

The EMWE Project (Ethnic Minority Women’s Employment Project) has been running successfully for over three years. KYP provides programs and services for disadvantaged BME women in Rochdale borough. The aim of this project is to provide opportunities in training, employment and education and to serve as a resource to advocate, educate and address the social disparities that impact on BME women.

EMWE assists women in taking the simple steps to work. As well as one-to-one advice and support, they provide individual and group employment counselling to assist clients with their job search and career planning.

Employment Advisors provide information and guidance on educational, training, employment and welfare resources and motivate and encourage women with the provision of follow up support.

Key Achievements to date:-

• 286 women have registered on to the project. • 63 women have secured employment. • 100 women have completed Vocation/Non Vocational training programmes. • Provision of in-job Support. • A number of successful Job Fairs.

Flexible New Deal (FND)

The Flexible New Deal programme has been introduced by the government to help people who have been on Job Seekers Allowance for over twelve months. SERCO, the Prime Contractor for the FND programme, have subcontracted to local providers throughout Greater Manchester as well as other UK regions. KYP has been selected to deliver Step 1 and Step 3 of FND in Rochdale.

As a Flexible New Deal partner, KYP work with other local partners to deliver activities and training to support Jobseekers in their journey back into work. These include anything from debt and housing advice, support with job search and CV writing, and placements and training to get them ready for a particular job. KYP works with local employers to identify any opportunities for employment in the area.

Every person who joins the programme is given individually tailored support on their journey to find the right job. With Flexible New Deal, Jobseekers are supported throughout by advisors, who provide one-to-one support and access to a range of vacancies that can offer opportunities for career progression.

Little Gems

Little Gems is a community based Private Day nursery that provides a caring, stimulating, fun, learning environment to meet childrens educational and social needs. The aim is to provide a happy, relaxed day care provision that will encourage your child to explore and experiment in order to fully attain their early learning goals.

The nursery is open from 8.00am to 6.00pm - 51 weeks a year (excluding Bank Holidays and Christmas).

Staff are qualified & experienced nursery nurses who undergo regular training to keep them up-to-date with all aspects of childcare and are committed to providing a well balanced curriculum which respects all children's individual requirements.

Training KYP is a City & Guilds accredited training centre and is able to offer NVW training in a range of areas.

Currently the centre offers apprenticeships in Childcare, delivers ESOL training, Introduction to health & social care and IT. It is also planning to deliver training through close working with partners. The training offered to KYP is very much focused upon upskilling and addressing under-representation in mainstream learning provision i.e. reaching the hard to reach.

Funding of KYP

KYP deliver projects and contracts including nursery fees, access to employment, skills and enterprise, social care. Coupled with this there is the income from managed workspace units and room booking from Unique Enterprise Centre.

As a result of the austerity measures (national and local) coupled with policy changes introduced by current government a number of contracts have ended (prematurely) and some of the customers/tenants within the Enterprise Centre have/are moving as a result of their organisational restructuring. This means that KYP will also be undergoing significant change, forced through the reduction in project income, and re-position it self as a service provider in line with the localism and big-society agenda

KYP ask for small contributions associated with activities that may cost KYP.

Added Value of the Community Centre

Advice and information This service helps local residents with a range of issues which include enquiries in relation to housing, benefits, immigration and many more.

Increasing Skills and jobs Prosperity The centre will help to develop both social, confidence and employment skills. KYP delivers work clubs, enterprise clubs, access to employment, apprenticeships, skills training, IT and ESOL thereby increasing economic activity and tackling economic inactivity and low skills with disadvantaged groups (including ethnic minorities).

Capacity Building The centre works closely with residents to deliver the services that are needed in the community. This is illustrated by the motto “delivering for the community by the community”. This is further extended by supporting groups locally and groups outside of the borough. KYP has a proven track record of securing external funding and contracts to deliver further value added services and functions.

Health Promotion & Awareness The centre provides health related activities and events to promote health. The centre delivers Aerobic, Arm chair exercises, relaxation activities and yoga to help do this.

Strategic Relations

Great Places Housing Group Regenda Housing Jobcentre Plus Link4Life Healthy Living Rochdale Youth Service Molesworth Solicitors UK Boys Scouts PACT Partnership A4E Barnados Blue Orchid Fusion Flava Hopwood Hall College NorthWest Development Agency Oldham Council Rochdale Surestart Rochdale Sixth Form College Skills Solutions R & D Network Design Limited Rochdale Council Rochdale Development Agency Shaw Trust SERCO, Welfare to Work City and Guilds International Learning Centre Deeplish Community Centre Bangladesh Association of Community Projects WEA Spotland Community Centre Sudden Community Centre Castlemere Community Centre Natwest Bank and Lloyds TSB GM Police Employment Links

Challenges for the Future

• Remodelling the organisation and it services in light of the austerity measures and reduced opportunity for contracts. • Re-connect KYP with the training and skills agenda to respond to the local skills and limited employment agenda; • Diversify the service offer to grasp the Localism and Big Society agenda • Work with RMBC and partners to continue the regeneration of the local area • Re-connect KYP with the local youth and put the Y back in KYP.

Conclusion

KYP is unique to other community centres in its set up and services. KYP sees community development and engagement as a key part of their aims. This is demonstrated by the motto “working for the community by the community”. The centre provides a range of community activities to support this; which include the Apna Day Care Centre for the elderly, apprenticeship training, IT skills, ESOL classes, worksclubs to name a few activities.

The grant historically has been for an advice worker, which is a service that is used extensively by members of the community for a range of enquiries. It is recommended that this condition be changed in line with other community centres, so the funding is used for the general support of the centre. The centre could look at the possibility of sourcing external funding for the advice worker and/or bidding for resources from the Council.

Evaluation Process

Name of Community Centre:

Deeplish Community Centre

Current Funding: £50,800

Date of Initial Monitoring Visit: 16 May 2011

Monitoring Officers: Nasser Afzal/Stephanie Thornton

Deeplish Community Centre Evaluation Report 27 th October 2011, Rochdale Action & Resources Committee

About the Community Centre

Deeplish Community Centre is a registered charity 1090588 and Company Limited by Guarantee 4277906. Deeplish Community Centre Association provides services to local people, including young people, children and the elderly. It started with the set up of Deeplish Community Association in a hut on the corner of Hare street by a group of volunteers from the local area. This progressed to the opening of Deeplish Community Centre in 1988. A purpose built building which was the result of a joint initiative between the local residents association, Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council (RMBC) and the National Health Service Trust. The building was divided into two sections; one was run and managed by the PCT with the other part being run by Deeplish Community Centre Association. Deeplish community centre has since acquired the whole building with the clinic and health services moving to the new purpose built health centre.

In the Index of Multiple Deprivation 2000 ward ranking, Milkstone and Deeplish was within the top 10% of worst wards in the country.

There are 8.2% people unemployed in the Ward, compared to 6.1% for Rochdale Borough and 5% in England and Wales. (2001 Census, Key Statistics Table KS09 for Economic Activity).

Milkstone & Deeplish ward has high numbers of people without qualifications, 42.7%, compared with 37% for Rochdale and 29.1% in England and Wales. (2001 Census Key Statistics Table KS13).

According to Rochdale MBC Education Department findings, Key Stage 2 figures in Maths average 54% in Deeplish compared to 71.8% in Rochdale and 73% nationally. English Key Stage 2 is 52.9% in Deeplish compared with 71.6% in Rochdale and 74% nationally.

Health statistics for Milkstone and Deeplish show 11.9% are in poor health or in an unpaid caring role for someone in poor health and people suffering from a long term illness in the ward stood at 21.8%. These figures should be compared with 9.2% nationally of ill health and 18.2% having a long term illness. (2001 Census Table KS08).

All these statistics link low educational achievement and unemployment and highlight the need to address these issues holistically to build an economically sustainable community.

Deeplish is one of the:

Highest areas in Rochdale of households with dependant children and unemployed people with no formal qualifications. Highest areas in Rochdale of households with dependant children and no adults in employment.

The community centre is governed by a management committee which has fifteen people from the BME community. It has representation from local residents and local young people. There are regular meetings, which include nine in the last 12months.

The community centre directly employs three employees; this includes the Manager, Administration Officer and the Caretaker. The community centre also supports a number of volunteers in delivering its service. There were fourteen volunteers for the playscheme, two future jobs trainees and four pupils from local schools supported within the last twelve months. The Manager is also currently mentoring two students from Rochdale Sixth Form College who are completing Gold Level Duke of Edinburgh Awards. Twenty five girls also completed the Duke of Edinburgh Award, receiving bronze.

Activities Offered By Sparth Community Centre

Timetable attached.

Deeplish Community Centre offers a wide range of regular activities during the day, evening and at weekends.

Projects & Clubs

• Rochdale Community Transport (RCT) • Deeplish Youth Forum • Deeplish Youth Group • Deeplish Elderly Social & Health Improvement Group • Deeplish Girls Sports Group • Sunshine Playgroup • Wellbeing / Fitness for Women • Mother Tongue Group • Saturday Club • RCT Lunch Club • Deeplish Junior Sports Club • British Asian Girls Group • Badminton Club • Drugs Awareness Session • Dental Health Session

Rochdale Community Transport (RCT) Rochdale Community Transport is a newly developed community-led organization that provides a safe and friendly, low-cost alternative for people who have difficulty accessing public transport.

It provides affordable transport for community groups. Fully accessible mini-buses can be hired in advance for both long and short trips. Professional Training for Mini-bus Drivers: RCT provides in-house professional minibus driver training (MiDAS) at both Standard and Accessible level. Rochdale Community Transport recently secured a large contract, which covers North Manchester general Hospital and many industrial estates.

Deeplish Youth Forum The main objective of this forum is to engage young people in training and education activities and to develop them to understand the local democratic structures and to take a lead in achieving high education standards. The Forum in now supported by youth workers from Rochdale MBC, and operates on Tuesday night from Deeplish Community Centre.

Deeplish Youth Group

This group is supported by Rochdale MBC, Learners & Young People Service. These sessions are aimed at people 12 years and over and offer them a variety of opportunities to enhance their personal and social development. The youth group encourages the young members to be an independent, confident and creative. Deeplish Youth Group has organised many activities, including; Media Training in Middleton, with Pride Media Ltd – In which community artists came to work with young people in order to develop creative activities and interests within the group. There have also been visits to Wilmslow, Manchester and Aquatics Centre in Manchester & Castleton Water Activity centre as part of cultural awareness and study.

Deeplish Elderly Social & Health Improvement Group

This was set up in 2004, in order to address the health and social well being of elderly people. It is aimed at improving the health of elderly people in the community suffering from health and mobility issues.

Deeplish Girls Sports Group

The group is set up in partnership with Rochdale MBC, Sports Development Team and runs a number of sports initiatives for local girls.

Wellbeing for Women Regular sessions held at the centre throughout the year supported by Healthy Living Initiative. Focussing on women getting out of the home and enjoying activities in a relaxing environment. Various sessions included Aerobics, Healthy Food, Beauty and Hair, Flower Arranging.

Mother Tongue Group

Deeplish Mother Tongue group has been established since 1989. This group aims to teach boys and girls aged between 5 – 16 years. The facilitator helps to provide support with Urdu classes, Arabic lessons, learning the Quran, educational visits, learning new skills, delivering workshops, setting up competitions, award ceremonies, open days, Eid and Christmas parties:

Saturday Club

The club is for children aged between 5 to 12 years of age, and holds a maximum of 24 children. The primary aim is to provide a whole host of stimulating, educational, leisure, fun and enjoyable activities in a safe, accommodating and welcoming environment such as, arts and crafts, sports games, group games etc.

Sunshine Playgroup Sunshine Playgroup is a day care only provision, operating on a part time basis from Monday to Friday daily. The Playgroup has been up and running for several years now, with a committed team of qualified employees who possess a wealth of underpinning knowledge of the range of provision necessary to maintain an excellence in service delivery in driving the playgroup forward. The playgroup exclusively accommodates twenty four preschool children between the ages of 2yrs to 4yrs.

For many years the playgroup operated from Deeplish Community Centre’s main hall premises. In March 2003 it was relocated into the new purpose built government’s Sure Start scheme premises situated adjacent to Deeplish Community Centre. The move was a highly successful one, thus strengthening our partnership work, and tapping in to shared services collectively.

Deeplish Junior Sports Club

Sports activities for juniors including Indoor Football, Cricket, Table Tennis, Badminton and Team working.

British Asian Girls Group

Provides activities for young British Asian Girls. Healthy activities like Yoga, Cooking, fitness, physical activity oriented trips.

Badminton Club

Badminton for Asian Men. A number of men have improved their fitness over the last year. Another successful partnership with Rochdale Healthy Living initiative.

Drugs Awareness Session

Advice on drugs issues is provided by RMBC Drugs Outreach Team.

Dental Health Session

Advice provided on dental health issues to members of the public by trained dental advice worker.

One off Events

Health Event, 25 th March 2011- Advice was given on healthy lifestyle, smoking, breast cancer, drugs awareness, dental health, blood pressure checks and cholesterol checks.

Health Event, 25 th November 2011- Many health professionals were available to give advice. Nurses were present to check blood pressure, glucose, cholesterol, bone density, weight and height. Over a hundred people attended during the course of the day.

Two Open Days for local residents to register their children and young people for Summer and Easter Play programmes. These are attended by approximately 70/80 families. Four playschemes are delivered during the course of the year, two for each category. The age categories are; 5-11 year olds and 12-14 year olds. These benefit over a hundred children during the course of the year.

Preschool Registration day – this is held every year around July, and is an induction for parents and registration of their children for the preschool. Twenty five to thirty new families attend this open day every year.

Charity Fun Day - This was organised by Deeplish Youth Group for the Mayor’s Charity. Approximately one hundred and fifty young people attended and raised £1500.00 for the Mayor's Charity.

Open Forums – These are held every quarter at Deeplish CC and are generally attended by around 60 people.

Activities and one off events are promoted by newsletters, open days, Crescent Radio, a website and word of mouth.

Funding of Deeplish Community Centre

General reserves were £20,346 by the end of 31/3/10. Rental Income for the year ending March 31 st 2010 was £33,851 The community centre generates income from room hire, community transport project and external funding application. However the latter can be reliant on local RMBC funding as demonstrated below. More recently applications for funding have been made to Awards For All, Township Funding and Big Lottery. The community centre was also successful in securing a recent tender from Youth service.

Income for year ending 31 March 2010

RMBC £50,270 RMBC Township £5,000 Rental Income £33,851 Other Operating Income £8,426 RMBC YOF £1850 RMBC Junior Youth Project £4000 RMBC Mother Tongue Project £1020 RMBC Township- Y Empowerment Project £4823

Added Value of the Community Centre

Community Engagement and Consultation - the area forum acts as a network to engage local residents and to highlight key issues within the area. The community centre then helps coordinate work in partnership with other agencies to address these.

Environment Improvement - the community centre has led on improvements in the environment within the Deeplish and Milkstone area. This includes work around the Sudden Brook Enhancement Scheme and Our Environment and You project. This includes initiatives to promote low energy bulbs, water saving devices, shower regulators, vegetables and herb seeds.

Community transport - The community centre is able to provide affordable transport for residents of the borough and some parts of the NorthWest. This is a project that has worked well in partnership with GMPTE.

Advice and Information - The local Asian community is very reliant on the community centre for basic advice and form filling. These residents would otherwise be missed by other agencies.

Community Cohesion - The community centre has forged a close working relationship with Demesne Community Centre. This has fostered good relationships and has led to the appreciation of the different cultures for the users of the two community centres. The users of both community centres have had exchange trips for their luncheon clubs, which have good feedback. The community centres will be looking to build on this work. The community centre has also developed a close relationship with the Police and the staff help deliver cultural awareness training for Police officers.

Employment Support - The community centre helps local residents by enhancing their employment opportunities. This is done by helping with CVs, interview techniques, volunteer and placement opportunities.

Strategic Relations

Local businesses NHS CVS Community centres Radpac RMBC Environment Management Rochdale Housing Northwest Environment Agency Faiths4change Rochdale Community Transport Northern transport Rochdale Youth Service Surestart Health visitors Councillors Greater Manchester Police St Vincent’s Housing Association Great Places Housing Association Hopwood hall College CVS Rochdale RADPAC Deeplish Primary School Deeplish Primary School Deeplish Children’s Centre GMPTE RMBC, Advice Team Nye Bevan House- Health Centre Link4Life Rochdale CAB Rochdale Legal Partnership GMCVO KYP Rochdale Citizen Advocacy Volunteers and helpers Sparth Community Centre Demesne Community Centre

Challenges for the Future

Development Plan in place and provided. It has a focus on development work in the following areas:

• Deeplish Annual Presentation • Sunshine Preschool Project • British Asian Girls Group • HMR/Deeplish Strategy • Walking Group • Deeplish Health Improvement Project • Annual Open Day Events • Community Advice/Development Sessions • Community Newsletters Project • Link4Like Sports Club • Employment Surgeries • Drugs Awareness Surgeries

Business plan for transport project to be provided. Learn from achievements and user groups. Look at resources, act on results of consultations.

Conclusion

Deeplish community centre is open from 9.00 a.m. to 9.00 p.m. most days. It offers a wide range of activities on its timetable, with regular activities in the day, evening and weekends. Regular users from the different age ranges access the community centre. Some of the activities have a high demand and this is demonstrated by waiting lists in place for ESOL, mother tongue, preschool and fitness classes.

There is evidence of proactive partnership work with other agencies and this is particularly demonstrated by it work with Demesne Community Centre to promote community cohesion. This could be used as a model of good practice. The community centre has been proactive with environment schemes that have taken place in and around Milkstone and Deeplish. The community centre is able to generate income; this amounted to £33,851 in the financial year ending 31 st March 2010. The community centre has also built up reserves of £20,000. Deeplish Community Centre has implemented PQASSO and achieved level one in all areas. The community centre has a forward vision which is supported by a comprehensive development plan.

Areas for improvement are as follows: The community centre has a board of young & old people, men and women represented but needs to continue with its efforts to recruit people from the wider community to reflect the ethnic make up of the local community.

APPENDIX C – RESPONSE OF THE CHAIR OF ROCHDALE TOWNSHIP ACTION AND RESOURCES COMMITTEE (DELEGATED SUB-COMMITTEE)

The report presented to Committee together with the supplementary information circulated to all councillors and available at the Committee did include specific details of the activities carried out by the individual centres. The review focussed on how effective and efficient centres are in delivering a range of services.

It was clear in the report the geographical spread of community centres does mean that there may be a number of centres working in relatively close proximity. However it is also clear that all these community centres are providing individual services to meet the specific needs of their local community and users.

Councillor Surinder Biant Chair of Rochdale Township Action and Resources Committee