Community First Plan : St Michael s Ward, Coventry ( )

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1 Cmmunity First Plan : St Michael s Ward, Cventry ( ) Cmmunity First Plan fr St Michael s Ward Summary St Michael s Cmmunity First Plan will detail its methd f invlving the cmmunity it serves. It will identify the aspiratins f the lcal cmmunity fr example what srt f place they wuld like t live. It will identify the needs f the lcal cmmunity and it will recgnise pririties f the Cmmunity First grant in the area, until March Resurces within the lcal area will be utilized t help cmmunities cme tgether thrugh existing cmmunity rganisatins and grups t identify their strengths and lcal pririties, plan fr their future and becme mre resilient. St. Michael's Ward encmpasses the area cvering the city centre f Cventry and the pririty neighburhds f Charterhuse and Hillfields. The ward has higher than average representatin f ethnic minrity grups and accrding t the census % have n British identity. The census 2011 als state that 75% f the ppulatin are frm three ethnic grups: White British 39.6%; Asian sub-cntinent 27.1%% and Black African/Caribbean/ Black British is 12.9%. Hillfields is ne f the areas that Cventry City Cuncil huse refugee and asylum seekers and ver the years the influx f verseas peple has been rising, thus Hillfields has a large immigrant ppulatin. Als the Eastern Eurpean cmmunity has grwn substantially ver the last 12 mnths grwing t 3,500 and cntinuing t rise. The sex trade cntinues t be prevalent in the ward. The number f husehlds with nly ne English speaker is twice the city average. The large student ppulatin has skewed the educatin attainment figure, as they average attainment is level 2 r belw. This ward is the secnd mst deprived area in Cventry and in the tp 100 f mst deprived cities in the UK. It has higher levels f crime rates cmpared t the rest f the city and higher unemplyment. It is nt surprising therefre that the Husehld survey revealed that nly 68% f peple feel safe arund the neighburhd at night. Half f the prperty is private rented which is als higher than city average. This may accunt fr the transient ppulatin with almst half f the residents cmpared t the city average (60% cmpared t 31%) stated that they are likely t mve huse in the next fur r five years (Husehld survey 2012). Cventry Fdbank currently feeds arund tw thusand peple a year frm St Michael s Ward. Yet the residents f the ward regard themselves as in gd health, hwever the ward is belw the city average n eating 5 a day fruit & veg prtins. Tw in five (43%) St Michael s residents d nt drink alchl. In the Husehld survey 2012, 79% f residents stated that they feel their husehld incme is sufficient yet the Fdbank research 2012 revealed that just under 75% f adults said they regularly missed 2 r mre meals a week, with less than half stating that they regularly eat a balanced diet. The vast majrity, 84% f peple accessing fd supprt in the ward were brn in the UK, with ver 50% f thse 1

2 Cmmunity First Plan : St Michael s Ward, Cventry ( ) brn in Cventry. 45% f clients revealed that they had had t resrt t stealing t feed their family. Over half f the clients questined stated they have used shrt term lender (pay day lans and pawn brkers), they als brrw frm family and friends. The Imprving Sustainability Reprt, based in Hillfields, states that less than 40% are ecnmically active with 60% ecnmically inactive, cmpared t city average 70% ecnmically active verall and 50% ecnmically active frm BME grups. Within the next year Whitefriars Husing is due t build a 63-bedrm hmeless hstel in Hillfields pen fr use Planning permissin Cygnet Health Care is due t build a 54- bed independent hspital fr wmen with mental health needs als in Hillfields pen Surce Census 2011, The Husehld survey 2012, Cventry Fdbank 2012, St Peter s Centre Imprving Sustainability 2013 based n residents in Hillfields. Cnsultatin: In St Michaels Ward 2 cnsultatins have taken place and wrking with partners n the panel it was agreed that it wuld nt be a useful exercise t again cnsult when the residents have already been cntacted therefre the St Michaels Cmmunity First Panel have used the infrmatin frm Cventry Fdbank cnsultatin, St Peters Centre cnsultatin and the Husehld survey. Cnsideratins have als been taken frm the Husehld Survey. St Peters Centre: 324 questinnairs were cmpleted between Octber and December 2012 at a range f lcatins; family fun event in the park, schl gates, streets and event n Village Square, and mre generally with ther members f cmmunity arganisatins, with friends, family and neighburs. The survey was asking what time f supprt, activities, and imprvements they wuld like t see in St Michaels Ward and the fllwing is a selectin f the respnse. Sprt 80 peple indicated an interest in exercise and sprts facilities 40 said exercise classes, keep fit r aerbics, these were mainly Bangladeshi wmen with children cnnected t BHJCA Bsnian cmmunity, Smalis Cultural Resurce Centre r Eritrean wmen s grup, f these 10 requested wmen nly classes. 8 peple requested the use f a gym, these were men and wmen mainly aged and 6 requests fr ftball. 7 peple rquested yga classes, mainly wanted at weekends, ther requests were fr any sprts, swimming martial arts, rck climbing wall, zip wire, badmintn. Over 5 s activities 32 requests fr activities fr ver 5 s; after schl clubs, play etc. 2 fr after schl activities, 8 fr weekends, 12 fr after schl and weekend. 10 requests were fr stay and play/playgrups etc. 2

3 Cmmunity First Plan : St Michael s Ward, Cventry ( ) English language classes 27 requests acrss all age grups but mainly 26 35, 11 daytime, 5 requested after 4 and 8 said weekends. 12 are n benefits, 10 wrk full time, 5 wrk part time. 18 f the rquests are frm peple f Black African rigin and many attend the Eritrean Cmmunity meetings. ESOL An additinal 12 peple rquested ESOl classes by name. Cmputer Curses 26 requests fr adult cmputing/it curses. Ckery curses 21 requests, mainly frm wmen, predminately Indian r Black African rigins. Zumba 21 peple requested Zumba Classes mainly aged 36 45, many were Indian. Training curse jb club 9 requests fr jb club/emplyment training. A crèche was als requested fr this. 8 peple requested hair and beauty curses. Cventry Fdbank: Cventry Fdbank currently feeds arund 2000 peple per year frm St Michaels Ward. 47% f these receipients ar children. This ward creates the gfreatest demand n the Fdbank (fllwed by Fleshill and Binley/Willenhall). Between September and April 2013 the Fdbank cmmissined a research student frm Warwick University t study the need in mre detail. Interview were cnducted n a 1:1 basis with clients selected at randm frm many f the fdbank s distributin pints arund the city. 84 families and individual were interviewed. The findings are: findings can be summarised as : The verwhelming majrity f clients are unemplyed. 78% have been affected by rising fd and fuel prices and 77% are struggling with debts. There is a direct crrelatin between debt and benefit delay fr just under 50% f fdbank recipients. Just under 75% said they regularly missed mre than 2 meals a week. The same is nt true fr children - parents will give up fd fr themselves in rder t feed their family. Many f these clients said they survived n ne meal a day, thers said they had missed meals fr many days at a time. Over 50% f ur clients have used shrt term lenders (payday lans and pawn brkers. Hwever 55% f these clients used family and friends as a surce f brrwing. 3

4 Cmmunity First Plan : St Michael s Ward, Cventry ( ) There was little evidence f any educatin at schl n hw t manage persnal finances. 45% f clients revealed that they had had t resrt t stealing t feed their family. The survey als reveals that less than half f ur clients are eating a balanced diet (55% said they wuld welcme sme training n this). 84% f peple accessing fd supprt were brn in the UK. Nearly 60% f these were brn in Cventry! Clients were asked what further supprt was required : Tiletries / nappies and baby prducts Debt cunselling Sign psting/ advice services (esp. welfare). Clthes Emergency gas/electric tp ups Jb clubs/jb search facilities It is essential the vluntary and the public sectr in the Ward psitin themselves crrectly ahead f the Welfare Refrm Act changes in April 2013 and the intrductin f the Universal Credit (frm Octber 2013). It wuld be very easy fr cmmunity supprt rganisatins and grant makers t be railraded by vciferus minrity interests. Prjects supprted by the Cmmunity Plan shuld be able t demnstrate that they act fr cmmunity chesin and fit within a jined up spectrum f supprt services fr St Michael s Ward. Furthermre cmmunity rganisatin must be able t demnstrate effective gvernance structures and financial integrity in rder t mitigate the risk f investing in unsustainable shrt-term prjects. The big picture is : 1. the cmmunity needs t be supprted thrugh the imminent welfare and benefit changes. The verriding message here is that St Michaels Ward (and specifically Hillfields) must have lcal accessible advice services This will require building effective links with the City Cuncil t access Cmmunity Supprt Grants; with the Department f Wrk and Pensins t supprt peple thrugh benefit applicatins and appeals; and links t Citizens Advice Bureau and the Law Centre t back up the prvisin f lcal advice. 2. the cmmunity needs t be educated abut health, and financial well being and this means bringing relevant educatin int schls and adult supprt grups thrughut the ward. There is a clear need nt nly fr debt advice but instructin n hw t manage persnal finances. A majrity f clients als expressed a desire fr better educatin n cking and eating well. 4

5 Cmmunity First Plan : St Michael s Ward, Cventry ( ) 3. the cmmunity requires an effective supprt netwrk prviding an essential t live failsafe f fd, clthes, gas and electricity tp up, white gds and furniture t be prvided when lcal r natinal gvernment is unable t d s. 4. the cmmunity needs supprt t empwer peple t imprve their lives. Specifically mentined in the survey is the need fr lcal jb clubs, but grups supprting vulnerable and disadvantaged grups within the cmmunity (e.g. street girls) shuld be priritised. The develpment f a chesive cmmunity plan prvides a practive rather than reactive prvisin f service which can adapt t changes such as the establishment f a new Whitefriars Hstel clse t Hillfields village. Cnsultatin thrughut the area validate the pririties in the Neighburhd Plan. As a result f activities the lcal cmmunity decided upn the fllwing pririties as the fcus fr Cmmunity First: 1. Imprve the envirnment f St Michael s Ward 2. Increase the range f activities fr lcal peple 3. Bring tgether cmmunities within the ward 4. Imprve the wellbeing and health f St Michaels Ward Frm ur allcatin f 50,865 the fllwing grant requests have been funded in the first 2 years f Cmmunity First: The fllwing prjects have taken place: 1. Hillfields Sprting Futures 2. Getting t Knw yu 3. New Gals 4. Cventry Fdbank Warehuse Racking Prject 5. Hillfields Summer Yuth Prgramme 6. Seeds f C-peratin 7. Creating Scial Equity and Sprting Excellence 8. Acrss the Natins Prject 9. Achievement celebratin f the Smali Yuth in Cventry Su0pplementrary Schl 10. Wmen Beynd Clur Grup 11. Health & Sprts Awareness and Recgnising Cmmunity Achievement Prject 5

6 Cmmunity First Plan : St Michael s Ward, Cventry ( ) 12. Wmen Building Bridges 13. Read Mre Prject The Future Cventry Fdbank research states that 48% f recipients require supprt frm the Fdbank because f benefit change/delay r crisis lan refused. The Imprving Sustainability Reprt cnducted by Cmmunity Matters n behalf f St Peter s Centre sught t address cmmunity chesin thrugh seeking infrmatin n peple s scial and educatinal requirements. Cnsidering the Welfare Refrm Act changes in April 2013 and the intrductin f the Universal Credit (frm Octber 2013), it is imprtant that the panel factrs this int ur pririties fr the prject. Due t diverse nature f the ward it is wrth nting that wmen nly grups are frequently requested. List f pririties: Facilities t access basic needs e.g. fd, tiletries, clthes Training in a cmmunity/scial envirnment:: Mney management and debt cunselling Jb clubs/jb search facilities ESOL and English language classes Cmputer curses Health including ckery curses, physical activity Hair and beauty curses Scial & develpment activities Scial activities fr all aged grups (whilst being mindful f unaccmpanied refugee yung peple wh arrive in the Hillfields area frm verseas). Over 5 s activities e.g. after schl clubs bth evening and weekends Under 5 s activities e.g. stay & play / playgrups Cmmunity grup develpment activities In-kind resurces: Panel members time frm Starley Husing C-perative, St Peter s Centre, Hpe Centre, Fleshillfields Visin, lcal resident, city cuncil staff. Vlunteer skills and lcal infrmatin frm residents and cmmunity grups Cmmunity space Primrse Hill Park & Hillfields Square 6

7 Cmmunity First Plan : St Michael s Ward, Cventry ( ) Match funding frm prjects Meeting rms at St Peter s Centre 7