Our team highlights 2019

It’s been a busy year at TDC, with so much activity within the communities we work with and lots of new projects to get stuck into. We asked our team for their highlights of the year and this is what they said…

Then, after you’ve heard from our team, please scroll to the bottom of this post for an end-of-year message from our Chief Executive, Athol Hallé. 

Our Youth Team 

“In July we held a mini prom to mark the closing of our Young Women’s Group in Moulsecoomb. It was so lovely to be a part of what had become such a supportive community and to see how much the girls had flourished as individuals. We threw a party and all came together as a celebration.”

Evie, Youth Worker

“Enabling a young person who was refusing school to make a really positive change in his education. Communication between the pupil, his parents and the school had broken down. In my role as REBOOT Youth Coach I was able to listen to the young person’s needs and concerns about school and advocate on his behalf.  Subsequently the school offered him a placement in a third sector school inclusion project.  After his initial reluctance and anxiety I supported him to meet with and attend the project.  He has now started attending regularly and it was lovely to hear him talk about his educational achievements there and hear him proudly recount that he had been called ‘smart’. Something undoubtedly true but also something he had not heard from anyone for many years and that he had forgotten about himself.

Another highlight has been starting work at TDC – I’ve had a number of employers over the years, many of them good but none as good, supportive and generally all round lovely as TDC.”

Adam W, REBOOT Youth coach 

“This year has been a busy one for the Youth Team at TDC. As I reflect on this year I am really proud of the hard work the new East Youth team has done in Whitehawk,  Woodingdean and supporting the volunteer led Friday Saltdean Youth Club. We have started to embed ourselves in the local community, develop new and existing youth sessions and have continued supporting lots of young people.

A moment that stands out in particular was getting some lovely feedback after a substance awareness session at the Saltdean Youth Club: ‘We love you coming here as we learn so much from you. We have learnt more from you about drugs tonight than we have in 5 weeks at school’.”

Caroline, Youth Manager (East)

“The skate ramp building project was my highlight because we were able to bring together members of the community and young people to build much wanted skate ramps for the young people. They will not only enable the young people to have regular skate sessions in the area, but the building of them was also hugely beneficial for those who took part – team work, learning new skills, and confidence building.”

Kate, Youth Manager (North)

Our Neighbourhoods team

“This year I particularly enjoyed promoting the Healthy Neighbourhood Fund at the Tarner Festival during the heatwave at the end of June. It was a chance to see the community coming together, and to be there celebrating and promoting HNF in the area was a privilege”

Cal, Community Development Support Worker

“This year my highlight has been working with small groups in the Moulsecoomb and Bevendean area to help them constitute and raise funds for their activities. Becoming constituted can give groups a better sense of structure, help them move towards independence, formalise their aims and purpose and can even increase their access to funding sources. The groups are Noor-ul Huda (regular meetings for Muslim women & children), the Dementia Cafe, The Arts & Craft Project (Moulsecoomb & Bevendean), the Moulsecoomb Skatepark Group and On your Way (Moulsecoomb & Bevendean Job Club).” 

Anke, Community Development Worker (Moulsecoomb, Bates Estate & Bevendean)

“My highlight is working closer with other fantastic organisations in the Brighton & Hove Voluntary & Community sector; from physically being in Community Base and making more informal contacts to starting delivery of the Ageing Well partnership and the excitement/ trepidation at the new community development & engagement partnership, which awaits its funding decision in Jan 2020. None of this would be possible without the fantastic relationships and trust built up by frontline staff. You are all amazeballs!”

Kirsty, Director of Neighbourhood projects

“My highlight of the year was beginning the Ageing Well project and the warm welcome given by Woodingdean residents as we began our work in the area. Ageing Well will bring TDC development skills to Woodingdean, which will encourage new groups and activities, bring support to existing opportunities for the over 50s and provide information about citywide resources.”

Sue, Ageing Well Project Manager and Participation Worker

“My highlight of the year was the launch of the Hollingdean mini library and digital hub at the Hollingdean Community Centre. A project led by Hollingdean Development Trust, in partnership with the Library services, for all Hollingdean residents.”

Ceza, Community Development Worker, Hollingdean and Saunders Park

“This year I really enjoyed working with the Craven Vale Biodiversity Project a group of volunteers who got local people involved to look after the plants and wildlife in the area and to help with the beekeeping. We held a Blossom Day in June with nature walks, craft activities and some of us even got into fancy dress as bees and caterpillars. We also planted 4 trees on Pankhurst Ave on International Women’s Day (in March) and Caroline Lucas MP came along to help with the planting.

I was particularly struck by the community spirit following the fire on Pankhurst Avenue in September. One block of 12 households was damaged and another 10 households were displaced. Luckily, no-one was hurt. The response from the local residents was incredible – the local community centre was kept open to support those affected and people offered comfort and friendliness to each other at a very difficult and distressing time. Residents organised a fundraising page, and planned and received practical donations including clothes, food and toiletries. The residents affected were overwhelmed by the kindness and generosity shown by their local community and the wider Brighton and Hove community.”

Amy, Community Development Worker, Pankhurst and Craven Vale

“My highlight has been getting two Tarner newsletters successfully printed and distributed- the 2019 Summer and Winter editions. I was also very pleased to support the Phoenix Estate Community Association on their journey to creating their own mini NAP booklet. The journey included constituting, forming regular stakeholder meeting and creating a very strong monthly resident meeting.”

Emma, Community Development Worker, Tarner

 

Our Equalities and Inclusion team

“I loved Ricky’s wheelchair basketball session at the East Brighton Coffee & Croissant networking, it was a bright sunny morning and everyone had a go at trying something new.”

Kaye, Director of Equalities

“One highlight for me was the Kit Car project that we ran earlier this year. A group of young people from Brighton & Hove built an F24 kit car from scratch and raced it at Goodwood Motor Circuit as a part of the Greenpower Education Trust Formula-24 races. I really enjoyed this collaboration between TDC, Sussex Police and St Giles Trust, especially as the team won the best newcomer award!

Another important event was the citywide Community Week of Action in June this year. Organisations from across Brighton & Hove came together to raise awareness of organised crime, and in particular the threat of “County Lines” which involves the transportation of drugs across the country by children and vulnerable adults. This collective week of action by so many organisations had a huge impact on people’s understanding of the issues.

My last highlight has been supporting the ADHD Aware Group, a Brighton based charitable organisation that runs peer support groups for adults with ADHD. At their Annual General meeting in October, they were pleased to announce that they have produced a film that explores what it is like ‘Living with ADHD’. The challenges, unique skills and the impact of peer group support. It has been an absolute pleasure being a part of this project and I’m looking forward to what exciting plans lay in the pipeline for next Year!”

Claire, Citywide Manager

“This year has been particularly exciting with the completion of the first year of the new Social Prescribing Plus Project. This is the first time we have been delivering one to one work within the BAME community. Through the work I have come to know the diverse community in Brighton and heard a lot of positive things about the city. I felt pleased to be able to support the clients with their health and wellbeing. I have had a lot of positive feedback about the project. The following quote is from one of the clients: ‘I was pleased to talk to Sayanti and discuss my issues. This is a new country and culture and I did not know about the help I could get. I now have someone to ask if I am lost’.”

Sayanti, BME Engagement Worker

“A very recent MESH highlight was supporting a Syrian refugee and her family to run a delicious felafel stall at the Patch Winter Warmer, a community event in William Clarke Park. It was a great success, as is her academic progress: she’s now on her Art Foundation at MET, and planning to do an Interior Architecture degree.

I am also proud of work done with a blind Bulgarian 17 year old MESH client. Local colleges were unable to offer ESOL provision and so she came to TDC. She now attends Look Sussex Youth Club, Amaze Young Women’s  Group, and Hummingbird’s Global Social Club and Homework Club, and is making great progress with her English and other skills. She is receiving Braille, independent living and technology training from BHCC SEN (Special Educational Needs) team and Blatchington Court Trust. We are working together to ensure that she will be able to study English in a college with sighted young people as soon as possible.”

Cicely, MESH Case worker

And finally, an end-of-year message from our Chief Executive…

Dear all,

We have nearly made it to the end of 2019 and it has been a busy and exciting year for TDC.

We have started brand new youth work projects such as The Curiosity Club, The Kit Car project, new skate ramps for Moulsecoomb and Reboot. We have supported local neighbourhood groups including the community takeover of The Phoenix, Hollingdean Pop-Up Library and the launch of the Portslade NAP. We have delivered some great equalities initiatives such as launching the MESH project and running the city’s first ever BME Volunteering Fair.

All of TDC’s work is delivered in partnership with communities – we couldn’t do it without you, so thank you to everyone for your support, as we work together to tackle inequality in Brighton and Hove.

New national data on deprivation published this Autumn shows that there is still much work to be done to tackle poverty in our city. With your continued support, we hope to make an even bigger difference in 2020 to deliver community-led solutions.

On behalf of us all here at TDC, we hope you have a fantastic festive period, and we look forward to working together in 2020. 

Best festive wishes,

Athol Hallé
Chief Executive, The Trust for Developing Communities