News - Page 16 of 32 - Trust for Developing Communities

MakerClub at the Whitehawk Youth Cafe

Whitehawk Youth Cafe | TDC Youth Work Brighton

On Monday 25th March we hosted MakerClub at our Youth Cafe at the Whitehawk Inn. Makerclub is a nationwide initiative billed as "a world-class invention club for ages 8‑13" and we were very glad to partner with the local arm of the organisation as they took their robot workshop on tour across Brighton & Hove.

Young people at the Youth Cafe had the chance to make their own robot, then program it to make it move. Brighton MakerClub are currently running these workshops across the city in a bid to reduce loneliness and increase the connections between people.

The Whitehawk Youth Cafe launched last year and takes place every Monday from 3.30-5.30 at the Whitehawk Inn. Free drinks and toasties are provided and all young people aged 11-18 years are welcome to this drop-in session to play games, have a chat or take part in other activities with our friendly team of youth workers.

As at our other youth clubs in the North and East of Brighton our team of qualified youth workers can also provide support on many aspects of sexual health for young people aged over 13 years including the C card scheme, chlamydia tests and confidential relationship support.

The Whitehawk Youth Cafe has been funded by the Youth Social Action Programme via Sussex Community Foundation as part of their #iwill campaign - a UK-wide initiative aiming to get 6 out of 10 young people involved in social action by 2020. The Big Lottery Fund and the Department of Culture, Media & Sport have invested £20 million each to the #iwill fund to support young people to access high quality social action opportunities such as campaigning, fundraising and volunteering. All of these activities enable participants to make a positive difference to their communities as well as helping young people to develop the skills and knowledge that employers look for.

For more information, get in touch with Caroline TDC Youthworker on facebook and scroll down for a video talking about how making is connecting and how activities such as these can reduce loneliness.

Ageing Well in Brighton & Hove

We are thrilled to be part of the new Ageing Well commission, led by Impact Initiatives, which will deliver joined-up services for older people across the city starting this month. We’re looking forward to being part of this great partnership and bringing our successful older people’s work to new areas of Brighton and Hove.

A local charity working with people of all ages, Impact Initiatives is well known as the host of the annual Brighton & Hove Older People’s Festival, an event which takes place for 3 weeks in September/October each year to coincide with International Older People’s Day on the 1st October.

Ageing Well is a new service for the over 50s which launched on April 1st 2019. There is now a single point of contact – a dedicated phone number which older people can call to find out about activities, support and events across the City – whether its places to go, group activities, befriending, information and advice or volunteering opportunities. Impact Initiatives will co-ordinate the enquiries and match them with activities and services provided by other partner organisations (such as TDC) which best meet their needs. Our part of the project will be to provide dedicated support for older people from BME backgrounds and in certain neighbourhoods where social isolation amongst the over 50s is a problem.

If you would like to enquire for yourself or for someone you know, the number to call is 01273 322947.

BME Wellbeing Fair 2019

Here is a full list of the organisations at our 2019 Wellbeing Fair, find them on twitter here: • The Trust for Developing Communities - (MESH and Social Prescribing) • Sussex Interpreting Services • Southdown • Mind in Brighton and Hove • Brighton Housing Trust • Brighton and Hove Wellbeing Service • Mindout • Changes Ahead • Synergy Creative Community • Diabetes UK • BMECP Centre • The Chattri Memorial Group • LGBT Switchboard • Brighton and Hove Buses • Voices in Exile • • Bahá'is of Brighton and Hove • BeeZee Bodies • Healthy Lifestyles Team, Brighton and Hove City Council • The Hangleton & Knoll Project • Macmillan Horizon Centre • Possability People • Martlets Hospice in Hove • Oral Health • Brighton and Hove Sexual Health and Contraception • Impetus Brighton and Hove • YMCA Right Here • Healthwatch Brighton and Hove • RISE • Albion in the Community • Terrence Higgins Trust • Communities, Equality and Third Sector Team, BHCC • Brighton and Hove Clinical Commissioning Group • Transport Planner • Welfare Rights Team • BHCCCommunity Safety Casework Team, anti-social behaviour (ASB) • Impact Initiatives • Amaze • East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service • The Carers Centre/Carers Hub.

Our annual BME Wellbeing Fair took place this year on Tuesday 2^nd April.

The event was a chance for people to connect with and learn about some of the services available across Brighton & Hove to help improve health and wellbeing. We worked in partnership with Brighton & Hove City Council, The Hangleton & Knoll Project and Sussex Interpreting services to host the event.

Delicious Chinese and Indian food was served and there were plenty of activities for attendees to get involved with - from drawing, writing and hand massages to flower arranging and origami. Lots of practical advice and information was available for people to take away and anyone travelling to the event by bus could claim a free bus ticket thanks to a kind donation from the Brighton & Hove Bus Company.

Many thanks to all the organisations who came along to talk about their services, and to the generosity of those who helped fund the event or supported us in other ways. Thank you too to our fantastic partners, plus team TDC and our volunteers who all worked so hard to make this year’s wellbeing fair happen.

Scroll down for a full list of organisations in attendance on the day as well as a film made about the event by Brighton & Hove's Latest TV.

Brighton and Hove STI Testing Week

This week is Brighton and Hove STI Testing Week and the Brighton & Hove Sexual Health and Contraception Service are aiming to increase sexual health testing across the city.

Head to their website to find out more about their services for under 25s and share their twitter updates this week using the hashtag #BAHTW19

We can provide support on many aspects of sexual health at many of our weekly youth clubs so please ask one of our youth workers if you’d like to talk to them confidentially about this. We offer the C card scheme, chlamydia tests and confidential relationship support for young people aged over 13 years at the following youth clubs:

Whitehawk Youth Cafe Monday 3.30-5.30 – Whitehawk Inn
Moulsecoomb Young Women’s Group Tuesday 6-8 – 67 Centre
Coldean Youth Group Thursdays, 6.30-8pm – Coldean Youth Club
Moulsecoomb Youth Group, Thursdays, 5.30-7.30pm – 67 Centre
the new Moulsecoomb young men’s group – Thursday 3.30-5.30pm – 67 Centre

Community learning event at Moulsecoomb Hall

On 21^st March 2019 at Moulsecoomb Hall TDC brought together Varndean college, Fabrica, The Workers Educational Association (WEA), the Friends Centre with a number of local community groups to offer tasters and information on community learning available in Moulsecoomb & Bevendean. Many of these providers had been operating from The Bridge before it closed and this was one step towards replacing the promotional and engagement role of The Bridge.

Over 100 people were able to try making cosmetics, sewing, tai chi, IT, flamenco and much more. The Bevy community pub catered the event and Fabrica consulted people about a community led arts projects. We already know that at least one user of the foodbank has been inspired to look into sewing or making ethical beauty products as a social enterprise and hope to hear of many more ideas to have come out of the day…

Friends of Farm Green Open new play park in Bevendean 23rd March.

Friends of Farm Green | Community Development Brighton TDC

In Farm Green three years ago, 2 mums met over an online petition about the unsafe playground, which is also the only playground in Bevendean. The local community worker connected with them online and met up with them to explain the lack of Brighton & Hove City Council funding for small parks, but suggested the possibility of them raising the funds if they were willing to form an action group. They constituted and opened a bank account and then the worker linked them into other community groups and the council officers who could help. They gained small amounts of funding from the Healthy Neighbourhood Fund and East Brighton Trust to carry out local consultation and engagement events in the park.

Councillor Yates also supported the group by encouraging City Parks officers to meet the group on site and endorse the project and by promoting it through his community networks. Despite maintenance costs being such a pressure on the department, they conceded that if it did not increase the level of maintenance currently required they would endorse it as they could appreciate how needed it was in this community. In an area where obesity is significantly high within primary age children, this encouragement to do be physically active is vital.

TDC worked with the mums to access funder searches at The Resource Centre and plan a fundraising schedule that culminated in a successful Veolia funding bid, which the council supported with the 10% match required. The resulting £70k improvement means that children in Bevendean now have access to an outdoor play space that is safe and welcoming. The grand opening happened on 23rd March 2019, with lots of happy residents and families in attendance and Councillor Dee Simson, the Mayor of Brighton & Hove, officially opening the park. Andy from local family lunch club Chomp catered the opening event, offering vegan and vegetarian healthy snacks for families to try. The group now has time to do future planning for Farm Green and ideas include better sport provision and lighting to enable more community use of the green.

“Residents often tell me they feel Bevendean is the forgotten part of the city, so it’s been great to see locals coming together to pull resources, skills and people-power to pull off such an immense and year-long effort. It’s truly inspiring.”

Community Worker for Moulsecoomb & Bevendean.

Read about the opening of the Farm Green park in local newspapers The Argus and the Brighton & Hove Independent.

Brighton & Hove’s first ever BME volunteer fair

On Saturday 16th March 2019 we enjoyed hosting Brighton & Hove’s first ever BME Volunteer Fair at the BMECP in central Brighton. In partnership with Brighton & Hove City Council, the Department of Health and Sussex Interpreting Services the aim was to encourage people from diverse backgrounds to volunteer across the city.

The event was a great success with almost 200 people coming along to find out how they might volunteer for good causes across the city. Visitors were able to talk face-to-face with representatives from a wide range of organisations, ask questions directly and be inspired by the many different opportunities available.

With something for everyone, it was fantastic to hear about the wide range of volunteering roles on offer - from festival greeter at the Brighton Festival to becoming a school governor, from staffing helplines for the Survivors’ Network to becoming a mentor with the Terrence Higgins Trust, from foreign language interpreting to volunteering to deliver books from their local library. And so many more opportunities besides these. The Sussex police were there on the day too talking about employment opportunities and their commitment to diversity in recruitment and the East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service were in attendance encouraging people to register for free fire safety advice.

Volunteering can be of huge benefit to individuals – it can lead to developing and improving skills, gaining work experience, and meeting new people as well as making a contribution to a great cause that means something to them. And whether it’s a one-off event or a more long-term commitment, the time donated by volunteers makes a huge difference to charities and communities all over the city.

"I would like to give back to the society and community I live in. I found the fair very resourceful and inspiring, motivating me to get involved in volunteering and to help others."

BME volunteer fair attendee

Attendees enjoyed free refreshments and the chance to gather plenty of practical advice and information. Those travelling to the event by bus were able to claim a free bus ticket thanks to a generous donation from the Brighton & Hove Bus Company who also helped us spread the word about the fair.

Many thanks to everyone who came, whether as an individual looking for volunteer opportunities, an organisation offering them, or indeed one of our own volunteers who made sure everything ran smoothly on the day.

Scroll down for a list of organisations who attended the BME volunteer fair.

Workshops for Community Volunteers In Moulsecoomb & Bevendean

TDC are hosting a series of workshops for community volunteers in Moulsecoomb & Bevendean as a way to support people in the area.

We had a great first session which was held at the end of January and focused on self-care & wellbeing - making sure people don’t burn out and that they have the resources to support others. The session was followed by lunch & networking to give the attendees a chance to get to know each other.

Future courses will be:

Connecting with your community - Thurs, 28th February, 11am -1pm
Develop Key communicating skills in engaging and working with others.

and

Fundraising for small groups - Thurs, 28th March 2019, 11am-1pm
How to pick the right funder and present your project in winning style.

All sessions are held at St George’s Hall, Newick Road, Brighton, BN1 9JG

Contact Anke with enquiries or to book a place: 07449 464695 or [email protected]

Fundraising Update – February 2019

Some recent funding successes are helping us at TDC to crack on with some exciting new projects, particularly in the realm of youth work:

Funding from the Manly Trust and the Sussex Police will support a group of young people to build an electric kit car, which they will then race at Goodwood.
Our youth team are also gearing up to start two new projects supported by The Co-op Foundation, through the Building Connections Youth Fund; one increasing young people’s engagement with community spaces and the other seeing young people in Moulsecoomb and East Brighton creating fantastical tech inventions with MakerClub.
TDC also received a small amount of funding from The Pride Social Impact Fund to purchase equipment for the 67 Centre.

In other areas of our work, we will shortly be starting an inspiring new project with The University of Brighton, training local people in Moulsecoomb to become Community Researchers – local people will co-create a community research model to build an understanding of the needs of the community and to influence service delivery. We have also recently received funding from Brighton and Hove Council for a new Education Hub Project and to continue our famous Coffee and Croissant sessions.

We continue to support community groups with fundraising bids and we are currently waiting to hear the outcome of recent bids to the Council’s Communities Fund. TDC are also waiting to hear the outcome of some recent applications, one significant bid we know has been successful but aren’t allowed to announce yet – watch this space! TDC is also working on two quite large partnership applications, which if successful would allow us to expand service delivery and bring some creative new projects to the communities we work with.

Please note that the Youth Led Grants Programme will be reopening shortly – community organisations in Brighton & Hove can apply to get between £500 and £5000 to fund projects for young people aged 11-19 (or up to 25 with special educational needs). If you have an idea and are interested in applying, please get in touch with Adam Muirhead – [email protected]

Launch of the Phoenix Residents Community Association

By Emma Reeves, TDC Community Development Worker for Tarner.

Congratulations to the hard working Phoenix Residents!

We are so happy to announce that the Phoenix Residents’ Community Association launched on the 5th February 2019.

Phoenix Brighton (formally known as the Phoenix Art Gallery) hosted the launch and it was well attended by Hyde residents and interested parties such as TDC, BHCC Communities, City Clean their local councillor (David Gibson) and Hyde. Other organisations such as the local police and good gym were also in attendance.

The group have worked really hard in the last year to be able to constitute the residents’ association. They have been meeting regularly and successfully tackled issues around parking and graffiti as well as hosting a community BBQ. They’ve also worked with Brighton & Hove City Council to consult the residents on using funds from the restorative justice team to do up the ball park on the estate.

They now have 5 key officers and 4 committee members and not only that but they are now officially part of the Hanover and Elm Grove Communities Forum as an Association.

TDC AGM 2018

A huge thanks to everyone who made it to our AGM on 19th January. We had a fantastic turnout (much bigger than expected!) and it was great to spend the evening together celebrating the diverse communities that work alongside us.

Special thanks must go to our showcase presenters: to Ricky for sharing the amazing successes of the Sussex Bears Wheelchair Basketball team since he attended our 'Be Funding Bid Ready' training; to Mish for telling us about the inspiring adventures of the Moulsecoomb Bangladeshi Women's group; to Hope, a member of the Coldean Youth Group, who brought the house down with her incredibly moving and accomplished singing performance, a result of her work with the group miss represented; and last, but certainly not least, to Shamsul and all the members of Exercise at the Edge for getting us moving and warming us up at the end of the evening!

The Portslade Neighbourhood Action Plan

The Trust for Developing Communities is working with the council and other public and voluntary services, along with community members and residents, to produce local priorities that we can work together on in the form of a Neighbourhood Action Plan.

A number of consultations have been held with community groups culminating in a drop in event last November where residents could find out more about some of the key services in the area and share ideas with them and other residents.

Various council teams attended including the new Field Officers, Planning and City Clean. Others from the third sector were at the event alongside local groups including Friends of Parks groups and The Purple People Kitchen who provided refreshments.

The Neighbourhood Action Plan is currently being drafted and will include local priorities around the themes of Health and Wellbeing, Community Spaces, safety & environment and Activity, Learning and Employment.

For more information please contact [email protected]

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