Community Needs Assessment
We contributed to the development of this Healthy Living Centre’s forward strategy by carrying out a community needs assessment to identify the healthy living needs of the Arabic speaking and Bangladeshi communities in South Westminster; and explore the extent to which services could be extended to the wider community. We also facilitated a workshop for partners to feed back their views of the business plan.
Moulsecoomb Inclusion Project
We developed a community representative panel, supported a community managed building towards sustainability and carried out inclusion work with the Bangladeshi community.
Community Development Evaluation
We evaluated three strands of community development in Brighton and Hove: community development in the Neighbourhoods; strategic community engagement activity undertaken through the Community and Voluntary Sector and the Stronger Communities Partnership; and community development activity undertaken by learning disability advocacy networks.
Developing and implementing a Ballot strategy
NFL carried out several resident satisfaction surveys, increased the TMO’s membership and developed a communication plan with the Board and staff and supported its implementation
A Resident Empowerment Event
We delivered the event to residents, community involvement and engagement staff
NewmanFrancis provided external supervision for the Equalities Manager at East Brighton’s New Deal for Communities partnership. We also carried out an evaluation of eb4Us capital projects.
We supported the development and capacity building of the Gloucester Housing Association Residents’ Council through a process of merger with Guinness Hermitage.
Training and support to Resident Participation Officers
We provided a tailor made training programme to develop the skills of the ALMOs Resident Participation Team. We have also provided one-to-one support and a range of workshops to enable them to develop and deliver a training programme to residents.
Inclusion Project
We worked with local community organisations and agencies to carry out a BME community profile and develop a sustainable action plan to facilitate the engagement of the BME community in local initiatives and community groups.
We were engaged to support and advise the local community about the different regeneration proposals to improve Imperial Wharf. It was essential that local people understood the various options and had the opportunity to influence the future of their neighbourhood.
We worked with the Residents’ Steering Group to involve as many people as possible and our engagement methods included a door-to-door survey, a community day, workshops, drop-ins and home visits (held in several different languages).
By building such a strong and effective relationship with the steering group we were able to involve a wide demographic of residents to ensure the whole community was clear about each option; in terms of the time each would take, the level of disruption, the benefits each would bring, and the long-term effects on residents.
Development of the Harold Wood GP Led Health Centre and GP Practice
We carried out community consultation with local people, community organisations and relevant service providers to inform the procurement of services that will go in to the new centre.
Higgins Construction, in partnership with Hackney Council, are hoping to make the Kings Crescent regeneration a benchmark for future regeneration schemes across the country. We have been commissioned to provide an innovative and contemporary approach to their Partnership working.
Engaging the Community and Raising Levels of Involvement
We worked with Hyde Housing and the New Cross Gate Steering Group to increase levels of engagement of residents with an additional focus on the hard-to-reach, in the stock transfer process. NFL also supported the communications process, supported and advised the Boards, facilitated service provider stakeholder meetings and developed engagement strategies including for the engagement of young people.
eb4U Capital Commissioning Evaluation
Newmanfrancis are evaluating the operation and achievements of the eb4U capital commissioning team which managed the delivery of several new build and refurbishment projects in Brighton including alley-gating, a purpose built youth centre for the Crew Club, a children’s centre, a community centre and a local community-led gym.
Resident Training
We delivered training to residents on equalities and event management.
South Acton grassroots research
We carried out grassroots research on the South Acton estate in Ealing to inform a stage 2 bid from the consortium to regenerate and refurbish the estate. The work involved mapping community organisations and other stakeholders, carrying interviews and holding meetings to identify key concerns, issues, aspirations and priorities and using this information to contribute to the bid.
NewmanFrancis facilitated an away day for Southwark’s community development team helping them to identify the key challenges and priorities and feed this into their team’s forward plan.
Community Training
We delivered a training programme to resident board members of the trust focusing on personal empowerment, communication and relationship building.
Regeneration and Development
PPQ and bid support for regeneration development projects. Mulalley’s see NFL as a partner for delivering communication, consultation and resident engagement consultancy services in their redevelopment projects.
Guide Neighbourhoods
We provided training and support to Resident Guides employed by the National Federation of Tenant Management Organisations to enable them to provide effective resident to resident support to client groups engaged in improving their neighbourhoods. This included carrying out a mini tenant management feasibility study for residents of a London housing association and securing funding to enable them to carry out a full feasibility study.
TMO Support
NewmanFrancis supported the development of the Guide TMO service and organised and delivered training and induction sessions to support Guide TMOs.
We have also carried out an Equalities and Diversity review for the NFTMO National Executive and delivered sessions on Equalities and Employment at their National Conferences.
Neighbourhood Workers Project
We ran the Neighbourhood Workers Project on behalf of the PEP Trust. The Neighbourhood Workers programme works in partnership with social landlords and community and regeneration organisations to employ and train local residents as community and tenant participation workers. Newmanfrancis staff managed this national project, and developed and delivered the training programme.
South Westminster Renewal Partnership – Community Survey, Forward Planning Day and Partners Day
NewmanFrancis recruited and trained local residents as community researchers, and designed and carried out a community survey to identify key issues and priorities to feed into a revised Neighbourhood Renewal Plan. We also designed and facilitated a Forward Panning day for Steering Group members and a Partners Day which brought together statutory, voluntary, community and private sector partners to further develop the Neighbourhood Renewal Plan.
We were commissioned by TANDO construction to support the delivery of their employment and skills plan.
To date, we have supported several work experience placements (which led on to full time employment for two people), welcomed participants onto our Neighbourhood Workers programme (which provides training to help local people engage with and improve their own community), supported the delivery of health and safety, and management and leadership training within TANDO’s supply chain; and delivered school workshops to introduce students to a career in the housing and construction industry.
Following the workshops we organised CSCS training courses and work experience placements for students who had dropped out of school.
Working in partnership with TANDO and Newham Council, we are currently market leaders locally in providing training, workshops and improved employment opportunities.
Resident Engagement in Procurement
We are part of a Decent Homes Procurement Team. NFL is providing community engagement advice and training. The aim is to engage and support residents to develop their own decent homes programme, procure decent homes contracts, and oversee and monitor the programme.
Reviewing resident participation and involvement services
We reviewed THH resident involvement and participation service, reviewed THH governance and resident structures to see if they are fit for purpose, and assessed the service against the needs to obtain a two star rating from the Audit Commission.
Community Empowerment Plan
Through desk top research, focus groups and interviews, NewmanFrancis developed a community empowerment plan for Voluntary Action Waltham Forest to enable the organisation to continue with and enhance the work previously carried out by the Community Empowerment Network.
Training
We delivered fundraising and social marketing training to voluntary and community groups in Westminster.
Community Involvement Services
Newmanfrancis staff were involved in this project from its inception. We devised the community engagement strategy which ensured that residents’ views underpinned the delivery of health, community safety, education, housing and social economic improvements to the area as part of a £54million programme. Jointly with PEP we recruited and are managed the NDC’s community involvement workers, oversaw and evaluated the operation of their small grants programme (the Community Initiatives Fund), provided training to residents and provided strategic advice on community engagement to the project team.
EC1 New Deal for Communities – BME Research
In partnership with West Ham and Plaistow NDC we carried out research into the needs of the local BME community and produced recommendations on how the regeneration partnership could engage with these communities and ensure that the programme met their needs.