Winner: Partnership Council Children’s Forum, Nottingham

The Partnership Council Children’s Forum works with children of primary school age in inner city Nottingham. These are some of the most deprived wards in the country and experience a high level of anti-social behaviour. Typically children in these areas experience disadvantage and are more likely to be excluded from society.

What action was taken?

The Partnership Council Children’s Forum was set up to help children of primary school age in inner-city Nottingham to have a voice that effectively shapes and influences the improvement of their local community. The Forum brings children and service providers together to develop and agree plans to implement change. The Forum works with all 12 of the local primary schools, including a local independent Islamic school. Over the last two and a half years hundreds of children have been involved, of which over 75% have been from black and minority ethnic backgrounds.

Why is this project special?

The Forum only works on projects and issues that the children have identified. The children decide the issues they seek to address and the services they want to change. The Forum does not simply consult with children but seeks to meaningfully involve them in creating lasting change, on an ongoing basis. For example, the awareness of local parks development was included in their geography curriculum. Children had to identify a park in need of restoration and the types of play they liked before drawing up plans of the changes they would like to see. Now the Forum is trying to involve local children in assessing other local parks. The Forum also runs a grants fund under which local children take part in training to make financial decisions and to develop the criteria for assessing projects.

What can be learned?

Involving local children in the decision-making process has ensured that children are not only able to voice their concerns but work within the forum to come up with lasting solutions to local issues.

Finalists

Slough Young People’s Centre (SYPC) (Slough)

This centre was commissioned by Slough Borough Council to combat the lack of facilities available to young people in Slough offering advice, information, accredited training, enterprise support and opportunities for creative and cultural development. The centre is now in its tenth year and services are delivered by the users of the centre which encourages the young people to experiment and take risks. Free Form Arts Trust established the centre and continues to have a mentoring role on the project.

The Urban Academy Project (Richmond)

Realising quality of life is about more than bricks and mortar, the Richmond Housing Partnership launched the Urban Academy with Brentford FC, to provide a lifestyle development programme for young people, driven by young people. The primary aim of the programme is to provide opportunities and activities for young people from Richmond Housing Partnership (RHP) estates and the wider community in a safe and enjoyable environment.

South Bristol Urban II (Bristol)

This project involved five estates, some of which are amongst the worst 10% in the UK for levels of educational attainment, crime, unemployment and teenage conception. Young people were given control of the programme, with half the management committee made up of their representatives. As the only European Regional Development Fund initiative of this kind, it has influenced European policy on grant funded programmes, now enabling young people to be involved in the management, development and decision making of similar schemes. The assessment panel commended Steve Morris at Bristol City Council for his outstanding support for this project.

Accent Community Partnerships (Bradford)

Accent Community Partnerships was created between The Accent Community Group, the local council, training bodies, the local college, employers and investors, because of a lack of skills and high unemployment in Bradford and the surrounding district. Accent Community Partnerships designed an approach to skills training that was tailored to helping individuals succeed in their own communities - from specific job skills to numeracy and literacy, to learning about what is needed for work. As a result of the project’s success in skills training in an area of severe racial tension, the assessment panel has chosen to also recognise this project in the skills category of these awards and as the overall award winner.

Community Campus 87 (Middlesbrough)

Developed as a response to growing homelessness and unemployment, Community Campus was formed in 1987 by a group of concerned individuals. The programme provides housing and support for 65 young homeless people, construction training opportunities and employment opportunities through its Community Campus Trading Company. As well as learning, training and personal development opportunities for young people at risk of exclusion, the programme also offers resettlement services to some of the neediest households in Middlesbrough.