Community Building

young people leading the development of
community assets for everyone to enjoy

As well as working with individual young people on their own problems, issues, goals and dreams through our mentoring and life group programmes.  We have recognised the need to engage them in community projects that develop and improve Bemerton Heath for all its residents.  We help take their ideas and turn them into reality by connecting them with older local residents and our partners.

So far we have done this through our involvement in regenerating the area around the Multi Use Games Area (MUGA) on Gainsborough Close.  The first stage of this was our street art project where we gathered a group of young people to plan and design a street art mural with a local artist Ingrid Walker.  We then spent a few days over the Easter holidays painting it, with lots of local residents of all ages joining in.  One local resident described the finished work as ‘relaxing and mentally stimulating to look at’. 

 

We then followed it with the community garden project which was inspired by some friends of a local lad who sadly committed suicide. The garden was designed and built by local residents with support from our partner Foragers Farm.  

This area of our work is based around the latest asset based community development research. An approach where you come alongside people and discover what they care enough to act upon and then help and empower them to do it.  It focuses on collective action and is concerned with how and where people practice and experience community and is not about doing things to or for people but alongside people.  We are so excited to see pockets of community grow all over the estate as young people take the lead in developing more community assets.

The impact

Read the story about how a group of young people put on a Christmas event for the community.
Festive Fiesta Story