Community Links
Project based in: UK
A thriving community organisation in a highly disadvantaged area of east London
The issue
Newham is one of London’s poorest boroughs, with around 50% of all families living on or below the poverty line. Many people in Newham live on impersonal housing estates and their children have nowhere safe to play. This social exclusion can adversely affect local children’s education and may result in young people becoming involved in anti-social behaviour, damaging the local community still further.
The response
On the Rokeby Estate in Newham, Community Links has tackled these issues by building a new community centre. The Rokeby Centre opened in March 2009 and is open 12 hours every day, six days a week. It has four main objectives:
- To increase the self-esteem and confidence of local children and young people
- To reduce incidents of anti-social behaviour and criminal activity
- To help young people to move into employment or training
- To make the local community feel safer and happier.
Activities for all ages
The Rokeby Centre was quickly embraced by its local community, with 400 people taking part in activities in its first year. These include:
- supervised ‘drop-in’ play sessions for more than 220 children aged 5-11, available every day after school, alternate Saturdays and all day during school holidays
- a youth club for local teenagers (aged up to 16) that is open three nights per week and alternate Saturdays: more than 80 young people are registered with at least 40 attending each night
- a twice weekly play group for toddlers that also gives their parents/carers a chance to socialise, make new friends and get support from their neighbours.
- storytelling for under 5s: besides being important for their educational development, it also gives their parents/carers the chance to meet other people with similar aged children.
The centre also offers regular activities for older people, as well as frequent dance, drama, music and art sessions, cooking classes, a job club and computer classes.
Evaluating impact
Community Links has conducted its own surveys to evaluate the centre’s impact. In a study conducted before it opened, 85% of local people interviewed said that said there was nothing to do in the area, 70% admitted to being afraid of going out after dark and 75% were in fear of crime, particularly burglary, car crime and robbery.
Since the centre opened, Community Links has conducted further surveys, in which:
- 80% of interviewees said that the local area had changed;
- 79% said that they or a relative had attended activities at the centre;
- 32% felt that crime on the estate had fallen since the centre opened.
The last point is backed up by local crime statistics from the police. In the first year that the centre was open, reported anti-social behaviour incidents on the Rokeby estate dropped by 48% and reported crime on the estate fell by 58%.
Local police officers agree that the centre has had a big impact on crime, partly because it helps them get to know the local children and young people; over time, these relationships act as a disincentive to anti-social or criminal behaviour.
Looking ahead
Future plans for the centre include extending its opening hours from six to seven days a week and introducing sessions for fathers and their children at weekends.
Community Links is also keen to share learning points from the centre with policy makers and other practitioners, particularly how the centre addresses the multiple and complex problems of people living in disadvantaged areas. This process began with an April 2010 feature in the Guardian.
A report into the Community Links approach to community development – detailing much of the work at the Rokeby Centre – has just been published and is available for free download.
The organisation
Established in 1977, Community Links runs community-based projects in east London, chiefly in the borough of Newham. In total, it has more than 60 projects in 30 locations, reaching 30,000 people every year. These include early years provision, after-school clubs and specialist schemes for children with special needs or those excluded from school. For adults, its work includes advice Centres and employment support services.
The funding
Sofronie is supporting the running costs of the Rokeby Centre for a second year with a grant of £75,866 in 2010/2011. An earlier grant of £112,573 was made to towards the centre’s running costs in 2009/2010.
T: 020 7473 2270