Case Studies
Here are some examples which demonstrate the sector supporting individuals, transforming communities and, importantly, delivering tangible economic benefits. This powerful combination of personal stories linked with genuine economic benefits shows decision-makers that the work of the Third Sector delivers real value for our region and reinforces our role as not just a deliverer of services but as a campaigning sector and shaper of services. Share your examples and stories by sending them to Carrie Brookes.
Pic: Young people on a Keyfund project
Keyfund Federation Ltd.
Keyfund describes itself as having ‘a dynamic mix of 16 years of experience and expertise with new and fresh approaches to meeting young people's needs and the needs of the youth sector. ....proving that good youth work works: helping to turn young people into great adults!
"The Keyfund model is a powerful but simple process for developing the aspirations and skills of even the most disadvantaged young people. Many are vulnerable, socially excluded, come from deprived backgrounds and struggle or disengage with school. How? We use the combined hook of a Keyfund trained ‘facilitator' and a small pot of money to engage young people in developing and delivering their own projects. These projects can range from setting up a candle stall to arranging a trip for 10 to Alton Towers. Nonetheless, our volunteer facilitators support young people to build confidence, self-esteem and 12 social skills, by planning, designing and delivering their own youth-led projects. Young people form their own groups, prepare their own project ideas and then present to a live ‘Dragons den' style panel of facilitators, community members and other young people. This decision making process has a double benefit - young people take the opportunity to demonstrate positive commitment to their own personal development and benefiting others, whilst empowering mixed local panels to reward them.
Keyfund's roots are embedded within the North East, and we have been engaging and developing the lives of young people within the North East for over 16 years. Our recent success has been demonstrated by our increasing scope and replication through our ‘social licensing model'. As such, 16,934 young people have engaged with Keyfund over the last three years. Between them they designed, budgeted and delivered 2682 youth-led projects, drawing down £708,000 to put their ideas into action. Keyfund trained 814 new facilitators to support these groups and are currently training both young people and community members to sit on live Keyfund assessment panels."
Pic: Client on employment course at Finchale
Finchale Training College
Finchale Training College's track record in helping disabled people reach employment speaks for itself with 88% of people completing their programmes. Between April 2008 – December 2009 they helped 210 people who had not been engaged in education, training or employment to break their benefit dependency and progress to either full-time employment or the next stage to their eventual entry to the labour market.
Traidcraft
Established in 1979 as a Christian response to poverty, Traidcraft are the UK's leading fair trade organisation. Their mission is to fight poverty through trade, practising and promoting approaches to trade that help poor people in developing countries transform their lives. Traidcraft works in some of the poorest countries in the world and campaigns in the UK and internationally for trade justice.
"Traidcraft's trading company has experienced significant growth in recent years and is now the UK's leading fair trade company. We work with more than 100 producer groups in over 30 developing countries to provide 450 fair trade food, craft and textile products. We have 120,000 customers and a turnover approaching £20 million.
"Traidcraft was instrumental in setting up the Fairtrade Foundation which awards the Fairtrade Mark to products which meet internationally recognised standards.
Pic: Volunteer Steve Grey signs lease for Activity Den
The Activity Den
Born out of adversity The Activity Den is a story about a community of young people and their volunteer supporters who would stop at nothing to save their community building and project. - Rock the Den music club working with The Sage Gateshead,
- An art project working in partnership with Bearpark Artists Co-op,
- Junior youth club,
- The Woodcraft Folk,
- a Martial arts group,
- and a Media Project where is young people make films and of course our new Young Volunteer Centre.
The Cyrenians
Originally called Tyneside Cyrenians, the organisation was established in 1970 by a group of people concerned about the lack of facilities in Newcastle and Gateshead for people who were sleeping rough. The Cyrenians is now one of the country’s leading and most progressive homeless charities, and is multi award winning in its efforts to support those from excluded groups.
"We offer a truly holistic approach to the needs of the vulnerable and socially disadvantaged who come to us for support. This is achieved by providing a diverse range of support; from homeless provision to outreach support for sex workers and training in construction skills. Our work to provide training and employment opportunities to excluded individuals has been recognised as being exemplar.
"The Brighter Futures construction skills training centre and the Trading Places peer support group are just two initiatives aimed at using training and volunteering as a route to continued engagement, independence and often employment. Many of the men and women that arrive at The Cyrenians come to us with a complex multiplicity of severe and enduring physical, substance use and mental health needs. Our approach enables us to provide a much greater level of help for people whom society has forgotten."
Pic: Clients at Bell View community centre
Bell View (Belford, Northumberland)
Bell View (Belford) was established as a charity in 1999 in response to the closure by the local authority of existing residential care facilities for the elderly. The community rallied in protest and was successful in their campaign to retain as many local health and welfare services as possible, delivered by the community. The result was Bell View, a state of the art new building which opened in 2004, combining community daycare provision for older people and a resource centre open to the whole community.Since then Bell View has constantly strived to identify and respond to the growing needs of an elderly population by developing its services and facilities. Services it provides include a care worker brokerage register, home from hospital scheme, potting shed project, therapy garden, cardiac rehabilitation sessions, podiatry, rag rug making, art and crafts and walking for health groups to name but a few.
Volunteers are a vital element in the day to day operation of the Centre numbering over 40. They are involved in running the community cafe, driving, administration, newsletter production, fundraising events, the list goes on...
It also provides a wheelchair-accessible car enabling people to make essential and social journeys, as well as delivering prescriptions to isolated parts of rural North Northumberland. The “Bringo” carried out over 930 trips last year, driven by trained volunteers.
Over the past 12 months alone the number of people coming through the resource centre doors has risen dramatically to over 8000 people, this figure having increased by 38% on the previous year.
Pic: Laying paths at the Comfrey Project
The Comfrey Project
The Comfrey Project has gained national recognition for the work it does to support refugees and asylum seekers in Tyneside. In eight years it has grown from an idea to an award-winning project that supports over eighty refugees and asylum seekers on its three allotment plots. The Comfrey Project is one of five winners nationally in Guardian Charity Awards 2009.
"The main aim of The Comfrey Project is to provide facilities for the recreation or other leisure-time occupation of refugees and asylum seekers with the object of improving their conditions of life and general well-being, primarily though not exclusively through the provision of horticultural activities.
"Group allotment sessions are run on allotment sites across Newcastle and Gateshead. The sessions are facilitated by a project worker, who provides support and information to enable project users to cultivate a small plot on the allotments and/or group plots. Construction and site maintenance, landscaping and building furniture for use on the allotments are also activities that project users can be involved in. Prior gardening experience is not required and whilst many project users enjoy the opportunity to tend to their own plot and grow produce, others come along to enjoy the group work and the opportunity to socialise and relax in a peaceful and supportive environment. The sessions include shared lunch and the opportunity for English language conversation.
"We encourage integration, by introducing project users to other activities organised both by the project and by other local voluntary and community projects. We provide emotional and practical support to project users, and where necessary refer them on to relevant statutory or voluntary agencies for additional support and advice. Support comes not just from staff but from group members as well.
We seek to create a safe space, where project users are welcomed, respected and listened to."
http://thecomfreyproject.org.uk/
Pic: An Open Clasp production
Open Clasp Theatre Company
Successful women's theatre company uses drama to address social issues in the North East.
"Established in 1998, Open Clasp Theatre Company is the North East's only professional women's theatre company. Working as a catalyst in partnership with other community groups we run issue based drama workshops with women and girl's groups and create theatre which is taken to community and mainstream venues across the region.
"The basis for all our work is the knowledge that drama and theatre can be used as a tool to empower, increasing self-esteem and confidence, leading to personal development and growth, and to positive change for those taking part and the audience members who share the experience.
"In addition to tours and long-term projects Open Clasp uses its skills to help groups use drama and theatre as a tool to break down barriers and increase self-esteem and confidence through involvement in short-term projects."
Pic: One of the DISC teams and volunteers in Hartlepool
DISC
DISC is one of the North East's largest home-grown charities with a turnover of £16m. Here they describe their journey from small training project to innovative, client-driven organisation, with over 100 contracts working out of more than 30 sites with 10,000 people.
DISC is an independent northern regional charity based in Co Durham which focuses on deprivation and exclusion. Our aim is to develop innovative and flexible services with a wide range of partners and to enable marginalised individuals and ex-offenders whose lives are in crisis due to poor housing, substance misuse, family breakdown and unemployment to work towards lasting and positive life changes.
We work in close co-operation with the public, voluntary and private sectors on pioneering 'joined up' programmes which make a real difference. Our work is funded almost exclusively through public sector contracts from eg: local authorities, Job Centre Plus, Drug Action Teams, Primary Care Trusts, Probation Services, Youth Offending Teams, Department for Work and Pensions and the Home Office. We are involved in over 100 contracts ranging from under £10k to over £2m per annum. We work out of over 30 different sites in North East England (Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, Co Durham and Teesside), West Yorkshire and Lancashire.
During 2009 DISC celebrated its 25th anniversary. Since 1984 DISC has gradually expanded from a small training scheme for unemployed young people and ex-offenders in Durham City in 1984 into one of the North East's biggest home-grown voluntary organisations with over 400 staff and 200 volunteers.
The key to our effectiveness is flexible and assertive 'outreach' work. Staff go out to meet people in places where they feel comfortable rather than insisting on them coming to an office between 9-4. They build up trusting relationships and strike a balance between offering advice, support and guidance, and challenging people to move on. They don't just deal with one problem. They look at all the issues people are facing and talk to them about what they want to achieve and what's holding them back. They find flexible and holistic ways of supporting them and enabling them to progress, establish jobs, homes and stable relationships, and contribute to their communities.