An innovative partnership between the church, police, local authorities and the housing association in Limeside, Oldham has been awarded the Champion Award at the 2010 Urban Hero Awards.
The Award, presented by Manchester youth charity The Message Trust, recognises their unique achievement in both reducing anti-social behaviour in the area and championing partnership as the best way to achieve it.
The partnership started life in late 2008 as New Life Church in Failsworth began working with The Message to bring an Eden Bus youth project to the area. Funding and support from the local housing association, Regenda, helped get the project off the ground.
It quickly gained momentum involving young people from the neighbourhood, having an immediate and positive impact on the local community in Limeside.
So when local police began planning for a three-month dispersal order in the Hollingwood and Limeside areas in late 2009, they were keen to tap into the enthusiasm and passion the team displayed.
Inspector David Stopford explains: ‘Dispersal orders are usually initiated by the police on their own – it’s one tool in the toolbox to deal with young people acting in an antisocial manner. This is fine but what you can end up doing is simply moving a problem from A to B, and not really solving the root issues.’
‘What we were able to do [in Limeside] is to work with partners to provide positive diversionary activities for young people. So it’s not just been about law enforcement, it’s been about providing good facilities for young people to go to, rather than hanging around on street corners.’
By the time the dispersal order began in December, several new initiatives for young people were in place, including the Eden Bus project and New Life Church’s Street Link initiative.
The partnership was a huge success. Inspector Stopford’s team saw a reduction of over 50% in calls about antisocial behaviour from the general public from December to March. Reports of associated crimes such as criminal damage and vehicle crime were also down. It’s a trend that he believes will continue:
‘It’s had a great impact. Right from the launch, the young people have understood why we’re running this dispersal order and seen how groups of young people can be intimidating to other residents. They’ve also seen our motivation to put something on for them – facilities, initiatives, opportunities – and these things will continue even though the dispersal order has finished.’
Neil Newberry, team leader of Eden Limeside, adds: ‘The difference has come from the agencies coming together and putting their cards on the table. We discovered we had similar aims and goals and we decided to pool our resources and work together.
‘Because of this, the atmosphere has changed. The young people have seen us working together and seen that we’re in it for the long-haul. They can see that the partnership’s goal is to benefit them. So they’ve been much more engaged with activities and really want to belong to the community.’
News of the success is spreading. According to Neighbourhood Manager John Norris, no other region has had the same amount of support and passion from local groups. In fact, the partnership has so inspired the local council that they have commissioned a DVD to be made that will promote ‘best practice’ to other areas how partnership can make the difference.
The Champion Award, one of five, was presented at this year’s Urban Hero Awards, taking place at Manchester’s Palace Hotel on July 9.
‘Winning the award has been fantastic,’ says Newberry. ‘I know that we’ll be celebrating this through the whole of Oldham.’
The award was sponsored by The Grand, Clitheroe and collected on behalf of the partnership by Neil and Lydia Newberry.
Tags: Eden Bus, Manchester, prison, reflex, testimony, Urban Hero, Urban Hero Awards, young people
