BIG SOCIETY
What we have done so far in
Harlow Part 2
WORK WITH YOUNG PEOPLE
For a number of years Harlow has had a strong Youth Council,
which takes a very active role in putting forward the views of
young people, inputting into planning and other decisions, and
working with the Council and other agencies to deliver and promote
a range of activities for young people in the town.
Harlow also has a very successful Youth Bank. Young people
were supported to apply for grants which enabled them to set up the
Bank. They were provided with support and training which has
enabled the bank to be run for young people, by young people.
The Bank has helped fund a range of initiatives in the town e.g. a
dance group for young people and a steel band.
Young people worked with Harlow Council and other agencies to
secure a state-of-the-art Skate Park in Harlow. The Youth
Council, Harlow Skateboarding Association and the Council worked
closely together to secure funding and influence the design of
the skate park and it is now a very popular venue with young
people in the town.
The Rainbow Services mobile Young Bus works with families,
children and young people across the town. It is a flexible
resource that can provide activities as varied as mums and toddlers
sessions to computer sessions for teenagers.
The Youth Council, Harlow Council and a range of voluntary
sector groups and businesses worked together to develop Café Youth,
an accessible town centre non-alcoholic venue where young people
can take part in a range of activities.
There has been some excellent intergenerational work in Harlow,
designed to bring young people and older people together to foster
mutual understanding and respect. For example, young
people have used newly acquired carpentry skills to make bird boxes
for older people in sheltered accommodation.
The Council has worked with local communities and local
residents to provide neighbourhood facilities for young people,
such as basketball hoops, kick walls and youth shelters.
COMMUNITY OWNERSHIP OF ASSEST/COMMUNITY
SERVICE
PROVISION
A number of public buildings that were no longer in use have
been transferred to
the voluntary and community sector and are now
used for a range of community initiatives, for example:
The voluntary sector campus at Wych Elm,
co-ordinated through Rainbow Services.
Childcare services, once provided by the Council in a Council
building, now
provided by a local Community Association at
the same venue.
A Study Centre provided by an education
consortium in a building leased
from the Council.
A centre providing support and counselling for young people
provided by
Harlow Young Concern in a disused Council
playbarn building
A Chinese community centre housed in a building
on a long-term lease
from the Council.
A Council building has been taken over by a table tennis
club which also
provides a range of activities for older people in the
community.
A disused Council building was taken over by a local
Islamic association
which now uses it for both prayer and community activities.
A tennis club and bowls club – both formerly
run by the Council – have
been taken over by community groups and this has led to
additional funding
for improvements being secured.
The Harlow Children’s Centre network has leased a Council
building and
provides services to families and children, but also activities
and a meeting
place for local older people.
Council land is now used for a road safety and cycling
training centre,
primarily for young people.
Two services previously run
directly by the Council – Shopmobility and Welfare Rights and
Advice – have now become established as independent
organisations.
The Council was once a major provider of sport and leisure
activities in the town, but these are now provided in partnership
with the Harlow and District Sports Trust, which runs the new
state-of-the-art Leisurezone wet and dry sports
and leisure centre
Funding has been transferred to the Essex Community
Foundation to support recreational and educational
activities
Follow these links for more
information
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