Much of the good works being conducted there are drawing to a close. Over 30 redundancies, notified at very short notice. Some paid positions and many volunteers. It is uncertain how this came to be, but we hope to provide a little more in-depth reporting of the background to this situation shortly. In the meantime however, suffice to say that urgent help is asked for and needed. It is an iconic building, there in the centre of the community at Robin Hood Chase.
One of the first projects down was the Youth Inclusion Project. An inspiration to those challenged by education, lack of employment opportunities and lack of self-esteem.
Awat Aziz from St.Ann's said: "I joined the YIP in 2003 and learned how to make cloths, which lead to a voluntary job at Urban Fashion
http://www.urbanfashionhouse.co.uk. "I'm running my own business now making tee-shirts. Before I went to the YIP I didn't know anything about fashion, but now I am able to make my own clothes. I also learned computing". Some went on from the advantages that such projects give them, to become a mentor to help and inspire other youngsters. It is obvious when this happens that the whole community can only benefit. It is apparent the projects like YIP are so important in engaging with young people when they have more limited educational opportunities and if they have been excluded.
In addition to youth projects, it is the whole community who are about to suffer with this loss. Mother and baby groups, social groups where people can gather and share their experience, isolation for many is about to get more extreme. There is / was a large computing suite, this being so useful to get folks more skilled and hence employable. It seems such community provision has been so much more effective than anything the job centre had been able to offer to the unemployed.
In an area of deprivation, it was great to see efforts of so many people to engage and assist each other in life in general. A sense of community, ownership and sharing of problems and assets obviously follows from such a space.
I am sure that the lack of funding and support being offered to such community enterprises is very shortsighted and will inevitably result alienation, increased health costs, social exclusions in many forms and in increased policing costs. Thus in due time, you can expect demand for increasing funding from those authorities to cope with the fallout.
This is just one project in just one estate in one city. With the financial stuff the news is currently full of, I think we may expect this story to be repeated widely. Hold on to your hat, things are falling apart.
A slide show I made showing some of the artwork there:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=TXbrivtLeiA *****
More info from:
The Case Neighbourhood Centre
Robin Hood Chase
Nottingham
Nottinghamshire
NG3 4EZ
Tel: 0115 950 6867
Building Info:
http://www.segalselfbuild.co.uk/projects/chase.html ____________________________________________
ALAN LODGE
Photographer - Media: One Eye on the Road. Nottingham. UK
Email:
tash@indymedia.org Member of the National Union of Journalists [No: 014345]
____________________________________________
"It is not enough to curse the darkness.
It is also necessary to light a lamp!!"
___________________________________________
e-mail:
Crazy & shortsighted. Let's see a plan to save this amazing project.
23.10.2008 14:47
It is situated in what was a previously very bleak local shopping centre in the St Annes area of Nottingham. The project arose out of a consultation exercise with the local community in 1992 and became a large community centre self-built by local people. A scheme was set up whereby local unemployed people were offered high quality training and work on the project. Over the 18 month build period an average of 14 trainees a day worked on the building; with a total of 26 trainees taking part. At 600sq. m. floor area, it is the equivalent of six 3-bedroom houses. (See
The City Council speaks of "Your Community Your City"
"Community Development – supporting communities to deliver activities in Community Centres.
"Community Centres are a physical resource, which acts as a focal point for activities run by communities coming together through geographic proximity or because of a particular interest and/or identity.
"Centres provide meeting places for local interest based clubs and societies, venues for adult education classes and public meetings, offices for community projects, plus they also have many other uses. Centres would be lifeless buildings, lacking in character, if they were not “owned” by communities. People provide the warmth, which makes centres welcoming to communities.
"Centres can provide an opportunity for an education in democratic practice and citizenship through the management of the asset by a member-participant organisation (Community Association). Local people can learn that democracy involves accepting duties and responsibilities as well as receiving rights."
Ref:
Let's see these fine words put into action with a plan to save this amazing project.
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"Chase is a place for the whole community, we are in the middle of St Ann’s and make sure we are accessible. It's all about familiarity. So many people struggle with isolation - whether they are a young mum, an older person living on their own or a refugee who has been placed here – this place really joins people together."
Read more about Chase Neighbourhood Centre at
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See also "St Ann's was rocked this week by news that a financial crisis at The Chase Neighbourhood Centre has led to 30 staff being made redundant." 22 Oct 2008
Pat
The chase cant close, if necessary maybe it can be rented at peppercorn
24.10.2008 19:32
Brown needs to make good on his words RE pulling out & stopping the waste of lives & recourses in Iraq now & invest in projects like this back home as well as more serious major plans to tackle climate change & boost the economy rather than unsustainable war.
Johnny