Working with the Community as a voluntary organisation
It has always been a consistent objective of New Start to continually develop as an organisation, by reinvesting revenue wisely into relevant activities and services directly relating to the organisations aspirations. As a Social housing provider this is evident in all aspects of the work undertaken in this area. However, the company also facilitate and link in with educational institutions, various projects, and other organisations across Liverpool to improve individual opportunity and community involvement throughout the city.
Educational Work-based Learning
Vocational Training Programme
Since September 2008 New Start has worked in collaboration with a local Kensington school, ‘St Francis of Assisi Academy’ to support a Vocational Training Programme for their students.
Through this programme, New Start provides supported extended work placements for three students for three days each week. The students, (prior to the introduction of New Start’s Vocational Training Programme) were all having difficulties in sustaining they're school places. Now with the help and opportunities the programme has given them, they are gaining valuable vocational skills and the necessary work based attitudes / behaviours, to prepare them for the world of work and post secondary education training.
New Start is now working with the Academy to develop ways in which the organisation can support the introduction of the new ‘Vocational Diploma Programme’.
Social Work Placements
New Start has four members of staff who have been qualified as LINKS supervisors through the completion of Social Work Assessors training with TOPSS.
This allows the organisation to provide 40 day work placements for first year students working towards gaining a Social Work Degree. During their placements at New Start, students initially receive a full and comprehensive induction enabling them to gain a good working knowledge of the organisations policies and working procedures. They then have the opportunity to gain first hand experience of working with vulnerable individuals accessing New Start’s services.
As part of their placement, New Start will introduce students to Stakeholder agencies and will also co-ordinate supplementary work placements with relevant statutory services.
Promoting Healthy Lifestyles to Young People
New Starts concerted drive to get people involved and promote community cohesion is demonstrated in the projects to which the service invests. These include local charity ‘Liverpool Heartbeat’, the community mini-bus scheme, and the David Graham Natural High School Programme for young people.
Liverpool Heartbeat
Liverpool Heartbeat is a local charity founded by New Start trustee Robin Baynes. The charity was formed in December 2001 in memory of Robin’s life long friend and fellow swimmer, who unexpectedly died of heart failure. Robin felt that his death should not go unmarked, so in honour to his friend’s life, Liverpool Heartbeat was set up.
The charity has a specific purpose of supporting projects that encourage and promote healthy lifestyles in young people. One of the areas the charity focuses upon is raising drug awareness to the young people of Liverpool. This helps to encourage and promote good citizenship, and helps make communities healthier and safer.
Liverpool Heartbeat demonstrates its drive to meet its goals and objectives by organising and supporting numerous projects and events throughout the Liverpool district. The charity has local roots, ensuring all monies raised are re-invested in the local community.
For More information visit www.liverpoolheartbeat.com
The Community
Minibus Scheme
As a result of New Start’s and Liverpool Heartbeats partnership working, funds were raised in 2004 for the purchase of a community minibus. This service is available to other organisations throughout Liverpool, enabling them to hire the bus and benefit from easy accessible transport to get the people they support to and from events.
The vehicle is securely parked at Prospect Lodge, and all of the booking, administration and upkeep of the vehicle is provided by New Start.
David Graham Natural High School Tour
The Natural High School Programme has been tremendously successful over the past seven years - visiting almost 3,000 schools and seeing over 1,000,000 children across the UK.
The programme is a unique interactive presentation that works closely with many different organisations promoting healthy lifestyles; and is aimed at years 4,5,6,7 & 8 in primary and secondary schools (encompassing ages 8 – 13).
New Start in partnership with Liverpool Heartbeat and Rotary Clubs across Merseyside, have raised funds and worked tirelessly to bring this programme to school children in Liverpool, reaching over 100 Merseyside Schools and 25,000 children in Merseyside.
Collaboration from agencies such as Kensington Regeneration, Liverpool's Anti-Social Behaviour Unit and the Community Police have all assisted with the programmes success. Both New Start, and Liverpool Heartbeat hope to continue working with and promoting these partnerships further to make the David Graham Natural High School Tour even more successful.
Working in the community