Hartlepool Action Lab: Where are we now? slides from our 8 March event in Hartlepool http://www.hartlepoolactionlab.org/

1. Welcome!
The event will start at 12:15
Tweet us at #HartActionLab and @HartActionLab

2. The Hartlepool Action Lab

3. The approach:
1. Community based participatory research
2. Four day facilitated workshop
3. Multi-agency projects
4. Evaluation

4. PTE

6. Connect with range of suitable
potential funders
Source potential houses
Continue building engagement
with young people
By March 2017 we will have funding
committed; and will have identified and
chosen our first property
1
2
3

7. We wrote a business plan…
…and met with investors
…and searched for properties
We started raising our profile...

8. 1. Reducing number of empty properties
2. Empowering Youth

10. Stronger Neighbourhoods

11. Stronger Neighbourhoods Vision
The Stronger Neighbourhoods vision is to create neighbourhoods
where:
Neighbours know and look out for each other
Residents have the confidence and skills to take actions on issues
important to them in their communities
Those who feel isolated are helped to feel less lonely and are able
to connect to activities and services in their communities
Values and neighbourliness are embedded in all generations

12. 100 Day Sprint –
Launch of Brighter Brus
• During the 100 day sprint our first task was to
produce an evidence base on neighbourhoods
that would benefit – this was completed in July
and the Brus area was chosen as the pilot
• In August we conducted a small piece of
research in the Brus and broader West View
area – we talked to over 200 residents who told
us about their experience of living in the area
• Common themes that came out of the research
included; more activities to bring the
community together; improving the local
environment, safety, and transport
100 Day Goal
Engage with 100 residents
Hold a community event

13. Brighter Brus Community Event

14. Action Lab Revisited ……..
from a Sprint to a
Marathon
New Short Term Goal
To have a cohesive empowered
group with a clear idea of what
it wants to do and the
beginnings of a project idea
By March 2017
New Short Term Goal
‘To have a cohesive empowered
group with a clear idea of what
it wants to do and the
beginnings of a project idea
By March 2017’
Primary Drivers
To keep the conversation going
with residents in the area
Inspire people to get involved in
taking collective action on issues
important to them
Identify sustainability beyond
The 100 days
New Short Term Goal
‘To have a cohesive empowered
group with a clear idea of what
it wants to do and the
beginnings of a project idea
By March 2017’
Primary Drivers
To keep the conversation going
with residents in the area
Inspire people to get involved in
taking collective action on issues
important to them
Identify sustainability beyond
The 100 days

15. ‘Keeping the Conversations going’
• At the beginning of December we produced and delivered a
Christmas card to households across the area, informing of
progress so far and inviting people to get in touch
• In December we held a ‘Turkey Bun and Stuffing’ event to offer
support to local residents who were interested in joining the
journey to create a ‘Brighter Brus’
• In January a meeting took place with Ward Councillors who
pledged their support and provided further feedback to the
community on the Brighter Brus project through their regular
Councillors newsletter
• Since December regular meetings have been held with a small
group of residents interested in improving their local area

16. Inspiring residents to take
collective action
• Regular meetings have resulted in the development of a ‘Brighter
Brus Action Group’
• A short term action plan has been produced and the group have
recently met with some local agencies to discuss local issues
• Through these contacts residents have already inspired others to
take action in the area - working with residents agencies held an
Operation Pledge in the local area last week and resident activists
also participated in the ‘Great British Spring Clean’
• The group is interested in developing a number of activities such as
community walks and history events but is starting to plan a ‘Big
Lunch’ event to bring the community together which will hopefully
take place in June

17. Taking Action

18. What is the link between Stronger Neighbourhoods and the
impact of poverty in Hartlepool?
Neighbourhood
Areas
1. King Oswy
2. Brus
3. Central Estate
4. Headland &
Harbour
5. Dyke House
6. Victoria
7. Burbank
8. Stranton
9. Burn Valley
10. Belle Vue
11. Rift House
12. Manor House
13. Jutland Road

19. Sustainability – what have we learnt?

20. Sustainability – what next?
Enlist the support of key organisations
In the Stronger Neighbourhoods
Partnership – meeting 13 March
Thirteen Group
Hartlepool Churches Together
HBC Public Health
Police
Changing Futures North East
Asylum Seekers and Refugee Group
Belle Vue Centre
West View Advice and Resource Centre
HBC Community Engagement
Wharton Trust
Age UK
Joseph Rowntree Foundation
Identify a lead organisation(s)
that will help us.....
To drive forward the vision
To bid for funds
To employ staff/hold funds
To co-ordinate involvement of
Stakeholders
To administer the Stronger
Neighbourhoods Partnership

25. Steven
“Everyone deserves
a chance no matter
where you’re from.”

30. Child and Family Poverty–
a Strategy for Hartlepool

31. What do we know?
• 31% of our children and young people live in poverty compared to 21%
nationally - 5,590 children and young people
• More than half of children living in poverty are in a family where at least
one adult works (55%)
• 69% of families have no savings and are unable to cope in a crisis
• Hartlepool is £42 million worse off through reforms such as The Benefit
Cap, Council Tax Benefit, changes in Housing Allowances and the Under
Occupation Charge (ANEC, 2013).

32. What are we seeing?
• Impact of welfare reform is taking hold
• Universal Credit claimants struggling to manage the 6 week waiting period
• Rising demand for Foodbank vouchers and food support
• Daily requests for council crisis fund – food, gas, electricity, clothing
• Repetitive requests for DHP – help with rent
• Significant levels of debt (lots of ‘small’ amounts) and illegal money lending
• Significant eviction referrals with rent arrears totalling in excess of £1500 -
£4000 per family
• Increased pressure of Children’s Social Care.

33. What are our priorities?
• Mitigate the impact of poverty on children and families
• Build pathways out of poverty for children and young people
• Create new opportunities for adults to reduce child and family
poverty.

34. What could we do to see
some immediate impact?
• Know how and where to get help early before crisis point; build stronger (family/
community) relationships to increase resilience
• Maximise entitlements; make good use of money; teach our children and young people
practical money skills including saving
• Challenge public perception – ‘there are no jobs’; ‘poor people need to get a job’;
‘benefit scroungers’; ‘foreigners taking our jobs’
• Food poverty – lets get organised and make use of what’s available and already out
there!

35. What are we good at?
• Strong, established network or people, agencies and organisations across
the town who are passionate about making a difference
• Excellent educators who are making a difference to the lives of our most
disadvantaged children and young people
• Being creative and resourceful – flexing to meet need
• Working together.

36. Child and Family Poverty –
its everyone’s business!

37. The Hartlepool Action
Lab: Learning &
moving forward

38. Over to you!
From your professional – or where appropriate, personal
– perspective, what are the main issues around poverty in
Hartlepool?
Think about: where can we have an impact?
• Take five minutes to write your individual answer on the
Discussion form
• Then discuss as a group

39. Thank you for your participation!