Case Study 3 - United Estates of Wythenshawe
Case Study 3 - United Estates of Wythenshawe
Areas of impact: Crime and disorder reduction, community regeneration and youth justice
Location: Wythenshawe, Manchester, UK
Short description of activities:
The United Estates of Wythenshawe (UEW) group in South Manchester is tackling street crime through its work with young people in Benchill, one of the UK’s most deprived wards.
By converting a disused church into a community centre with a gym and many other activities, the group now has a base from which to work with young people to develop constructive activities that they find worthwhile as well as providing services to the community as sustainable enterprises.
Why it's a social enterprise:
The group has developed an entrepreneurial approach to providing a gym and a range of popular activities for young people. The income generated by provision of these services enables the project to act independently of any grants system.
The group converted a disused chapel into a community centre housing a gym and other social enterprises including a hairdresser, a therapeutic massage studio, a second-hand clothes shop and a street dance facility. It involved some of the neighbourhoods’ most disruptive youth in the construction of the centre, giving them a stake in the scheme.
Monies generated by the enterprises are re-invested in the project. The group has engaged with the Joseph Rowntree Foundation in an initiative to share these approaches with similar neighbourhoods in the Midlands and the north of England.
What is its design aspect?
UEW is an example of co-design that has delivered significant social innovation and regeneration via the planning and creation of the enterprise, which enables it to be self-sustaining.
This holistic approach has identified the needs of the community and created a way to meet these requirements, and deliver services and opportunities to the local people, particularly the young.
This co-design approach has ensured the enterprises and activities are owned by the young people and as a result are respected and nurtured by them. The project is a good example of multi-stakeholder collaboration and has provided a benchmark for similar activity.
To disseminate and celebrate the success of this project a conference, ‘Street Peace 2007’, was organized by all the stakeholders.
Main actors and interactions (including stakeholders, networks, services and revenue streams):
- Greg Davis, UEW
- Jenny Lynn (independent neighbourhood renewal consultant)
- Local neighbourhoods and communities
Other groups delivering similar work:
- Government initiatives to address similar issues have included the Respect Action Plan, the Together Campaign, the Home Office Round table on guns, gangs and knives, and The Connected Fund
- The Broxtowe Estate in Nottingham: a partnership organisation with a small staff faced problems of anti-social behaviour. Recently, a young man from the estate had started a successful youth evening in the community centre.
- The Stubbin Estate in Sheffield: The Stubbin Neighbourhood Association was set up in 2004 to tackle local frustrations about crime, drug use and unresponsive services. The estate is now part of the Guide Neighbourhoods Programme.
- Moss Side in Manchester: this is an area which has struggled for years to overcome its image as a hotspot for crime and drugs. A prominent local group, CARISMA, was interested in advice about its plans to buy and convert a local building for community use.
Social Impact:
- Local solutions to these local issues are built on the experience, understanding and skills of residents building social and community capacity
- Anti-social behaviour in the neighbourhood has been reduced
- Feeling of safety has increased in the neighbourhood.
- Community gained interaction and integration: individuals of all ages and roles come together to share experiences and receive support
Economic Impact:
- Income generated by the social enterprises enables UEW to act independently of any grants system
- Selection of self-financing activities in line with the culture of the area increases likelihood of the venture being sustainable
- Development of local shops and businesses adds to economic regeneration of the area
- The project has reduced street crim, such as vandalism to public and private property, creating economic savings linked to repair and replacement
Environmental Impact:
- Reductions in vandalism and restoration of community buildings has improved the local environment
Links:
Blog
Joseph Rowntree Foundation
Execution Charitable Trust
The Times online (article on UEW)