Boothtown Challenge

Read the Boothtown Challenge blog

About the approach

The approach to delivery combines distinct strands of activity that will be co-ordinated through a community link worker. They will work with a range of activities designed to reach and involve new people and support them in developing new projects which they will lead themselves.

One strand of the work will be will be centred around a local shop which the community will own and run together, and which will provide a public face for the varied activities that will take place.

Firstly, a wider group of people will be engaged through open access 'Dragon's Den' type events which will generate local ideas and allocate small cash investments to develop the ideas further.

Boothtown residents will be engaged through allocating a community budget to further develop and implement ideas sourced through the programme to improve the neighbourhood.

Young people will be employed as apprentices in a variety of roles to provide support to the community linkworker in reaching out into the community.

About the organisations

The Lead: Halifax Central Initiative

Halifax Central Initiative is a Neighbourhood Management Initiative, hosted by Calderdale Council. It runs a variety of projects and activities, designed to involve the community in neighbourhood improvements and to extend the reach and effectiveness of local service providers. Established in 2006, the management board has achieved national recognition for partnership working and tenant participation.

Recent programmes of work have included peer motivators to engage young people in the summer university and the establishment of the Awaas group now constituted and run independently by its members, supporting isolated Asian women.

Local partner: Boothtown Partnership

Boothtown Partnership is a community group, established to support local people and development in Boothtown. The Boothtown Partnership has strong links within community, and is volunteer-led, with the commitment and energy to 'make things happen'. The partnership will encourage people within the community to start their own groups and activities, and act in an advisory capacity to projects as they develop. Halifax Central Initiative has worked alongside the Boothtown Partnership for the last two years and have developed a strong constructive relationship.

About the neighbourhood

Boothtown is part of the Town ward in Calderdale. It has two primary schools, a museum, a library, a youth club, a children's centre, green spaces and good transport links. Whilst there are pockets of energy and commitment within Boothtown, it has been difficult to enthuse and engage local people in traditional ways. Levels of social capital within the community are low: there are no tenants' groups, attendance at ward forums is low and the Boothtown Partnership has struggled to recruit new members beyond the original group of leaders. This is a chance to reach and inspire people beyond the existing membership through trialling some new approaches.