Head of Service:
Karen Johnson
 |
Address:
Kirklees Council
Safer Stronger Communities
The Deighton Centre
Deighton Road
Deighton
Huddersfield
HD2 1JP
Tel: 01484 221022
Fax: 01484 225868
Email: saferstronger.communities@kirklees.gov.uk |
| About the Safer Stronger Communities Service - Storyboards:
|
Service description:
The Safer Stronger Communities Service is one element of the Adults and Communities Directorate in Kirklees
Council. Our primary aim is to work with local people and local communities as well as other services,
agencies and the voluntary sector to support and develop strong, vibrant communities across Kirklees. Our
approach is to engage with local people in strengthening and developing their communities and we structure
our work and approach on a locality basis.
Our resources are targeted on a locality approach where we seek to put local people and local communities
first, believing that they know best what works for them and what their real needs are. Our aim is to build
safer and stronger communities where people feel proud to live. We believe that it is in tackling the issues
raised by local people that we can best develop our task of building strong and cohesive communities. Some
of our most important work is engaging with local people and communities in tackling crime and the fear of
crime as well as anti-social behaviour. We aim to intervene as early as possible and to deploy resources
quickly in order to provide solutions to problems and issues as they arise.
Our 3 main areas of work are:-
Our work involves breaking down barriers and supporting communities to work closer together, so people can
have their say, and receive the help and support they need.
Our work includes:
We work with various organisations, such as other council departments like the Children and Young People's
Service, Adult Services, Housing, Environment, Highways, Culture and Leisure Services as well as partner
agencies including the Police, Probation and Health.
Working in partnership with elected members, we aim to provide a platform for building strong and cohesive
communities in which everyone, regardless of background, has a real sense of community involvement.
We have a special commitment to reach and involve a wide variety of communities of interest and to deliver
real changes on the ground. Developing community cohesion is a key part of this work. This involves building
a common vision through community engagement and community involvement and valuing diversity.
Within Safer Stronger Communities we provide community support to people and voluntary organisations, who
wish to make a positive difference and improve their own communities. We do this by offering various services
including community grants, and community consultation, engagement and initiatives to bring communities
together.
A community and future which engages everyone remains one of the major challenges for the council, its
partners and its communities. Safer Stronger Communities has a key role to work with elected members to
develop local area committees as the vehicle to influence and reshape local service delivery to be more
responsive and sensitive to local need. We support area committees to develop local community action plans
that feed into the overall Kirklees Council Community Strategy.
Tackling poverty is a major part of Kirklees' Local Area Agreement. We help residents maximize their income
by claiming benefits and disputing decisions that they think are wrong. We take referrals from a broad range
of services, organisations and public, and provide a specialist benefit advice service. We also work with
area committees, services and partner organisations to develop benefit take-up projects and improve access to advice.
We work in partnership with other organisations, such as the police, to make our communities safer by
reducing crime, anti-social behaviour and the misuse of drugs and alcohol; we work to reduce the fear of
crime and injuries from fire and road accidents.
We are also responsible for delivering the Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy which aims to narrow the gap
between the poorest Kirklees areas and the rest of Kirklees. This work, with community support services, is
part of creating safer, stronger communities - and aims to help Neighbourhood Renewal areas deal with poor
health, low educational attainment, high crime, fear of crime and high unemployment.
Improving the provision of community buildings and facilities
We directly manage a number of community centres which are used for a wide variety of activities. We also
encourage local people to be involved in the development and use of these buildings. We support the
voluntary sector in managing and developing community facilities that are either leased to or are owned and
managed by community and voluntary organisations. Our community buildings include The Deighton Centre
(a multi-purpose training conference and community facility) and The Hudawi Cultural Centre (a town
centre-based building for the African Caribbean community). Our aim is to work with communities in
identifying and supporting community buildings that meet the widest need in each locality across Kirklees.
Developing and strengthening community groups and voluntary organisations
We provide community work support and funding advice to develop new and existing community groups and
organisations and assist groups to access external funding sources. The team provides capacity building and
training events for local people helping community members to improve their skills in community and group
settings. Community based community safety initiatives are developed through the specialist Priority
Neighbourhoods Project. We manage 6 community grants schemes (e.g. Neighbourhood Renewal's £800m
People's Purse Scheme), and provide the corporate lead for voluntary sector development.
Maximising income through direct provision of benefits advice
The Benefit Advice Service provides information and advice on all national and locally administered benefit,
including helping people appeal against decisions. The service is delivered via advice centres in CABx
(Citizens Advice Bureaux), outreach sessions at Birstall LIC (Library Information Centre), the Chestnut Centre, KRAFT
(Kirklees Refugees And Friends Together), Holme Valley Hospital, and home visits.
The service also provides talks and training courses to services, agencies and community groups, and works
in partnership with other agencies to develop and deliver benefit take-up campaigns.
Improving community relations through community cohesion, equality and diversity activities
Development of neighbourhood based, cross community projects, initiatives and debates. |
| Useful contacts: |
Safer Stronger Communities
Safer Communities
|
Safer Communities
Domestic Violence Tel: 01484 223221
Anti-Social Behaviour Tel: 01484 416764
SWEET Project Tel: 01484 226911
Fax: 01484 226938
Email:CommunitySafety.StrategyUnit@kirklees.gov.uk
Website:Kirklees Safer Communities Partnership |
Safer Stronger Communities
Priority Crime Team
The Deighton Centre
Deighton Road
Deighton
Huddersfield
HD2 1JP
|
Safer Communities
Tel: 01484 226930
Fax: 01484 225868
Email: CommunitySafety.StrategyUnit@kirklees.gov.uk
Website: Kirklees Safer Communities Partnership |
Safer Stronger Communities
Community Work Team
The Deighton Centre
Deighton Road
Deighton
Huddersfield
HD2 1JP |
Community Work Team
Tel: 01484 225714
Fax: 01484 225868
Email: saferstronger.communities@kirklees.gov.uk |
Safer Stronger Communities
Hudawi Cultural Centre
Huddersfield
West Yorkshire
HD1 6BG |
Hudawi Cultural Centre
Tel: 01484 225700/225711
Fax: 01484 225868
Email: deighton.centre.bookings@kirklees.gov.uk
Website: Hudawi Cultural Centre |
Safer Stronger Communities
The Deighton Centre
The Deighton Centre
Deighton Road
Deighton
Huddersfield
HD2 1JP |
The Deighton Centre
Tel: 01484 225700
Fax: 01484 225868
Email: deighton.centre.bookings@kirklees.gov.uk
Website: The Deighton Centre |
Safer Stronger Communities
Community Planning Team
The Deighton Centre
Deighton Road
Deighton
Huddersfield
HD2 1JP |
Community Planning Team
Tel: 01484 414783
Fax: 01484 414780
Email: saferstronger.communities@kirklees.gov.uk
|
Safer Stronger Communities
Benefits Advice Team
2nd Floor Somerset Buildings
10 Church Street
Huddersfield
HD1 1DH |
Benefits Advice Team
Tel: 01484 226234
Fax: 01484 226239
Email: benefit.adviceservice@kirklees.gov.uk |
Safer Stronger Communities
Funding Team
The Deighton Centre
Deighton Road
Deighton
Huddersfield
HD2 1JP |
Funding Team
Tel: 01484 414824
Fax: 01484 414780
Email: funding@kirklees.gov.uk
Grants |
Community Buildings Team (PDF 190kb)
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