Meet the people behind Working in Neighbourhoods

BACKGROUND:

The Working in Neighbourhoods programme was inspired by enquiries we received at Neighbourhoods NW from neighbourhood practitioners asking whether there was a generic skills and knowledge training course for anyone who worked in communities, regardless of their role. We already delivering a comprehensive training programme to support Neighbourhood Wardens in the region, but knew of nothing similar for other neighbourhood practitioners.

We immediately started to ask around the region if people felt there was an essential skils and knowledge set for neighbourhood working and if so, how did people usually develop them. The overwelming answer was 'yes' there was a skills set but most people reported that they gained it through either being 'thrown in at the deep end', learning from experience or working alongside a more experienced member of their team.

On the basis of this informal survey we held a series of formal focus groups for community members, frontline workers and managers of organisations working with neighbourhoods. The information we received from these groups was distilled down into the units that now make up the programme.

Next steps included piloting the programme with frontline neighbourhood practitioners, tenants and residents to ensure the content of the programme was fit for purpose. This has now been accredited at level 2 with the Awarding Body NCFE.

Here at Neighbourhoods NW, our team are very proud of the fact that the development of this course has been lead by the people it is designed to support. We feel confident that this programme will add to the knowledge and skills of participants across the North West, whether they are neighbourhood practitioners, managers or active community members.

THE TEAM:

Chris Hughes - Operations Manager. Primarily responsible for the design and development of the programme as well as being involved in the delivery of the pilots.

Liz Boylan - Training Development Officer. Involved in the research and design of the programme Liz co-ordinates the allocation of trainers and liaises with our internal and external verifiers.

Scott Merrifield - Learning & Development Officer. Scott delivered and evaluated part of the pilot courses and is part of our excellent delivery team.

Angela Sangster - Learning & Development Officer. Angela is part of our excellent delivery team.

Click here if you would like to know more about the Working in Neighbourhoods programme.