Neighbourhoods Project

What is the Neighbourhoods Project?

The Neighbourhoods Project was launched in 2019 in recognition of the need to optimise recruitment into Better Start Bradford projects from under-represented groups, and to ensure that the programme messages reach as many families as possible.

There was a desire to have grassroots involvement and prioritise the needs and interests of local families in the wider Better Start Bradford offer. The project therefore brought together a number of organisations with existing relationships with the local community, and tasked them with disseminating programme messages, engaging families and, where appropriate, referring them into Better Start Bradford projects.

Over an 18-month period we collaborated with over 15 voluntary and community sector organisations in the Better Start Bradford area to agree a specific model of delivery. Through this work it was agreed that the project should build on what already existed and that the project would draw on the talents of local organisations to develop a neighbourhoods model.

A hub and spoke model of service delivery was established, where community outreach staff were embedded in and managed by a number of community organisations. This enabled us to:

• Maximise the ways that families were able to find out about Better Start Bradford’s projects and services
• Receive and act on feedback from community-based organisations, allowing them to influence the way we delivered our projects and services
• Increase opportunities to develop a shared understanding of key messages across our communities
• Develop wider targeted interventions

Who delivered this project?

• BD4 Community Trust
• The Karmand Centre
• The Thornbury Centre
• West Bowling Community Training and Advice Centre