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Balsall Heath Forum, Birmingham

Balsall Heath Forum
Birmingham
The Tree Nursery
82/89 St Pauls Rd
Balsall Heath
Birmingham
B12 8LS

Tel: 0121 446 6183
Fax: 0121 440 5060•
Website: www.balsallheathforum.org.uk

A Company Limited by Guarantee, The Forum was formed in 1992 from what had previously been 'The Building a Better Balsall Heath Campaign'. It started with 1 staff and now has 18 who work for the locally elected committee.

Balsall Heath is an inner city area with a population composition of 60% Asian, 20% Black and 20% White. It was the red light district for Birmingham but this has ended and the neighbourhood now flourishes.

Balsall Heath offers experienced resident volunteers and/or employed staff who specialise in:

• Enabling Residents to Represent Their Neighbourhood
  Democracy at neighbourhood level does not happen over-night. It evolves. We can take inexperienced residents through the steps and stages it takes to emerge as a representative body which can negotiate with partners and undertake other functions.
• Building Civil Renewal
  Neighbourhood Mapping, Neighbourhood Celebration and Neighbourhood Communication.
• Delivering Services
  Delivering services which partners can't or won't deliver and which residents need, including:
  • Providing Neighbourhood Wardens and a supplementary safety service.
  • Providing a locally grown Environmental Team able to clean and green the neighbourhood.
  • Training – for residents, officers and Councillors.
  • An integrated youth service.
  • Marketing the image of the neighbourhood.
  • Managing public assets.
• Neighbourhood Management Services and Assets
  Few neighbourhoods are administered as such and services are generally delivered in separate ways over far wider areas.
  We can show others how to join these up and relate them to the neighbourhood via:
  • A neighbourhood manager
  • A neighbourhood strategic partnership
    
  • A neighbourhood development plan
  • A neighbourhood budget
• Replication of principles of successful neighbourhood renewal in other areas.
  The Balsall Heath model is not the only one. We can show residents others from which to chose.

We believe that, if given the chance, many neighbourhoods will wish to follow one or more of the above practices and we
will work with them via:

• One off visits.
• A lengthy relationship until they can stand on their own feet.
• Other interesting Guide Neighbourhoods.

We have been/are working with the following organisations:

• Sheffield – Stubbin
• Leicester North West
• Seven Districts of Birmingham and their key struggling neighbourhoods: Moseley, Sparkbrook, Sparkhill, Acocks Green,
  Edgbaston, Small Heath, Lozells and Community Unity

Contact Details:

For more information regarding our Guide Neighbourhood Programme or to arrange a visit please contact:

Naseem Akhtar
Tel: 0121 446 6182/3
E-mail: naseem@balsallheathforum.org.uk