Goodwin Development Trust, Hull
Kirsty Cuckson
Guide Neighbourhood Co-ordinator
Goodwin Development Trust Ltd, Hull
Goodwin Centre
Icehouse Road,
HULL
HU3 2HQ
Website: www.goodwintrust.org
Goodwin is a company limited by guarantee with charitable status and is one of the Yorkshire & Humber’s leading Social Enterprises. Goodwin also has a trading subsidiary, Goodwin Community Trading Ltd.
Organisational history:
During September of 2003 a handful of local residents from the Thornton Estate, along with Kingston upon Hull City Council’s Housing Department, Economic Development Agency and the Hull Task Force gathered to discuss the possibilities of setting up and developing a community organisation for the residents of the Thornton Estate, an area of low socio-economic profile. By February 1994, a dedicated steering committee was convened. A constitution was drafted and the Committee managed to obtain an empty shop on Goodwin Parade, Walker Street. Initial funding amounting to £15,000 was acquired from the local Forum which was used to renovate and furnish the shop and also pay for general running costs. The Goodwin Resource Centre was officially opened in June 1994. Trustees of the Goodwin Resource Centre Association manned the shop from Monday to Friday each week. At that time, the centre offered various services including Disability Rights, Age Concern and IT training, which would enable the unemployed populace of the ward to gain skills which would assist them in their search for employment. Within the first year of opening 8,000 people had accessed services at the shop. In 1996, Goodwin managed to obtain finances to expand the centre and also to employ their first worker and has experienced meteoric growth over the past 10 years through the persistence of local residents.
As a community owned and run organisation Goodwin has been successful in developing a confident, sustainable neighbourhood infrastructure that has seen the organisation grow to one that now employs over 250 people and has a turnover of £11m. In 2002, Goodwin underwent a change in legal structure from a registered charity to a charitable company, Goodwin Development Trust Ltd. The organisation has a board membership of 11 of which 7 have to be residents. Furthermore 35 residents of the estate are directly employed by us together with 177 residents of Hull who live in super output areas.
Through utilising Participatory Appraisal Techniques we have continually prioritised residents’ needs and developed responses to those needs that can be demonstrated through the provision of Nationally Acclaimed Neighbourhood Wardens, Community Transport, Sure Start and more recently a Fitness Centre, for example.
Over the years we have developed a wide range of skills, expertise and knowledge that can be extended to help other communities.
Our community:
Goodwin is based on the Thornton Estate, a deprived inner city estate of 2600 properties, 60% of which are council owned. There are approximately 3500 residents living on the estate and there is a wide range of ages and ethnic backgrounds. The estate is bounded by four main roadways and was built in the 1950’s. The Thornton Estate has a history of multiple deprivation, particularly in areas of education, skills and health. Goodwin seeks to develop projects to tackle issues and meet local need. Following a recent Participatory Appraisal on the estate the main issues for concern were highlighted as street drinking, drug dealing, litter and security. These issues are being looked at as part of a Neighbourhood Management pilot.
What we do:
The Goodwin Centre itself incorporates a community café, conference facilities, a 16-place IT suite, Jobshop and offices to let for partner organisations that add value to existing provision.
We currently run the country’s largest Neighbourhood Warden Scheme which has won national awards and is regularly cited as an example of good practice. In 2002, Goodwin became the Warden Resource Centre for the Yorkshire and Humber.
Goodwin is the accountable body for two Sure Start programmes across four local wards and we are in the process of working towards the new Children’s Centres agenda.
We have developed the West Hull Community Transport scheme to provide specially designed community focused transport gap provision services that enable residents of whatever age or disability additional and improved access to facilities and locations throughout the city of Hull.
Funding was secured in 2004 to build a £5m state of the art Neighbourhood Centre, The Octagon, which opened in September this year. This new centre will dramatically improve the quality of life on the estate by providing an array of services including a health care unit accommodating a doctor’s surgery and a range of nurse led services, a 67-place wrap-around childcare facility, Hull City Council Customer Service Centre, West Hull Primary Care Trust Homeless Team, Yorkshire & Humber Warden Resource Centre, conference facilities for up to 250 delegates and office units.
Goodwin is a community-led organisation and we work very closely with local residents to development projects that meet the specific needs of the community. Goodwin has developed a wide range of projects over the years and we can offer advice and guidance in any of the following areas:
- Setting up new groups and organisations
- Engaging local residents
- Partnership working
- Capital projects
- Securing funds from local and central Government and the European Union
- Project development and management
- Capacity building
- Charity law and legislation
- Core Services, including Human Resources, Health & Safety and financial procedures
- Neighbourhood Management
Through the Guide Neighbourhood programme, we are able to offer mentoring and support services to other neighbourhoods through structured visits to Goodwin and meetings with our Regeneration Consultants, who are local residents of the Thornton Estate.
Groups and statutory bodies we are working with/have worked with in the past:
Home Office, Her Majesty’s Treasury, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister - Neighbourhood Renewal Unit, Government Office for the Yorkshire & Humber, Development Trusts Association, Yorkshire Forward, Kingston upon Hull City Council, West Hull Primary Care Trust, Jobcentre Plus, PROBE, URBaN, Amazing Play, Edinburgh Street Community Centre and the Billy Friar Trust
Contact:
For more information regarding our Guide Neighbourhood
Programme or to arrange a visit please contact:
Kirsty Cuckson, Guide Neighbourhood Co-ordinator
Tel: 01482 594303 / 01482 587550
Email: kcuckson@goodwin-centre.org
Post:
Goodwin Development Trust Ltd
Goodwin Centre
Icehouse Road
HULL
HU3 2HQ
Web: www.goodwintrust.org