IMPACT Network’s project officer Zana Bayley reflects on an end of Network event held in Hull last month.
In late July, IMPACT and Goodwin Development Trust hosted a day of family-friendly fun to foster inclusion within local communities in Hull. The event was part of the action plan developed during the IMPACT Network on ‘Anti-Racist Practices and Strengthening Inclusion’ coordinated by Chilypep.
Chilypep brought together representatives from Hull City Council, people with lived experience of social care and discrimination, representatives from third-sector organisations (such as Goodwin Development Trust, and FURD) and academics. Participants covered the local area of South Yorkshire, North Lincolnshire and Humberside.
The Network discussed how to improve inclusion in social care, and help local authorities reach diverse groups of people by understanding more about their needs. The Network decided to focus on housing services provided by the council and identified an example of good practice in Hull, where a local group had set up a “women’s voices TARA”. The group is attended by women from diverse backgrounds and it has become not only a place to talk about housing issues but a way to share knowledge about Hull, support integration, and empowerment.
A family day was organised by the Goodwin Development Trust. The event was planned with the aim to promote those services in Hull in a less informal environment, and support integration and solidarity. It was also an opportunity to celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Doula Project (which supports women throughout pregnancy and early motherhood).
The event took place at the Thornton Estate in Hull where Goodwin has been working in partnership with Hull City Council since 1995 to support equality, diversity and solidarity. While the IMPACT team was walking to the park where the event was happening, Scott Henderson – Goodwin Housing Manager – told us how the area has changed since the 1970s when the area became quite popular for crime problems and drug dealing. Goodwin has worked very hard to support the community to come together and now this is a very good example of integration and diverse people living together.
The day was full of fun and games for children but also with stalls from a range of agencies including Police and Fire Service, healthy eating, housing, theatre groups, the scrap store, youth drug and alcohol services, utilities support and many more providing information. There was also free pizza, ice creams, face painting and a bouncy castle! The weather was kind to everyone, and we enjoyed seeing different families learning about different activities, resources and support that was available locally, as well as enabling children and parents to come together to play, create, eat, and socialise. The Women’s Voices TARA provided free shawarma and falafel wraps, and also spoke to IMPACT about their group which we were able to record and will be sharing soon!
Members of the IMPACT Networks team, and Laura Griffiths from the IMPACT National Embedding team joined the event and shared information about the work of IMPACT with local people and organisations who attended the event. We also were able to record conversations with representatives from the Goodwin Development Trust and the Doula Project which we hope will be useful and inspiring.
