COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AT BRABAZON
It’s been just over two years since Community Development was introduced in Brabazon. In this article you will be able to find out what has happened in Brabazon community during this time, what Community Development does and why is it so important.
‘‘It has been my absolute pleasure working with the Brabazon community for the last two years, meeting and getting to know all the diverse individuals and witnessing what a strong community means. It’s been a an amazing experience and learning curve. It feels like a very special moment in time to be part of.’’
Anna, your former Community worker
WHAT IS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT?
Community Development is the process of empowering individuals and groups within a community to identify and address shared needs, challenges, and opportunities. It involves fostering collaboration, strengthening connections, building skills, and creating resources to improve the quality of life and promote social wellbeing. By empowering people at Brabazon to work together, community development aims to heavily contribute towards building an inclusive, resilient, and thriving community where everyone can contribute and benefit.
In simple words, community worker helps to connect people and make things happen that matter to the people to make their neighbourhood a great place to live. Essentially, people from strong communities lead better, healthier and happier lives.
This role sits within the Community Development team at Southern Brooks Community Partnership who have been supporting communities in South Gloucestershire since 1988. Southern Brooks work explores many community challenges such as discrimination, isolation and both mental and physical health. With the organisation’s vast reach and networks, the Brabazon Community worker benefits from established connections and resources within the VCSE (Voluntary, Charity, Social Enterprise) and Public Sector across South Gloucestershire. In turn, Brabazon residents are then kept connected, supported and informed.
Connections and cohesion
These are key factors for a healthy and strong community. Through this role platforms and channels have been created that enable residents to connect with their street as well as the wider Brabazon neighbourhood. They can easily start discussions and ask questions, and even get a helping hand. This is the kind of neighbourhood where neighbours will lend you sugar when you run out, will receive the package for you and will look after your cat while you are away.
Social gatherings are an essential part of community development. They help people to connect on a deeper and more meaningful level and find shared interests. Brabazon community events celebrate diversity and foster inclusion in this neighborhood, essentially creating a welcoming place for new and existing residents, as well as those just visiting. Over the last two years the community at Brabazon have enjoyed a wide variety of activities and events from street BBQs to Book clubs, arts workshops, film screenings, Halloween crafts, Easter egg hunts, Breakfast clubs, Lunar New years and green activities.
Empowerment and ownership
A person-centered approach has been at the core of the Brabazon Community Development. The aim is to empower people to help make things happen that matter to them. This has resulted in some memorable events so far including an Easter Egg hunt for local families, new litter picking equipment to keep the area looking and feeling beautiful and a bake sale fundraiser. People have also come together to tackle more complex issues, such as understanding service charges or wanting to keep Brabazon a safe place to live. Collective voice has been encouraged and the recently formed Brabazon Residents’ Association is a great example of this.
Finding out what is important to people has been a key focus over the last 2 years and this has been carried out by engaging residents in community meetings, surveys, polls and individual conversations. The feedback is then used to lead the planning for future projects and for supporting residents to carry out their own initiatives.
Information sharing and awareness
Being informed about what’s available in the area is important so that residents can access the services and opportunities out there and take an active part in the community (e.g. parent support, walking groups, arts classes). A great effort is put to ensure all new residents moving in Brabazon are in the loop of what’s going on in the area, and this is done through welcome events, by distributing informative posters and including intro postcards into their welcome packs.
Running and updating different media channels is yet another important part of the community development role. Regularly updated website, a quarterly newsletter and an active and visible presence on Facebook also drives more outside members to join and follow the Brabazon development. It generates positive perceptions about Brabazon and highlights the benefits and opportunities it will bring to the wider area.
Looking forward
Southern Brooks is committed to keeping delivering high level Community Development at Brabazon through continuously identifying and supporting outstanding individuals and community champions; through fostering connections between the residents and partners; through actively listening to what the community cares about most and through supporting it in achieving this.
There is a lot of excitement to continue to work closely with partners, residents, the Resident’s Association and YTLD in evolving the vision for Brabazon. There is lots to look forward to, especially the planning for The Hanger community centre that is opening early next year. And they will need your input!
BrabFest is another exciting project that was piloted in 2024 and has now become an annual event. The residents love and pride having a local mini festival of their own that celebrates the strengths and diversity of the Brabazon community through food, crafts, music and quality time together. The plan is to involve more new residents and partners in future to help it grow bigger and better.
Other ongoing projects and ideas include Gromit Unleashed 3, Community Theatre Production, setting up a gardening group and fundraising for The Grand Appeal.
The community worker Anna Malina is now stepping down from her role to leave the Brabazon community in the capable hands of Surabhi Miah (you can call her Sue). Please get in touch with her if you have any questions, concerns, comments or just to simply say hi
SurabhiMiah@southernbrooks.org.uk
IDEAS? SUGGESTIONS?
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© 2023 Brabazon Community News
Photo credit: BAE Systems
