RBH Community Kids 

Staff from Rochdale Boroughwide Housing (RBH) headed back to the classroom from 20th June 2007 for four weeks as part of a new scheme aimed at encouraging local children to be good neighbours.

RBH Community Kids is a pilot project involving RBH staff and tenant volunteers working initially with Year Four and Year Five pupils at Boarshaw Community Primary School children. The project will then be rolled out to four further primary schools across the borough.

The project is a linchpin of the Communities First programme, that recognizes and rewards individuals and groups who make a positive contribution to their local communities.

RBH Staff have worked with teachers and the Police Community Support Officer at Boarshaw Primary School to develop specially designed lessons that meet the requirements of the citizenship element of the national curriculum.

The children learned about their own communities, going for a walkabout on their estate to photograph and discuss the things they like and dislike locally.  They also welcomed tenants and residents for a cup of tea and a chat to find out how anti-social behaviour affects them and how the children can have a positive influence on their community.  The programme culminated with the children designing their ideal estate.

Gill Walch, Chair of RBH's Board explained further, This is an opportunity to create positive links with young people living on our estates.  We want to encourage better behaviour and show the children that they can make a difference and make their communities better places to live for everyone."

See the children at work    

RBH Community Kids is launched

On 25th September 2007 children and staff from Boarshaw Primary School joined RBH staff and tenants to officially launch the RBH Community Kids.  At the event Enforcement Officer, Roy Thornsby, who played the role of 'teacher', said: "It is a great initiative. Teaching children at such a young age helps to break the cycle of anti-social behaviour."

Boarshaw Community Primary School's Deputy Headteacher, Jackie Harland, said: "We are a community school and it is so vital that we branch out into the area around us. Practical learning experience for the children has helped them to realise what a difference they can make to Boarshaw."

Year five pupil, Luke Anderson, said: "It was nice taking photos of things that were ruining our community. We learnt a lot about what makes Boarshaw special."

And another pupil, Kayleigh Jones, said: "We identified some things that were spoiling our estate, like litter, vandalism, graffiti and how we could make it a more fun, clean, safe environment."

Gareth Swarbrick, RBH Acting Managing Director, said at the event: "This is a new direction for RBH and this partnership with the schools demonstrates our commitment to working with other agencies and communities in creative ways to bring positive changes to neighbourhoods. We recognise that being a good housing manager and 'bricks and mortar' investment is not enough and that is why we are committed to continuing and developing this work."

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