Place Approach: Auchinairn, Hillhead, Lennoxtown, Twechar
The East Dunbartonshire Community Planning Partnership (CPP) is committed to reducing inequality and focusing on areas that need help the most.
The CPP use a place-based approach, which means focusing on specific areas with high inequality. This way of working involves partnering with communities to plan and provide services that truly improve people’s lives.
A Locality Plan is a vital tool that empowers communities by giving them a voice in shaping their future. Its purpose is to address poverty and inequalities within a community. By involving residents, organisations and partners, the Locality Plan establishes an action plan that details specific steps and initiatives to address community needs and bring about positive change.
Hillhead was the first area to be targeted using a place approach. By working with services and communities the Auchinairn, Lennoxtown and Twechar priority areas were also identified.
Consultation insights
A Locality Plan Consultation ran from 4 December 2021 until Sunday 3 April 2022. Individuals and groups participated through a range of mediums, including surveys, telephone, the ‘blether box’ and activity-based events. Street surveys and pop-up stations were facilitated in our most priority data zones within each of our Place areas.
A series of workshops introducing the ‘blether box’ and delivering session were facilitated. Twenty individuals participated, representing a range of community planning partners, community and third sector organisations across all of our Place areas.
In total, 643 people participated in the consultation. 599 individual surveys were returned and four ‘blether box’ events were hosted, which supported 44 individuals to participate. 20 people participated in activity-based engagement events.
Working with families
We try to improve things for families by:
- Improving confidence in parenting.
- Reducing health inequalities.
- Improving relationships in families.
- Increasing readiness for learning in children.
- Enhancing social belonging and employability.
We are working towards this through our schools and our community centre by offering a number of courses and activities which bring people together to work as families either together or separately and by looking for parental volunteers to work with their friends and neighbours to engage them in the opportunities available.
Have a look at the timetable of events in our community centres to see what is on offer for children and families.
Community safety
Partners work together to improve safety and people’s feelings of safety in Hillhead under the following headings: creating a safer and better environment, reducing levels of drug and alcohol misuse, and increasing levels of positive interaction between the police and other safety focussed agencies. This is reflected in the work of the Community Safety Partnership. A number of environmental improvements have been put in place as well as increased patrols of the community wardens.
Community Development
In order to put the community at the heart of developments, it is essential to support groups and individuals to become involved in their local community. Partners are working towards increasing community involvement in local decision making, assisting community groups to access resources, increasing volunteering levels, increasing levels of community led provision, and assisting groups to become more self-sufficient.
Hillhead Community Centre
The Hillhead Community Centre is a hive of local activity for all ages. Check out the timetable for what is on. As well as classes and activities, the Hillhead Community Forum are always looking for local people to volunteer and help them to plan open days and other events and activities within Hillhead, they meet on the 2nd Tuesday of every month and all local people are welcome. To apply for a let for your club, group or organisation, use the online letting system.