Fieldhead Estate After School Club

In a nutshell…

young children were getting involved in anti-social behaviour
kids aged 4 to 7 now have an after-school club run by local volunteers
the club is part of a growing list of “things to do” for children in Fieldhead

We heard from a housing officer worried that young children were getting involved in low level anti-social behaviour on the Fieldhead Estate.

We talked to the Tenants and Residents Group. They wanted to take action, but weren’t sure what to do.

Together we wrote a bid to the council’s Awards for All fund to staff a pilot after-school project for four to seven year olds.

The club started in 2016, offering structured activities for two hours once a week. And it’s thriving.

What happened along the way? We have developed a good working relationship with the school and helped local people to run a drama, gardening and sports group for 8 to 12 year olds and a holiday breakfast club.

We supported the chair of the Tenants and Residents Group and another volunteer to attend a new multi-agency forum for the area (it was full of people from the council, college, NHS, schools etc).

“We are all more confident about having our say, CUP’s helped us realise that if we want things to change we have to speak up.” – Project Volunteer.

Results – the after-school club is now run by three volunteers. It’s a local fixture with a healthy turnout of local children.

Background –the Fieldhead Estate in Birstall, north Kirklees, is a post-war council estate with high levels of deprivation.