How Your Area Works

 SWb&J

'How Your Area Works' is a short programme [arranged over the course of 1 half day a week for 4 weeks] aimed at helping local people be in the know about:

  • Local decisions - who makes them and how they are made
  • How to shape decisions that affect the future of their Communities
  • Opportunities created by the new Community Assemblies
  • How groups in the area will work with the Assembly
  • Who is working for change in your area  

OFFER were commissioned by Sheffield City Council to deliver 'How Your Area Works' in each of the Community Assembly areas during the course of 2009/10 as a way of helping local people get the most out of opportunities created by the Community Assemblies.      

Where did the idea behind 'How Your Area Works' come from? 

It builds on the success of the ‘How Your City Works' and ‘How Your Neighbourhood Works' programmes that OFFER has been developing and delivering in Sheffield over the past few years.

Both these programmes have consistently produced excellent feedback from participants and the statutory sector partners who have helped to deliver them, and are held up as models of best practice with Barnsley and Rotherham implementing them as a direct result of our work in Sheffield. 

Some quotes from the 83 people who've recently been on 'How Your Area Works'

OFFER asked participants for one thing they'd do differently as a direct result of coming along to 'How Your Area Works' here's a few quotes: 

  • 'I've since attended PACT meetings, Arbourthorne Forum meetings, & a Manor Fields consultation event and am keen to be part of a Manor Fields friends group and encourge others to do the same'
  • 'I attended the community VCF sector feedbck event on 18th March at the Town Hall and will be attending my next Community Assembly meeting'
  • 'Im going to attend my Community Assembly meetings and commit to reading the leaflets they send me'  

For more HYAW's participant quotes click here  

Meet Tony Alright, Arbourthorne resident and HYAW's participant.

This programme works and really helps people in Sheffield effectively engage and influence. So let's help make sure these valuable programmes are not lost to Sheffield so: 

  • If you are reading this as a Community representative / organisation and think 'How Your Area Works' would be a good way of helping people in your area effectively engage & influence decisions and local services [something Sheffield City Council is keen to happen] then please keep it on the radar of those that can influence funding decisions e.g local Councillors, Community Assembly officers.  
  • If you are reading this as someone with a commissioning role and want to find out more about 'How Your Area Works' then please contact:
    Andy Lowman, Training Manager at Voluntary Action Sheffield 
    T: 0114 253 6600 E:a.lowman@vas.org.uk

If you would like an informal chat with one of the developers/trainers of 'How Your Area Works' and how it might work in your area please email Natalie Hunt: madamezucchini@gmail.com  

Page last updated April 2010