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| Neighbourhood Action Project | |
|---|---|
| Name | Neighbourhood Action Project |
| Formation | 1970s |
| Type | Community initiative |
| Headquarters | Various |
| Region served | Urban areas |
Neighbourhood Action Project The Neighbourhood Action Project is a community-based initiative associated with local revitalization efforts in urban areas, linking grassroots groups with municipal authorities, healthcare providers, and law enforcement to address social issues. It brings together residents, non-governmental organizations such as The Salvation Army, Red Cross, and Shelter (charity), local councils like Glasgow City Council and Birmingham City Council, and public services including National Health Service teams and West Midlands Police to coordinate interventions. The Project intersects with programs run by agencies such as Department for Communities and Local Government, Big Lottery Fund, and charities like Community Foundation and Citizens Advice.
The initiative operates at the intersection of urban regeneration movements exemplified by Urban Regeneration (United Kingdom), neighbourhood policing models influenced by Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) practice, public health frameworks from Public Health England, and social housing strategies used by English Partnerships and housing associations such as Peabody Trust. It commonly partners with institutions including local authorities in the United Kingdom, Metropolitan Police Service, London Fire Brigade, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, and voluntary organisations like Age UK and Barnardo's. Project activities frequently align with funding streams from bodies like Heritage Lottery Fund and philanthropic foundations such as Joseph Rowntree Foundation.
Origins trace to community action movements of the 1970s and 1980s influenced by campaigns such as Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament protests and localised schemes from Inner City Partnerships and Single Regeneration Budget (SRB). Pilot schemes emerged alongside initiatives by Greater London Council, Merseybeat (policing), and community development models promoted by Tudor Trust. Subsequent phases were shaped by policy documents from Department for Transport and urban strategies modelled on Portland Plan-style neighbourhood planning, while evaluations drew on methodologies from Joseph Rowntree Foundation research and reports by National Audit Office.
Core objectives include reducing anti-social behaviour under frameworks similar to Crime and Disorder Act 1998 enforcement, improving housing conditions in collaboration with Homes and Communities Agency, enhancing public health outcomes alongside Public Health England campaigns, and promoting employment linked to programmes like Work Programme and European Social Fund grants. Activities encompass community safety patrols inspired by Community safety accreditation scheme, youth outreach comparable to Youth Offending Team interventions, environmental clean-ups akin to Keep Britain Tidy projects, and skills training in partnership with Further Education (FE) colleges and Jobcentre Plus. The Project often liaises with cultural organisations such as Arts Council England and community enterprise networks like Social Enterprise UK.
Structure varies: some iterations are managed by local authorities including Manchester City Council or devolved administrations like Scottish Government, others are administered by charitable trusts such as Nesta or consortiums featuring Local Enterprise Partnership members. Governance models reference statutory frameworks like Localism Act 2011 for devolution, oversight from bodies similar to Audit Commission reviews, and stakeholder boards including representatives from NHS England, Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services, and resident associations such as Tenants' and Residents' Associations. Volunteer coordination often mirrors practices used by Volunteer Centre networks.
Funding combines public grants from bodies like Big Lottery Fund, local authority budgets influenced by Comprehensive Spending Review, European funding mechanisms formerly administered under European Regional Development Fund, and private philanthropy from trusts like Lloyds Bank Foundation. In-kind resources include premises from housing providers such as Clarion Housing Group, manpower from National Citizen Service volunteers, and technical assistance from consultancy firms with provenance in KPMG or PwC community practice. Monitoring and financial accountability align with standards set by Charity Commission for England and Wales and reporting expectations from Companies House when projects are registered as social enterprises.
Evaluations employ mixed-methods approaches drawing on tools used by What Works Centre for Cities and impact assessments comparable to those by Institute for Fiscal Studies and Centre for Cities. Reported impacts include reductions in recorded incidents reported to Crime Survey for England and Wales, improvements in housing quality measured by standards from Homes and Communities Agency, and enhanced wellbeing metrics related to studies by King's Fund and Mental Health Foundation. Case studies often cite collaborations that mirror successful partnerships between neighbourhood watch groups, youth services like Prince's Trust, and healthcare providers such as Royal College of General Practitioners.
Critiques echo concerns raised in analyses by Joseph Rowntree Foundation and reports in outlets like The Guardian and BBC News regarding sustainability, short-termism tied to funding cycles from Big Lottery Fund, issues of accountability noted by National Audit Office, and tensions between policing priorities exemplified by debates around Section 60 (Public Order Act 1986) stop-and-search powers. Other challenges include coordination hurdles between agencies similar to NHS England and local authorities under frameworks like Care Act 2014, disparities in outcomes highlighted by research from Equality and Human Rights Commission, and political shifts influenced by policy changes from administrations such as UK Government and devolved governments like Welsh Government.
Category:Community development