THE ROLE OF NEIGHBOURHOOD CENTRES

In the world today people are experiencing rapid economic, technological and social change. For many this affects their personal ability to respond in a constructive manner. They feel little control over the changes that are effecting their lives, such as loss of mobility or a lack of extended families. One effect this is having on our communities is to increase isolation and alienation of individuals and groups.

Neighbourhood Centres provide one way in which people can be encouraged “to believe that they do not have to sit back and allow things to happen to them but that they can get up and take some responsibility themselves for their lives” Twelvetress 1982.

Centres are based on concepts of people having the basic right and ability to participate in decisions that will affect them.

Self-help is a means by which people can learn to participate and gain more confidence in taking control of their own lives.

Therefore Neighbourhood Centres should be places which:

• Build supportive relationships within communities;
• Facilitate the development of personal and community resources;
• Are community directed and controlled;
• Seek to encourage self-help rather than dependency;
• Are open and inviting to all members of the community;
• Are proactive in enabling the disadvantaged to participate;
• Are flexible in nature to support communities to respond to their own needs;
• Function to reduce isolation in a local community;
• Promote a sense of belonging and community spirit;
• Are a cost effective way of working in a proactive and preventative manner;
• Endorse a community development model of work.