2023-03-31-annual-report - Glen Development Initiative

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Development Initiative 2022- 2023Annual Report rii

Annual Report

Board of Directors

Chairperson – Dermot O’Hara Vice Chair – Sinead Mc Glinchey Treasurer – Maurice Bowe Secretary – Alex Doherty Director – Sebrina Wright Director – Maeve Mc Laughlin Director – Naomi Wright Director – Pat Mc Ananey Director – Sinead Murphy Director – Michael Cooper

Mission Statement

The Primary Objective of the Glen Development Initiative (GDI) is to improve the general area of the Glen Estate and Lower Rosemount areas of Derry City. GDI believes in the power of community to support the individual, and in the power of the individual to support community.

The four Pillars of Neighbourhood Renewal form the basis of the GDI 5 Year Development Plan i.e.:

Community;
Social;
Physical; and
Economic.

Our mission is to be a gathering place for art, education, recreation and community.

Glen Development Initiative Glenview Community Centre Cedar Street, Derry BT480EG

Ph: 02871268748 Email:

Company No: NI 060479 HMRC No: XR 97898 Registered Charity NIC101280

Chairperson Report

I would like to congrautlate all of the staff, volunteers and fellow directors for all their hard work and committement of the previous 12 months.

It is clear to see that GDI are continuing to engage with the local community to address their issues and needs. Our service has continued to grow and expand eventhough we continue to use an outdated and not fit for purpose community centre.In the contents of this report you will see how every strand of the community is catered for within our organisation.

This year has seen the finical impact of Brexit and the hangover from Covid which has seen a major cost of living crisis. GDI will continue to ensure those most in need are not forgotten and will provide services to protect those in our community.

This year we lost one of our key members of staff Lisa Moore luckily she has not gone far and we are excited to work with her in her new role.

Dermot O’Hara Chiarperson

Projects, Programs & Events

GLEN PARENT AND TODDLER’S

The group continues to operate 3 days per week, this year we trailed a parent and child session on a Tuesday but uptake was not good. Unfortunately due to the size of the hall we continue to have a waiting list for those looking to access our services. In the 2022-23 year had a number of trips to the Bowling Alley, there were visits from Parkie the Magician and Kidz Farm.

During the summer of 2022, they had a trip to Belfast Zoo and were part of the community fun day held in the centre. They had the Play Bus, Parkie the Magician and In Your Space Circus providing the entertainment on the day.

They had their own Halloween and Chrstmas parties followed by a party for the whole of the community.

GLEN YOUTH CLUB

We had a wide range of projects over the course of the year and catered for a wide range of interests and abilities.

Under Health and Wellbeing, we have delivered 6 projects:

-Mental Health project with 15 young people aged 12-15

-Drugs and alcohol awareness with 15 young people aged 14-17,

-vaping/smoking awareness with 17 young people aged 13-17

-Resilience Project in association with Mental Health UK for 16 young people aged 14-18 and also introduced a new young men’s group of 8 young men aged 12-17 who have looked at men’s health and wellbeing, stereotyping and gender roles as well as helping to organise an Outer West wide international men’s event which included 46 young men from across the DEA.

5 Crime prevention included:

-16 young people aged 15-19 taking part in our Young People and the Law programme.

-working in partnership with CRJ to deliver Firework and Bonfire Safety to 2 different age groups

-Tackling Antisocial Behaviour with a group of 12–15-year-olds as well as with our Sparks project

5 Inclusion/CRED

Looking at community relations, equity and diversity this year in the form of a stereotyping project, LGBTQIA+, disability awareness, an Amnesty International and Childs Rights workshop as well as a 4- week programme around community relations and working with the public with our Party People group.

5 Improving Educational Attainment

We have completed 3 projects with Rosemount Primary school this year including Resilience training, health and wellbeing week and Transitions which prepares P7 pupils for the move to secondary education. We also introduced a study group, allowing young people to bring in their homework or coursework for a bit of support from staff and peers, this group has also supported students to plan out their work and create study aids sharing their ideas with their peers.

4 Personal and social development

This year we have looked a lot at careers and preparing for careers with projects looking at interview and cv skills. We have also had more up to date and refresher training for our volunteers around child protection, communication and listening skills as well as self-care and reflection skills.

We have been very lucky to have had 3 Sparks projects funded by EA through the Department of Justice which employs 10 young people across the DEA, all three of these were managed and delivered by Glen Y.C. The young people took

part in social action projects, looked at community relations, intergenerational work and giving back to their community as well as a few diversionary trips including an incredible trip to Liverpool.

We have 4 young people from the area engaged in part time employment in the youth club who helped to run the annual junior summer scheme which brought 38 primary aged children together for 2 weeks of sports, arts and crafts and trips.

We held Sports Week over the Easter Holidays which saw 30 primary aged children try our a range of new sports, including boxing, football, hurling, athletics and dance, supported by local sports cubs and 8 volunteers from the youth club.

GLEN MEN’S SHED & HEN SHED

The Glen Men Shed has had another very successful year engaging with local men and Addressing issues related to men’s health and well being. We have seen a high increase of men being referred from social workers/ trust although this is welcome we do not have the resources to meet such a high need. This year our groups have been involved in –

➢ Men’s Health Week – Activities included – Mindfulness session, Walk around Inch, 2x Men’s Health MOT’s, Healthy eating workshop and Smoking Cessation.
➢ Cross community programme where our members visited a wide range of different Men Shed’s across this North this included visit to Colin Glen Men Shed and Allotments, Armagh Men Shed, Belfast Tool Library and St.James Community Farm.
➢ Social day out to Belfast with tour of Crumlin Road Gaol, visit to Celtic Park for Dublin vs Derry.
➢ Launch of our big Green Art piece on the Northland Road.
➢ A wall for All where our shed was commissioned to create a braille sign on Free Derry Corner
➢ International Men’s Health Event
➢ Scam awareness workshop with CRJI
➢ Supporting GDI with seasonal events.
➢ Our men shed was also represented at the meeting of Men Shed Ireland in the Assembly.

We would like to thank our funders for the past 12 months which include Derry City Strabane District Council, NIHE and National Lottery Community Fund. We look forward to the next 12 months and the on-going development of the Glen Men & Women’s Shed.

GREATER GLEN WOMEN’S GROUP

We have now expanded our group and we have a young women’s group who

meet every Tuesday from 11am to 1pm. They have been taking part in a number of holistic programmes including art therapy, relaxation techniques and Bach’s remedies. This group is always open to new members. We would like to say a special thank you to all our members who for their help

and commitment to our group, without you we would be lost. I would like to thank the following funders; without their continued support we would be unable to run programmes within the area. DCSDC & WHSCT

GLEN GOLDEN YEARS CLUB

They have been taking part in a number of programmes including chair based exercise, dance classes crafting, art class both using food and diamond art, bingo the group attend the bowling alley First Thursday of the month Through Big Lottery Funding the group attended multiple trips away in the summer one was to the ulster American folk funded through CSF. Glen golden years is always open

to new members and we like to post new updates on our social media pages and through our newsletter The Glen golden year group look forward to Christmas as they get involved in the community Christmas dinner and it gives them the chance to catch up with friends old and new.

Skills Northwest

Between April 22 and March 23 Skills Northwest at GDI ran Makaton Training, CSR and Forklift licence, PFirstaid, Food Hygiene , manual Handling , Epi pen, Firstaid, Safeguarding and Autism awareness training. We liaised with Ashmore House and The Mens Methodist Mission to Encourage people in need to get Training. We Did Outerwest Pop ups in Ballymagroarty, Rosmount , Northland rd so we could target a wider audience.

OTHER PROGRAMMES AND EVENTS

In addition to this GDI has been involved in a wide range of new and exciting programmes this has included.

Glen Community Garden Continues to provide a space f or local residents to grow their own.
Under ASK GDI has now begun to deliver welfare rights across the area with outreach taking place in Dunluce Family Centre.
Halloween – HAUNTED HOUSE – which attracted 3,500 visitors
Our Spring Festival which took place in Brooke Park supported by Outer West included community tea dance and family fun day.
Our Summer Festival continues to grow and expand which now includes community away days, fun days in the Glen Play Park and Lindenwood with a finale in the cregganburn park on 15[t h] August with over 600 people in attendance.
Our photography group has expanded and now runs once per week. This year saw them produce amazing images which is displayed within the centre.
Cnoc Na Ros Snooker Club continues to use our centre the group are being supported by our manager.
Social Café ran over the winter months and provide a warm space with food for local residents.
Winter Warmth Packs where distrubuted to over 100 residents.
Consulation on Creggan Burn Park was held in the summer to gather feedback from local residents.
New murals in Aldrin Pass and Glenbank Road
Speed awarenes display which was placed on the Glen Road for 2 weeks to advise motorists of their speed.
Photography display with St. Marys College.
This was an 8 week Project Funded by Good relations, we had 7 Cooking Workshops Each with 18 in attendance , these workshops taught people how to cook traditional dishes from around the world. The Last week was a Community Cultural Lunch which saw 120 people attend Where there was entertainment and food from around the world , this built great relationships within the Community.
Pride of Place award was awarded to Glen Youth Club who received the award for the hard work during Covid when these young people took to the streest across the city dressed as Superheros and Princesses.

Managers’ Report

Vision for the 12 months

I would like to thank all our staff and volunteers who have continued to work to provide first class services to the community of the Greater Glen area.

In the next 12 months we will continue to grow and expand our services, with all our user groups now back up and running our centre is in full flow.

We will continue over the next 12 months to progress the plans and development for our new youth and community build. We will also work closely with council to provide a masterplan for the regereration of the zig zag paths and Creggan Burn Park.

This year we have been successful in our application to the Big Lottery Supporting Communities this has allowed our services to expand and has provided reassurance to our groups at this time of economic downturn.

The work you see contained within this report shows the incredibile work that our staff and volunteers take on throughout the year, GDI has now become one of the stand out community development organisations within the city.

len Development Initiative