STEM
(stronger together in East Middlesbrough)
'NARROWING THE GAP'
The Neighbourhood renewal unit confirmed in SSCF-NE (Safer Stronger Communities Fund-Neighbourhood Element) guidance that " people .living in disadvantaged neighbourhoods experience worse living conditions, and poorer public services than those living in other areas. "It is understood that additional measures and resources may be required in areas of high deprivation, to attempt to 'narrow the gap'.
The ability to reduce inequalities in service and quality of life permanently is not something that can be achieved by one agency or by additional funding alone. Significant mainstream resources are often already directed into these communities, but can be uncoordinated, resulting in service gaps and duplication, and often miss the areas of real need due to poorly focused service provision.
In East Middlesbrough we are attempting to 'narrow the gaps' via the STEM project. STEM is a partnership between : community, public service providers and voluntary sector groups and agencies.
STEM includes a programme over four years until 2010 which will assist with 'kick-starting' and supporting service improvements and projects. To deliver sustainable change, crucial components of the approach Neighbourhood Management to co-ordinate services and resources in response to local needs, Community Engagement and capacity building to enhance residents enjoyment of and, role in their community.
Five broad 'themes' have been agreed to tackle the key objectives. These are:
1 Cleaner, safer, greener
2 Young people
3 Worklessness Health
4 Community engagement
5 Health
STEM has stated baselines and key targets within the LAA (local area agreements) aimed at reducing the gaps by 2010.How we will reach these is detailed in action plans for each of our six neighbourhoods, broken into the five themes above. The actions are to be carried out by partnerships of local agencies working together and cohesively to tackle the issues. In this way STEM do not claim to have achieved the targets alone, rather it is by combining many actions, carried out by many partners, working in together.
An example in practice is the following indicator from the LAA-STEM will: "increase the number of stem residents who feel involved in community life", by 10% by 2010.
To achieve this, would bring the STEM area into line with the rest of Middlesbrough (i.e. narrowing the gap).
To achieve this, we have listed 28 actions in the neighbourhood plans, and identified partners to assist in this. Each action commits a target date, and, and the actions are being monitored quarterly by we residents.
Contact STEM on: Tel- 01642-207270
Fax- 01642-207279
