CHS Taf Myrddin Time Credits

Taf Myrddin Launch Week Update

Spice are working with Carmarthenshire County Borough Council Housing Services (CHS) to introduce Time Credits to the Taf Myrddin locality over the next 12 months as part of a pilot programme, as a way of enabling local tenants to make a difference in their communities and local services and to recognise the value of their contributions. Time Credits support people to develop their interests and unrealised assets to improve individual wellbeing and build strong and connected communities. The Taf Myrddin Time Credits project will support the work of the CHS Community Engagement team and will work with staff to develop engagement across the service through the use of Time Credits.

Context
Taf Myrddin Time Credits commenced in January 2013 after many months in planning. Rachel Gegeshidze Time Credits Facilitator began by undertaking a number of community listening events and visits to look at assets across the locality. This led to the programme gaining momentum from an early stage due to the enthusiasm, encouragement and support of local groups and organisations in the locality, a small number of groups were prioritised, approached and signed up to the network; this process was undertaken by looking at which groups CHS tenants currently access or engage with, all groups/organisations took part in co-design activities to help to plan the launch week event in the locality. The following groups and organisations participated in the Taf Myrddin Launch Week Event 18th March 2013- 23rd March 2013: Ty Hapus Family Centre Ty Ni Family Centre Dr Mz Youth Centre Yr Aelwyd Sheltered Housing Scheme Woods Row Court Sheltered Housing Scheme Tenants and Residents of East Carmarthen Richmond Park School Arts 4 Wellbeing

The launch week aimed to: Raise public awareness of the scheme within the Carmarthen town locality primarily Communicate the Time Credit values (everyones time is equal, give your time doing something you love) Provide an opportunity for people to earn and spend Time Credits across one week Build confidence and experience within the groups and organisations signed up to the network

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Increase knowledge of the locality area Encourage new members to attend opportunities to earn and sign up Start to build the time credit network

This document gives a brief over view of the events and activities that took place across the week.

Advertising the event

Posters and information was sent to tenants across the locality informing them of the 2 clean up activities planned during the week. Groups and organisations also used their current advertisement methods to notify beneficiaries of earn and spend opportunities. Social media also played a significant part in notifying tenants of the opportunities to earn and spend; this has been much interest on Facebook, with people requesting information, leading to people attending events during the week.

Events across the week

Park Hall, TREC (Tenants and Residents of East Carmarthen) and Ty Hapus Family Centre clean up and waste amnesty on Tuesday 19th March 2013 tenants joined in the community clean up around the housing site and local woodland area, the event was attended by 9 local tenants, 8 children from Richmond Park Primary School and their teacher Mrs Tipping, Councillors Tegwen Devichand, Peter Hughes Griffiths and Gareth Jones and 2 members of the Tidy Towns team, as well as CHS staff Clare Tinkler Community Engagement Manager and Maria Evans Community Engagement Officer. All participants earned 1 Time Credit for giving their time to help the local community. Ty Hapus Family Centre in Park Hall have also been providing opportunities for local tenants of all ages, the Dads Group has been volunteering their time to help with general maintenance and repairs, children attending the after school club are also able to earn Time Credits for their help at the allotments and woodland area. Ty Hapus also planned an internal spend opportunity for

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their volunteers with a coffee and craft morning. Dr Mz Youth Project Launch of Environmental Project On Wednesday 20th March 2013 young people at Dr Mz Youth Project took part in a gardening session at the local park, Dr Mz celebrates its 16th birthday this year and to mark the event, the town based centre is looking to take on 16 environmental challenges which will improve the community, whether it's cleaning the riverside in a canoe or sprucing up flower planters, young people will earn Time Credits for the time they volunteer to support the challenges.

Read more: http://www.thisissouthwales.co.uk/Green-anniversary-challenges/story18531572-detail/story.html#ixzz2PqSXFMNt Follow us: @thisisswales on Twitter | thisissouthwales on Facebook Dr Mz also participated in the national Science Week by holding a science day on Saturday 23rd March 2013, a number of activities on the day were undertaken to support the environmental project, young people earned Time Credits for planting seeds and bulbs that

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will eventually be grown at the recently obtained allotment, as well helping to build the new wormery that will provide the much needed fertilizer. Dr Mz has been providing a range of earn and spend opportunities since joining the network in February 2013, these have included young people giving time to renovate the Chill Out room which will provide a quiet space for support and relaxation, young people have also been earning Time Credits on the Spice clock system by helping to clean up during sessions. Young people attending the youth forum have also earned Time credits, the forum are also involved in the organisation of the UV Disco that is planned and this will become an internal time spend opportunity. Young people also enjoyed a trip to see Wales play at the Liberty Stadium in Swansea and used Time Credits to pay for travel to the match.

Woods Row Court - Litter Pick and Clean Up Thursday 21st March 2013 tenants and residents at Woods Row Court took part in a litter pick and community clean up supported by Carmarthenshire Tidy Towns staff that came along to provide equipment and materials. Tenants from Park Hall and Ty Ni Family Centre also came along to show their support and a helpful hand. Litter is a major issue at the complex due to its town centre location, volunteers helped to collect 15 bags of litter from across the complex as well as spending time clearing paths, flower beds and general tidying. The Woods Row Court Tenants and Residents Association also joined the network on the day, Taf Myrddin Time Credits will be working with them over the coming months to develop their earn and spend opportunities.

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Yr Aelwyd Sheltered Housing, Tregunnor on Friday 22nd March 2013 tenants at Yr Aelwyd organised a Film Night activity session with hot chocolate and marshmallows, tenants could pay for their entry with 2 Time Credits or 50p, 7 tenants enjoyed a musical film, plans are already in place to repeat the activity on a monthly basis, as a way of encouraging tenants to make use of the communal lounge area and to help to address isolation and loneliness this has been a consistent theme that has been raised as an issue at many of the community listening events and visits held since January 2013. Yr Aelwyd tenants have been participating in a number of earn activities such as helping with the luncheon club, clearing the room after activities, planning and organising activities and attending meetings. The tenants association has recently purchased a power washer and tenants will earn Time Credits for their help to clean pathways, planting and maintaining the green house. 25 hours have been earned by tenants giving their time at Yr Aelwyd between March 1st 2013 and March 23rd 2013, well done!

Arts 4 Wellbeing joined the network on Wednesday 20th March 2013, the organisation specialises in creating fully inclusive accessible projects which engage, inspire and motivate, supporting and promoting emotional wellbeing through creativity. Arts 4 wellbeing use the arts as a tool to build confidence and to develop new ways of seeing and being in the world. On Saturday 23rd March 2013 Arts 4 Wellbeing provided a workshop at the Llanelli Multicultual Event at Yr Ffwrnes Theatre in Llanelli, a tenant from Park Hall volunteered his time at the event and earned Time Credits. The session enabled people of all ages to take part in a range of arts, crafts and circus workshops.

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Taf Myrddin Time Credits is working with the Community Engagement team at Carmarthenshire Housing Services to look at ways of developing housing related earn to develop communities in Carmarthenshire, the following ideas are initiatives that will be developed further in consultation with local tenants in the coming months. Developing Community/Street Ambassadors/Champions, the role could include some of the following: Be a point of contact in the community for CHS for 2 way discussion between the community and CHS, especially is this person has good connections with their community/neighbourhood Deliver leaflets, flyers, letters etc Plan community activities and events earn and spend Be a Time Broker for that community and champion Time Credits Knock on doors telling people of community opportunities such as litter picks, meetings and other activities - also would be someone on the ground that people could seek information from Undertake surveys on behalf of CHS - door knock and interview a sample of tenants in that area If there are notice boards within the community they could update etc Developing community initiatives such as a community voice that could inform CHS of any issues in the community or repairs etc. This could build on the neighbourhood watch that is already established in some areas.

Launch Week Success!

The Taf Myrddin Time Credits launch week was a great success; this summary report begins to show the vast range of opportunities that tenants are starting to engage in within their communities, the road range of opportunities will enable individuals to develop new skills, build confidence and self esteem which in turn will support the development of community. Feedback from volunteers and organsiations/groups participating in launch week below:Really pleased to be a new member I have enjoyed helping on 2 litter clean ups and earned 2 time credits, not sure what i will spend them on yet, I like getting involved and helping the community so keep me posted please with future events.

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Really enjoyed getting involved, would like to meet up to plan some other things. Its a good way of us saying thank you to volunteers. Weve got more people wanting to take part in things now. I would like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to everyone that took part during the week; we look forward to working with you over the months ahead to develop the programme with you. If you would like further information about the programme or to get involved please contact Rachel Gegeshidze Taf Myrddin Time Credits Facilitator Email: Rachel@justaddpsice.org Mobile: 07453987648