Stockbridge Village, Knowsley, Liverpool City Region

Capturing and disseminating the findings

An artist, Len Grant, was commissioned to depict visually, using art and storytelling, the stories and experiences that emerged. As a result of this work, two booklets were produced, ‘Stockbridge in Stories’ and ‘Stockbridge in Stories: Hidden struggles with drugs and alcohol’.

We then engaged in a series of dissemination events presenting our findings to the wider community, local stakeholders and policy makers. We presented the findings from the first enquiry and the booklet to the senior management team of Forhousing, to a council meeting of Knowsley Council, to an Adult Safeguarding Board event, and to Community Forum Meetings at Stockbridge. We held exhibitions of this work at the Knowsley Library Culture Hub and at the lobby of Knowsley Town Hall. We organised a community event (a Community Gala) in Stockbridge to celebrate the impact of the first enquiry. We also presented our work on various CLAHRC NRP events.

The contribution of the Resident Advisers was decisive in undertaking the programme’s work. They used their local knowledge and connections to identify, approach and liaise with residents in the community willing to be interviewed which was especially important for highlighting stories around personal alcohol use. They co-produced the research design and jointly edited the material included in booklets and posters, and they played a central role in the dissemination of findings at numerous community events.

Positive impacts of this work

The Resident Advisers used their local connections to reach into the community to gain a much deeper insight into the real causes of social isolation, and the private struggles in everyday life with drug and alcohol issues. The shared experience of co-producing and co-presenting Stockbridge in Stories helped to strengthen and extend the connections between the community, local services and organisations working in the area.

‘Stockbridge in Stories’ attracted publicity in the area and more widely, and resulted in a number of positive spin-offs such as the regeneration of a local community garden to improve the quality and accessibility of growing spaces. NfL participants, with the support of Forhousing, were, at the time the NRP ended, working to develop a third participatory enquiry exploring the issues affecting the LGBTQ+ community in Stockbridge. For that purpose, a group called GEMZ was formed to offer greater support to the LGBTQ+ community in Stockbridge.

At the same time, NfL participants were working more closely with two organisations, ‘Connect Grow Live’ and ‘Emerging Futures’ which were providing drug and alcohol-related services. Together they were exploring the possibility of setting up a community-based service offering out-of-hour support to people experiencing problems related to the use of alcohol and drugs. Forhousing used the findings from the two participatory enquiries to improve information for new tenants. Forhousing were also working with the Resident Advisers on other policy revisions. At the time the NRP ended, we were planning publicity and dissemination events for the findings of the second enquiry. In addition to considering past venues, we intended the work to be displayed at the Healthwatch Knowsley Annual Event and at a local school to inform students about the issues around substance abuse.

Taking action

Redeveloping a community centre garden

Residents Advisers, working alongside professionals from a housing association, organised the restoration of a green space. The LOG was awarded £2,950 from the housing association to complete this work. The garden of a community centre was transformed from an abandoned, fenced-off, hazardous area to one suitable for community horticulture projects aiming to benefit the residents of the nearby tower blocks. Six thousand pounds were initially allocated to making the space safe. Subsequently, training in first aid and manual handling was provided to people who volunteered their labour in restoring the space.

Improving access to wellbeing services

The Stockbridge NFL team was awarded £5k by Knowsley Council’s Better Together Fund in the financial year 2018/19 to set up an initiative called the Raise Project (Residents Against Isolation and Social Exclusion). Its purpose would be to improve the mental health and wellbeing of local residents. The grant was used to fund eight local practitioners for 18 months to provide a range of therapies (such as reflexology, creative writing and art therapy) to local people. The Raise Project built on the local enquiry work titled ‘Stockbridge in Stories’.

The Team

Richard Holford – Local Authority Lead

Vivien Holt – Academic Lead