Supporting local communities to look after their health and providing access to holistic services is a priority for North Central London ICB, Islington Council and our partners in the voluntary and community sector.
We work closely with our colleagues at the Council and in the voluntary and community sector to develop programmes and funding opportunities which support the delivery of our two strategies: Working with our People and Communities and Working with our VCSE.
Since March 2014, Help on Your Doorstep has been delivering the successful community wellbeing project, the ‘Good Neighbours Scheme’ in Islington’s New River Green Estate.
The programme is delivered through employing local residents, many local estate volunteers and has engaged with the community to gather insights on local needs, assets and priorities.
Insight has been gathered in a number of ways across the course of the project including:
- collecting data on the Good Neighbours online database
- collecting feedback at community reference groups
- facilitating focus groups
- collecting survey responses
- capturing residents’ stories and case studies
The community centres on the estate now have a weekly activities schedule that includes:
- Exercise classes for all ages
- Chair-based exercise sessions
- Community coffee mornings
- Arts and crafts sessions
- Football club for children
- Gardening club
- Community fun days
- Health and wellbeing promotion days
The project links in with local services including NHS services, council departments, and community police to communicate and address community issues such as access to services, community safety, the built environment and green spaces.
Positive outcomes of the Good Neighbours Scheme include the improved health, wellbeing and quality of life of local residents, reduced inequalities in the community, the strengthened quality of services on offer to residents, and community organisations learning to work collectively towards a common objective.
Alongside this we have two sister programmes running on separate estates in Islington – but delivered through the same ethos – empowering local communities.
For further information on the Good Neighbours Scheme, read our quarterly news articles which will provide updates on different aspects of the project.
New River Green Good Neighbours Scheme – Insight Reports
- 2014/15 Insight report
- 2018/19 Insight report
- 2020/21 Insight report – this report focuses on how the scheme responded to the community’s needs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- 2021/22 Insight report