OFS Consultation Report

  1. Introduction

This document seeks to outline:

  • how consultation has been conducted by the OFS project team over the past 24 months;
  • a summary of the responses received;
  • a summary of key themes identified and the project team’s responses to them;

Since the inception of the Old Fire Station Redevelopment Project in January 2008, extensive consultation has taken place across a wide range of stakeholders including Council members and officers at Oxford City and Oxfordshire County Councils; the homeless sector (service providers and homeless clients); the arts and cultural sector; the learning sector; other statutory bodies; the local community; and local businesses.

Consultation in 2008, at the early stage of the OFS redevelopment, was designed to:

1) increase understanding around local needs and desired provision with respect to arts & learning activities;

2) identify most suitable types of spaces and facilities needed in the OFS;

3) assess impact on surrounding area;

4) investigate how to maximise regenerative benefits;

which, in turn, would:

1) inform the details of the proposals and business plans in development and

2) identify the range of services that could be offered in the refurbished building

Consultation in 2009 focused on:

1) space planning i.e. crystalising the design and use of the various arts spaces;

2) feeding in to the Eastside business model feasibility study initially and the consequent business plan;

3) concept design feedback;

4) keeping the channels of communication open with all stakeholders to ensure they felt informed of the development and plans for the building.

  1. Conducting the Consultation Exercise and the Summary of Feedback

2008Activities

Date / Details
April / Briefing with arts steering group, organised by Arts Officer at Oxford City Council andCrisis project manager. Included the
following groups:
ITHACA
Pegasus Theatre
OVADA
Oxford Philomusica
Simon Chatterton, Independent Producer
Oxford Contemporary Music
Fusion Community Arts
OFVM
Oxford Playhouse
Oxford Inspires
Press piece in the Oxford Mail announcing the project
April to June / Individual briefings with homeless sector organisations
Individual briefings with key arts stakeholders
June / Multi-agency event at OxfordCityTown Hall to launch the project organised by Oxford City Council Single Homelessness Manager. Attended by approximately 50 people, with attendees including Councillors, arts organisations, homeless organisations and the police.
Briefing at multi agency TREE forum (Training, Recreation, Education and Employment strategy group). Crisis project manager is current Chair
July / Arts and cultural organisations consultation event, organised by Oxford City Council Arts Officer, with 12 local organisations attending
Individual briefings with organisations working in the arts to discuss ideas for how the arts spaces may work
Individual briefings with City Council and County Council Councillors
Individual meetings & briefings with key organisations working with vulnerable adults(mental health, drugs & alcohol etc.)
Initial contact with local residents, business group, police and probation services, also led by Crisis
4 project visits to Crisis Skylight London, attended by 41 people representing arts, cultural and homeless organisations
August / Focus groups with homeless clients/service users at:
- Simon House Hostel
- Lucy Faithful House hostel
- OxfordNight Shelter (now Oxford Homeless Pathways)
- The Gap DayCentre
- The Gatehouse Day Centre
- The Steppin’ Stones Day Centre
- Stonham Floating Support Clients
Peer research interviews with street homeless & those who don’t access services
Leaflet drop inviting businesses and residents to public consultation event being held in September
Individual visits by Councillors to Skylight London
Individual meetings & briefings with key organisations working in the arts
Press release by Oxford City Council following Executive Board meeting
Press briefing with Cllr Bob Price and Leslie Morphy, Chief Executive of Crisis
Small press piece in the Oxford Mail, highlighting the fact that the OFS nightclub would close
September / Public consultation event held at the WesleyMemorialMethodistChurch to inform thelocal community about the partnership between
Oxford City Council and Crisis and initialplans to redevelop the Old Fire Station.
Ongoing meetings with service users of key arts groups
Consultation exercise at Education, Employment & Training (TREE) strategy group meeting (involving senior/strategic level staff of
homeless agencies)
September - December / Continued 1:1 meetings with individual stakeholders across all sectors led in partnership with appropriate representatives from Crisis, homelessness and culture.
Ongoing briefings with Councillors
October / Quarterly briefing at TREE group meeting

Summary of Feedback

Arts & Cultural Sector Feedback

Consultation with the arts & cultural sector has been coordinated through the City Council’s arts officer, who is also a member of the OFS project team. The cultural steering group met with Crisis to discuss the project after the Places of Change funding was secured, and a formal consultation event was arranged in July. 14 organisations were represented at the consultation event, with the below being a summary of the comments received. Subsequent to this event, Crisis has met with many arts & cultural organisations individually to discuss the Old Fire Station project in more details.

Key Issues/Themes / Comments
Activities and Building Usage /
  • There is a need for dedicated, affordable studio space (for dance, visual arts, rehearsal).
  • There must be flexible space – for example, we should look at movable seating to leave a “black box” suitable for multiple uses, particularly daytime use.
  • Would like to see a digital media “arcade” space with high tech equipment.
  • It will be important to have integrated spaces, avoid series of small, cramped spaces, open out the building where possible.
  • Look into offering commercial rental to creative industries – this may even attract sponsorship potential.
  • The building can be a central “hub” for cultural activity, signposting people to other areas/attractions/events – centralised box office. A “shop window” into the cultural offer in Oxford.
  • Explore accreditation opportunities for the creative sector – adding value to current provision.
  • There may be social enterprise options in theatre management as well as the café/bar idea.
  • Key to its success as a unified, aspirational centre is the need for inspirational direction.
  • Collective management approach – but not trying to be all things to all people.
  • Ensure there is an open door approach – for young & old alike, no exclusion.
  • It should be promoted and celebrated as a flagship, pioneering project that may encourage more inward investment- from abroad as well as regionally/locally.
  • Activities and events must be affordable.
  • The building must be contemporary, whilst retaining its character & heritage.
  • Need for a holistic approach and a user-focused approach.
  • Could be a resource centre/ research library for a variety of subjects.
  • Used as a showcase for aspiring creative talent. Experimental theatre, innovative work.
  • Needs to be a “building where things happen” – 12 hour programming.
  • Could it fill a gap in night time provision for young people? e.g. a comfy, arty, café culture, value for money food & drink, a place to hang out that is safe for young people.
  • Must have a genuine commitment to partnership working and to the community of Oxford.

Management & Direction /
  • needs strength & clarity of purpose

Staffing /
  • how many, who and what roles?

User Consultation /
  • need to get people on board, proactive promotion, use of the media in a supportive context

Security /
  • not too much, not too little

Revenue Funding /
  • pressure on the local fundraising market, fear of reducing grants to cover costs

Pressure on capacity within the building /
  • will there be enough space to house everyone?

Branding and Identity /
  • key to the overall success of the project

Homeless Sector Feedback

The project was formally ‘launched’ to the wider homeless sector in June at a specially convened multi-agency meeting at the Town Hall, with some Councillors and cultural organisations also attending.

Key Issues/Themes / Comments
Initial feedback /
  • It provides a real opportunity to be a central hub for Gloucester Green, and be of benefit for local residents.
  • This provides the opportunity for uniqueness – it can benefit the regeneration of the area by helping it to stand out – to tourists and residents alike
  • It can impact positively on the local environment, for example by helping people feel safer at night and promoting positive integration.
  • Many different communities can be helped through this development – homeless, artists, ex-offenders, local residents, vulnerable adults
  • PR/Comms will be vital to project in order to overcome the stereotypical image of ‘homelessness’
  • Flexibility (multi-use) of spaces in the building will be important.
  • There is untapped demand for arts performing/rehearsal spaces
  • Involvement – requires genuine inclusion at all stages, with a mix of people from different sectors working together.
  • Must involve all local stakeholders, including the universities, RuskinCollege, residents, businesses, police, bus companies
  • Affordability – any planned activities need to be affordable
  • The project won’t be a panacea, so shouldn’t try to solve all issues, and shouldn’t be seen as doing so. The project needs clarity of focus.

In addition, a consultation exercise on the Old Fire Station project was completed at the homeless sector’s Training, Recreation, Education & Employment strategy group in September meeting. This was the feedback from that meeting

Key Issues/Themes / Comments
Feedback on OFS Plans /
  • It is important that there is a good mix of activities for clients at the Old Fire Station/Crisis Skylight. Its benefit will be in that it can interest a wide range of people.
  • Arts are recognised in the sector as a useful way of engaging clients, so its important that these feature heavily as a way of drawing them into the building. Practical advice and support to help people into employment or further education is important, but the role of Skylight in reducing loneliness, increasing contacts and social interaction is just as important.
  • Music and performance / drama is less represented in current provision in the sector, so this might be more of the gap in terms of what is needed.
  • Crisis Skylight will be able to reap economies of scale in delivering learning & skills development to homeless clients, drawing clients from a range of different projects. It will therefore be able to make activities viable that others can’t.
  • There will be challenges around preventing people from becoming dependent – i.e. the need to move people on and reduce their dependency. This will need thought to ensure move on takes place.
  • The employment part of Crisis Skylight is potentially very useful, but partnership working with Job Centre Plus is essential. There is the potential for the building to be seen as an employment agency for homeless clients.
  • There is still a feeling that some clients won’t go into ‘mainstream’ learning places such as FE colleges or higher education providers, so the skills element will be needed in some form (although there’s a need for partnership working to avoid overlap).
  • The potential interaction between low risk and higher risk client groups will need managing.

Service User Feedback

Focus groups were held with service users at four different projects – Oxford Homeless Pathways, Simon House, Elmore and Stonham’s Windmill House. 52 people took part in the consultation, of which 69% were male, 31% female. The focus groups were semi-structured, with opportunity for clients to express their overall views alongside reporting their specific areas of interest.

Question asked / Comments
What is your general view of the development? /
  • Potential services users were overwhelmingly positive about the development, with the plans described as ‘impressive’, ‘brilliant’ and ‘having great potential’. All groups reported that this would provide a new opportunity for them, with much of it not currently available, with nearly everyone saying they would use Crisis Skylight.
  • They welcomed the fact that it wasn’t just a ‘homeless’ project, and in general could see the benefit of having other things in the building such as a performance space and café. The idea of a training café was welcomed by many, although several people commented they thought it was important that the café have a clear identity.
  • Participants were keen that the project is well run, as its reputation will be important to how it is received, and were keen to establish that there would be continued funding for the project once it is up and running.
  • “It’s a brilliant location – its easy to get to, which is important”
  • “There’s nowhere in Oxford that offers anything like this”
  • “It will be great to have this kind of place – especially if you can get qualifications, as that will set you up going forward”
  • “I want to do all that, how long until we can start?”
  • “It will be really beneficial”
  • “It sounds like a great idea – I would attend”

What kind of activities would you want to see in the OFS, and where should focus be if it could only do one? /
  • The key feedback here was service users were very keen that there be a diversity of opportunities – many were reluctant to say we should only do this or the other – the range of activities would be what makes it unique. Service users were excited by the potential for enjoyable activities (and it was clear that this would be the initial reason for many engaging with the Old Fire Station), but at the same time there was a clear consensus that the central theme should be skills development.
  • It’s important to have a good balance of things going on”
  • “There have to be enjoyable activities that people will want to come and do”
  • “It’s got to be all about skills – that’s the most important thing”
  • “It’s all good [the choice of activities] – what’s great about Skylight London is that there are lots of different things”
  • “Having these kinds of activities available will take boredom out of the day”
  • “It will update your knowledge and put you back in training”

In terms of specific suggestions for types of activity, each of the 52 service users was asked to suggest up to three things they’d like to see in the Old Fire Station. The following outlines their responses:

Theme / Activity / No. of responses
Music & performance / Recording & music production / 9
General music (e.g. guitar, singing) / 7
Dance / 6
Theatre/drama / 6
Circus skills / 2
Arts & creative writing / Painting / 9
Drawing / 7
Film & video / 7
Creative writing & poetry / 6
Photography / 5
Jewellery making / 4
Sculpture and other 3D art / 3
Practical & advice / Gardening / 6
Cooking & living skills / 6
Employment advice / 5
Other advice (e.g. housing, money, welfare) / 6
Childcare & parenting / 3
Bike repair & maintenance / 3
Animal care / 2
Theme / Activity / No. of responses
Physical & outdoor / Martial arts / 7
Bike rides or walks / 5
Gym & weights / 4
Racquet sports / 3
Activities to get involved in helping the local community / 3
Alternative therapies / 3
Football & team sport / 3
Yoga / 2
Swimming / 2
Fishing / 2
Other / 3
Skills development / IT (Standard/office related) / 7
Literacy & numeracy related / 6
Health & safety training / 5
Woodwork & carpentry / 4
Specialist IT (e.g. Photoshop, graphic design etc.) / 3
Driving / 2
Plumbing / 2
Other vocational qualifications (e.g. construction, catering, tattooing, massage) / 7
Other skills classes (languages, humanities) / 4
Question asked / Comments
Choose just one of five themes that you would want us to focus on: /
  • Skills Development38%
  • Art & creative writing19%
  • Practical & advice15%
  • Music & Performance13%
  • Physical & Outdoor13%

What other things should the project team consider when developing the programme in the OFS? /
  • The activities and learning needs to be well funded – it can’t run on a shoe string
  • The need for a clear, consistent structure / timetable for everything that is going on in the building
  • Level of learning/activities – must not all be entry level – need to think about courses for people of higher skills levels too
  • Several people stressed the need for 1:1 support alongside group work/activities – but it is important that advice is independent
  • Timings – a desire to see activities right through the day, including evenings, and at weekends. Several people commented that there “should always be something going on”. Ideally things would continue over Christmas or on other holidays.
  • The timetable should be varied across the year – the idea of doing some immersion taster courses for e.g. 2 days from time to time
  • Pricing – activities should be either free or affordable to those who on low incomes. The idea of offering concessions to local people if there was a charge on some activities. Wherever there was a cost, the activities must offer excellent value for money.
  • Transportation – whilst many appreciated they might live close to the Old Fire Station, the need to think about providing transport (or travel costs) for those living further afield was mentioned

Please feed back any views you may have on a range of practical issues, including the staffing, policies & procedures and physical space /
  • Staffing:
Many service users were keen to see opportunities to get involved in helping run the building – volunteering both within Crisis Skylight and other areas of the building, and in there being routes into employment within the OFS. However, several people were keen that there doesn’t develop a ‘hierarchy’ of service users, with people treated differently. All groups commented on the need for experienced, open-minded staff, who understood the client group, and who can gain the trust, confidence and respect of clients. It was recognised that the staff will set the tone for the building, so they need to make it a friendly, approachable place.
  • Policies & Procedures:
The key theme here was safety – service users thought an essential requirement was that the building provides a safe and secure environment. All groups said there should be clear ground rules with policies of no violence, drugs & alcohol and a culture of respect and responsibility. Three of the four groups commented they would welcome a system of signing in/membership, so that it is known who is using the services in the building. The need for true equal opportunities was raised by several people – which includes making different groups feel comfortable using the building (i.e. different ages), and not needing referrals to access the services. There was disagreement over whether provision should be made for pets, or whether a banning system should be in place.
  • Physical space:
All groups said it needs to feel welcoming and warm, and look good – with the need for bright colours, well lit spaces with good ventilation all mentioned. Most groups discussed the reception area, saying it should feel open and inviting. With regards the layout of the space, several people commented on the need for it to feel like ‘ours’, whilst others talked about the benefit of having clear ‘zones’ or areas within the building for different uses, and for it not to be too crowded. The idea of an information desk or point in the building was mentioned by two different groups. Other things discussed included the need for acoustic separation and the requirement to be as accessible as possible. Several people commented they’d like to see service users involved in both the design and refurbishment processes.

Feedback from Visits to Crisis Skylight London