Briefing paper

The Impact of changes to Communities First on diverse communities in Cardiff

Summary

Deprived communities in Wales will be adversely affected should the Communities First scheme be phased out without services being put in place to substitute the scheme’s programmes and activates. In particular, those from protected characteristic groups will be negatively impacted. Protected characteristic groups encompass the following categories age; disability; gender reassignment; marriage and civil partnership; pregnancy and maternity; race; religion or belief; sex; and sexual orientation.

Diverse Cymru recommend that the Welsh Government:

  • Continue existing projects where possible and projects are valued by participants or communities.
  • Fund future tackling poverty and community resilience schemes.
  • Provide activities with specialist support available, for example personal assistants/carers.
  • Targeted support and services should be available for people from each protected characteristic group.
  • Increase awareness of what facilities and schemes are available.
  • Provide support and services to people living in poverty wherever they live in Wales.
  • Tailor services and schemes to local areas.
  • Use service users’ views to take positive steps in improving the services.

Background

Communities First was established in 2001[1].It is the Welsh Government’s Community Focussed Tackling Poverty Programme which was created in order to “to narrow the economic, education/skills and health gaps between our most deprived and more affluent areas”[2].The scheme targets the most disadvantaged people in the most deprived areas of Wales. In practice this means the scheme provides services and activities in 52 cluster areas, which have been deemed to be the most deprived areas in Wales[3].

In October 2016 Carl Sargeant, Communities and Children Secretary, outlined the cross government approach to boosting prosperity in Wales[4]. During his statement the Secretary stated that it was possible that the Communities First programme would be phased out while a new approach was adopted.

However, recent consultationssuggest that Communities First is considered to be a successful scheme by those who use it. Those who used the activities provided by the programme highlighted areas where gaps would be left by the phasing out of Communities First. They also were keen to see solutions put in place should this happen. This was particularly true around support and activities for disabled and older people and people from protected characteristic groups.

Diverse Cymru held a focus group with 15 participants from diverse communities in Cardiff to discuss the impacts of potentially phasing out Communities First. Whilst the recommendations in this paper are framed around what the Welsh Government could do to ensure that people from protected characteristic groups are not negatively affected, Cardiff Council and other public sector organisations could also take action.

Negative impacts

There was a real concern expressed byCommunities First service users that the removal of scheme would cause negative impacts forall age groups, and especially for different protected characteristic groups. This included:

  • Increases levels of isolation, boredom, and violence in the community.
  • Withdrawof funds from areas of deprivation and this would make activities too costly for the local people.
  • Detrimental impacts on the mental health of those no longer receiving the support or services.
  • The trust and relationships that has been built up with diverse members of the community will be lost, especially those from protected characteristic groups.
  • There would be a decrease in the promotion of the Welsh language.
  • Loss of employment support to the community.
  • A lack of activities such as training, self-help groups, seminars, education, exercise groups, social activities, transport, accessible transport and other services which are currently provided under Communities First.

Conclusion

The concerns of the communities in Communities First areas must be addressed. Safeguards, new opportunities and services should be put in place in order to plug any gaps in service provision. Otherwise there is likely to be a large detrimental effect on community well-being, cohesion and safety, particularly for people from protected characteristic groups.

Recommendations

We suggest that the following actions are taken to mitigate any impacts should Communities First be phased out:

  • Continue existing projects where possible to avoid loss of trust and to minimise impacts on service users.
  • Funding future tackling poverty and community resilience schemes is important to replace the gaps in provision left by the removal of Communities First.
  • Activities should make specialist support should be available for access requirements, language requirements (including sign language) and tailored, individual support.
  • Specialised and targeted support services and activitiesshould be made available for people from all protected characteristic groups.
  • Increase awareness of what facilities and schemes are available going forward.
  • Provide support and services to people living in poverty wherever they live in Wales.
  • Tailor services and schemes to local areas.
  • Use service users’ views to take positive steps in improving the services.
  • In relation to early years, additional Information, training and awareness should be made available in order to empower parents and involve them in their child/children’s education. This could include out school-time sports clubs and homework clubs.
  • Equality training, information and supportshould be provided for employers to address barriers to employment.
  • Training and volunteering opportunities should be continued following the end of Communities First, especially for refugees who aren’t yet allowed to work in the UK.
  • Make sure that any replacement schemes take into account the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 so thatindividuals may have quality of life.
  • Services and support should be available in multiple languages, including BSL, and in a range of accessible formats.

[1]Action in Caerau & Ely (ACE), 2014. Communities First, ACE website. Available here. [Accessed 23 January 2017].

[2] Welsh Government, 2016. Communities First, Welsh Government website. Available here. [Accessed 23 January 2017].

[3] Welsh Government, 2015. Frequently asked questions, Welsh Government website. Available here. [Accessed 23 January 2017].

[4]Welsh Government, 2015. “New approach needed to build resilient communities”– Carl Sargeant,Welsh Government website. Available here. [Accessed 23 January 2017].