ESG Report 2023 Digital Final - Flipbook - Page 9
02/SOCIAL
Place Making
C13 - ENHANCED
and support services to support
the women.
Groundwork NI – Pop-up and
Grow Workshops
Groundwork NI deliver services
and support across the region
and have partnered with Choice
to deliver six Pop-up and Grow
workshops across the Choice
Community Network.
Assist NI – Social Inclusion and
Development Programme
I Assist-NI is a charity that works
with people from the BAME
communities suffering long-term
illnesses and disabilities and who
have been living in Belfast and
surrounding areas. Their aim is
to counter social isolation and
serve as a base for community
development.
The workshop lasts 2.5 hours with
a maximum participant numbers of
12 per workshop. This workshop
brings a mobile garden workshop
to the community, teaching them
the basics of growing their own
food and lets them touch, smell
and sample produce they could
grow at home.
The benefits of getting involved
in growing their own are clearly
explained to participants, and
includes reference to local spaces
they could use (community
gardens/allotments etc) and the
legacy is that some will continue
to grow their own.
The Social Inclusion and
Development Programme (SIDP)
brought together 30 men and
women from the refugee and
asylum seeking community,
minority ethnic groups and
settled/indigenous community.
They participated in a series of
workshops, group work sessions,
and information sessions with
the aim of reducing isolation,
improving health and wellbeing, promoting inclusion and
good relations and providing
volunteering opportunities
to individuals affected by
intersectional discrimination.
The workshops help people come
together to change the places
where they live for the better
and to develop their skills, build
their confidence, improve mental
health and wellbeing and make
new friendships. It is aimed at
giving communities the tools to
take the lead for themselves and
support collective action to tackle
environmental challenges.
16
Choice Environmental, Social and Governance Report
Provide examples or case
studies of where the housing
provider has been engaged in
placemaking or placeshaping
activities.
Choice is committed to
promoting inclusive and diverse
communities. Throughout 202223 we continued to deliver on
the Together: Building United
Communities (T: BUC/Housing For
All) shared housing programme.
Choice is keen to participate in
future peace funding models
supporting shared housing and
are key partners in a new Peace
Plus partnership working through
a new peace building bid for the
sector.
The new shared housing schemes
in Mullaghmore Road, Dungannon
and Stiles Way Antrim will be
ready for handover in the near
future, however we have been
very active partners in the Joint
Advisory groups in Dungannon
and Antrim, delivering various
good relations initiatives in
preparation for our new tenants
taking up occupancy in their new
homes.
Choice have submitted four new
schemes for consideration onto
the 2022-23 T: BUC Housing for
All shared housing programme,
Ballyoan Derry~Londonderry,
Stiles Way Antrim (phase 2),
Clonaver Drive Belfast and
Greengage Ballymoney which,
if successful, will further expand
our portfolio of shared housing
schemes.
The Association’s shared housing
developments at Manse Road
Saintfield and Ballymaglave Court
Ballynahinch, are into their final
year of their good relations action
plan and has been successful in
building community relations both
within the development and with
the wider communities.
The partnership approach utilised
by Choice through working
with local authorities, statutory,
community and voluntary sectors
in the delivery of the T:BUC/
Housing for All programme is a
key factor in helping to meet the
outcomes of improving good
relations, promote community
integration and successfully
delivering the shared housing
programme.
Tenants in participating
communities benefit from:
• A community where residents
feel welcome and where
everyone has opportunities to
make positive contributions to
their community; developing
a sense of belonging,
community ownership and
shared identity;
• Enhanced neighbourliness
through building community
spirit and encouraging
involvement; and
• Opportunities to live in a
shared housing environment
thus increasing access to
housing opportunities.