AMT Public

This month’s ‘Member of the Month’ is the Iceni Partnership, a community organisation serving the market town of Swaffham in Norfolk and the surrounding villages. The partnership was overall winner and winner of the social and community category in the 2009 East of England Market Town Awards with Youth and Youthie+ , a youth club in the Community Centre managed by the young people and overseen by Iceni Partnership, Norfolk County Council, Children’s Services Youth Work Team and involving Hamond’s High School, Swaffham Safer Neighbourhood Team and Family Action, with the aim of providing a safe environment for young people and reducing the incidents of anti-social behaviour. (Click here for details of the project).

As a member of Advance Swaffham, a partnership with Swaffham Town Council and a team of local volunteers, Iceni is in the process of developing a 10 year plan for the town. Advance Swaffam were 2010 winners of the Partnership and Strategic Working Category of the East of England Market Town Awards (Click here for more details of Advance Swaffham).

According to Dennis Tallon, Iceni Partnership’s Manager,  “ The Awards have a benefit which cuts across several areas; the winning project was a recognition of the work youths in Swaffham had done, and was a morale booster.  The Awards gave recognition to the positive sides of young people, demonstrating positively their capabilities through their contributions to their community, to the wider audience  and raising the self esteem of the youth.”

He added: “ AMT is a great organization for networking- pulling like-minded towns together .  The training and events that are put on are exceptionally good.”

Originally formed in 2000, the Iceni Partnership gained European and district and town council funding through Objective 2.This funding was for both social and economic projects, including the renovation of Swaffham Assembly Rooms, the rebuild of Swaffham Community Centre, and smartening up the town centre parking and pedestrian areas. Throughout the three year project, the Iceni Partnership was given a number of social targets to meet, including increasing the number of volunteers in the community.

Today, the Iceni Partnership still runs the Community Centre and the Assembly Rooms, as well as eight business units on the EcoTech business park

In the last 12 months,  Iceni has expanded its community hub working with and giving valuable support to 15 new community projects. Partner organisations include Swaffham Safer Neighbourhood Team, Family Action, Norfolk Children’s Services, Garden Science Trust, Breckland Council and Swaffham Town Council.

The Iceni Partnership, unlike most partnerships in the area, is self-funded with income coming from hall hire in the two public buildings it manages, and the eight business units that it owns. The main input to partner organisations is officer time, where they  either sit on the partnering committees or become actively involved in running the projects with Iceni’s volunteer base.

Without the support of the Partnership, it would be very difficult for the partners to develop their projects and ideas further. In certain cases, committees have found themselves to be too isolated to effectively represent their minority group. The Partnership has therefore become an active partner, and brings in ideas and information, as well as helping with the organisation of its events.

The Iceni Partnership fills the gap between local government and the third sector by providing practical help, advice and premises to local community groups without which they would find it difficult to operate. The aim of the Partnership is to continue to be the hub of the community in coordinating and assisting the development of other organisations. Through this, they can then run events and activities, with each partner organisation providing services, either time, expenses or materials, often fulfilling the partner organisations and the Partnership’s objectives.

As Swaffham grows and develops there will be a continuing need for community organisations to be supported by the Iceni Partnership. Swaffham, under the local area agreement, is due to grow by 25% in the oncoming years, which will put a significant strain on local community groups.

Projects which the Iceni Partnership have helped to develop over the past 12 months include:

• Working with Swaffham Safer Neighbourhood Team in reducing antisocial behavior through a project called STARS, of which the Iceni provide banking facilities, officer time and staff attendance on visits and activities.
• EMBRACE is a forum for Eastern European migrant workers. Its aim is to educate and help integration into the local community through activities, events and clubs. The Iceni are part of the management committee.
• Participatory Budget Programme, funded by the Breckland Partnership: The Iceni were the coordinators for Swaffham and district, and received 34 applications for funding from local organisations.
• The Iceni is a member of the coordinating team for Swaffham In Bloom.
• Plastic Bag Free Town: in partnership with Breckland Council, are launching Swaffham as a plastic bag free town. The Iceni have worked closely with local businesses to encourage them to sign up to the scheme.
• Village Group: Chaired by the Iceni Partnership, the group meets on a quarterly basis to discuss and support village issues.
• They have started, through their volunteers, monthly bingo and T.Dance sessions in the community building.
• Together with Breckland Council, Norfolk Children’s Services, Swaffham Safer Neighbourhood Team and Family Action, Iceni provides and coordinate a range of activities for children, families and young people throughout the school holidays. These events have helped reduce anti-social behaviour during these periods.
• Cappit is a sub-group of the youth club, Youthie, giving advice on sexual health.

For more information about Iceni Partnership, go to: http://www.iceni.info/