The Falkirk Social Inclusion Partnership has achieved many successes since the development of the last Strategic Community Plan. Two significant examples are:
Dawson Initiative
The Dawson Initiative is a multi-agency regeneration initiative for the Dawson area of Falkirk. The initiative focuses on taking an integrated approach in tackling physical, environmental, social and economic issues within the community. At the heart of the initiative has been the full and innovative engagement of the local community which is fully involved in all aspects of the regeneration programme and in fact has taken a lead role on many of the projects.
There are still many challenges within the Dawson community which require to be addressed as part of a planned programme, however key achievements to date include:
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demolition of low demand housing and redevelopment in Lomond Drive through a partnership with Link Housing
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demolition of Inver/Birnam Court and also low demand housing. These area will shortly be developed by Link Housing
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attraction of private housing – 107 new houses, near completion by Ogilvie Homes including 26 low cost ownership opportunities
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a new Community Centre and a soon to be opened Outdoor Sports Facility
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a young people’s internet café
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a significant reduction in local crime rate
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a significant increase in the number of people entering training and employment.
Employment Initiatives
Increasing jobs, income and enterprise for all our citizens has been the main priority for our work on regeneration. We developed an extensive range of innovative approaches in tackling unemployment since 1999. These include:
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an increase in Access to In-work Benefit Advice – a locally targeted marketing campaign co-ordinated by Jobcentre Plus
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a Community Liaison Worker (unemployed males) – a Community Liaison Worker was employed to target and support older males from SIP areas and to encourage them to consider work-based training as an entry route back into employment
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REAP (Realising Employment Achieving Potential) – an alternative to the school curriculum was piloted in 2003/04 with 12 young people at risk of exclusion
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Job Broker Support - an additional Job Broker was engaged by Routes to Employment and based in Dawson ward to deliver an intermediary approach to job seeking.