'Community Kids' in line for award

School children celebrate after completing a recent RBH Community Kids course.

Rochdale Boroughwide Housing’s project to tackle youth anti-socical behaviour around the town’s estates has been short-listed for a prestigious UK Housing Award.

The RBH ‘Community Kids’ project has been selected as one of six finalists in the “creating integrated communities” category.

The project sees RBH staff and tenants working with primary school children to deliver citizenship lessons.

The scheme was developed with the help of the police to try and encourage the children to learn more about the communities in which they go to school and ultimately prevent anti-social behaviour around Rochdale’s estates.

Community Kids was first trialled at Boarshaw Primary School at the start of the school year in 2007, but since then the project has been delivered in 10 schools to more than 300 children.

The scheme brings nearby tenants into the classroom to talk about how antisocial behaviour affects them and show how the children can make a positive difference.

Gareth Swarbrick, RBH’s Acting Managing Director said: “We are delighted to have been short listed for these awards. Being short listed is an achievement in itself and recognition of the excellent work we have carried out as part of this project.”

The UK Housing Awards are run by the Chartered Institute for Housing and the award ceremony will be held in London on 6 November.