what is haworth maca?
The Haworth Road Multi Activity Community Area (MACA) is located in Bradford, West Yorkshire and is in the top 10% most deprived wards in the UK. The total population of the Heaton Ward is 14,519 of which 31% are under 24 yrs.
background
The Upper Heaton Working Together Group (UHWT) was established in 2003 as a voice for the local community. An action plan was devised in which Youth and Play were identified as the main themes. Several rounds of community consultation in the neighbourhood identified that youths in the Heaton ward had little open space to participate in both formal and informal activities. This caused issues relating to anti-social behaviour and so the requirement to provide playing opportunities became a real need.
The project also aimed to recruit local young people to represent the young population of Heaton on the site steering group. It was viewed that this would help to ensure the MACA was providing a programme of activities that were representative of the needs of the local young people.
developing activity and skills
Haworth MACA currently has 19 active volunteers who work with local coaches on a regular basis to deliver a wide variety of sports sessions. These volunteers have a wide variety roles and responsibilities from finance to coaching activities.
impact to date
The local PCSO has helped to reduce crime in the area by working with a range of different agencies on Friday evenings to deliver Friday night football sessions. It has also been reported that minor crime has reduced from approximately 80 reported fines in a 3 month period to just 2. This has provided the local community with a safer neighbourhood that has helped tackle crime and disorder concerns in the community.
A new sports partnership with extended schools has helped get young people off the streets and into a safe environment. Haworth MACA has recently held its first Street Cricket Festival which was well attended by the local community with 24 youngsters forming 6 teams. The festival ran in partnership with a local Cricket Club and this allowed young people to turn up and play an informal game of cricket in which they could learn about the rules and develop a taste for the game.
Butti Bullets Cricket club also entered players into the festival and this gave some of the participants a chance to play cricket on concrete wickets before an exchange trip to Dubai. The Butti Bullets travelled to Shajah, Dubai to play in a tournament against local cricket teams with the trip funded by a range of different fundraising initiatives organised by the club. A number of local businesses also sponsored the team providing kit and equipment for the trip. Local members of the community commented that it was a pleasure to see kids enjoying themselves at the festival and that the facility has provided young people with a chance to meet in a safe environment away from the dangers of the streets.
user experiences - Mark bradbury
Mark Bradbury is a local member of the community who has worked on the Haworth Road project on a regular basis coaching local youngsters in football.
Prior to this, Mark had been out of work for some time and had developed an illness that left him unable to find a suitable job. In Marks’s own words the future was not looking bright as he struggled to find the confidence to apply for local jobs that would provide for his basic needs.
With the skills Mark learnt through courses delivered at the MACA his confidence eventually came back. Mark volunteered on sessions delivered at the site and this allowed him to develop the skills needed to fulfil employment roles.
A new sport centre in the local area was advertising vacancies and it became apparent that Mark should apply for a job at the sports centre. Mark was successful in his application and is now working regularly at the centre as a gym instructor and recreation assistant. The future is now looking much healthy for Mark and he hopes to continue his work as a fitness instructor and continue working closely with the local community on youth projects to further develop his skills.
user experiences - shiv krishan
“Projects like this have provided me with a chance to work at something I really enjoy, Cricket development. In the last 5 years I have travelled to India, Isle of Man and Dubai. Maybe in the future I will get to visit other parts of the world coaching cricket teams. This has all started from running sessions at the start of the life of the Multi Activity Community Area in Haworth. I have developed from my job at a supermarket (25 years) to having a job where I look forward to every day!”.
