 Ryhope Community Association is a well-established voluntary organisation and a registered charity established in 1975 by a group of local residents and to this day continues to be a locally managed organisation that serves the community of Ryhope
Ryhope Community Centre has been at the heart of Ryhope community life providing families with a much needed community facility with a longstanding history of social and recreational opportunities for local people that dates back to 1926 when the building was the Miners Welfare Hall. Over more recent years the building has been extensively re-furbished. It now provides the residents of Ryhope with one of the best community facilities in the City
Main office is in the reception area on the ground floor
Facilities located and available within the building:
- Two large halls with seating capacities of 180 (ground floor) and 200 (upper floor) both have their own kitchen and toilet facilities
- Multi-purpose room (ground floor) meetings, group work activities etc., for up to 30
- Two interview/counselling rooms or long term office lets (gound floor)
- all subject to availability
Vision Statement:
Ryhope Community Association aims to work with members of the local community to identify need, and using a community development approach, subsequently plans and delivers a broad range of social, leisure and educational opportunities that address the identified needs and promote community cohesion thereby enhancing the quality of life for local residents
Aims & Objectives:
- To improve the availability of community based facilities and opportunities for young children and their families by:
Providing a broad range of activities that are appealing to the whole family
Working in partnership with other agencies to maximise the levels of resources available locally
Developing operational policies that are inclusive
- To undertake activity and develop opportunities that will strengthen the local economy by:
- Creating opportunities for residents to develop new skills or improve existing skills through the provision of accessible training courses
- Working in partnership with other agencies
- Involving local businesses in initiatives to improve the local environment and strengthen the local economy
- Supporting the development of initiatives designed to encourage people back to work
- To raise levels of self-confidence and self-esteem thereby enabling members of the community to play a more active role in decisions and issues that affect their health, welfare and environment
- Consulting with members of the community to identify need
- Encouraging local involvement in planning and decision-making processes
- Providing a range of opportunities that are appropriate to the needs of different groups within the community
- Removing, where possible, any barriers to participation by ensuring the building is fully accessible, activities are provided at low cost to participants
- To provide facilities and support to reduce levels of social isolation experienced by vulnerable groups and individuals (the elderly, the long term unemployed, those who are disabled or have long term illnesses, young parents, etc.,) by:
- Ensuring the building is welcoming and well resourced
- Ensuring facilities and services on offer meet the needs of minority groups
- Widely publicising the facilities on offer
- Supporting individuals to access the facilities on offer
- To support the sustainability of grassroots community and voluntary groups by:
- Co-ordinating a local forum for groups to share ideas and learn from each other
- Assisting local groups to access funding opportunities
- Encouraging local groups to make best use of the facilities available within the Community Centre
- Advocating on behalf of local voluntary/community groups
- By engaging with a broad range of partner agencies in the delivery of the programme to ensure resources are maximised
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