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     The Eden Dispersed Foyer           Newsletter

The New Initiatives Team are currently working in partnership with a wide range of agencies and organisations in the development of a Foyer in Penrith.

Work has started on this exciting new  project which will establish a co-ordinated service and resource for the young people of Penrith and surrounding rural areas.  It will link housing, employment, training, advice, information and other activities to  encourage positive use of time.

A former cinema has been purchased and will, when refurbished, provide fifteen supported flats and a multi-purpose resource centre.  

A considerable amount of planning and research has already taken place involving young people and interested agencies etc. resulting in an agreed seven elements or themes:-  health, training, IT, advice/guidance, café, music/arts and fitness/mini-gym.

It is envisaged that much of the space will have shared use, for example one area is to be set aside for a crèche, this would at other times be used as an arts/music facility.

There is considerable support for the development among local agencies e.g. the local Health Trust have welcomed the opportunity  to deliver health advice in a non-conventional setting.

The Foyer has also been nominated as the flagship project for Learn Direct in Cumbria, and we have secured substantial funding to purchase twenty-eight computers and associated staffing costs etc.

To ensure that young people living in isolated rural areas can access the Foyer an outreach worker will be appointed to co-ordinate under used facilities.

Refurbishment will take some time and we continue to actively seek funding, however it is anticipated that the Resource Centre will be open in March 2003 followed by the residential element in August.

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     The Eden Rural Foyer Update May 2002   

It seems like a very long time since we all met in January, on what must have been one of the coldest days of the year!  As we look forward to some warmer weather we are happy to report that we are still here, making real progress and at a point at which it seems appropriate to bring you all up to speed with latest developments.
  

So, where are we and what is happening?

 Building work (as I’m sure some of you will have noticed) has started on-site and is currently going well. Barring major disasters, which we are not going to have! it is anticipated that the resource aspect will be up and running in March 2003 , with the residential element to follow in August 2003

How is the Funding going? 

Though we have been fortunate to  receive some very generous donations from a number of charitable trust and funders, funding is obviously still a high priority for the on-going development and success of the project.

Two notable achievements are:

  • a successful Lottery bid for training, advice and guidance

  • a grant from the Adult and Community   Learning Fund linked to basic skills

What will the Eden Rural Foyer offer?

The Foyer will provide a unique resource for the Eden District linking

  • Accommodation

  • Employment

  • Training

  • Advice

  • and other more creative opportunities

A rural outreach service will benefit those living in more isolated areas and enable them greater access to the main core provision. 

The resource centre will have substantial IT facilities funded by the Dfes. They will also provide some staffing as part of the Governments Learn Direct initiative.

 

A café will be at the heart of the Foyer, and we will be providing a crèche in order that young parents can access the services that will be available. We are currently determining the best way to organise these facilities.

We will be offering, for lease, fabulous fully     serviced and equipped office spaces.  These will provide accommodation for our partnering    agencies and also local community businesses.  You will also be able to hire space on a sessional basis with a “hot-desking” option enabling        organisations to provide their services to the young people. Our rents will be competitive with local rates. 

What is  “sfere”?

By now most of you will have seen our wonderful new logo.  This was a collaborative venture between:  the young people living in Supported Housing in Penrith; Nigel Catterson from The Bodyshop and Cumbria College of Art and Design.  It represents everything they wanted the Foyer to be:


enabling, reliable, respectful, friendly, exciting, safe

What we need from you?

The Steering and Working groups haven’t met for some time as we have been doing all the “boring” bits.   We anticipate formally reactivating these groups later on in the year once the Business  Development Manager for the Foyer is in place.  In the meantime, we have now reached the stage of needing your input and expertise again.  To help us pull this together again we would really appreciate it if you could update us as to who is the best person to contact in your organisation, as we realise faces and positions change.  

 

I will be contacting you soon, so expect a phone call in the near future.  Best Wishes, Kate. 

Kate Hill, Eden Foyer Development Officer. 
Impact Housing Ass Ltd, 47 Nelson Street, Carlisle, CA2 5NE
Tel: 01228 633632  e-mail:

 

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