Barrhead Housing Association has been delivering a wider role programme for the last few years. This programme is designed to sustain our communities by developing non-housing related projects. It is based on a national strategy to regenerate communities and tackle exclusion faced by vulnerable people in Scotland.

At local level, the Association has been successful in delivering a range of projects and our wider role strategy continues to highlight and develop a range of projects both within East Renfrewshire but also projects that are shared with other Housing Association partners within Renfrewshire Council's area. A number of successful projects can be found on this page and we will continue to look at opportunities through this programme, which is funded largely by The Scottish Government. We have also been successful in attracting other funding from, for example, The Scottish Arts Council for our arts project, BASIS and The Big Lottery.

Benefits to tenants
This project has funded a welfare rights advice worker for one day a week who started at the beginning of January 2007. Robert Findlay is working with our tenants to ensure they are getting all the benefits they are entitled to.

Tenancy Support & Sustainment
Working with partnering Associations, 2 officers have been employed to help vulnerable tenants sustain their tenancies. Further information is available from the office.

Silver Surfers
Residents at our sheltered complex have become our Silver Surfers thanks to funding from The Scottish Government. We have purchased computers, printer and desks, and delivered training to bring our residents up-to-date with the internet and email.

Arts develop skills and confidence
This project has been running for a number of years with the aim of helping develop the skills and confidence of members of the community through art based workshops. The workshops aim to use digital photography or audio-visual animation as a means to develop participant’s artistic, social and group working skills. Five groups were involved including Causeway (RAMH), Neilston Youth Initiative, Auchenback Youth Project, Facilitation Access and Breaking Barriers (FABB) Group, and East Renfrewshire Youth Forum. The results were fantastic and the resulting works were displayed at a two week long exhibition at Eastwood Park Theatre in June 2009. We were also delighted to receive an Arts and Community Project Award from Causeway/Renfrewshire Association for Mental Health. We have also new funding from The Big Lottery Young People’s Fund to ensure this project can continue to make a dramatic difference to people living in our communities.    A further 2-year funding grant has been received from The Scottish Government for 2010/11.

Community Learning Coordinator
Funding has been received to encourage the uptake of learning opportunities and the use of community facilities throughout Barrhead and Neilston. Rhonda Leith has been appointed since 2007 and although working mainly from our office she will work closely with our communities and our partners. She will liaise with Reid Kerr College to extend wherever possible the learning opportunities at the Auchenback Resource Centre and other areas. This project is funded until March 2011.

Wisdom of Barrhead and Neilson
As part of the BASIS, Barrhead Art and Social Inclusion Strategy, and The Big Lottery Young People's Fund, community arts project run by Barrhead Housing Association international artist duo Simon Grennan and Christopher Sperandio commissioned work with the pupils of St Luke' s High School and the wider community to create a book. Published by Barrhead Housing Association The Wisdom of Barrhead and Neilston was delivered as a gift to every one of the 7,500 households in Barrhead and Neilston in June 2009.

The young people working with the artists collected responses to the single question - What is the most important lesson that life has taught you? - and a piece of the personal wisdom or memory contributed by the people of Barrhead and Neilston was selected for each day of the year. The resulting book is to be read, shared and passed on; it can be consulted on any day to enlighten, challenge, entertain, prompt or soothe. The book is intended to be a monument to the area, located in every home, and creates a legacy of and for its people which will be around for a long time.

BASIS is part of the Association' s Wider Role programme which aims to improve the lives of their residents and others living in the local community. The project, which is managed by arts consultants Art in Partnership and run in partnership with East Renfrewshire Council, has been running artist-led workshops in the local area for four years.

In 2008 the project was awarded a grant from the Big Lottery Young People's Fund to further develop its programme for young people up to 2010. The Young People's Fund in Scotland is a £20 million grant programme to help young people aged 11-25 learn new things and take part in healthy and positive activities that make them feel good about themselves.  In 2010 a further £27,000 was received from The Big Lottery Recession Fund.

HAVEN Employability Scheme

Working with 4 other housing associations, this project aims to support people with a disability back into the workplace.  Supported by HAVEN, based in Hillington, the project will be funded until March 2011.  The Association has one employee who works with us for 21 hours per week.

Dunterlie Family Mentoring Project

The Association is working with East Renfrewshire Council colleagues to bid for funding for a small project targetted at young people aged 8-12 and their families.  The aim is to work to redress the affects of anti-social behaviour and encourage good parenting and the scheme will be focused in Dunterlie.

Neilston Bank

As part of our commitment to both the Neilston Charter and the Neilston Development Trust, the Association is hoping to attract funding for the refurbishment of The Bank Building as a community based facility.  Plans for the refurbishment will commence in 2010.

Dunterlie Community & The Resource Centre

The Association is now working with East Renfrewshire Council and local agencies to attract funding to begin a community-led approach to the longer term sustainability and improvement for Dunterlie.  This will include discussions over the future of the Resource Centre.

Furniture Re-cycling Project

Voluntary Action is currently establishing a new furniture re-cycling project within the Westbourne Centre.  Plans are progressing and the Association hopes to apply for funding to promote training and employment for this scheme.

Development Information

2009/10 saw the completion of 89 new homes in Auchenback and St. Mary's, Barrhead for the Association.  All properties were allocated for rent.   In completing these projects, the Association received Housing Association Grant from The Scottish Government of nearly £5.4 million - the biggest allocation of grant received for the Association for many years.

We hope in 2010/11 to recieve further funding to allow the purchase of more properties in the Eastwood side of the local authoirty area under our Rent off the Shelf Scheme.  Further details are awaited.