​​​​​​​Southend Communities Outreach Group (SCOG)

Shirley O’Reilly ~ This group has been set up through the Southend Community Event
group in May 2015 we do an annual event in August and we still believed we was not
reaching all of the residents across the borough so we set up this new group to reach
out to communities and understand the issues that they are facing. We want to assist
local areas of deprivation to have a voice and a say in local service provision.

Our mission statement is to;

 

• To engage with residents from hidden communities

 

• To better understand issues that affect the local communities

 

• To organise events to reach out to residents

 

• To attract funding for community projects

 

• To improve resident involvement in Southend

I have taken on the role as the chair for this group so I am the main point of contact
when we have any meetings or undertake any work, we are a working group and
everyone has a role to play leading up to any event and on the day of each event. The
aim of our group is to reach residents and find out what they would like in their area’s,
what their issues are, we do this by holding mini fun days with in their area’s with
information stalls and we run a survey which I collate and then I contact staff if an issue
arises from the survey so then residents can be contacted.

I have also taken on organising the Raffle and Children’s stalls like hook a duck, lucky
dip.

Social housing residents in Southend live within the top 20% most deprived wards in the
country.

The age expectancy in these wards, is on average, 12 years shorter when compared to
more affluent areas within the country. Our group looks to represent residents in these
areas and we hold a number of formal meetings and encourage people to get involved.

However this traditional method of involvement can prohibit hidden communities - for
example BME residents and young families.

 

We want to hold 10 events throughout the year in the areas that will provide interest
and activities for the relevant target audience.

 

At these events we will engage with a number of community members, developing
neighbourhood plans that would look to tackle issues that are being faced on estates
and look to recruit action groups that can become constituted. These action groups will
then be trained and empowered to represent the community and look to attract
additional funding to support identified initiatives.

 

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Diane Nicholls ~ I have been working with the S.C.O.G. group since its start up and
have been acting as the treasurer of this group, my role includes paying out the funds
for the different entertainment that is organized for each event. My role as treasurer
includes sending in evaluations and reports on how our funding is spent. My role on the days
of each event can be anything from selling raffle tickets to helping put the gazebos up,
sorting stalls out, the Group work as a unit were everybody shares the jobs that need
doing to make sure each event goes as well as expected. We hope by doing these events
we can help and reach out to people that may feel that they are forgotten or nobody
cares.

Each event is planned a few months in advance and we try and organize different
activity’s and information stalls so there is something for everyone to enjoy.

 

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Elaine Ridge ~ I am the secretary of our group, I am also a member of the 'Drinks
Team' at the events that we hold. When we arrive at the areas we are holding the
events, it's all hands on deck. Erica hands us her planned lay-outs of the stalls and
activities and what they will need, i.e. chairs, tables, gazebos, power supply, etc. We all
work together to get everything set up and once that is done we go off to our own
areas of responsibility and set our things up. We are all adaptable and help each other
when and where it's needed too.
It's all really about supporting and working together as a team before, during and after
any of the events. Planning is vital and you have to keep it organized, to the most you
can anyway. Bouncing ideas off each other, assessing each event on the area you’re
holding it. Making use of areas that are free to use or can be tagged in on another event
that is happening in the area you want to go to. Using the same activity services if you
find they work can help in negotiating the cost. The best part of the day, for me
anyway, is the look and sound of everyone, children and adults having lots of fun and
laughter. Watching them try new things, getting to know their neighbours, who may
have been their next floor neighbour for years and they never knew. We are able to pick
up on local problems, issues and to find out what is needed to help the residents in that
area to enable them to have a better life. We invite South Essex Homes’ area officers,
councillors and various outside agencies we feel would benefit residents along to all of
our events. For me, I really love my role, albeit just a small role, with many others
involved too, but I feel it is all so worthwhile in trying to make our areas little
communities of people caring about each other.

 

Erica Donnelly ~ As part of the Southend Communities Outreach Group I have been
the booking clerk for the last two events that we have held. It has been an important
role so that there has been a primary contact for the service providers and children’s
entertainment that are invited to attend the area that way they are ‘Outreaching’ too.
 

As a group we get background information on the area and discuss what services
providers are relevant for the area. I then would make contact to invite them along and
the put together a contacts list for each member of the group so that we all have the
same information, This makes it easier on the day of the event so we’re all working on
the same page.

 

 

Kath Fewster~ We all meet up every 2 weeks and I have taken on the role of cake
baker at all of the events all monies raised goes towards buying prizes at all future
events.

 

Richard de Wet ~ I am the Webmaster for the team and I am in charge of updating
information as and when it is sent to me.

 

Jeni Oliver ~ I am the newest member of the team and I usually help out on the cake
stall, but I am happy to go where ever a need is for someone to man a stall. When we do
inside events I help out in the kitchen making tea and coffee.

 

Terry Swinney ~ I am the chef on the BBQ so where ever the team decide they want a
bbq I am usually called upon to do this, I have a lovely assistant chef called Brian
Fewster and we work well together.

We are now in May 2017 this means the group has been running for 2 years now and has
been very successful in applying for bids recently which means we can carry on doing
events across the borough, we have done events in various outside areas and we have
also done some in the sheltered housing.

 

If you'd like SCOG to hold an event in your area then please let a member of the team know?

‘LIKE’ US ON FACEBOOK: Southend Community Event & Southend
Communities Outreach Group (SCOG)
CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE: http://scog2015.wix.com/scog
TWEET US ON: #sendcommunityev

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