It’s all about community – Elderpark celebrates its range of services
Elderpark celebrates its role as a community anchor.
As well as building new and affordable homes for the people of Govan, however, Elderpark Housing Association is equally proud of the work it does to help build the community and helping make Govan such a great place to live
Among its activities are community events, such as the annual fun day in Elder Park, an annual burns night for local pensioners, Easter egg hunts for local children and sponsorship of Elderpark Youth Football Club 2005’s, as well as donating to support a range of local projects and initiatives. It has also worked with Impact Arts to run a highly successful and well attended arts and crafts class called the Craft Café for local pensioners. With partners at Aberlour and GYIP, there are free youth clubs three nights a week for young people. Free gardening sessions are provided at Moogety Gardens and Ibrox Flower Field and there are opportunities to grow their own food and get nutritional advice and free cookery lessons
In terms of community support, Elderpark provides a free benefit and debt advocacy service, a free helpline service for elderly and disabled people to help with tasks around the home and flooring and blind packages and starter packs for new tenants.
Whenever the Association awards a contract it asks the company who are awarded the contract to provide something of benefit to the local community, this can range from employing local people for large value contracts to providing some service or equipment to local residents or groups: as part of a bathroom upgrade program two local youngsters were offered apprenticeships; as part of the close cleaning contract four vulnerable people had their house cleaned. By signing up to Community Jobs Fund Scotland it was able to employ two local people as Estate Management Assistants
Housing Associations are much more than housing providers and are at the very heart of local communities. Elderpark is an example an association that serves as the first point of contact and service provider for some of Scotland’s most vulnerable people and a driving force in building communities.