Community
Community Projects
Maryhill Housing Association is currently involved in a number of community projects.
Community Development
Maryhill HA believes that community development is about building active and sustainable communities. MHA employs a Community Development Officer who is involved in a range of activities including:-
- Developing and supporting registered tenants organisations (RTOs) and community groups
- Schools Video Diary project (Ruchill and Our Lady of the Assumption primary Schools)
- Ruchill Horticultural project
- Schools logo competition for Maryhill Community Council (Parkview and St Mary's primary schools)
Maryhill Burgh Halls Project
Maryhill Burgh Halls Trust is working in partnership with Maryhill Housing Association, Cube Housing Association and Glasgow City Council, to refurbish the Maryhill Burgh Halls and former Police Station in Gairbraid Avenue/Maryhill Road and bring the buildings back to life for community use. This will include a café, nursery, function hall, recording studio and youth/community music project.
Ruchill Park Adventure Playcentre
Ruchill Park Adventure Playcentre is community led organisation who aim is to develop and deliver a range of projects for children, young people and families. Maryhill HA works closely with Ruchill Park Adventure Playcentre and provides support to the organisation. To date, we have organised 2 Play Festivals in conjunction with Culture & Sport Glasgow, Active Schools and Glasgow City Council Land & Environmental Services, delivered a Citizenship Initiative in partnership with Ruchill Youth Project as well as hosting a successful Ruchill’s Got Talent event in June 2009.
We are currently involved with a range of partners in developing new innovative projects including children’s /family garden for Ruchill Park and a music therapy/ play centre.
Maryhill Regeneration Forum
Maryhill Regeneration Forum (MRF) was set up as a partnership initiative to bring together the local housing associations and local housing organisations. Its purpose is to develop a co-ordinated approach to community regeneration in the Maryhill area. The Forum consists of the Cadder HA, Cube HA, Maryhill HA, Maryhill LHO and Summerston/ Acre LHO.
In 2008-09, MRF delivered a tenancy sustainment project which provided a range of support (including benefits advice, debt advice, addiction services, mental health support) to over 100 tenants. The forum is currently developing youth services in Maryhill.
Neighbourliness
Neighbourliness is an important element of a good community. At Maryhill HA we want to encourage and promote Neighbourliness. We are doing this through:-
- Organising community clean ups
- Resurrecting Neighbourhood Watch in local communities
- Organising community events
Welfare Rights
Maryhill HA has an in-house Welfare Rights Officer who provides information and advice on a wide range of topics, including all social security benefits, which includes disability benefits, housing benefit and representation at appeals and reviews.
Maryhill Online
Maryhill Online is an IT suite which was established by Maryhill HA in 2006. The suite is located in one of the HA workspace besides the HA’s offices. It hosts 10 computers with broadband access.
We work in partnership with Glasgow North Regeneration Agency to deliver Office Skills courses for lone parents. We also provide IT flexi learning which is delivered by Culture & Sport Glasgow.
Positive Health for the Elderly
Maryhill HA has assisted Eastpark Residents Association in developing a positive health project for the over 50 years old. A range of complementary and holistic services including massage, stress management and educational group work will be on offer.
School Photography Project
To celebrate Maryhill HA's 30th anniversary, we organised a schools photography project with 2 local primary schools (Wyndford and St Gregory's). The result was 4 fantastic collages of photos and pictures of the people and places of Maryhill. The collages were displayed in an Open Community Exhibition from Feb - Apr 2008 at the Gallery of Modern Art, Glasgow.
Community Self Build
Maryhill HA enabled the Ten Homes community self build project which helped 13 people build their new homes whilst gaining valuable construction and project management skills. On completion the tenants qualified for a reduced rent on their home in return for the sweat and toil.