Established 2005 Registered Charity No. 1110656

Scottish Charity Register No. SC043760

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Seaforth leads the way

December 07 2009
Falkirk YMCA tenants‘ award-winning residents‘ association The 'can-do' attitude has found its home at Seaforth House in Falkirk. A group of 16-25-year-old tenants of the YMCA Glasgow run their own Residents' Association, hosting regular committee meetings and discussing issues that are important to them. The drive and enthusiasm of the young homeless people, combined with guidance from staff and local councillors, has seen the scheme become a great success story. Over the past few years, all the flats in Seaforth House have been refurbished, with residents contributing ideas for the decoration. The garden has been revitalised, and the construction of a new decking area (pictured on cover) has allowed tenants to host barbecues in the summer sun. There are plans to clean up the greenhouse and create a space for relaxation, as well as perhaps growing a few vegetables for the proposed residents' cookery book. A recent grant of ¬£5000 will go towards producing a DVD, which will enable the young adults to give accounts of their experiences here. This is a place bursting with ideas and optimism. The current chairperson of the Residents' Association, Kirsty Hamilton, 21, was elected by the other members around six months ago. She described how the organisation has enhanced life at Seaforth. "Working on the committee really boosts your confidence and allows you to do better things. When tenants come here and see the committee, they know that they have people to talk to. The relationship with the staff has improved because we discuss things more. "I never thought I could be part of something like this and it's given me a whole new perspective." The Residents' Association has allowed the service users to have their own voice in matters which affect them. Representatives from housing agencies have visited Seaforth House to answer questions from the tenants about support provisions. Members of the committee even received formal training to take part in interviews to recruit a new member of staff at the site. Sheena McHugh, project manager at Seaforth House, shows great pride in the achievements of the residents, "It's about the young people having an involvement in the decision-making. The Residents' Association empowers the tenants and gives them a voice. The shoe has been put on the other foot, and now the service users are being given the opportunity to ask the questions that they want to know the answers to." Joe Connolly, Chief Executive Officer of YMCA Glasgow, echoed Sheena's sentiments, "YMCA Glasgow is proud of the work done by the young people of Seaforth House in setting up and running their own Residents' Association. This provides them with a significant voice within the Association which can influence service development and improvement as well as the wider social policy agenda." The success of the Residents' Association is the product of sustained cooperation. Through funding from Falkirk Council, the Scottish Government, and local organisations such as Hidden Treasures, the tenants at Seaforth House have been able to maintain their proactive outlook and gain valuable new experiences. In October, Kirsty and fellow committee member Ross Mitchell, travelled to Belarus to work on an orphanage project run by the charity Stand International. They were joined by residents from other YMCA Glasgow projects across Central Scotland, and helped to make a real difference to the local children by refurbishing the accommodation and installing a new central heating system. When reflecting upon the trip, Ross commented, "I never thought I'd get the chance to go somewhere like that. We met lots of people, it was an amazing time." Their achievements and the positive attitude have also been noticed in the local community. Robert, 21, experienced life at Seaforth House before the committee was formed and said that he now felt more welcome in the area: "The local community have accepted us as part of the town and with the committee we get out and do a lot more." With increased input into decision-making and organising activities, the members of the Residents' Association have learnt many key personal and professional skills. The recent AGM of the committee allowed the tenants to showcase their presentation abilities and inform council workers of their significant developments. Kirsty Hamilton was confident and sincere as she spoke, "We don't want to take a backseat, we want to be involved in things and take control." Not only is this attitude having a positive impact at Seaforth House, it is also helping the idea to be passed on to other residential projects of YMCA Glasgow. Through peer teaching, the committee members are using their skills and enthusiasm to help other homeless youngsters in the region. The young adults of Seaforth House are meeting the challenges of the future head-on. Many of them aspire to gain their own tenancies, but state that they will remain a part of the Residents' Association. In a testament to their hard work and positive outlook, Sheena McHugh concluded, "I am constantly impressed by the abilities, skills and potential of the young people I work with. They have a great determination and will to succeed" In June, the residents received the President's Award for their work in promoting the cause of homeless service users. The recognition for their hard work is well deserved, and we hope that their voice remains loud and clear for a long time to come.
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April – May 2024 : Compassion

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