Knowledge Inclusion Project

Welcome to the KIP blog!

What is KIP?

KIP is the Knowledge Inclusion Project. 

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KIP is part of the West End Community Development Consortium - www.wecdc.org

KIP works across the inner west neighbourhoods of Newcastle

Its aim is to provide information and research support to community groups and local residents

It was set up in response to concerns expressed by local residents about not having access to independent sources of good information about what’s happening in the area.

KIP Papers

KIP produces a range of reports and information sheets on topics of concern to local residents, community groups and organisations working in the inner west.

There are:

Briefing Papers which aim to provide accurate, up-to-date information about issues of local concern
Information Sheets which give shorter summaries of important issues and developments

Discussion Papers – usually written by independent experts – which are intended to stimulate discussion about current changes affecting the area

The following papers can be downloaded directly from this website.

These papers are intended to inform discussions about the future of the inner west. Please help us by using them and passing them on to local residents and community groups.

All KIP papers can be re-produced in whole or in part as long as copyright is fully acknowledged

Regeneration

Scotswood Expo: Implications of the Outline Planning Application (July 2007)
KIP Briefing Paper explaining what is proposed for the major site in Scotswood and West Benwell covered by the recent outline planning application for the “Expo” and why this is an important stage in the re-development of the area. Includes sections on questions and answers looking at some key concerns about the plans.

What’s happening with the Benwell and Scotswood Expo site? (July 2007)
KIP Information Sheet outlining the contents and significance of the City Council’s recent outline planning application covering a large area of Scotswood and West Benwell, and setting out some of the concerns raised by local residents about the proposals

Who’s who in regeneration? (December 2006) - coming soon
Government policy is to maximise private sector investment in every stage of the regeneration process. This KIP Briefing Paper looks at the main private sector companies and organisations involved in regeneration.

Planning agreements with developers (July 2006)
KIP Briefing Paper describing Planning Agreements. These can be a key mechanism for influencing the types of development that take place and ensuring that local communities also benefit from regeneration schemes.

Employment and training initiatives in regeneration programmes (2006)
KIP Briefing Paper looking at the potential of physical regeneration schemes for providing local employment and training opportunities in construction and related developments.

The policy context of housing regeneration in the west end of Newcastle (2006) - coming soon
Discussion Paper written for KIP by Dexter Whitfield, author of New Labour’s Attack on Public Services, published last year by Spokesman Books.

This paper looks at the government’s market-driven policies on regeneration and housing development – essential reading for an understanding of the forces shaping the re-development of the west end of Newcastle

Health services

What’s happening to health services for people in the west end? (March 2007) - coming soon
KIP Briefing Paper looking at what is happening with local health services. This includes major changes planned for local GP services and hospital services. The paper also explains how you can influence local health services, and describes the situation with respect to emergency and out-of-hours services.

What’s happening with GP services? (June 2007)
KIP Information Sheet summarising the emerging proposals to reorganise local GP services, and the implications for existing buildings

What’s happening with hospital services? (June 2007)
KIP Information Sheet summarising the plans for the General Hospital site, including the contentious proposal for a new Tesco supermarket

How you can influence decisions in the health services (June 2007)
KIP Information Sheet explaining some of the ways you can influence how local health services work in Newcastle.

Emergency and urgent healthcare services in the west end (June 2007)
KIP Information Sheet outlining the different self-referral services available for west end residents needing emergency or urgent treatment.

Local services

What’s happening with the Customer Service Centre? (June 2007)
KIP Information Sheet summarising the plans for a new Customer Service Centre in Condercum Road, replacing Benwell Library and the housing offices currently on Adelaide Terrace, Benwell, and Armstrong Road, Scotswood.

Evaluation of Benwell Library building (2006)
KIP research report of the findings of an evaluation of Benwell Library building, looking at how it is used currently, what local residents think of the building itself and of the way in which it is used, and what changes or improvements are required. This evaluation was intended to inform the ongoing discussions about the development of the Customer Service Centre and the future of community buildings in the area.

Adult education

What’s happening with training and life-long learning?
KIP briefing paper looking at what’s happening with adult education and community-based training provision in the west end. It reviews current changes in the policy and funding context, and the implications of these for
local residents and for voluntary and community organisations working in the west end. There are also lists of useful contacts and sources of further information.

Asylum seekers, refugees and migrants

European migration into the west end of Newcastle (February 2007)
During the past couple of years, there has been an increase in the number of people coming into the west end from Europe. This briefing paper describes where they have come from, their legal status, and the factors that have caused many to leave their former countries of residence.

Refugees and asylum seekers (revised 2007)
KIP Briefing Paper focusing on the situation of refugees and asylum seekers, explaining where they come from, how they arrived in the west end of Newcastle, and what their financial and legal situation is. There is also a list of useful contacts

Decision-making

How decisions are made that affect the west end of the city (2006) - coming soon
Discussion paper written for KIP seminar by Peter Kenrick, independent consultant. It describes the key organisations whose decisions affect the physical environment of the west end, including the City Council, Your Homes Newcastle, Newcastle Partnership, New Deal for Communities and Bridging Newcastle Gateshead.

Consultation with older people about children's play

MIX AND MATCH - Wednesday 28th November 2007

MIX AND MATCH - Wednesday 28^th November 2007

WECDC is hosting a Community Conference for community groups and residents from the west end on Wednesday 28^th November. It will take place at Park Road Community Centre which is near Westmorland Road.

Why?

The idea of the event is to bring people from across the inner west neighbourhoods together with key decision-makers and managers from the local authority, the health services and other agencies to discuss issues of local concern.

The really important point is that the subjects to be talked about will be identified by local people. Over the next three months WECDC would like to talk to as many groups as possible about people’s priority concerns.

The event will then offer a platform for local voices to be heard and to have an influence on policies and plans.

Will you help?

Can you help us get the community’s views about the issues that matter in the west end?

We are wanting to visit community groups and talk to people about their concerns and their ideas for making life better

We also want to work with other organisations to plan the event and to feed people’s views into the process

If you would like to find out more about the Mix and Match event or would like to be involved: contact

Judith Green – judith.green@unn.ac.uk – tel 2528675
Barbara Slasor – barbara.slasor@wehrc.co.uk – tel 2724244

MIX AND MATCH - Wednesday 28^th November 2007

Older Asian women living in the west end

A group of older women of Asian origin came together to talk about what they liked and didn’t like about living in the West End of Newcastle.  This was part of a bigger project to find out what older people in the city think makes a neighbourhood "older person friendly".

This short report presents some of their views in their own words and photographs.

Click here to download full report

Is Benwell older person friendly?

Report of project to find out older residents' views of what makes a neighbourhood a good place for older people to live in.

During Summer and Autumn of 2006 more than 50 older people took part in discussions about what makes Benwell a good place for older people to live in and what aspects of life in the area are not so good.

The project was led by Search – a locally-managed community-based project working with older people in the west end of Newcastle.

Click here to download the full report