Introducing Ebele…
Ebele Omo-Bamawo is a Community Development Co-ordinator – Community Relations at Gedling Borough Council and our Place-Based Partnership lead for community development.
She has worked in different roles across the public sector for the Greater London Authority, London Borough of Tower Hamlets, London Borough of Hackney and Groundwork Greater Nottingham.
She has worked in different roles across the public sector for the Greater London Authority, London Borough of Tower Hamlets, London Borough of Hackney and Groundwork Greater Nottingham.
She is passionate about sustainable community development and has managed and delivered successful projects to reduce child poverty, tackle health inequalities, loneliness and isolation, financial inclusion and enhance employability through training and employment. She was also a London Literacy Champion.
Ebele has been instrumental in the establishment of Community Development Forums and Community Development Groups across South Notts, so we caught up with her to find out more about her role…
What does your job entail?
I’m based at Gedling Borough Council and cover South Nottinghamshire – Broxtowe, Gedling, Hucknall and Rushcliffe. I work to enable the successful implementation of social prescribing in South Nottinghamshire by ensuring the development of strong and sustainable community groups. I’m also able to support local community groups and activities to accept referrals from social prescribing link workers and, where appropriate, enable groups to expand, enhance or sustain their offer. In addition to this I carry out regular asset mapping to increase community capacity and support and encourage groups to adopt appropriate quality standard
How do the community forums and neighbourhood groups work?
There are three Community Development Forum groups in South Nottinghamshire. They are strategic and aim to help communities and public agencies work together to improve services and how decisions are made. As a group, they establish joint priorities for larger pieces of work, create opportunity for shared learning and improve and broaden relationships in the locality area.
The Community Engagement Groups establish ‘local’ priorities with local people/groups and create more local relationships and networks. They are the “doing”, collective action groups and there are nine in South Nottinghamshire.
What have been the key achievements of the community forums since their inception?
- Breaking down barriers by encouraging partnership working as opposed to working in silos
- Identifying gaps in provision and supporting each other to improve in their service delivery
- Improving community networking, which will only get stronger
- Have connected people and strengthened groups through mutual support
- Responded to grass roots inclusive funding opportunities, including the PBP Growth Fund which supported 17 community groups last year
- New projects and services springing up like Meet, Greet and Eat in Rushcliffe, Stapleford Yarn Bomb in Broxtowe and Falls Prevention Classes
What are the plans for growth and development of the forums?
- To stand up for doing the right thing because they know it is the right thing
- Consistency in sharing learning between the partners and community groups
- To provide more ‘small sparks’ funding like the PBP Growth Funding to sustain community activities
- To create capabilities rather than manage dependencies
- Encourage more community groups to celebrate outcomes and successes
- To sustain community capacity and resilience
Can anyone sign up to get involved?
People can join as long as they belong to a local community group and are committed to attending meetings. If you’re interested then contact Ebele – Ebele.Omo-Bamawo@gedling.gov.uk