Strengthening communities in Barking and Dagenham
Turn2us’s work alongside residents and community services in East London.
If someone is living in financial insecurity, their rights have been withheld and that is fundamentally unfair. We need to position financial security for all of us as an absolute right.
The London Borough of Barking and Dagenham has a significant and diverse civil and voluntary sector, with many projects being undertaken by grassroots organisations across the borough.
By setting up a Local Programme in Barking and Dagenham, Turn2us aims to foster greater collaboration in the sector with the hopes of using our resources and our values-based approach to help achieve even bigger impact.
Our approach
We work in partnership with local, community-based organisations who have already forged strong relationships with residents and have a good understanding of the causes and symptoms of financial insecurity in their communities.
Through these relationships, we aim to shift power to communities, providing the resources for residents to come together and decide what solutions will be best for them to work towards a more financially secure borough.
We are committed to working in co-production and amplifying the voices of those most marginalised in Barking and Dagenham.
Our partners and projects
Future Molds Communities (FMC)
Part of the John Smith House consortium, FMC is a youth-led organisation supporting young people to maximise their potential and promote positive messaging in the communities they work in.
Projects
We ran a series of workshops with young people to understand the impact of the cost of living crisis on Barking and Dagenham’s youth. They created a leaflet with tips and support for young people including places to get discounts and financial support, and presented this at the John Smith House annual event.
We are working with our Grants team and FMC to pilot Turn2us’s new grant fund. Read about it in this blog.
Marks Gate Relief Project (MGRP)
MGRP is a Community Interest Company (CIC) based in the Marks Gate area in the North of the borough. They aim to boost community engagement through promoting inter-faith harmony, socio-economic welfare and providing equitable opportunities for education and attainment for residents.
Projects
A group of residents formed a co-production group to explore the key issues in Marks Gate and how they can make change working together, identifying key decision makers and sharing their ideas with the wider community. MGRP made a video of one of the sessions you can watch on YouTube.
Kingsley Hall
Kingsley Hall is a church and community centre, at the heart of Barking and Dagenham since 1929. This vibrant community hub welcomes hundreds of people every week, with a weekly programme of activities for all ages.
Projects
Residents co-produced a map of local free and low cost community spaces and places available in three languages. You can view the map on the Kingsley Hall website and a summary of the project. Read about the map design process here.
Get in touch
We are always keen to connect with other community organisations, networks and funders who are doing similar work in the borough or interested in hearing more.
To learn more about this programme, please contact Barking and Dagenham Programme Manager Charlotte Moss using the form below.
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