Community Resources is based in Dagenham. Our neighbourhood is urban with streets of small, terraced council houses and some low-rise blocks of flats, part of the Becontree Estate which was once, the largest social housing estate in Europe.
Since our inception, in 2006, there have been massive changes in our community in terms of population growth and diversity.
Those who have lived here for years and who were once part of a tight knit community, often struggle with the changes, as this remark from a listening exercise we did with our men’s support group illustrates:
"People move in next door and don’t stay long. If they’re different from you, you might not feel you can talk to them."
Community Resources was formed by members of LifeLine Church who had experienced the benefits of a supportive community and wanted to explore how to develop this in their neighbourhood.
Almost 20 years later, this exploration has led to hundreds of stories of transformation, renewal and most importantly perhaps, empowerment with people recognising their role in creating a supportive community for others.
I didn't know people could be home. But they are!
People tell us that once they have found a place of connection, it enables them to start tackling other things in their lives including health issues like diabetes, obesity and other long-term health conditions which are so prevalent in Barking & Dagenham.
We are hyper-local and quite small, yet our ambition is huge. We recognise that no one person or initiative changes the core issues our country faces.
Our focus is to find the other explorers, learning as we are and finding new solutions together.
We’re doing that in different ways: