Projects supported by the Derwent Valley Area Action Partnership

All the projects supported by the DVP and the local councillors over the last year are listed in the Derwent Valley AAP annual report 2023/24 (PDF, 1 MB).  Some examples of projects are detailed below.

I am ME

CONTINUUM received £5,000 from the Derwent Valley Area Action Partnership (DVP) to deliver their 'I am ME' programme (Independent, Assertive, Mature, Motivated and Empowered), concluding with a celebration event.  The programme included themed activity workshops targeting young people aged 11 to 16 years who were at risk of entering into a cycle of disengagement / exclusion from education. 

After school workshops were held in the Eden Miners Centre, Leadgate with the sessions aimed at supporting young people to develop and improve skills in decision making, problem solving, positive relationship building, compromise, communication and language. Equipped with these skills, it will help them to deal with issues of peer pressure, bullying, anger, aggression and drug, alcohol and tobacco misuse.

Community Garden Wellbeing Programme

Funding of £7,000 from the DVP has enabled the Friends of Blackhill and Consett Park to employ a skilled tutor to help develop the community garden. Gardening activity sessions, which are open to all ages and abilities, aim to combat social isolation and help improve mental and physical health and wellbeing.

The weekly sessions have attracted a cross section of people where they have been involved in various planting and rebuilding activities.  A group of adults with learning disabilities eagerly tackled a range of tasks and planted summer bedding plants in large pots and donated them to Consett Park Bowling Club to help them mark the club's centenary.

Meet at the Seat

Crookhall Community Centre received £12,450 from the DVP's Older Person's Social Isolation Fund to develop a project aimed at tackling social isolation and loneliness by creating a safe outdoor space for people to meet, make new friends and develop a support network.

The communal seating area ('meet at the seat') is accessible for all and includes raised planters with vegetable patches, herbs and flowers.  A memory garden has been created with various planting and painted rocks for users to remember their loved ones. 

An outdoor book/magazine swap store is available for users to recycle and enjoy books at their leisure as well as an outdoor enclosed accessible pantry for basic foods that can be donated by and for the community to help with anyone struggling in these difficult times.

DurhamWorks

DurhamWorks offers young people, aged 16 to 24 years old, the skills, qualifications and experience they need to enter into work, further education, training or volunteering. With funding of £10,670 from the DVP, DurhamWorks has set up a specialist training and equipment budget which will be available to unemployed young people in the DVP area. The fund will help to reduce the barriers that young people may face when starting work, further education or training such as child care costs, travel costs and specialised equipment.

Projects supported by your local county councillors

You can find out more about the local projects supported by your local county councillors through their Neighbourhood Budget on the Your councillors page.