Building trust in a multi-ethnic neighbourhood

Chief Superintendent Gillian MacDonald

Govanhill

• Location - situated on south side of Glasgow, south of the River Clyde, between Gorbals, Mount Florida and Queens Park

• Population - 15,000 (approx)

• History - arrival point for a number of waves of immigration, predominantly from Ireland, Pakistan and more recently from Poland, Slovakia, Czech Republic and Romania

Demographics

• Scotland’s most culturally diverse neighbourhood• 53 languages spoken• 40% (approx) ethnic minority population• 3-3,500 (approx) Eastern European/Roma population• Highest proportion of private let properties in Scotland• Neighbourhoods in bottom 15% SIMD• Multiple deprivation factors present

Welcoming the new citizens of Europe

• 2004/06 – enlargement of the EU. New migrants, including Roma, from Slovakia and Czech Republic begin to move to Govanhill

• 2007/08 - numbers grow to include small numbers of Roman from Romania. Challenges emerge, draw on partner resources increases significantly, increase in complaints related to new community, evidence of emerging community tension

Emerging Challenges

• Environmental conditions• Overcrowding in private lets• Complaints of Anti Social Behaviour• Fear of crime issues• Evidence of community tension• Organised crime

Environmental Conditions - Slovakia

Govanhill Backcourts - Before

Govanhill Front Gardens - Before

Problems and Solutions

• Partnership Response failing to achieve desired results• Unsustainable draw on resources• Fear of crime disproportionate to incidence of crime• Complaints to all agencies increasing• Community tension evident

• Something needed to change

Getting to Grips with the Problem –Govanill Hub (2009/2010)

• Commitment of partners to try a different approach• Govanhill Hub launched (6 April 2010)• Located in the heart of the community• Statutory service providers and third sector• Daily focus and action by partners• Elegant solutions• Supported by Scottish Government

Results

• Reduction in complaints of ASB and disorder• Backcourt improvements• New community begin to engage• Eastern European Organised Crime Group dismantled • Service delivery improvements to new community• Increased applications for social housing from new community• More children in Education• Community active in seeking and supporting positive change

Govanhill Front and Back gardens - After

From Strength to Strength

• Govanhill Service Hub – community reception service opens (Jan ’12)

• Sistema - The Big Noise, bringing music to Govanhill• Govanhill is EPIC – partnership approach sustained• Work to engage the community on development of local policing

plans• Agencies and community committed to making the area better• New community integrating and becoming more stable• New community’s engagement with agencies increases• Scotland starts to feel like home