CURRENTLY EMAIL HELP ONLY cabothelp@hotmail.co.uk

Community Champion Scheme

Community Champions will work within their neighbourhoods, liaising with local agencies by raising awareness of local issues on behalf of other residents.

 Neighbourhoods have changed over the last few decades. Communities need to be empowered to regain respect for people and places.
One way CABOT have identified, which may help, is the promotion of Community Champions, these could be groups or individuals who would liaise between Agencies such as the Police and Local Authority and the neighbourhood. This would lessen fear of reporting crime and also build bridges between agencies and the public, as CABOT have discovered, many members of a community feel happier talking to a peer, rather than a faceless authority figure.

The Role of a Community Champion
a)    To liaise between agencies and the public in a broad range of situations.
b)    To mentor members of the public in areas such as reporting crime and throughout the process. For example, CC’s could be utilised to  put forward the wishes of a victim in a restorative justice setting.
c)    To assist agencies in the promotion of new initiatives and be part of the “Think Tank” process in the developmental stages.
d)    To help promote community meetings and aid in the facilitation of participation, especially in historic hard to reach groups.
e)    To network with and refer clients to existing groups such as Neighbourhood Watch, Victim Support and other agencies.
f)    To meet regularly with other Community Champions to discuss “what works” and share best practice.
g)    To be actively involved in meeting officers from agencies, and keeping abreast of new policies and practices which affect the public.
I)    To operate under the Respect ethos.

To take this forward, there needs to be a facilitation of local conferences / networking events for local community groups and publicity as too many groups are silo working, when sharing best practice could be positive in offering a more holistic service to the community.  Training needs to be available from partner agencies. CABOT can facilitate some of this training and work with other Community Champions using our existing offices as head office.

 

Communities Against Knife Crime (part of CABOT) have an epetition available to sign click here to go directly to Number 10 Downing Street to view it. Thank you.

Cabot resources
http://communityagainstknifecrime.blogspot.com/
http://enoughtomaketheangelsweep.blogspot.com/ http://cabot-bristol.spaces.live.com

CABOT are now on Facebook, we have two groups, Communities against knife crime and cabot. If you are a facebook member, join up and give your support to us.
We are lobbying against knife crime in a safe and proactive way, and would encourage anybody who cares enough to do the same. CABOT do not advocate meeting crime and antisocial behaviour head on, as it may be dangerous. But you can make a difference in a safer manner, such as peaceful (and legal) protest, lobbying your local Councillor, your MP, the Prime Minister, writing to the press, signing an epetition and in many other ways, such as reporting crime (this can be done through crimestoppers anonymously if you wish)
Join a neighbourhood watch or a residents association, by strengthening communities, you can make a difference.