This is what we're working on!
Back on the Map act as a anchor for the community and are dedicated to extending our reach and to make Hendon a Better Place, a Stronger Community and give residents a local voice. We listen, observe, looking ahead to anticipate local needs and responding to local issues.
Community Improvement District
We are delighted to announce that the team are will be leading on developing a strategic direction for Villette Road in Hendon. We’ll join Skelmersdale, Lancashire, Ipswich, Stretford, and Wolverton as a CID, putting the community at the heart of change as we aim to take back the high street.
We’ll provide local people, partners and local trader in our community a platform to have their say on how the high street could be improve and the strategic direction of our local high street.
Community Growing Garden
Independent Age Partnership
Living Wage Accredited Employer
As part of our ongoing commitment to put our staff and people first, we are delighted to announce we are now a real living wage accredited employer.
Paying the real living wage is a voluntary scheme, with the wage itself coming from a calculation made up of the cost of living based on a basket of household goods and services.
Unlike the national minimum wage or national living wage which are both statutory requirements for employees under 23 and over 23 respectively, the real living wage is not set in law and is paid to all employees over the age of 18.
volunteer pathway
Thanks to funding from RANK Golden Awards we have begun to formalise our Volunteer offer, creating a new Volunteer Pathway for local people across the organisation. Back on the Map now has a dedicated volunteer coordinator working to identify local talent and grow residents skills. This volunteer development project will recruit new and re-engage volunteers to build recovery from the bottom up. Recovery in this project means having opportunities to become more resilient, healthier, connected both digitally and face to face with other community members and services, participating in new social networks thereby creating personal foundations to work towards financial, mental, physical recovery.
Contact us on volunteering@backonthemap.org to find out more or head to our volunteering page.
Living arts hub
Back on the Map was funded to lead a feasibility study to explore what interest there would be in developing the area as a town centre living development as a way to help revitalise what was once the thriving heart of the city. The site in Villiers and Nile urban area of Sunniside Central, adjacent to Sunderland city centre and the site is owned by Sunderland City Council and Homes England and both were keen to encourage new residential-led development.
Back on the Map established a resident steering group and worked with Creat Streets to re-imagine the area and map out initial plans. Together the profile of the area was raised and attracted TOWN, a property developer, to join the movement. Funds have been secured by Sunderland City Council to move the development forward. Watch this space for more information soon.
local representation
This project funded by RANK Foundation has kickstarted visibly around community cohesion and partnerships to ensure Back on the Map are fully representative of the community we serve. This role will increase our capacity and capabilities across the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion visibility and the promotion of community cohesion. Focusing on outreach, services and education to identify and support under represented groups using, or benefitting, from Back on the Map. We currently have a high level of those with disabilities, older people and women involved in our organisation. We want to proportionately increase the numbers of BAME and LGBTQ individuals or groups influencing, using and or leading our services. We want to have a role that is also focused on partnerships, strengthening those and identifying potential projects we can do together. We want to strengthen our ability to target the needs of those from marginalised groups, increase their visibility as staff and volunteers in Back on the Map and ensure Back on the Map achieves its objectives.
community development trainees
In April we welcomed our two Kickstart Trainees Ben and Chelsea to the team. They have joined the Community Department to learn and develop skills within a community setting from our experienced Community Support Workers.
The Kickstart Scheme is a programme launched by the government to deliver funding for employers offering new job roles for 16-24 years olds who are currently in receipt of Universal Credit. The programme is aimed at preventing young people who are currently unemployed facing long term unemployment.
Community Support Officer Rachael said “Back on the Map are excited to be able to support local young people while also developing sought after skills in what is an undersubscribed job market. It is great to have young people working in the centre creating new intergenerational interactions between both staff and beneficiaries.”
Completed Projects Archive
developing The Workshop
Following a local consultation residents told us that Hendon needed more community services and the high street could be improved. Back on the Map responded by purchasing a large run down shop on Villette Road (the main shopping parade in Hendon) and transform it into a community venue, provide facilities and offer services that we are unable to accommodate in the Carnegie Community Corner.
The space now encompasses three new initiatives that address the local needs via; a Social Kitchen, Social Shed and other creative activities. The added benefit of this is to improve the visual amenity of Villette Road, boost footfall to an underused high street and limit the number of empty retail premises.
our covid response
The two years of the Covid 19 global pandemic were some of the most challenging we and our residents have experienced. In order to respond to the emerging and increased needs of the community including increased emotional, financial and physical crisis. We set about adapting our services and responding to these increasing needs. Back on the Map implemented additional measures to reopen our Centres including; PPE screening, one way systems, hand sanitising stations and covid chemical sprays. This allowed us, when appropriate with national guidance, to return some of our most emotionally vulnerable residents to access services face to face.
In order to keep staff working at safe distances it was necessary to carry out alterations to the staff offices to keep staff safe and allow them to continue working to deliver essential crisis support services. These measures increased resident confidence to access provision by creating a safe environment, providing increased safe capacity for residents to attend our social groups and activities in the centres. (CCC & Workshops).
For those still unable to access physical services we provided Activity Packs which were delivered to people’s homes. We worked closely with organisations across the community to ensure that as many residents as possible benefitted. Counselling services were also provided for those struggling to cope with life post lockdown, bereavement and relationship breakdown. As well as financial advice and Benefits support.
Transforming hendon
As part of their long term strategy to buy empty and poorly managed properties in Hendon, hold them in local ownership, and then offer them as good quality homes where people can afford to stay and settle. They realised that to have a greater impact they again needed to be bold and began working with key partners and funders to create a £1.3m house Purchase Fund for Hendon and drive up private rented housing standards in the area.
A loan of £390k from the city council, combined with a £220k grant from The Virgin Money Foundation’s Ripple Fund, £180k from power to Change and Back on the Map’s own commitment of £490k, enabled the charity to buy and refurbish 24 empty or run down properties, returning them to the rental market to providing much needed family homes. Supporting their objective to provide a better place for the community to thrive.
the community cafe
During the pandemic Back on the Map partnered with long standing, locally grown, social enterprise Sunderland Home Care Associates (SHCA) to embark on a joint venture to bring a prominent empty shop back into use. Back on the Map purchased the key unit using capital from their Asset Investment Fund. This then leveraged a £100,472k grant from North East Local Enterprise Partnership to refurbish the building and oversee the project.
The package of funds transformed a run down shop into a training space and community cafe which is addressing identified local needs of food and financial poverty and countering the high proliferation of fast food outlets here. Opened in 2021 as a social enterprise The Community Café has created local jobs and training placements for young people with learning disabilities. SHCA provides The Community Café, 7 days a week, providing healthy low-cost meals and ‘Teatime Clubs’ for local secondary school children who are from families in financial hardship.
The cafe services local residents and passing trades people, increasing footfall in the street and stimulating the daytime economy. This mirco project demonstrates clearly Back on the Map’s ability to forge mutually beneficial partnerships to deliver place-based regeneration and strong community engagement.
Our Strategic Objectives
Back on the Map work to make Hendon a place of opportunity to live, work and thrive, by creating;
- A Better Place
- A Stronger Community
- A Local Voice
Our Core Values
A little insight into what is important to us here at Back on the Map;
- Integrity
- Excellence
- Making a Difference
- Working Together
- Fairness of Opportunity