Caia Park Partnership Awards 2004

Visit by Huw Lewis AM, Deputy Minister for Social Justice and Regeneration to Caia Park Partnership on 16th September 2004.

Huw Lewis meeting members of Caia Park Partnership Ltd
 

Caia Park Credit Union Ltd and Caia Park Partnership were visited on 16th September 2004 as part of the review on over indebtedness in Wales that Huw Lewis, Deputy Minister for Social Justice and Regeneration, is conducting. The Minister had a short tour of the Partnership complex accompanied by Sharon Angus-Crawshaw, Credit Union Development Officer and Alison Hill, the new Chief Officer of Caia Park Partnership Ltd, which gave him the opportunity to meet with three key projects – the CATS Team, the Volunteering Project and Lifelong Learning that, together with the credit union, provide solutions for local people that enable them to make positive changes to their lives.

The CATS Team provides practical support to families living on the estate. Team Co-ordinator Bethan Thomas explained that her staff work closely with families that are often in a desperate situation. “Lack of money is a constant concern to these families, but by encouraging them to become members of the credit union and to start saving just a little bit helps them to get more control over their lives”

Inspecting the Garden built by volunteers

Angela Wadeson, Volunteer Co-ordinator, is responsible for 90 volunteers. They are a varied and diverse bunch who undertake a number of roles within the Partnership and across Caia Park. “Volunteering plays a huge role in the credit union movement. Simply by being a volunteer gives individuals the chance to focus and improve their own self-image and worth” she said.

Training and Education underpins the continuing success of the credit union movement. The Lifelong Learning Centre offers local people the chance to learn in both formal and informal settings. “Once people start learning we find that they almost invariably want to continue extending their boundaries”, said Nigel Davies, Community Development Manager, “People become more informed and more willing to make changes to improve their lives”

Looking at the Classrooms

Credit union development on Caia Park has been made possible thanks to Communities First funding. Following the tour, the Minister met with Christine Thomas, who is the Chair of Caia Park Communities First Ltd. She has always been a fervent advocate of the credit union and emphasised the importance of having a local credit union presence that gave a face-to-face service to local people.

“As a community credit union we are uniquely placed” said the credit union Development Officer. “We are situated firmly within the umbrella of Caia Park Partnership and therefore close and positive working links with all the other projects operating within Caia Park come naturally. Every project, group and individual case worker working in Caia Park is seeking to improve the lives of the residents, and therefore I believe that we are all tackling over indebtedness in some way”

Alison Hill, the newly appointed Chief Officer for Caia Park Partnership, has been in post for just a month. She is currently conducting a review of all the Partnerships projects. “I have been extremely impressed with the dedication and energy displayed by staff and projects so far” she said, “I hope to sustain and encourage this power in order to further improve and increase the provision of facilities to the people of Caia Park. The credit union has shown how important the service it provides is to all community sectors and I am pleased that it plays such a vital role in our provision”