Wider Role Activities

Wider Role can be described as..“activities by housing associations that go beyond housing provision and management and seek to improve the social and economic circumstances of local communities”.
SHA has a strong commitment to its wider role as an engine for the regeneration of the local area. It employs a Community Regeneration Officer whose remit is to support, promote and instigate regeneration and community development activity, working for the benefit of the entire community, irrespective of tenure.  Its current strategic priorities, reflective of the needs of the area, are:

    • Employment and income maximisation
    • Young people
    • Older people
    • The environment

Current wider role projects:

Shettleston Community Growing Project (SCGP)

SHA responded to a demand from local people who were keen to see a community allotment in the Shettleston area. The Association made land available for the allotment site and provided staff support to develop the project, alongside community partners and Glasgow City Council. Funding was secured to establish the SCGP site at Eckford Street, which opened in spring 2011. Since then, the SCGP has expanded into adjacent derelict ground and now offers a total of 50 raised bed growing spaces for local residents to grow vegetables. The site also includes a community garden and wildlife garden complete with pond

The partnership between SHA and SCGP has sparked further joint working including a volunteering project that gets more local people into gardening and grounds maintenance, improving their health, fitness and social life. Sessions are led by experienced community gardeners who allocate tasks according to interests and ability. Volunteers can learn new skills that can help those aiming to secure paid employment or further training,

The project’s Smelly Welly Club gives children aged 8 to 12 the chance to get involved in food growing, cooking and all manner of healthy, outdoor activities. The club meets after school during term time and as a holiday club during the Easter, summer and October holidays.

Each August the SCGP site hosts a Family Fun Day, run jointly by the Association and the SCGP. Always falling on the last Sunday before the start of the autumn school term, the event is hugely popular with Shettleston and Tollcross residents.

Fuse Youth Café

The Association worked in partnership with a local group to convert a disused public house to Shettleston’s first youth facility (opened in 2009). The Association used loan finance to purchase the building and drew in grant money from the Scottish Government to fund the capital works. Although Fuse is an independent charity, the Association continues to support its work and promote its services throughout our community. Fuse exists to provide a safe, welcoming, inclusive place where young people can find support in their personal, social, and emotional development and opportunities for informal learning. View Fuse’s website here: www.fuseonline.org.uk

You can contact Fuse Youth Cafe on 01417784477

Upkeep – Shettleston Community Enterprises

SHA set up Upkeep in 2005 to create jobs for local people. Upkeep delivers property maintenance and estate caretaking services.

You can contact Upkeep on 0141 764 3793.

Shettleston Pantry

For a modest fee of £2.50, members of the Pantry can take away £15 worth of good from a range of food groups during each visit.  Situated at 981 Shettleston Road, the Pantry was established in collaboration with Parkhead and Tollcross Housing Associations, and is able to source good quality surplus supermarket food through an arrangement with Fareshare.

To become a member, all you have to do is visit the shop and rest will be done for you.  The Pantry’s opening hours are Wednesdays, 12am – 4pm and Fridays, 12am – 2.30pm.

Shettleston Does Digital

This digital skills training project is an exciting collaboration between Shettleston Housing Association and Fuse Youth Café, funded by Glasgow City Council. The free training helps members of the community to learn about using digital devices such as laptops, tablets and phones, using the internet safely and connecting online with family and friends.  Having basic digital skills to go online safely can also help you to save money through price comparison websites – and you don’t need to own a digital device to learn, the service has devices that you can use.

The training is open to everyone over the age of 16 and will run until the end of March 2022. To arrange an appointment, please call 07598 728156.

Shettleston Men’s Shed

Sometimes described as a ‘youth club’ for older people, the men’s shed movement started in Australia over 20 years ago and has since spread to the UK. Aimed mainly at older, retired men, men’s sheds provide a social and recreational outlet for a group of people that can be at risk of loneliness and of developing physical and mental health problems. The idea for the Shettleston Men’s Shed came from a retired Shettleston resident who was worried about his own health and wellbeing. After reading about Men’s Sheds in a newspaper article he decided a similar project in Shettleston would be good for him and for others in the local area. The Association helped bring together like-minded men to form a steering group and provided development support and premises. Shettleston Men’s Shed – the first in Glasgow – opened for business in April 2015 at 647 Shettleston Road and meets on Wednesday and Friday afternoons.

In the pipeline – more services for older people

Over the next year, we hope to expand the options in our community for older people. Following the example of the Men’s Shed, we are working to develop a hub at our community room in Edrom Path where all kinds of activities would be on offer, but with the emphasis very much on self-help and volunteering.