Story:PACA and the mediation project
Photo:Peter Ljasevits
As part of their work in Page Hall, PACA (Pakistan Advice and Community Association) have undertaken a community mediation project bringing together diverse members of the community to look at a positive future for Page Hall.
The project helped individuals discuss how they felt about the area and what ideas they felt might be beneficial with a view to creating tools for mediation within the local area.
Cohesion is a big part of PACA's role in the community and a key emphasis of the project has been to combat the negativity about Page Hall with the idea that positive solutions can be found to tackle some of the challenges that the area and its community currently face.
As part of the project PACA organised its first cross community mediation visit, identifying a number of similar areas where recent events have caused unease and tension. The group decided on visiting Eastwood in Rotherham.
Eastwood Village is a community that has many similarities to Page Hall in the way that the change in community dynamics has impacted upon the area.
Taking away a serious message about ‘partnership’, the group were told how everyone is involved, from local residents supporting litter picks and the development of new events in Eastwood, to the police and the extension of their work by officers who also run football clubs in the area, similar to work undertaken in Page Hall.
A community lunch was held on 24th January as part of this project, with local Roma singer Marek Pacan providing entertainment. The event was a great success with about 50 people joining in to share soup and play bingo, including Councillor Harry Harpham. The project group were delighted to see so many local people from across the community come together and with this positive response can see potential for more events and work that will aid community cohesion and be good news for Page Hall.
Plans are now afoot for further community events to be held at PACA including a car boot and table top sale