Peterborough was designated an asylum dispersal area in 2001. It also has an expanding economy and workers living in Peterborough can easily reach food processing and farming work in the nearby Fenland. As a result newcomers from many nations have arrived in the city in recent years.
The New Link project in Peterborough was originally funded under the Invest to Save Programme, to create a new model for managing new arrivals in the UK. A number of different but linked projects were created.
One aim of the centre is to build community capacity among new arrivals. A dedicated Community Development worker works with around 15 new arrival community groups. The project helps new arrivals to gain contact with people from their own community already involved in organisations and helps people to develop new community organisations where relevant.
New Link Community Development provides ongoing support and training on how to establish, manage and sustain a community group. It helps with:
- establishing the aims and objectives of groups
- formalising a committee and creating a constitution
- developing a business plan and management skills
- accessing training in key areas like bid writing, marketing, fundraising and media skills
- meeting rooms and offices, telephone and fax, computers with internet, printers and photocopier
- regular information packs containing updated information on services delivered, training, conferences, advice available and contact details of other organisations and agencies
- assistance in designing promotional materials such as a logo, leaflet, newsletter or website
- the opportunity to meet and work with other local and national community organisations
New Link has also established a Peterborough Community Forum that represents community groups within the city collectively and acts as a support structure for the groups and associations. The Forum is still new but provides an opportunity for a collective approach to be taken on common issues, for example a Housing Information Session to explain a range of housing issues. Service providers can use sessions to reach several community groups at one time, and individuals from numerous communities can learn skills collectively.