Spotlight on Rowley Community Activity Network

Tell us what you do.
Rowley Community Activity Network (CAN) forms part of Sandwell Council’s drive to boost the physical activity within the six Sandwell towns. The network brings people of all ages and abilities together to organise and develop sporting, physical and well-being activities.

CAN also supports community organisations with their ideas to introduce new sports facilities or improve existing ones and actively encourages residents to become more active and lead healthier lifestyles within their community.

What is your proudest achievement?
Our proudest achievement has been empowering local community organisations to develop activities that improve the health of local residents’ and seeing the positive differences these activities are having on those participating within Rowley.

What is your experience of support received from SCVO?
Rowley CAN has engaged the services of SCVO to support the development and establishment of new and existing community organisations within Rowley and to assist with the identification of funding opportunities and the development of these applications.

We have also recently worked in partnership to promote a local funding opportunity to community organisations located in the Rowley Regis ward which proved to be a great success and demonstrates what can be achieve with a little joined up thinking.

What is the most valuable lesson you have learnt about working with people in Sandwell?
The most important thing is to listen to the residents and groups, take time to understand their issues, opinions and aspirations and then together design activities and programmes. Involving the people you are trying to help in designing the activities and programmes is vital to success. The organisations in Rowley have great passion, skills, knowledge and ideas. The Rowley CAN just brings people together to share those attributes and offer support, advice and guidance where needed.

What are your plans for the future and some of the challenges you face?
Our plans for the future are to continue to support the community organisations within Rowley and help them to develop activities that are meaningful and worthwhile for both the organisations and participants.

It’s important to us to be a part of the positive changes in improving people’s health and encouraging new social networks within our community.

How can SCVO help to support your organisation in the future?
Rowley CAN is looking forward to working in collaboration with SCVO in the future to support the diverse number of community organisations delivering valuable community services in Rowley.

If you want to find out more about the Rowley Community Activity Network or come along to our next networking meeting please contact Matt Hill on 07790 945111 or via email at rowley_cando@sandwell.gov.uk