Collaborative partners

Northwards Housing

Manchester Communication Academy is working with Northwards Housing to support its community involvement programme, in particular its scheme for Junior Wardens. The shared values and objectives for both will ensure the continued success of the relationship.

The Junior Wardens from Northwards Housing

Northwards Housing has found a very exciting way of solving a problem.  What do you do when the young people in the community don’t feel they have a real value, when they are bored, when they are misunderstood and even feared by some adults and when some of them get into trouble?  In the face of this problem, most of us would feel helpless and wouldn’t know where to start.  Not Northwards Housing.  When they created the Junior Wardens they decided to put the community into the safe hands of the young people of North Manchester. 

What do the Junior Wardens do?

Kitted out by the Northwards Wardens with uniforms and equipment, the under-12s patrol their schools and play areas. They keep an eagle eye out for hazards and problems, and report them to a nominated teacher.
They encourage fellow-pupils to think about their environment - by not using too much paper in classrooms or paper towels in toilets, and by turning off taps. They look out for lights that are on unnecessarily, and for open windows in rooms where the heating is on. They help the Northwards Wardens arrange and carry out litter-picks to keep their schools tidy and free from hazards.

Where are the Junior Wardens?

The following schools take an active part in this exciting project and are looked after by their own Junior Wardens:

Abbott Community Primary School
All Saints CE Primary School
Bowker Vale Primary School
Briscoe Lane Primary School
Broadhurst Primary School
Charlestown Community Primary School
Christ the King RC Primary School
Crosslee Community Primary School
Crumpsall Lane Primary School
Harpur Mount Primary School
Holy Trinity CE Primary School
King David Junior School
Lily Lane Junior School
Moston Lane Community Primary School
Mount Carmel RC Primary School
New Moston Primary School
Park View Community Primary School
Pikefold Primary School
Saviour CE Primary School
St Dunstan’s RC Primary School
St Patrick’s RC Primary School
Victoria Avenue Community Primary School

What difference are the Junior Wardens making?

In school:
The Junior Wardens help to devise a suitable patrol plan in line with the school requirements. 
They patrol in pairs switching off lights, turning off taps, monitoring coats on the floor, litter, reporting broken glass, needles, leaks etc.
They record problems identified during patrols as requiring further action in the notebook and a ‘job sheet’ and pass it to the appropriate teacher / adult for action.

In the community:
In recent weeks the Northwards Junior Warden teams have been venturing out of their schools and keeping busy working in the community.
They have just visited Edward Grant sheltered accommodation block and carried out an environmental litter pick, swept pathways of leaves, served tea, coffee and biscuits and even acted as bingo callers.
This kind of intergenerational activity reaps huge benefits for everyone involved.  The children gain a better knowledge of the service provided in a Northwards residential home and therefore come to respect the building as somebody’s home and not just a building on the estate. The residents said that they felt vibrant and lively after mixing with their younger counterparts, appreciating that not all young people are hoodies and potential wrongdoers.
To continue this type of interactive working it is hoped that schools in the area will adopt a sheltered block and continue to visit the residents throughout the year and continue the good work.

Junior Warden City Pride Awards

Ian Gillett, Youth Strategy Officer for Northwards Housing is busy with a small group of organisations to arrange a really special celebration day for all the Junior Wardens.  Lynne Heath, Principal, and Patsy Hodson, Vice Principal, from Manchester Communication Academy are absolutely delighted to be involved in this and said: ‘This will be an exciting opportunity for all the Junior Wardens to finally meet each other and for the community to thank them for all their hard work.’

Manchester Communication Academy would also like to congratulate Northwards Housing for their wonderful and innovative approach to solving a serious community problem.  North Manchester is in the safe hands of the Junior Wardens.