GSAP is the key community support agency for the area,and has 30+ years’ knowledge and experience, acting as a central resource for individuals and groups, to support and empower them to tackle the problems which they face for themselves. In that time, we have continually enabled groups to review their practices and develop their own skill sets, knowledge and experience, while also by working in partnership with those groups and with statutory agencies to achieve this.
Over the past 30 years, GSAP has built up sound working relationships with residents, the local community, public representatives, local government and statutory agencies and pro-actively consults with the community. GSAP believe this has only been achievable through having an open approach, and having a willingness and enthusiasm, to engage widely with the local community, listening to their needs and concerns, and help affect a meaningful community’s response.
Furthermore, the guidance and support from GSAP’s core staff have been critical to the success and growth of the wider community and voluntary sector in the Greater Shantallow area (and further afield). In this time, we have nurtured and helped develop of a number of organisations, while also assisting groups in accessing considerable resources, to deliver their own programmes of work within their areas. However, much work still remains to be completed by these groups, and GSAP staff would be seen as significant contributors in this process, in terms of providing various forms of technical assistance and capacity building, financial knowledge and physical resources, that will see the development of a more vibrant and more sustainable community and voluntary sector. In addition, though providing ongoing support, advice and information to existing and emerging community/interest groups, GSAP will enable local citizens /groups to have their voices heard and have the means to tackle (for themselves), the underlying causes of their problems.
Through ongoing information dissemination, consultation, representation, networking and supporting and/or developing inter-agency alliances and programmes/services, GSAP have, and continue to help, reduce the inequalities that currently exist within the area. This has been done through helping improve accessibility to existing and new services, interventions, programmes and activities, that help make a positive contribution to improving publicly funded services available within the Outer North /Greater Shantallow Area (including successes with other similar communities throughout the province.
GSAP are a recognised strategic body, that has the management skills and experience to initiate, plan, develop and/or deliver on joint projects / initiatives with residents, community/interest groups, state agencies and local government within the fields of social, community, economic and physical regeneration (see new website for further info www.shantallow.net). GSAP has/is continuing to help create a greater influence on statutory planning processes and operational issues to have a more effective and accountable service delivery (for both C&V and Statutory Agencies). We will continue to engage with people in our community in order keep them informed, sustain and enhance levels of communication and encourage the sharing of ideas, experiences and resources, that potentially encourage further resources, and/or tailored and channelled investment into the area. We will endeavour to continue to help establish a more focussed and co-ordinated approach towards tackling the area’s problems, through addressing its immediate and future needs. GSAP have been proven to be an instrumental body in the development of strategic networking and encouraging collaborative working throughout the area.
