Participation in Action: Young tenant rallies support to create a safe place to play

On a spring day in the run-up to the 2010 general election, nine-year-old Sachen Whyte and his friend were playing football among the parked cars behind his block of flats in Brockley in south-east London.

When local Labour councillors who were out canvassing approached them and asked what must be done for young people, Sachen was quick to suggest a safe place to play. The councillors returned with an application form for Lewisham Homes’ Community Improvement Fund.

Now 12, Sachen’s proposal has become a reality, with a play garden occupying a proud space by his home. “The land next to where I live had just been left as a dumping ground, and I thought it was a real waste,” Sachen says. “I completed this application and sent it in not really thinking that we would hear anything more from it. I also didn’t tell my mum and dad.”

But community officers at Lewisham Homes were impressed by the quality of Sachen’s application. Sue Asquith, community engagement officer, says: “We were quite clear with Sachen that he had to demonstrate community support. He had to be aware that other people would benefit from the project and that he and his community had the time and the skills to deliver the project because it had to be resident-led.”

And Sachen did not disappoint. Backed by the community involvement team at Lewisham Homes, local councillors, friends and family, Sachen secured the £5,000 grant.

Sachen also had the idea of using one of the playground walls as a creative space and called upon local artists Artmongers to help residents and children paint a mural. “We had an opening ceremony and asked residents to join in and bring food and drink and my parents organised the music to make it into a celebration,” he recalls.

Resident involvement
Looking back, Sachen says one of the biggest challenges was encouraging people to get actively involved. “Residents were happy to sign a petition and complete a survey, but we also needed physical help, especially when it came to attending the workshops and painting the mural,” he says. “This meant that I had to do a lot of door-knocking and communicating with friends, family and organisations using Facebook and email to try and get support.”

But despite the challenges, Sachen’s play garden is up and running and is now a central part of his community. “The play garden has meant that residents have a space to use as no one has their own garden,” he says.

Sachen’s efforts have not gone unrewarded as he has been nominated for the Housing Heroes Awards’ Inspirational Tenant of the Year.

Asquith adds: “People like Sachen are our tenants of the future. A lot of work is done around antisocial behaviour and diversionary work but there is a whole tranche of young people who don’t enter into that arena. We need to make sure we find those young people and involve them as well.”

Sachen gets stuck in with painting the walls of the play garden he lobbied councillors for near his home in Brockley