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Martine Smith’s job title at Maindee Primary School in Newport may be ‘Equity Lead’ but her influence on children and families in her local community goes way, way deeper than that.
Martine is a highly respected figure amongst the hugely ethnically diverse population surrounding the school (where 46 different languages are spoken amongst the pupils). Through dogged persistence, empathy and patience (amongst many other attributes), Martine has positively engaged vulnerable families, fostered cohesion and set many at-risk children on a more positive path.
Using her trusted reputation in the community, Maindee Primary has partnered with Levelling the Playing Field’s specialist partners Positive Futures and Community Youth Project, plus Newport Youth Justice and Sport Wales to offer local children tailored provision in sport, music, creative arts, personal development and education opportunities.
Early intervention is crucial. Thanks to Martine, head teacher Jo Cueto and Positive Futures’ own community relationships, local families are more willing to engage in opportunities in school and in the community, delivered with partners and statutory services such as Newport Youth Justice (the recent boxing session at St. Michael’s Boxing Gym with Commonwealth Games gold medallist Sean McGoldrick was a great example).
This provision helps build trust and break down barriers, so that when incidents do occur, Martine can be that crucial link between the families and statutory services or the police to ensure everyone works towards the best possible outcome.
“Relationships are the key to everything,” says Martine. “We’ve got an open-door policy at the school. Everybody is invited in for a cup of tea and given the time to talk and be listened to.”
The strengthening of Maindee Primary’s relationships with parents began after serious racially motivated incidents took place in the playground. Martine called them a “huge eye-opener".
As a response to these incidents agencies were asked to support. The Early Intervention Project began with Newport Live, Newport Youth Justice, prevention teams and the school working closely to address concerns around what they were seeing in the community.
The school hosted workshops on drugs awareness, knife crime, anti-social behaviour, healthy eating and more – with parents and their children attending separately but receiving the same information. Partners such as Fearless, South Wales Fire and Rescue Service and Gwent Police have come into the sessions to offer guidance and support.
'A SAFE SPACE'
“Those meetings and workshops soon became a safe space where parents from different faiths and religions all had something to latch on to and a common interest, held in a safe environment with a member of school staff present to mediate,” Martine explains.
In the ensuing three years, this cohesion has blossomed into all sorts of community activity – including a forthcoming after-school boxing programme at the school (supported by Positive Futures and the ‘Active Education Beyond the School Day’ funding from Sport Wales) which will be led by a group of keen volunteer fathers from the community.
“The reason we can achieve progress with families all stems from relationships we’ve built up with them,” says Martine. “I wouldn’t advise anyone to cold-call at someone’s door without building that trust up first.
“I’ve worked here for 12 years so I’m well known. If a child has voiced concerns to me, I know I can knock on a family’s door and I’m welcomed in as part of the community. I’ve done the groundwork. It’s just a really simple conversation in non-threatening, non-judgemental language, in which I say to them, ‘How can I help?’
“It’s very, very evident that the work we’re doing in the evenings is working. Lots of my older boys are right on the edge of anti-social behaviour, exploitation and other issues. They need someone to reach out to and we’re providing that support.”
Matt Elliott from Newport Youth Justice has recently joined this circle of trust and delivers several sport-based programmes locally. Previously in his role, his relationship with a young person would start with a referral following a court order, but now he works preventatively with vulnerable families, building relationships and giving children a safe place to let off steam.
It’s for these reasons that this partnership’s work is aligned to Levelling the Playing Field and our common goals:
- Increase the number of ethnically diverse children taking part in sport and physical activity
Prevent and divert ethnically diverse children from becoming involved in the Criminal Justice System
Lucy Donovan, Senior Development Officer for Positive Futures, works closely with Martine. She comments: “For all of us in this partnership it’s about getting to know people and having a chat on their home turf. Then when issues occur, you can go and have a conversation, as opposed to them feeling like they may be judged by a professional, and starting the relationship in a 'deficit' position with a power imbalance. We want our communities to own and lead these programmes to ensure they can be sustained for years to come.”
Martine summarises: “The relationships come first – and that can take time, sometimes years – which is why short-term funding is inadequate for this type of work.
“On a personality level, it’s about being caring, consistent and determined to build up children’s self-belief. Many young people and adults just don’t believe they can achieve anything. They must receive a consistent message – you belong, we want you to be the best you can be and we care about you.”