Reaching New Families Through Partnership

Over the summer, StreetGames developed a partnership to introduce Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) provision to families across Alum Rock and Hodge Hill who had not previously accessed the programme.

Working with Birmingham City Council, Dyson Gardens Family Hub, Pitch 2 Progress and local community organisations, StreetGames organised a community festival offering families a welcoming introduction to HAF activities, healthy food and local support services.

Developing the Partnership

Following discussions with Bethany Wallin, Community Liaison Investigator, StreetGames explored opportunities to work with local children’s centres to reach families who could benefit most from HAF.

Around eight local organisations expressed an interest in supporting the event. Following meetings and site visits, Dyson Gardens Family Hub was selected as the venue, with Pitch 2 Progress coordinating activities and community partners.

Bethany and her team used their established family networks to engage households who had not previously accessed HAF, while also coordinating attendance from local support services, including the police and fire service.

StreetGames managed registration and arranged food through Fresh Food for Now, alongside interactive nutrition activities delivered by food and nutrition students. Pitch 2 Progress also provided a smoothie bike.

The festival offered a variety of activities, including sports, arts and crafts, photography, general play and food-based activities.

Impact and Outcomes

The event successfully engaged families who were new to HAF and helped connect them with further opportunities in their community.

Key outcomes included:

• Over 100 families attended from across the local area.
• 81 families were new to HAF, providing an introduction to the programme.
• 37 children signed up for follow-on activities, creating a pathway into continued participation.
• 45 parent and child feedback forms were completed, capturing experiences and feedback.

The event also strengthened relationships between local organisations and created opportunities to signpost families towards further activities and support.

Feedback

One parent commented:

“We have never been into the children’s centre before and it was lovely to see what facilities they have. The activities were lovely and helped my children to meet others.”

Another parent highlighted the positive experience:

“The coaches and food staff were lovely and very caring. My son wanted to keep going back and make another fruit kebab.”

Pitch 2 Progress also valued the opportunity to develop local partnerships:

“Pitch 2 Progress have loved being involved in this event and it will help signpost children to other activities in the local area. We are also interested in developing the partnership with Bethany at the Children’s Centre.”

Conclusion

The Dyson Gardens festival demonstrated how partnership working can help reach families who have not previously accessed HAF. By combining engaging activities, food, nutrition and connections to local services, the event provided a welcoming introduction to holiday provision.

With over 100 families attending and 37 children signing up for follow-on activities, the festival created meaningful opportunities for continued engagement. It also strengthened relationships between community organisations and highlighted the value of working together to make HAF more accessible to families across Alum Rock and Hodge Hill.