Explain your understanding of unhealthy communities. Draw on K100 to illustrate how community-based projects can contribute to the development of healthy communities.

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JOANNE RATCLIFFE                                                                             K100

Y9804429                                                                                            TMA03

Explain your understanding of ‘unhealthy communities’.  Draw on K100 to illustrate how community-based projects can contribute to the development of healthy communities.

Initially, what constitutes an unhealthy community will be considered, from the evidence presented in K100, we will examine how social housing became what it is today and the reasons behind this environment being perceived as the unhealthy community, and in contrast we will explore what would be the ideal healthy community.  Secondly, we will look at what is meant by social exclusion (Unit 12, pp. 115-120) and discuss how the government have tackled this issue.  We will then consider the regeneration of unhealthy communities by illustrating the effectiveness of campaigns such as Sure Start and the Barnardos.

In the 1940’s, the post war welfare state was one of universal benefit for all irrespective of their own personal means, which constructed a society of passive receivers of welfare.  By the time of the Thatcherite government it was clear that this financial welfare system could not be sustained relentlessly.  To recover the nation’s economy the Thatcherite government promoted self responsibility, private enterprise and home ownership.  Huge numbers of council houses were sold to their tenants, and the profits generated served to alleviate the massive budget deficit at the time.  With social housing being sold to those that could afford to buy, those who could not afford to buy, the poor, the uneducated, the young, the unemployed, migrants and the very old were marginalised in the most inferior housing stock, generally located within run down housing estates and high rise blocks of flats.  Within these communities there would often be a lack of facilities, such as parks, sports facilities or private and public services and in particular health and education.

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The lack of amenities generally exacerbates the already poor quality of life of those living in these areas.  It could be fair to say that within these communities, crime and anti-social behaviour go hand in hand with the lack of amenities, education and employment, underpinning these areas of social housing as less attractive places to live, thus promoting social exclusion.

In contrast to the previous example of an unhealthy community, the King’s Fund report Healthy Neighbourhoods (2001) reported how healthy communities can be developed and achieved.  Characteristically, a healthy neighbourhood would be a place that is safe and clean ...

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