Operation Community is a project between us and local authorities and residents in North Yorkshire to address issues such as antisocial behaviour, and to enhance community wellbeing.
Led by Ryedale Community Safety Hub this collaborative effort aims to adopt a sense of unity and safety within communities, particularly in the Ryedale area.
So, what’s involved? Let’s break it down for you:
Engagement
One of the key elements of Operation Community is the door-to-door engagement conducted by our very own representatives, as well as North Yorkshire Council, the police service and fire service.
Our representatives ask customers and residents if they have any issues or worries, they would like to report, encouraging them to have an open and safe conversation.
Officers attend specific locations as a means of establishing presence, providing reassurance to residents, and to gather intelligence and/or respond to recent incidents. Responses are then recorded by officers and residents via an online form.
Finding hidden issues
Operation Community has proven to be instrumental in uncovering issues that might otherwise go unnoticed. So, by actively visiting customers and residents and establishing a rapport, the campaign has helped us to gather information we otherwise wouldn’t be aware of. For example, on our last operation, we found six makeshift driveways! We were able to immediately put this right.
Being inclusive
Recognising that some people may prefer to share their thoughts in writing, the Council hands out leaflets with their contact details on. This way it offers an alternative communication channel for those who may feel a bit uncomfortable talking about things in person.
ASB de-escalation and long-term solutions
The campaign places a strong emphasis on addressing antisocial behaviour worries, which is something we take really seriously at Yorkshire Housing.
By taking a proactive approach, the initiative aims to de-escalate situations and prevent the escalation of conflicts. The collaborative efforts of our team, the council, and the police work towards resolving any issues, adopting positive relationships, and promoting a sense of security in communities.
We want to address the root causes of antisocial behaviour and support people who may be suffering in silence. Finding out about any issues sooner rather than later is crucial.
Find out more about how we deal with antisocial behaviour here.
Ongoing efforts
The operation isn’t a one-time initiative, it’s an ongoing effort to maintain the wellbeing of communities in Ryedale and North Yorkshire.
The campaign is ongoing and locations and requirements are considered every week to ascertain where it is needed, as well as discussed at the Community Safety Hub led Community MAPS. But the team aims to do more over the summer months when people are generally more present and spend more time outdoors.
As Operation Community progresses, we hope it will evolve and expand its reach to cover more areas within North Yorkshire. It is already having a huge success in Scarborough and Whitby under the name of Operation AMBIENCE.
Evie Bailey, Place Manager at Yorkshire Housing said:
“I joined Yorkshire Housing in summer 2022 and one of the things that excited me about my role was working out and about in our communities, being customer obsessed, and forming key partnerships internal and external stakeholders.
“These Operation Community events where all agencies work together to be pre-emptive are a core part of the work that we do to tackle any issues straight away. This is all a key part of making homes and places to be proud of.
“The campaign really strengthens bonds between customers, residents, ourselves and local authorities, ensuring that North Yorkshire remains a safe and thriving place people can call home.”
A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Council said:
“Operation Communities are a great way to engage with and reassure the residents of the former district of Ryedale following reports of antisocial behaviour, community tensions or criminal activity, for example.
"North Yorkshire Council’s Community Team works in partnership with Yorkshire Housing, along with North Yorkshire Police and other agencies to get out and about in our communities and to take a proactive approach when tackling community tensions and antisocial behaviour.
"It is also a great opportunity for residents to ask any questions they may have and for officers to gather information to aid our investigations.”
A North Yorkshire Police spokesperson added:
"Operation Community is an excellent way for us to engage with the community utilising a multi-agency approach, which allows for all agencies to help our communities tackle local issues, whether that be ASB, drug taking, fly tipping or something none police related, such as issues with paying bills.
"By visiting a location as a joint approach, we can better ascertain and target the needs of that community, strengthening our ties and making the community stronger."
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