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History of Crossroads

Crossroads Youth & Community Association is, by third sector standards, an old organisation. It was established in 1968 as a registered charity to deliver youth work and community development work alongside the people of Gorbals and Govanhill areas of Glasgow. The organisation has operated uninterrupted for six decades supporting communities to take control of the issues affecting them and experience the power to change them.

Crossroads’ track record spans six decades supporting local people to create positive change, stimulating community empowerment and contributing to the regeneration of the Gorbals and Govanhill. 

Key Achievements

1950’s/60’s 

  • The utilising of empty tenements to meet local needs: ‘safehouse’ for young people leaving care or released from young offender’s institutes; childcare rooms for working families; sand-pits and supervised play areas in the back-courts. All initiated and run by local people. 

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  • Publishing Scotland’s first and longest running community newspaper The View; a much loved and admired vehicle for local action, campaigning and information sharing.

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  • Setting up a holiday scheme for children and families. This initiative evolved into the current Glasgow’s Children Holiday scheme which Crossroads still partners with to ensure the most deprived children in Gorbals have fun-filled breaks.

1970’s/80’s

  • First fieldwork Unit in Scotland for social work & community development students established in collaboration with Glasgow University and Social Work Services Group. (700+ students over these years). 

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  • Dampness Monster Campaign; community workers helping to organise local fears and discontent of people living in the most substandard housing in Europe, culminating in their demolition and construction of new better housing. 

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  • Construction of the first Playbarn; a space dedicated to providing young people with a place to call their own.  

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  • Street Warden Pilot Scheme; organising local concerns regarding public safety particularly for the older community. The project evolved into the establishment of Dixon Halls Centre for Older People in Govanhill. 

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  • Asian Women’s Action Group; a highly influential action research project in collaboration with local Asian women and Stirling University culminating policy change and changes to anti-discrimination practice in Scotland.

1990’s/current

  • Building of The Barn Youth & Community Centre; Financed & supported local campaign and fundraising for £500,000 for a community facility for young people and wider community. Crossroads has ownership of this facility. 
    Student Unit:  First agency in the UK to be approved and have practice teachers accredited by the Central Council in Education and Training in Social Work. Training for social work students that was based inside communities. 
    TASK – community work support for local women to address the lack of childcare services in Gorbals, culminating in the establishment of TASK Early Years and Child Care Centre in Gorbals still managed by the original campaigners. 

  • Advocacy service and community development project working with local people from Slovakian/Czech/Roma communities on a range of issues including housing, health, welfare and access to employment. 
    Fairer Food Project: alongside six local partners in Gorbals a strategic effort to address the worst effects of food poverty on young people. Over 200 fresh healthy meals cooked by young people for young people served weekly. 4 sessions per week introducing culinary skills and dietary awareness to young people for longer term healthy outcomes. 
    Gorbals 3rd Sector Forum: instrumental in the organising of Gorbals 3rd sector organisations into a collaborative body strategically linked to public sector services and working closely with local people. This body is crucial in the delivery of Gorbals Thriving Place priorities.  

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