Making it a Success

So, you’ve got your policy or pilot scheme set up. Now you want play streets to take off in a big way, benefitting children and communities across the area.

There are three main elements to making this happen:

• Promoting play streets locally
• Supporting residents on the ground
• Additional support for communities facing disadvantage

Promoting play streets locally

So, how do you get your policy off the paper and happening in your area? Start with letting people know about it!

Remember that what motivates parents of young children is not the same as what motivates council officers. Also, people tend to trust or listen to information that comes from peers or local grassroots organisations, more than from large institutions. Think about how you can promote this idea in a more organic way.

There is lots more information about this on our promoting play streets page.

The core elements of promotion for a council are:

• An encouraging and simple webpage – see a list of good examples here.
• Local press release to be picked up by local media – see examples of our media coverage.
• Support and encourage existing play street organisers and local groups to spread the word.

Supporting residents on the ground

Some residents will have the confidence, motivation and resources to just get on with it, as long as you have created the following conditions:

• There is a simple, clear and encouraging application process from the council.
• It’s free.
• Signs and cones are provided.
• They have a contact name and phone number for someone at the council who can help with any small enquiries.
• Signpost to this website so they can access all our free resources and feel part of a national movement with peer support.

Additional support for communities facing disadvantage

Others will need more support and handholding. If additional resources aren’t in place, it may only be the most confident and well-resourced streets who can benefit.

All children and communities need support and resources but especially those who are most disadvantaged. In areas where extra support has been provided on the ground, play streets have been really successful and diverse. For case studies and guidance see this toolkit.

Sometimes some additional support is provided by the council, via a community focussed team, but often it’s provided by a partner community organisation or an activator, as in Bristol.

Find more on the types of support and who provides it on our supporting others to do play streets page.