Redeeming Our Communities is a UK-based charity, founded by author and popular speaker Debra GreenOBE in 2004. ROC's main aim is to reduce crime. Their activities include partnerships with community groups, churches, police, fire service, local authorities and voluntary agencies. They currently run over 165 projects throughout the UK targeting a variety of social needs, reaching over 2000 people every week.
History
The Redeeming Our Communities initiative was launched in 2004 at the Reebok Stadium in Bolton, where thousands of people across the North West gathered and pledged to reduce violent crime in the region. A year later that pledge was met when the Metro Newspaper reported that violent crime in the region had fallen by 11%, bucking the national trend. In 2006 ROC became a national organisation, holding an event in the NEC Arena in Birmingham. The event was attended by 7,000, and as a result many people across the UK signed up to become ROC Ambassadors, spreading the vision of ROC across the UK. After the National Launch, ROC began to host conferences to train and equip people in how to set up projects using the ROC model. Since the National Launch, ROC has moved into eight different regions across the UK, including the Belfast Launch event in 2012. During this time ROC have hosted several high-profile Launch Events, including the 2009 Liverpool Launch which attracted over 5,000 people and the 2010 Birmingham Launch which drew 2,000. These high-profile events are held in partnership with local police forces in the hopes of building links and creating local ROC projects. ROC launched in Scotland at the ROC Scotland Showcase event on 5 February 2014. The event was attended by over 1700 people including 100 civic leaders and senior members of public services. The evening was hosted by Sally Magnusson and included performances from the Police Pipe Band, Midge Ure, Jai McDowall and the High School of GlasgowChamber Choir. The evening inspired people to get involved in community projects. In recognition of her work ROC founder Debra Green was appointed an OBE in June 2012.
ROC projects
There are currently over 50 projects under the ROC banner. These projects are multi-agency and will usually involve partnerships among religious groups, police, and emergency services as well as various other statutory agencies and organisations. Projects and initiatives include:
ROC Cafés, which provide diversionary activities for young people
ROC Centres, offering a community hub for a variety of projects
ROC Care, which focuses on the elderly and isolated
ROC claims to have seen reductions in crime as a result of their projects, including significant reductions in anti-social behaviour, which has inspired additional ROC projects. In 2008 Debra Green wrote a book, containing the stories of many of the projects: Redeeming Our Communities: 21st Century Miracles of Social Transformation. Her next book, ROC your World; transforming communities for good, was published by River Publishing in March 2014. In 2012 ROC announced that they would be starting a restorative justice scheme called ROC Restore.
Future plans
In 2014, the charity launched into Scotland, hosting a Showcase Event on 5 February. Following the event, it was reported by ROC that several projects were in the planning stages including in Parkhead, Queen's Park Glasgow, Newton Stewart and Edinburgh.
