The History of CAW

The early days  

Community Advice Works, formerly known as 170 Community Project has its origins in 1961 in the Telegraph Hill Neighbourhood council, which operated out of both Telegraph Hill Centre and 170 New Cross Road in Central New Cross. 170 Community Project covered New Cross, New Cross Gate and Deptford, and aimed to provide a hub for local social programmes, being used at various times by a mother and baby group, a woman's group, Deptford Action Group For The Elderly, links to the local Somerville adventure Playground, and providing a drop-in centre, but also to provide a forum for local people whose issues may be small and local.

The 1990s

In 1990 the Inner London Education Authority, which had been providing funding for the Telegraph Hill Neighbourhood Council ceased to do so, causing a retrenchment within the larger organisation which ultimately led to the withdrawal of the THNC from 170 New Cross Road. While THNC became more focused on running the Telegraph Hill Neighbourhood Centre to provide rental spaces for events to local groups, the staff at 170 Community Project decided, with the support of the council and local groups, to continue to operate out of 170 New Cross road.

Creation of the Drop-In Centre

Initially the drop-in was informal, providing a warm space and cups of tea to the local people, helping some vulnerable people maintain relative independence within the community, sorting out benefits problems and appeals, providing budgeting advice, and helping people to present complaints where appropriate. As the number of people coming in requesting help kept increasing, a volunteer co-ordinator was appointed and formal drop-in times were set up. The building at the time was in very poor condition and a grant was received which enabled its renovation. 170 Community Project was then run as a collective, in which all involved parties had equal decision-making power. Employment advice sessions were then set up for a couple of hours per morning.

The New Deal For Communities

170 Project expanded rapidly in 1999 when round 2 of the New Deal For Communities government regeneration initiative provided money to Lewisham for the regeneration of the New Cross Gate area. Money was provided to enable 170 Community Project to run IT training, expand its employment advice and support, and run a domestic violence project in association with the Women Against Domestic Violence Group.

Into the future....

Community Advice Works  has now moved from its main premises at 170 New Cross road to the office of its previous computer training project at 49a Hatfield Close - where the office has been modernised to provide confidential advice space. Following the closure of 190 Evelyn street advice service in Deptford, Community Advice Works remains the main north-of-the-borough general advice service for local residents.