Ongo; Transforming Estates, Changing Futures
22 April 2025
At a time when towns like Scunthorpe face an uncertain future, organisations like Ongo are proving that with the right people, partnerships, and belief in local potential, you can transform not just places, but futures.
The uncertain future of the steelworks in Scunthorpe has dominated the news recently, so it was an interesting time to visit Ongo, with their offices and many homes in the town. It goes without saying the steelworks is huge and obviously a big local employer, but many of the other businesses in the town rely on it in some way.
I had the pleasure of hearing Chief Executive Steve Hepworth talk about the work of Ongo at our Annual Conference last year, and even shared a platform with him on a previous occasion, so I knew meeting their team and seeing their impact first-hand was going to be a day very well spent.
Matthew Walker (Chief Executive of Leeds Federated and PlaceShapers Chair), Matt Sugden (Chief Executive of Railway Housing Association and PlaceShapers Board member) and I met with Steve for a quick coffee at their head office in Scunthorpe, then headed off for our first stop on our tour.
The Viking Centre in Barton upon Humber is a community centre in the middle of Ongo’s Caistor Road estate. It provides free activities for young people, clean up days, campaigns to improve health and wellbeing, a free teatime and breakfast club, big trips out and a café that does a cracking egg roll. Over the past eight years they have supported over 100 young people with mentoring, activities and training and helped support over 50 people into employment and training.
I’d urge you to watch this video, which explains much better than I can, how being visible and connected to the community can transform an estate that was previously known as a ‘no go’ area where people didn’t want to live. It really helps that the people who work in the Viking Centre grew up in the area and started as volunteers with Ongo, as you will see from the video.
Our next stop was The Arc, a central hub for the local community in Westcliff, back in Scunthorpe. Purpose built, it provides housing and financial advice, mental health support, activities for children and families, and again has a lovely café, with omelette and chips on the menu this time.
It also has a Post Office, owned and operated by Ongo. This might sound surprising when you first hear about it, but when Steve talks about it being a vital amenity for the local community, that brings people in to centre and connects them with Ongo, it all makes perfect sense.
Our final stop was the skills and employment centre in Scunthorpe. The range of activities and support Ongo provide through this centre and the difference it makes is hard to do justice in a blog. As well as employment and skills support and access to great training opportunities, they also run a recruitment agency, so can help people directly into sustainable employment when they are ready.
There were two things they do at the centre that struck me as really special. Firstly, they operate an open-door policy. People can come in off the high-street, without a referral or a clear idea of the kind of support they need, and they will be helped. Secondly, they provide mental health counselling, free for residents. Housing officers are not left trying to support people who are struggling, they can refer them on to people who have the skills and capacity to step in.
Again, don’t take my word for the difference this service makes to people’s lives, instead have a look at John’s story.
There is so much more I could say about Ongo, for example their innovative partnerships with local football clubs and golf England, or their ability to tap into sources of funding that will benefit their local communities. But what will stay with me from our visit was that at a time when towns like Scunthorpe face an uncertain future, organisations like Ongo are proving that with the right people, partnerships, and belief in local potential, you can transform not just places, but futures.
We’ll be working closely with Ongo and other members in the months ahead, sharing stories, spreading learning, and making sure these brilliant, community-led approaches are championed and supported. Because when you see what’s possible here, it’s clear: this is what place-shaping looks like.
The next day we were lucky enough to spend time with Newcastle City Council, talking about the challenges of place-shaping at a city-wide level. So much of what we heard from them will resonate with our members and the next blog from our Board member Matt Sugden will share more on this.