Project Type:
urban planning design strategy
industrial/product design
other: the Community Playbus is a double decker bus providing play opportunities for children of all ages in Walsall. The playbus is inclusive and suitable for children of various abilities.

Project Mission/Goal:
improve the human spirit

Project Description:
The Community Playbus is fitted with various games and equipment, such as computers, televisions, stationary, arts and crafts, a sandpit and kitchen appliances. There is an all weather awning so children can use the area outside the bus. The bus has traveled to nearly every park and school within the borough to provide play opportunities for children

Details:
The playbus has a chairlift to lower deck, hearing loop system and defined hi visibility edges so that children with disabilities can utilize the service. They are currently working on a healthy lifestyle project for special needs children. They offer a smoking project in which several young peers are trained as mentors to pass on their knowledge about the dangers of smoking to the 8-12 year-old youth club members. One mentor has quit smoking because of the project.

Children and community involvement
The provision offers free play educational activities on requested themes. They rarely see the young people before they arrive at the bus to consult with them so any feedback is done informally. The users and hirers of the bus are given the opportunity to complete a survey about the service provided.

Staff, policies and funding
The staff consists of play workers and youth workers with NVQ level 2 or 3 in child care. The playbus has various policies on health and safety and child protection. The service is a registered charity, part funded by the local authority and partly from generating income from hiring to clients. The individual users of the bus do not pay for the service, but clients do.

Source: http://www.playengland.org.uk/images/play/community-playbus.jpg

Links and Captions:
http://www.playengland.org.uk/images/play/community-playbus.jpg
CC: Play England

Project Details:
Project Location: England
Date(s):
Project Phase: Completed
Client:
User Client: children
Description and Number of Beneficiaries/Users:
Major Funding:
Concept/Lead Architect(s)/Designer(s): Play England
Project Architect(s)/Designer(s): Play England
Structural Engineers:
Electrical/Mechanical Engineers:
Contractor/Manufacturer:
Additional Consultants:
Total Cost/Cost per Unit:
Area (if applicable):
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Photo/Image Credit(s)
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Nominated by Vasilios

Location