Collaboration in Rural Regeneration

Steve Clare -DTA

Chris Wade –AMT

ruralnet Collaboration Convention 2007

Presentation Structure

Simple OriginsMaking Sense of Collaboration through

BASISShared Geographic Focus and OutcomesCollaboration Principles and Wider

Lessons

Simple Origins

13 potentially inter-related bids to BLF BASIS Programme

AMT offered to look at relationships to:Increase the understanding and synergiesIdentify specific ways to interact and

improve outcomes at the delivery stageMaximise benefits in rural areas

Introducing the Big Lottery FundBASIS Programme

Infrastructural support for voluntary and community sector

National, regional and local bids

Two application phasesJuly 2006 to 2007Winter 2007/08

Two-stage process

Wide Ranging National Bids:Where do we start in collaborating?!A. AMT’s Sustaining Market Towns Programme B. NCVO’s Policy Skills Development ProgrammeC. NAVCA’s Improving Local Partnerships ProjectD. CES’ National Outcomes Programme E. ACRE’s Rural Infrastructure EnglandF. DTA’s Cultivating Enterprise ProgrammeG. Community Alliance Integro ProgrammeH. NCVO Sustainable Funding ProgrammeI. ACEVO’s Regional Leadership and Influencing ProgrammeJ. CES’ PQASSO (quality mark) Development Project K. NAVCA’s Local Procurement and Commissioning ProjectL. CAN’s Community Accountancy ServicesM. CAN’s project to improve support for trustees of local VCS

organizations

Making Sense of the BASIS Bids 1

Generic National Issues NCVO’s Policy Skills Development Programme NAVCA’s Improving Local Partnerships Project CES’ National Outcomes Programme NCVO Sustainable Funding Programme ACEVO’s Regional Leadership and Influencing

Programme CES’ PQASSO Development Project NAVCA’s Local Procurement and

Commissioning Project

Making Sense of the BASIS Bids 2

Geographic FocusAMT’s Sustaining Market Towns

Programme ACRE’s Rural Infrastructure EnglandDTA’s Cultivating Enterprise Programme

Action for Market Towns:Sustaining Market Towns Programme

A. TRAINING…..

B. POLICY…..

C. GOOD PRACTICE….

D. PROMOTION….

Market Towns AcademyTowns Think TankTowns-4-Towns ExchangeNational Voice for Market Towns

Focusing on Outcomes:AMT’s Sustaining Market Towns Programme

Outcome 1: The future sustainability of more Market Town Partnerships (MTPs) secured through effective business planning

Outcome 2: Increased opportunities for MTPs to influence policy, strategy and practice

Outcome 3: The improved sharing of knowledge, skills and good practice in planning, managing and programme delivery

Outcome 4: The development of the necessary national products, services, knowledge and level of resources to support AMT’s work

The Aims of ACRE’s Rural Infrastructure England

Building the capacity for policy influencing and capacity building of rural community infrastructure at regional level

Providing infrastructure dedicated to specific functional areas of service delivery crucial to the health and vibrancy of rural communities

Providing an effective national resource for developing and supporting best practice in rural community engagement initiatives.

Outcomes: DTA’s Cultivating Enterprise Programme

Ensuring beneficiary community organisations have the internal capacity to successfully embrace enterprise

Involving established DTA member organisations as mentors/business supporters to cultivate new and potential community enterprises

Building capacity through an accredited leadership and management programme

Linkages in Geographic BidsAMT’s Sustaining Market Towns Programme

ACRE’s Rural Infrastructure England

DTA’s Cultivating Enterprise Programme

TRAINING-accredited training

ILM accredited leadership training

POLICY - ‘Think Tank’ & interactive service

Regional network development

GOOD PRACTICE SHARING –awards, exchange and Experts Online

Theme-based guidance and community engagement tools

DTA members coaching /mentoring

Specific Collaborative Actions

DTA will inform the AMT Academy syllabus and provide additional learning and business support on community enterprise

AMT will work closely with ACRE to share approaches to building the capacity of villages and small towns to influence regional policy

AMT, ACRE and DTA will work closely with to help share skills and knowledge about service delivery and community engagement amongst villages and small towns

Plus further opportunities between geographic & generic bids

Proposed Collaboration Principles

Initial exchange will identify shared aims and outcomes to define inter-relationships

Individual organisations will be left to confirm any specific proposals for joint working

There is a broad distinction between geographic and generic but opportunities exist for interaction

Generic guidance should be provided as discrete packages that can be embedded within other materials for other programmes

Wider Lessons and Discussion Points

Must share common vision and values Need to focus on overall outcomes not

competition for funds or own outputsFunders are important in encouraging and

supporting ongoing collaborationLinkages between organisations and

themes can be endlessCollaboration has to be worked at but also

needs to have limits

Contacts:Development Trusts Association (DTA)s.clare@dta.org.ukwww.dta.org.uk

Action for Market Towns (AMT)chris.wade@towns.org.ukwww.towns.org.uk