Just to remind you…

• YesterdayYesterday was about

• What happenshappens when you…

• testtest government policy that suggests communities can & should

• DO IT FOR THEMSELVES• Older people - Rural areasOlder people - Rural areas

• Process EvaluationProcess Evaluation

And the result of that test?And the result of that test?• Some communities can

– Already winners? (lights on…)Already winners? (lights on…)– Ardersier etcArdersier etc

• With confidence/mentoring/helping hand

• Catalyst (O4O manager)

• Project managers need skills

• It is a challenging process

O4O is not about saying O4O is a O4O is not about saying O4O is a good thinggood thing

It’s about finding and It’s about finding and highlighting the challenges of highlighting the challenges of

the processthe process

Should communities be involved?Should communities be involved?

• YesYes

• Communities and people need to help each other more…

• The culture needs to change

• But providing services?• Which ones?• How change the culture to this?• How to keep safe, but still cut bureaucracy?

Your policy recommendationsYour policy recommendations

1) Mindset/ culture change1) Mindset/ culture change• Cross-generational support• Citizenship chartermark

• Renegotiating power relationships – from a culture of dependency to interdependency

2) Policy 2) Policy • intergenerational working encouraged• Commitment to actually making things happen –

rather than rhetoric & policy direction• Is it only rural communities that need to do it for

themselves (shouldn’t be! All!)• Long term approach to achieve ubiquitous

community social enterprise • It takes more than one or two years• Social enterprise ‘bank’/ business advisers, etc• Support supportive mechanisms at national/regional level

• Policy (more)Policy (more)• Streamline bureaucracy – safe but not stifling• The state needs to decide what can be provided

by public sector professionals and what can be provided by other types of provider/ volunteers

• Incentivise public sector and agencies to work collaboratively – the strands should combine to form a rope

• Involve older people more in decision-making

Policy LearningPolicy Learning O4O highlights need for realismrealism in policy in

terms of what you can achieve, realities of working with communities, individuals and funders, acknowledging risks that community members take on.

PolicyPolicy OtherOther-Knowledge transfer-Knowledge transfer between communities –

so they can inspire each other; sharing best practice

-Recognise the indirect helping benefits of providing amenities – people get to know each other and start to look out for each other

-Evaluation – Process? Outcome? Cost?

3) Role of Public SectorRole of Public Sector• Lead• Map existing assets, costs, needs, demands,

activity, skills… (of communities)• A principle of public services should be to enable

people to help themselves.• Decide what communities could provide that public

sector don’t/can’t/won’t be able to afford• How to scale up from single community initiatives• Making the change without spending any money on it

4. Community level1) Planning & Support Mechanism that can be reached

locally that links with national/regional level2) Catalysts that span between national/regional

support and communities3) Community-based enablers

• Existing public sector professionals?• Links between communities and supportive

regional/national supporting organisation

4) Start small with existing groups and build complexity/diversity

5)Needs realistic (lengthened) timeframe