The Place of Community

This are the list of actions that we agreed at the end of the meeting

a) Create a report for the website

b) John Stevens is going to think about the headings for the work that is needed for their review and who is going to be doing it and circulate to us to add in

c) Julia Carrette is going to create a template / map of projects in Worthing and their sustainability; asking Adur CVS to do the same – Dhara to meet Adrian; does this fit in with b) above?

d) Val to make a start on the impact of CD on government policies and circulate for comment; then to do wider circulation asking CD workers and  orgs to say what they are doing to contribute to these agendas to build the case for retaining CD; to involve Tina in this

e) invite sent round for next meeting on Tuesday 25th August, 9.30-12.30 at Adur Civic Centre

What would we like the OUTCOMES of the CD review to be?

• We agreed early on that we wanted a review of CD to be beyond just what the council wants

• We wanted to see a strategy developed for CD across Adur and Worthing

• We want to have agreed principles which underpin CD

• to raise the profile of CD, especially to show it’s benefits in the face of a recession and cuts. We need to put the case for what happens if there isn’t action to keep CD going; what are the impact on other public services if groups like Southlanders are no longer available to provide community based services

• to explain what CD as an approach and activities can do for Local Authorities meeting their targets re involvement and empowerment, how communities can contribute to Neighbourhood Action Plans, community sustainable strategies, deprived areas; and for ward councillors – councillor call for action, scrutiny etc

• how to transfer the good examples of Southlands / Fishergate to other communities

• how to work together, not compete, for resources. Part of this was about having honest communication, avoiding ’silo working’. In order to avoid duplication we want to be able to find out what everyone (not just the council) is already doing regarding CD. And we want to work out how people can keep up to date with each others’ work, especially regarding funding applications being made

• we want the review to represent a ‘new start’ for CD in Adur and Worthing

• we want to connect community development work in Adur and Worthing into the wider world of CD

• the review should take into account historical responses to different communities’ needs between and within Adur and Worthing. We need to learn from what works and how to be responsive to the different needs of different communities. This includes awareness of changing demographics within the area and the needs of BME communities

• we need to ask questions like ‘what does the community want (needs and aspirations) and what does it already have?’

• where and what are these ‘communities’ we’re talking about?

• the review will need to look forward and show awareness that some projects/posts are ending soon, such as POPS (Partnership for Older Peoples), EASi, Health Trainers. They all have external funding (until March 2010?) and work at grassroots level. And more generally the review will need to be mindful of already existing projects

• need to ensure people are involved and it’s relevant to them, avoiding jargon. Also while people can cope with being asked questions, it’s good to avoid duplication of consultation exercises, but the main thing people want is to be told what is then going to happen as a result

• will need to take into account new community development national occupational standards

We then went on to talk about what the review would need to cover

• Needs elected members (including ward councillours) and decision makers signed up to the process (and principles of CD) and more widely aware of what CD is

• Needs to see how other sources of funding can be drawn down

• Needs to learn from existing community research that works, like at Southlanders

• Needs to share results of review back with people, decisions made and the reasoning behind decisions. This is about creating trust

• Needs to fit with sustainable communities legislation that council is bound by. Need some information on how to use sustainable communities resources

• Needs to make use of untapped resources and people’s skills by people seeing what’s in it for them. Needs to strengthen community groups

• Needs coordinating with other research, such as Government Office research on deprivation

• Needs clear reporting so voices are heard and it’s clear who’s listening

• Needs to know what skills are there and what skills are needed – such as training and support. A skills audit (happening at Southlanders)

• Needs Local Strategic Partnerships involved and the review needs to take into account LSP themes

• Needs a shared understanding of what we mean by ‘community development’ and what it isn’t

• Needs to look at community need and community involvement (government targets around Local Neighbourhood Improvement Areas) as a way in for council to support CD

What we have to take this forward

• 2 CVS networks

• Voluntary Sector Forum (Worthing)

• CD Network (Adur)

• 2006 Worthing research of voluntary sector

• Countywide CVS map of existing partnerships

• training for groups – in research

• Southlanders and Fishergate community researchers

• Few days remaining from Val and Dhara

• www.adurandworthing.sostenga.org.uk

• Particiaptory Budgeting as a tool – resources on www.sostenga.org.uk

• Adur Transition Towns

• Adur and Worthing council technology that could be used for PB