Special Projects
CAPACITY BUILDING PILOT IN EAST AYRSHIRE
Capacity Building
Many regeneration agencies nationally, both in the statutory and in the third sector have realised that capacity is an issue on the ground in many communities. There is anecdotal evidence that the support available to communities is very limited.
Issue for Funders
The vital issue for funders is that there is a mis-match between need at grass roots level, and the ability of groups in those areas to put together quality bids (with the associated business plans and so on) to secure that investment in their communities. As a result, proportionately more grant investment goes to larger (often statutory) agencies or geographical areas with a population that has more skills and less multiple deprivation.
Coalfields Regeneration Trust
The Coalfields Regeneration Trust has emerged as a key player facilitating the development of community capacity, by encouraging small voluntary, charitable and other organisations to expand their scope, build new partnerships and tackle more ambitious projects within the communities they support. We are one of the few funders who see themselves as a regeneration agency with funding rather than simply a grant distributing body.
Coalfield communities tend to be small, self-contained and lacking in key services 'on the ground’ and the Trust aims to engage the community and increase its' capacity in a variety of ways. CRT staff in Scotland are dedicated to working in coalfield communities and the overarching priority of CRT is to develop and improve capacity within communities, which in turn will enable local people to deliver their own solutions as part of the regeneration in coalfield areas. The role of CRT staff is to provide a comprehensive grass roots service, which includes hands on working with communities and community groups, providing development support and assistance with grant applications.
Community Needs
In the past year CRT staff have identified a need for additional in depth capacity building activities in the small communities in the West of Scotland, particularly in Auchinleck and New Cumnock in East Ayrshire. There is clear evidence of deprivation in these areas (through Scottish Indices of Multiple Deprivation and other indicators) directly related to the contraction of the deep mining industry.
The majority of applications from these communities are very small in value and largely submitted to the Community Grant or Bridging the Gap programmes. The majority of the main grant applications submitted from East Ayrshire are from statutory or well-established organisations.
When talking to community representatives, councillors, local authority officers who work in these communities it has become clear that there is a need for further development and capacity building support which will assist groups to take forward their ideas. A mechanism needs to be put in place to unlock bids from the target groups and communities and release investment into those areas to stimulate long-term regeneration.
A combination of partnership working, development support with funding is a potent mix for village and neighbourhood level organisations, which helps bring about neighbourhood renewal and social inclusion.
Capacity Building Pilot
In partnership with Community Enterprise Ltd., CRT is piloting a Capacity Building Programme, through CRTs Strategic Intervention Programme, that will develop the skills, knowledge and capacity of voluntary and community groups within the communities of Auchinleck and New Cumnock in relation to project and funding related issues
This will be done by providing practical and comprehensive training and development support to ensure that small community organisations have the capacity to identify and take forward regeneration projects. We will help them to become better equipped to represent their communities confidently and competently and have the skills and confidence to put together and submit quality applications to a range of funding bodies.
The aim is to:
- Identify the community needs and concerns
- Develop a community action plan, in each of the identified communities
- Increase access to external funding
- Work with local people/projects to develop funding bids
- Work with local people to develop exit strategies based on sustainable models
- Develop and strengthen links with local support agencies
- Act as a catalyst towards developing more sustainable funding arrangements
This project will compliment CRT grants programme, as it will support the development of funding applications in ‘cold spots’ where there is little activity at the moment.
The work will help to make funding more accessible as the applicants will have developed their skills and knowledge in relation to funding and taking forward regeneration in their communities.
