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Case Studies |
Examples from Partners
Scotland
Ellon
Project Title: Ellon Youth Action Group & the realisation of the Ythan Centre project
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| Description: The work of the Ellon Youth Action Group and the realisation of the Ythan Centre project is an excellent example of young people taking the lead in realising their own aspirations and highlights the importance of the peer group in education and development.
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Objectives:
- To work together to secure a facility which will provide a safe environment where young people can relax, feel safe, and socialise
- To offer support from workers to enable them to make informed choices, give them a democratic voice and promote independence.
- To offer young people the opportunity to access advice and information on issues that affect them in today’s society.
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Process/Stages:
The main strength of the project is the process in which the young people of varying ages and interests in Ellon have been actively involved from the beginning. The personal learning and development for those individuals involved in the process will stand them in good stead for their “Active Citizenship” in future years.
The setting up and continued development of the group has provided an opportunity for the young people to have their voice heard in many arenas. They have impressed those people with their commitment, knowledge and determination and have gained many skills. They have built up their self-esteem, broken down barriers between youth and community and have helped address wider issues in the community.
With professional support, challenging attitudes, values and beliefs, they have been involved in the democratic process within their own group organisation as well as when promoting their proposal to others. In engaging with the wider community the group have presented their proposals with an eagerness and enthusiasm that has impressed and brought on board the support of the local community.
In their research of youth facilities in the North and Central belt of Scotland, the young people found that in comparison, Ellon was less well served. With the building of more new houses in Ellon, quite apart from the build in the rural areas, it was felt that an additional youth facility in the community was a necessity rather than a luxury.
Having secured full funding by October 2002, the building commenced in March 2003. 10 months later the building was completed and The One Way – Youth Café was born.
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Outcomes/Results:
- Establishment of Ellon Youth Action Group
- Dedicated Youth Facility for the young people of Ellon and the surrounding area.
- Young people actively involved in the sustainability and future development of the facility
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Learning Points:
- Young people with the support from professional staff have to be actively involved in the process to ensure that specific needs are met.
- Continual evaluation along the way
- Open and honest dialogue between young people and community
Click here to see to Ellon Youth Directory.pdf
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Contact Information: Ellon Youth Action Group
C/O Audrey Douglas email
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Project Title: Partnership Animateur
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Description : To facilitate the activities contained within the programme and to work with community groups to help them deliver their activities and become self sustaining.
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Objectives: To demonstrate the value of a dedicated resource and evaluate the additional benefit which has been derived
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Process/Stages : Appointment of animateur after brief interview
Animateur then carried out the following:
- Research of Ellon and surrounding area
- Visits to local individuals / groups / organisations to find areas of common interest or where support could be given.
- Work with groups towards their own goals
- Work with groups towards the activities in SusSet
- Co-ordinated whole town promotional activity (tourism leaflet and events)
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Outcomes/Results: Animateur seen as:
- Focal point for cross working between groups
- Coordinator for development of local projects
- Conduit for information from a variety of different sources
- Link between groups in Ellon and groups in other areas
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Learning Points :
a) The main active groups in the town should be consulted on whether there is a desire / need for an Animateur before the person is appointed.
Without full agreement and clear guidelines, there will continue to be fragmented work carried out in isolation, rather than coordinated work which would present a unified image for the town.
b) It should be made clear that the role of the Animateur is to support the groups in the town with their work, not to do the work for them.
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Contact Information: Lorna Harris Tel 01358 726406 Email
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Ellon: Enquiry by Design
Ellon has successfully used this technique pioneered by the Princes Foundation (see information below).
Inverurie
Inverurie has a number of examples of community dialogue and engagement, such as:
- Voluntary sector forums (see ‘good practice guide’ below)
- Use of local newspapers
- Development of Inverurie Business Association newsletter ‘Accent’ (copies available at www.inveruriebusiness.com under ‘publications)
- Consultation exercises over proposed local developments, for example, traffic management, town centre design, Uryside park (see www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/planning/devbriefs/index.asp under ‘Uryside’)
Project Title: Voluntary Sector Forums
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Description:
The voluntary sector consists of organisations which are managed by volunteers. These organisations often are isolated and would benefit from each others support. The forums initially cost approximately £650 which included a good venue, lunches and staff time. Once established the forums will cost very little which will enable them to be sustainable. |
Objectives:
An arena for voluntary organisations to network, promote and share good practice, be involved in consultation and receive relevant information. |
Process/Stages:
- Contact all voluntary organisations within Inverurie.
- Consult with the voluntary sector to find out what type of support/events they would like to see from the voluntary sector forums.
- Consult with the voluntary sector which time/venue would be most convenient.
- Disseminate a clear agenda.
Evaluate the forums on a regular basis. |
Outcomes/Results:
- The voluntary sector benefit enormously from networking at the voluntary sector forums.
- Partnership activity often resulted from this networking.
- The voluntary sector learnt about legislation, funding etc. information which was relevant to them.
- Consultations were able to take place to find out what mattered to the voluntary sector.
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Learning Points:
- Networking/engagement was the most important part.
- Each forum consisted of a project up-date which generated useful discussions.
- Lack of time seems to be one of the biggest pressures on volunteers and workers in the voluntary sector.
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Contact Information:
Alison McLaughlin email
Development Manager
Gordon Rural Action CVS
15a High Street, Inverurie.
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Project Title: Community policy and action plan for the disabled
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Description: The policy and the action plan concerns:
reception and awareness, individual- support, availability, environment, information, cooperation between different organisations for the disabled
school, work, culture, religion, recreation and sports
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Objectives:
Create opportunities for involvement and equality for disabled people in Kungälv
Create a common handicap policy for the municipality.
Increase the knowledge in the local government activities about the conditions for disabled people.
Make the handicap issue clear in all planning work in the municipality
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Process/Stages:
2001-2002 the policy and action plan for the disabled were put together. 20 different handicap organisations are represented in Kungälv and representatives from many of these organisation were taking part in the work
In the municipality there is also a community council for the disabled. Which consist of representatives from the elected politicians and the handicap organisations.
2006 the action plan is revised and is political adopted by the municipality council.
The action plan will be followed up once a year and in this work the handicap organisation will take part. The community council for the disabled will also take part in this work.
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Outcomes/Results:
Education for public officials and politicians in the municipality.
Guide to the community service (as a book and at the internet) for the disabled.
Create guidelines to make housing and public spaces more accessible.
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Learning Points:
To take in consider the experiences from the disabled people makes the work with creating available and accessible information and environments easier.
The knowledge concerning handicap increases among politicians and public officials.
A positive impact on attitudes concerning disabled people.
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Contact Information:
Kersti Jacobsen, Kungälvs kommun, email
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Council for local business development
In Kungalv we have established a council for local business development. Members in the council are representatives from the local business and trade unions, representatives for some selected companies and the municipality. The company unions have hundreds of members and the council representatives have to forward information to their networks. To spread information wide is a success factor, we believe.
The aim with this council is to anchor the planned and future development of the town and municipality broader. The company representatives could serve with important opinions on for example future exploitations, infra structure programmes etc. The council is also an arena for creation of extended co-operations between the public and private sector. For the municipality of Kungalv it is important that the local companies take part in the growth and development.
Notes from the meeting are taken, agendas are sent out two weeks before meeting and the companies are asked to add items on the agenda.
Contact information: Bengt Gustafsson, Kungälv municipality
Stonehaven
Stonehaven – Community Participation Training (for staff and politicians); Town Visioning exercise.
Many studies have been conducted in Stonehaven in the last decade concerning its infrastructure, economy, and tourism interests, but only one focussed on residents’ opinions about their town. This project would return to that theme and search more deeply for the factors which make residents value Stonehaven, identifying them this time in images and ideas which can be transferred to civic pride and tourism promotions. The results also would help decision-makers to prioritise future community and infrastructure projects.
Celebrate Stonehaven – community news flier
A ‘newspaper’ with interviews conducted by school children highlighting current issues in Stonehaven and what makes Stonehaven so special. The objective was to produce something that can be read and enjoyed by residents and visitors and which sets out some of the special attributes and initiatives in the town. The process/stages were: plan the production; conduct interviews; publish and distribute. Outcomes and results were: sense of pride and achievement; readable, well-produced document; highlighting good practice. Learning Points were: (a) such an exercise can pull together in one place information on the good initiatives in the community (b) young people are particularly proud of their environment and can instil a sense of pride and belonging in others.
Contact Information:
William Munro, Area Manager, Kincardine and Mearns
Telephone: +44 (0) 01569 768200.
Email
Report can be found in : www.britnett-carver.co.uk/susset (Stonehaven)
See Aberdeenshire Handbook on Consultation www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk
Sweden
Kungälv
Viveckla Kungälv
The leisure and recreation department in the municipal of Kungälv has initiated a project named Viveckla. The project is run as a joint project between the departments concerning social welfare and education. The aim for the projects is to turn Komarken (a part of Kungälv city) into an ideal place to live. In Komarken all the citizens knows “that it takes a whole village to raise a child” and everyone feels responsible and actively taking part of the work to turn Komarken in to an ideal place to live.
Working methods and tools
- The Viveckla as a contact centre for citizens, staff and association in the area.
- Viveckla is a success story for cross collaborations over different municipal administrations.
- By working on commissions from citizens, youths, staff and associations in Komarken.
- Increased collaboration in Komarken by networking.
- Increased involvement and fellow ship for the citizens of Komarken.
- Open up the local youth recreation centre and make it available for the greater part of the day and night, and establish it as a meeting point.
- Inform about and promote options and successful examples.
- Contribute to the collaboration between different associations in the municipal.
Project Title: The council for old retired people
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Description:
The council is a body to which a proposed measure is submitted for comment or consideration, between old retired peoples organisations and the city council.
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Objectives:
The council is working primary towards the social services/welfare department with issues concerning, housing, community planning, healthcare and service for this group of people.
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Process/Stages:
Representatives for the city council gives information on regular basis, about changes that concerns the council, and are also obliged to acquire knowledge from them in such an early stage that it can influence the outcome of the matter in question.
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Outcomes/Results:
- An active dialogue with the old retired people
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Learning Points:
- City planning from their point of view.
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Contact Information: email
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Poland
Puck and Hel, Urban Realm public consultation (see ‘Built Heritage’ component)
Greece
Aeghio has launched ‘round tables’ with local stakeholders and interested citizen on regular basis to foster public dialogue on local questions. This is a new experience at local level following participation in the SusSET project.
Examples from Elsewhere
There are many examples of successful community engagement. Case studies can be found by following the links below
Planning for Real
‘Planning for Real’ uses simple models as a focus for people to put forward and prioritise ideas on how their area can be improved. It is a highly visible, hands-on community development and empowerment tool, which people of all abilities and backgrounds find easy and enjoyable to engage in. A large 3-dimensional model of a neighbourhood is constructed, preferably by local people, using cardboard cut-outs for buildings pasted onto a base plan fixed to polystyrene or cardboard. The model is used at pre-advertised sessions held in various locations in the community. Participants place suggestion cards on the model indicating what they want to see happen and where (eg playground, parking, standpipe, tree, shopping). The cards are sorted and prioritised to establish an action plan which is followed up by working groups
www.communityplanning.net/index.htm
www.nif.co.uk/planningforreal/
Enquiry by Design
The ‘Enquiry by Design’ (EbD) process is one of the Princes Foundation for the Built Environment key planning tools, and the framework by which values are disseminated to influence future development of the built environment. A collaborative planning approach devised and promoted by The Foundation, ‘Enquiry by Design’ is often used for substantial sites. A single event held over several days assesses a complex series of design requirements of a new or revived community. The process brings key stakeholders together around the same table, where problems can be aired as they arise and every issue tested by being drawn. By its nature, the Enquiry by Design approaches each brief as a new design problem, and tailors a response appropriate to the dialogue between stakeholders. The Prince’s Foundation is a leading exponent of this aspect of practice, and has successfully brought into a single forum a broad spectrum of participants, to include, critically, the local community, engaging them at the heart of the design process.The EbD is usually staged over five days and varies according to the size and complexity of the site. The outcome is a vision that unifies everyone involved in the development, including those who will eventually give planning permission. This intense five-day workshop is normally preceded one or more two-day scoping workshops, to gather technical information.
www.princes-foundation.org
Principal Contacts
A toolkit on engaging young people in community organizations has been published by ‘Community Matters’ – see www.communitymatters.org.uk
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