Themes

Resources

Showcase - best practice
Our website of case studies to inform and inspire. Showcase highlights projects that contribute to creating better communities. These examples give practical insight into developing sustainable communities. Visit Showcase at showcase.homesandcommunities.co.uk Before creating Showcase we researched which sources of best practice knowledge are already used by sustainable communities practitioners and how we can make this better. We're grateful to our stakeholders for their help with this research.
Train & Sustain trainers toolkit
Resources to deliver a sustainable communities workshop. A flexible electronic toolkit comprising materials to help provide a basic understanding of the sustainable communities agenda to your chosen audience. » Access Train & sustain
Cohesion resources
Three pieces of research highlighting cohesion in the area of sustainable communities. Cohesion for Sustainable Communities (April 2008) A report to define what community cohesion should mean to sustainable communities practitioners, exploring the gaps in current training in around this issue, identifying the skills that those practitioners need to facilitate greater cohesion in their localities, and resulting in a learning module to help them understand the contribution they can make. We commissioned this report, which was undertaken by the Office for Public Management (OPM)
Market intelligence research
We're undertaking a study to assess how the recession has affected the supply and demand of skills in the sector. The study will update the findings of our first in-depth review of skills – Mind the Skills Gap (MSG) which was launched in September 2007. In 2007, Mind the Skills Gap concluded that England faced a significant shortage of qualified professionals with the necessary skills between now and 2012.
Cohesive communities debate findings published
Our second online debate, In the midst of a recession how can we develop cohesive communities , took place in spring 2009 The main findings were
Housing and Neighbourhoods Monitor
This site provides analysis of housing and neighbourhoods trends across the UK. It has been developed as part of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation's Housing and Neighbourhoods Monitor project. It aims to:
Empowerment skills for all
Analysing gaps and constructing a learning framework Our report, Empowerment skills for all: Analysing gaps and constructing a learning framework (September 2009), finds that there is a widespread need and appetite for a broader approach to empowerment skills across front-line place-making occupations. The report proposes a new framework for developing these skills, taking account of the new National Occupational Standards in community development, and discusses the need for corresponding changes in the culture of statutory organisations.
Mixed use development workshop
The academy held a one-day workshop on the future of mixed use development in the current economic climate. We've summaried the discussions in the practice paper which you can download (please be patient, it's a large file)
Mind the Skills Gap policy update
We published Mind the Skills Gap in Autumn 2007. Since its publication, major policy statements and spending commitments have been made that have implications for the future demand and supply of professionals who are central to the delivery of sustainable communities. This policy update is available in the list on right. These include: Comprehensive Spending Review (2007) Housing Green Paper (2007) Callcutt Review of Housebuilding (2007) Housing and Regeneration Act (2008) Review of Sub-national Economic Development and Regeneration (2007).
Future Communities website
futurecommunities.net is all about community participation and place management, it's been created to help people who build communities. The site shows well presented, clear examples of projects that have created sustainable communities. Additionally the site provides background guidance for people to implement on their own development projects.
What’s the reality of low carbon communities?
The findings from our first Debate Place debate "What’s the reality of low carbon communities?" The question proved highly stimulating and provoked a high level of interest from professionals and the public. The debate highlighted the complexity of creating any new community, let alone a ‘low carbon’ one. Several comments related directly to the relevance and usefulness of having an opportunity to learn and share views within Debate Place . Key Messages include: We need to think carefully about the implications of locating new developments away from existing infrastructure. There was a strong consensus that we should instead focus on improving and increasing densities in existing towns and cities. Subsidies should be increased and made widely available to enable homeowners to make their existing homes more energy efficient, and for homeowners and developers to install the most cost effective and appropriate micro-renewables. More focus and resource needs to be put into community engagement and effective longterm management of new places to enable thriving and successful communities. European models for housing, such as co-housing, should be considered as a part of UK home and community delivery models. There should be more public and professional awareness of the importance of great design and place making. » The full report is in the links on the right .
Spreading community development
Research into broadening community development practices. This research and summary published in Spring 2009 examined the potential for spreading community development practices and approaches beyond community development workers (CDWs) to other practitioners with a community development connection (PCDC), in the context of developing sustainable communities, building on the previous Mind the Skills Gap research undertaken by Arup (2007). In particular, the study aimed to establish:
Leadership of Place in the Knowledge Based Economy
This research and development project looks at what leadership of place will entail in the future, and how future leaders can be prepared for this role. It aims to understand and explain the strategic leadership challenges in a new context - economic development, planning and regeneration activity in the knowledge-based economy (KBE). The project has involved consultation events and workshops with leaders across the public and private sector in the UK and Europe, and the development of six case studies were chosen to examine the role of strategic leadership in place-shaping initiatives. You can download the research summary, full report and case studies as PDF files - they are listed on the right

Skills for the Future European Symposium Report
An event held in November 2006 produced key best practice case studies. The Skills for the Future event was held on 9-10 November 2006. The report and case studies, which formed the background to the event, examine the skills gaps that exist in sustainable place making and explore solutions. The nine case studies in this report are featured in detail on Showcase - best practice website .
Mind the Skills Gap research
Key report highlighing the skills we need for sustainable communities. This major piece of research was undertaken by Arup on our behalf. Building on the work of others - including Ernst & Young, DTZ, York Consulting, Asset Skills, CIS and CABE - the study provides the first cross-sector assessment of supply and demand of skills required to deliver sustainable communities. It provides detailed information on current and forecasted labour shortages and skills gaps, by profession and by region. Building sustainable communities depends on the efforts of a wide range of occupations, including architecture, planning, civil engineering, surveying, housing, community development, neighbourhood management, economic development and increasingly environmental management. This study provides the sector with an opportunity to assess what we’re doing to tackle these issues and ensure that we accelerate our programmes to meet market demand.
ESRC Sustainable Communities Skills Research series
A partnership with the Economic and Social Research Council to invest £800,000 into ground-breaking research on skills for sustainable communities.  This joint initiative will help formulate policies and practices for developing the skills and knowledge needed to create vibrant, prosperous and attractive communities. Researchers based at UK higher education research institutions and other research institutions were eligible for one-year research grants of between £15,000 and £100,000. In total £800,000 was available. For more information view the programmme website at http://gs.strath.ac.uk/suscoms
Learning Laboratories
We've been working with regional partners on live projects to pilot innovations and test out new ways of working. This will enable us to: Understand the skills deficits in each region, both generic and professional Identify how to increase skills levels and build capacity Develop an understanding of what changes behaviour  Learn lessons from past programmes, present new approaches and allow sharing and transfer elsewhere Demonstrate how knowledge, skills and experience can influence change Build an understanding of each region's position and through this the overall national picture Our regional projects are listed to the right, as well as the evaluation reports to accompany them.
Sustainable Communities Resource Pack
In partnership with the Federation for Community Development Learning , we created and produced a resource pack for community practitioners. The series was produced to support the National Open College Network (NOCN) regional and national programmes.
Living Geography
We have produced teaching and learning activities and materials, a CPD module and a DVD in conjunction with the Geographical Association (GA). The materials on the GA website are designed for teachers supporting young people aged from 11 to 16, and aim to provide the resources, ideas and inspiration students need to answer questions such as " Is my community aiming to be a sustainable one? " The DVD, Sustainable Communities: Places People Want? is available to buy from the Geographical Association at www.geography.org.uk/shop/shop_detail.asp?ID=559
Leadership of Place
Transforming communities by changing the way we lead Leadership of Place is a targeted and tailored leadership capacity building and research programme delivered in partnership with the Centre for Urban and Regional Studies (CURS) at the University of Birmingham. It will help leaders of place combine the required spatial literacy with the relational skills to develop collective understanding and common purpose, key to delivering large scale projects. From Autumn 2009, regional learning hubs will provide tailor made support, networks, learning resources and events. The focus of the hubs will be based on analysis of the leadership requirements of targeted areas in each of English regions and London. The programme has developed from our research, Leadership of Place for the Knowledge Based Economy . The research and case studies aim to understand and explain the strategic leadership challenges in a new context - economic development, planning and regeneration activity in the knowledge-based economy (KBE). You can download the research summary and full report as PDF files - they are listed on the right.
Sustainable Cities website
CABE's Sustainable Cities website contains advice and best practice about sustainable urban design and management It supports the people whose job is to make decisions about how to plan, design and manage towns and cities. The site offers an invaluable knowledge base of examples of good practice from around the world, to help decide the right approach for your city, town, neighbourhood or site.  www.sustainablecities.org.uk

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