Themes

Community

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.
Community Cohesion
Building cohesion is vital part of building sustainable communities Cohesion is fundamentally about the social element of what makes a community sustainable – the relationships between neighbours – but the degree of cohesion that exists in an area is usually the product of a mix of economic, social and environmental factors together. It is important to identify cohesion as a distinctive component of sustainability more widely, because that will make it easier:
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:
After NDC funding
Developing strategies for Community Partnerships Course looks at the issues to be addressed with the coming to an end of the NDC funding and community partnerships
Challenging Perceptions and Delivering Results
Crime and Anti-Social Behaviour Conference Statistics show that while crime and anti-social behaviour are falling, public perceptions of these issues have not similarly decreased. To tackle this, emphasis is on transparency, better partnership working at a neighbourhood level and more support for victims who report anti-social behaviour. This year, our 13th annual crime and anti-social behaviour conference will take stock of the practical remedies available, update delegates on the latest developments in the field and provide tools to further improve the solutions provided. Speakers include: John Dunworth, Head of Anti-Social Behaviour Policy and Implementation, Home Office Vicki Savage, Neighbourhoods and Local Innovation Associate, The Young Foundation Graeme Bennett, National Lead LA & ALMO Landlord Services, Audit Commission Jan Luba QC, Garden Court Chambers Lesley Barnard, Tenant Standards Manager for the North, Tenants Service Authority
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.
Green shoots at the grassroots
A one day conference discussing the role of community development during a recession and exploring opportunities for renewal The CDX annual conference will explore the role of community development during a recession and demonstrate that without skilled community development workers, the economic downturn will have long-lasting effects on communities already feeling the pinch. This one-day event will focus on the key issues of working with communities during and after a recession and explore the possibilities of renewal and sustainable working.
Developing community partnerships
Looking at the issues involved in setting up community partnerships and the potential benefits Community partnerships provide the opportunity for local people to come together and work with the local authority in improving the quality of life for residents. Such partnerships can improve the legitimacy and effectiveness of public services but also complicate the work of local officials and create unexpected challenges.
Introduction to public participation for community and voluntary groups
Understanding of the role of public participation in the delivery and implementation of public policy programmes This seminar provides voluntary, charitable and third sector organisations with an understanding of the role of public participation in the delivery and implementation of public policy programmes and how their voices can be heard by policy and decision-makers.
NANM Awards 2009
The National Association for Neighbourhood Management Awards Thees awards recognise the achievements, dedication and hard work of individuals and groups who are working to make services more responsive to the needs of local people. The awards are open to anyone working in partnership to improve the way that services are delivered in neighbourhoods, including NM partnerships, NDCs, RSLs, local authorities, social enterprise groups, charities and community groups. More details and booking info here  
Stroud Communiversity Water Day
A day focused on empowering people and communities to take control of their water resources. Issues covered include: water for energy, waste water, flooding, food productivity, public health, drought and amenity. The day will include a visit to the co-housing Sustainable Urban Drainage System.
Places for All award category
Category finalists CATEGORY WINNER: Castle Quay Bedford, Bedford Borough Council & Complex Development Project

Empowering Communities award category
Category finalists CATEGORY WINNER: Pan Neighbourhood Partnership, Newport, Isle of Wight
Neighbourhood Training and Resource Centre
The Neighbourhood Training and Resource Centre, serving Yorkshire and the Humber, has been running since 2003 and is one of six regional centres based across the country. It is supported by Communities and Local Government in order to provide effective training and support to managers, workers and residents who work in neighbourhoods and communities across the region.
Stroud Communiversity
A three day event showcasing innovation in Stroud and building best practice around land and food Friday 15th May: Connecting with Place, People & Land through Walking & Art Saturday 16th May: Food for Life Sunday 17th May: Working for Ourselves, Working for Each Other More info:
Shaping Sustainable Communities and Homes Conference
This event will focus on the key issues housing associations, local authorities, LSVTs and ALMOs face in delivering sustainable communities and homes. Who should attend? Directors and Senior managers of ALMOs Local authorities considering stock transfer or in the process of transferring Existing associations working on or participating in a stock transfer Housing management staff Housing association and ALMO board members Housing association development managers Housing association maintenance managers Neighbourhood/Communities managers Staff from organisations who are involved in stock transfer » Location: Maple House, Birmingham » Price: £320 non-members / £255 members » Booking: Visit http://www.housing.org.uk/default.aspx?tabid=1079  to download a brochure and booking form.
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.
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:
Young people in rural areas
Environmental skills and knowledge for sustainable rural communities: problems and prospects for the inclusion of young people University of Exeter Dr Michael Leyshon  Investigates how community engagements are being fostered through rural communities. How does this engagement relate to the future of young people in rural areas? Particular focus on engagement of young people through voluntary programmes.
Skills for sustainable communities research
Skills for sustainable communities Queen's University Belfast Dr Frank Gaffikin  Aims to identify the priority skills, knowledge and abilities needed to make a sustainable community. Aims to identify good and bad practice in community-building in divided cities. Uses four case studies; communities are encouraged to ‘learn by doing'. Aims to translate lessons into recommendations and policy proposals.
Blackburn with Darwen National Action Project
We are worked with Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council on curriculum development and community cohesion in regeneration. The project aimed to: Establish a credible and respected forum, representative of all the communities in the borough to engage and inform town centre development. Develop connections with local schools and work with Blackburn College to jointly develop curriculum materials about place-making and the town centre, making use of materials developed through the Milton Keynes project and other resources. Embed community cohesion within the town centre masterplan and develop best practice in this area which can be used to influence the masterplanning profession through future policy making. Work with English Partnerships to develop standards and/or a kitemark to ensure community cohesion and diversity policies are embedded into the procurement process.
Building Sustainable Communities
This project aimed to equip sustainable community practitioners with practical understanding about current thinking. Four regional workshops and one 'Train the Trainers' workshop looked at:
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.
Community Development Learning Programme
This four-day learning programme aimed to develop understanding of the sustainable communities agenda and raise awareness of the role of community development. It was aimed at professionals and community leaders involved in community development, and was run in conjunction with Creating Excellence and RENEW Northwest . It was hoped that participants would use the knowledge gained on this programme to promote the value of engagement in sustainable communities to local communities themselves. The project was active between January - March 07.
Eldonian book tells story of a community reborn
A book celebrating the Eldonians community in Liverpool has been published to provide an example of successful urban renewal. 'The Rebirth of Liverpool - The Eldonian Way' was funded by ASC. The book chronicles the last 30 years of the award-winning Eldonian Village development, largely using the residents' own words. In 1977, people living in tenements in the Eldonian Village in the Vauxhall district faced demolition of their homes and dispersal across Liverpool. However, they defeated the plans and worked with professionals to create an exemplar sustainable community, which is managed by the people who live in the area.
Response to Strong & Prosperous Communities White Paper
6 Nov 2006: The Department for Communities and Local Government published the Local Government White Paper 'Strong and prosperous communities’ on 26 Oct 2006. We welcome the White Paper, which includes strong themes of community leadership, civic engagement and effective representation. Key elements of the White Paper for us include: Enabling citizens and communities to have a greater say in the services they receive and in shaping the places in which they live; A new framework for strategic leadership within local areas bringing together local partners; and Local government becoming a strategic leader and a place-shaper.
The Place-shaping Challenge
14 May 07 - Does local government have the skills to deliver? It is not a coincidence that the full title of the recent high profile review was the " Lyons Inquiry into Local Government - Place-shaping: a shared ambition for the future of local government ". In my opinion, not enough has been made of this new an exciting consensus that local government's core function is to shape the places it serves.  But a lingering doubt remains.  As a former local authority Chief Executive for over 10 years, I'm left wondering if local government has the people with the knowledge and skills to become a really effective place-shaper?
Barker Review of Land Use Planning
5 Dec 2006 -  Highlighting the role urban and regional planning plays in deliver sustainable economic development. The Review was lead by former CBI Economist and a current member of the Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee, Kate Barker, who also led a recent Government Review of Housing Supply.  The Review highlights the vital role urban and regional planning can play to deliver sustainable economic development, particularly in view of the pressures of a growing population especially in the South East, raising incomes, an aging population, climate change and the increasing globalisation of the world economy. Increasing globalisation and in particular the rise of India and China are major drivers for the Barker Review. The business community have long argued that an increasingly competitive world economy dictates that the UK needs a more flexible and responsive planning system. In response to Barker's publication CBI Deputy Director-General, John Cridland, stated "a sound planning system is vital to economic growth, but businesses have been badly hampered by the slowness and uncertainty of the current process". Cridland also welcomed "Kate Barker's recommendations signal a positive shift in planning culture, and we welcome a cutback in bureaucracy".

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