BASIS Developing Youth and Rural Organisations in Cumbria
BASIS Improving Services Partnership
“Developing Youth and Rural Organisations in Cumbria”
ACT in partnership with Cumbria Youth Alliance and Young Cumbria aims to provide support to organisations working with children, young people and rural communities throughout Cumbria.
The three year project started in Autumn 2009 thanks to funding awarded by the Big Lottery Fund under the Building and Sustaining Infrastructure Support programme.
The project aims to improve the quality and access to services provided by the partners and help groups to improve their sustainability by addressing the issues arising from the reduction in funding from both the public and private purse.
The partners are undertaking a detailed review of the products and services they provide to identify key areas for development, focusing on organisation and group’s priorities, gaps in current provision and more effective delivery options.
The Partners have already identified the need for:
Business planning advice
Budgeting advice
Governance advice
Commissioning & tendering support
Management & staff development
Quality assurance support
Workshops, seminars and training events will be available over the next three years to address the identified needs. Support will be also provided by specialist Project Officers, who will work with groups on a one to one basis. Web pages will be developed to support this project.
Each partner organisation has a Project Officer who is leading on a specific theme throughout the life of the project:
ACT: Claire Watters - Business Skills
Cumbria Youth Alliance: Brian Le Voi - Governance www.cya.org.uk or email
Young Cumbria: Sharon Clegg - Quality Systems www.youngcumbria.org.uk or email
If you work with a group and would like to arrange bespoke support or want more information about the project, please contact Claire Hudson (Project Co-ordinator) at ACT on 01768 869538 or email
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Community Led Planning Network
Cumbria’s Community Led Planning Network is meeting on Tuesday 10th November at Penrith Rugby Club from 10.00am to 12.00 noon with lunch to follow. For more information contact Julia Wilson, Senior Development Officer on 01768 869524 or
10_Nov_Booking_Form.doc
10_November_09_Programme.doc
Penrith_Rugby_Club_Directions.pdf
Biodiversity at Community Buildings
Getting people involved in nature - locally
Encouraging Wildlife at Community Buildings
Does your local Village Hall, Community Centre or Sports Centre have some open space around it? Would you like to do more to help create homes for local wildlife?
Creating green spaces at community buildings can provide important areas for plants, animals and insects to thrive., as well as making the area more attractive and welcoming to people.
Help is available to:
Benefits:
There are measures that you could put in place to benefit local wildlife often for little or not cost. Typical projects may be tree/hedge planting; stone wall repair/building; wildlife pond; bug/mammal homes; wildflower areas and nest boxes.
To find out more please contact Helen Knowles, Biodiversity Officer
Biodiversity at Community Buildings
Cumbria Waste Management Environment Trust
The Old Stables, Redhills, Penrith, CA11 0DT
Tel: 01768 869 537
Email:
Events
This page has information about current and upcoming events hosted by ACT
Cumbria Calor Village of the Year Competition
Cumbria Calor Village of the Year Competition is no longer running. For more information please contact Hellen Aitken Tel: 01768 869520 or Email:
2009 / 2010 National Competition Update
Congratulations to Crosthwaite! Following their success in the Cumbrian competition, they have now been named as winner of both the Community and Business Categories for the Northern Region.
Other winners in the Northern Regional round of judging are Rainow in Cheshire; winning the Communications Regional Category, and Newton le Willows in Yorkshire who have won the Sustainability Regional Category and been named as the Northern Regional winner. They will now go through to the next round of judging.
2009 Cumbria Competition Update
Crosthwaite has been named as Cumbrian Calor Village of the Year for 2009. Representatives from the winning village joined category winners Allonby and Nenthead to receive their awards at a presentation on Friday 11th September in Kirkby Stephen.
The competition, organised by Action with Communities in Cumbria (ACT), also has four category winners:
Community Category – Allonby
Business Category – Nenthead
Sustainability Category – Crosthwaite
Communications Category – Crosthwaite
Competition judges, led by Eric Robson, Ambassador for Cumbria, visited all 3 villages at the end of August before making their final decision. They were particularly impressed by Crosthwaite which they described as a “strong, cohesive, prosperous area” with a “first class vision of the way ahead” and “very strong evidence of the community pulling together, looking for solutions to their own issues”.
On hearing they had won the competition, Lorraine Brierley from Crosthwaite said “The entry was a team effort, with many people within the village getting involved in compiling the information and then presenting to the judges on the day. This award just confirms what we already knew - Crosthwaite is a great place to live!”
Roger Roberts, ACT Chief Executive, and Holly Sims, representing competition sponsor Calor - the UK’s leading supplier of off-mains gas, presented the awards to the winning villages. As overall winner and the winner of 2 categories, Crosthwaite was awarded with a commemorative plaque, framed certificates and a total of £500 prize money. Category winners Allonby and Nenthead each received framed certificates and £100 prize money.
Roger Roberts said “Our congratulations go to all the villages in this year’s competition. The Calor Village of the Year Competition celebrates the type of community activity that is at the heart of ACT’s work, because of this we are delighted to organise the competition in Cumbria and directly sponsor the prize fund. This strengthens our long association with Cumbria’s active communities and will help to support their success.”
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Caroline Holmes, Jim Bownass, Lorraine Brierley, Joen Holmes and Denise Park with the winner’s plaque
2008 / 2009 National Competition Update
Kirkby Stephen has been named the best village in England. It beat four other contenders to claim the Calor Village of the Year title for 2009. In addition to the prizes won in the regional round, they have been awarded £10,000 prize money which will be invested in local projects and £3,000 towards a community celebration event for residents.
The judges, who examined aspects such as community, business, sustainability and communications, said of Kirkby Stephen “This
community displays a breadth of vision seldom found elsewhere, with an inward focus that ensures all residents are cared for, supported and empowered, while playing a key role in the wider community.” “Kirkby Stephen really is a vibrant, caring and successful community.”
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Mike Walker, Town Forum secretary, receiving the regional award from Calor’s Holly Sims
The Cumbria Calor Village of the Year Competition is coordinated by ACT and sponsored by Calor.
Contact Hellen Aitken for further details Tel: 01768 869520 or Email:
Publications
ACT has a range of publications, from The Gazette - Community Led Planning and Village Hall Updates, through to research documents and findings. Click on the links below to find the information that is of interest.
Project Updates
ACT works on a number of projects, both independently and with a range of partners. Information about current projects can be found via this page.
ACT Gazette (including The Village Hall Update)
To download the latest information on Community Assets (Village Halls), Community Led Planning and Development, and ACT project updates and events click on the links below. (Also available are previous editions of 'The Village Hall Update'):
ACT Gazette - Isuse 2, Summer 2010
ACT Gazette - Issue 1, Spring 2010
The Village Hall Update - Issue 28, October 2009
The Village Hall Update - Issue 27, July 2009
The Village Hall Update - Issue 26, March 2009
The Village Hall Update - Issue 25, September 2008
The Village Hall Update - Issue 24, April 2008
The Village Hall Update - Issue 23, August 2007
The Village Hall Update - Issue 22, May 2007
The Village Hall Update - Issue 21, November 2006
The Village Hall Update - Issue 20, April 2006
The Village Hall Update - Issue 19, December 2005
The Village Hall Update - Issue 18, September 2005
The Village Hall Update - Issue 17, April 2005
The Village Hall Update - Issue 16, December 2004
The Village Hall Update - Issue 15, Summer 2004
The Village Hall Update - Issue 14, Spring 2004
The Village Hall Update - Issue 13, Summer 2003
The Village Hall Update - Issue 12, Spring 2003
The Village Hall Update - Issue 11, December 2002
The Village Hall Update - Issue 10, September 2002
The Village Hall Update - Issue 9, June 2002
The Village Hall Update - Issue 8, March 2002
The Village Hall Update - Issue 7, December 2001
The Village Hall Update - Issue 6, April 2001
The Village Hall Update - Issue 5, March 2001
The Village Hall Update - Issue 4, January 2001
The Village Hall Update - Issue 3, October 2000
The Village Hall Update - Issue 2, July 2000
The Village Hall Update - Issue 1, April 2000
A Loss for Everyone
Consequences of service withdrawal in Cumbrian rural communities
Fair access to health and social care, education and training, banking, shops and cultural facilities is recognised as an essential part of every day life in the UK.
Government is committed to providing modern and efficient public services driven by the needs and choices of the public. Following up on this commitment, the Local Government White Paper seeks continued improvement in these public services and in the quality of life of communities. It builds on what is described
as a guiding principle that no one should be disadvantaged because of where they live and aims to give local people and communities more influence and power to improve their lives. Rural services are increasingly under threat.
Economic factors, falling customer numbers, Government policy, demographic change and changes in consumer expectations are among a wide range of pressures operating on public, private and voluntary and community sector services. The Sustainable Rural Services project, funded by Defra through the Rural Social and Community Programme
aims to:-
- Identify local and national best practice in managing service withdrawal.
- Evidence the experience of communitiesafter a loss or reduction in service.
- Assemble a Guidance Pack of use to communities, and an Advice Sheet of use to local authorities and service providers.
- Raise awareness of service loss, rural equity and social exclusion.
Click on the link below to download the report:
Migrant Workers in Cumbria
Migrant Workers in Cumbria - Research, Findings and Calls to Action
During 2007 the Centre for Local Policy Studies, Edge Hill University was commissioned by Voluntary Action Cumbria, in collaboration with Cumbria County Council and the Cumbria Equality and Diversity Partnership, to undertake quantitative and qualitative research concerning migrant workers in Cumbria. In response to the phenomenon of an increase in the number of migrant workers, especially from the A8 accession countries of Eastern Europe, we wished to better understand in quantitative terms:
- where workers were coming from
- where they were based in Cumbria
- the types of work that they are engaged in
Qualitatively we wished to better understand:
- The views of Cumbrian employers about their new workforce
- How information and advice is currently being provided to migrant workers, and especially
- The day to day experience on migrant workers themselves
The results of our research have been published in two reports:
- Mapping of Advice and Support Needs in Cumbria for Migrant Workers June 2007
- Migrant Workers Research ‘Quality of Life Interviews’ October 2007
Migrant Workers Research: Calls to Action
Migrant Workers Research: Mapping
Migrant Workers Research: Quality of Life
Pathways of Influence
Community Led Planning: Why it Matters - Summary, Findings and Calls to Action
Cohesive, empowered, and active communities in which people can influence the decisions that affect their locality are at the heart of the Government’s vision for Britain. The Local Government White Paper introduced a commitment to empower communities to have greater influence over decisions that affect them. It proposed a new duty on Local Government to consult and involve local people in their policy development and encourages the implementation of local charters. These proposals have now been statutorily enacted in The Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act which received Royal Assent in October 2007.
While community plans inevitably focus upon those issues of greatest interest to local people there are certain topics that surface time and again across the
region. These include issues of local service provision, the lack of opportunities for young people, housing affordability and many problems relating to parking,
public transport and traffic. Clearly these concerns have a strategic relevance beyond the immediate community, and depend upon the support of a number of public agencies if they are to be tackled effectively. Here we have the question at the heart of the Pathways project - how can communities take the evidence and conclusions of their local planning activity and use this to secure the strategic actions that are necessary if the needs they identify are to be met?
Click on the links below to download copies of the reports produced:
Pathways of Influence Summary Report
Pathways of Influence Full Report
Reports from Past Forum Events
Following Cumbria Rural Forum events we aim to produce a short briefing paper summarising the proceedings and key conclusions.
To download to latest briefings, please click on the links below:
Rural Briefing - March 2007 - Rural Services
Rural Briefing- July 2007- 21st Century Village
Rural Briefing December 2008 - Fuel Poverty
March_2009_-_Community_Empowerment
March_2010_Rural_Financial_Inclusion
The Rural Challenge
The Rural Challenge headline The Rural Challenge headline The Rural Challenge headline
Cumbria Rural Forum Programme
Contact Dani Hudson for further information about any of the events shown below
Business Services
ACT's administration and finance team is very experienced in providing all of the business services that small organisations require. We would be happy to discuss how we might help you and your organisation perform to its best.
Service options we would be happy to discuss include:
- Postal facilities
- Copying
- Reception
- Messaging
- Event Organisation
- Budgeting advice
- Claims support
- Payroll services
We particularly welcome enquiries from third sector organisations that share ACT’s focus on social and community benefit.
Contact us to find out more about our business services.
Serviced Office Accommodation
At its Old Stables, Redhills, Penrith base ACT has a range of offices available to rent on easy-in easy-out terms. The offices are fully serviced by ACT staff and we are able to offer a range of added-value options including telephone, copying, reception, post room, etc.
Being close to Junction 40 on the M6 and having ample parking The Old Stables is a great location for organisations working throughout Cumbria.
We particularly welcome enquiries from third sector organisations that share ACT’s focus on social and community benefit.
Contact us to find out more about our accommodation services.
Training, Development and Mentoring
ACT has extensive experience in helping individuals and groups to realise their business potential. Through projects such as Farming Women, Rural Women's Network, Enterprising Communities and Community Solutions we have developed a body of knowledge, skill and experience in the delivery of training, development and mentoring support that has assisted in the start-up of numerous private businesses and social or community enterprises.
ACT’s particular strength is its willingness to collaborate with mainstream business support providers, such as the Enterprise Agencies, using its particular community development approach to access harder to reach clients and encouraging them to take up personal and business training opportunities.
In addition, ACT’s work in communities means that it is often the natural first point of contact for groups wishing to develop a business with a social purpose.
To help maximise opportunities, we maintain business skills and experience within our Development Team. However, we also make use of a network of contacts, either experienced individuals or appropriate Agency partners, to ensure that individuals receive the most appropriate support.
Contact us to find out more about the ways in which we may be able to help you.
Since 1968 Cumbria Rural Forum has created opportunities for individuals and organisations to debate rural issues and consider how changing public policy and economic trends impact on the County's rural communities. These debates have resulted in numerous projects and actions to influence public policy so that it better meets rural needs.
Facilitated by ACT, Cumbria Rural Forum:
- maintains a programme of 3 - 4 events each year on a local or national topics relevant to Cumbria
- engages in the review and assessment of needs and priorities
- takes part in strategic consultations to represent the view of rural communities
The Forum has recently published The Rural Challenge which is a statement of key concerns that affect the County.
Reports from past Forum events are available on line.
Contact Us to find out about Cumbria Rural Forum’s forthcoming programme.
ACT's staff team is experienced in developing and delivering research projects in collaboration with both public and private sector partners.
Recent research projects have included:
- Pathways of Influence - an investigation into the role and further development of community planning
- Migrant Workers in Cumbria - the development of baseline information concerning the number and role of migrants in Cumbria’s economy, and exploration of their advice and support needs and a record of the Quality of Life that migrant workers have experienced.
- A Loss for Everyone - a study of the impact that service reduction has on individuals within Cumbria’s communities and the development of a simple check-list tool for communities and service providers about key steps in managing changes in services.
We would be pleased to explore further opportunities for similar collaborations.
Contact us to get in touch with a member of our Development Team and find out more.
Skills and Resources
Public sector organisations often find it necessary to augment their in-house teams on a short term basis, either to deliver activity at short notice or to tackle something new and unfamiliar.
ACT has a professional staff team with a diversity of experience in community development, business planning, mentoring and training. With this team we are able to:
- Address temporary capacity issues
- Contribute to particularly resource-intensive initiatives
- Undertake primary research, consultation or engagement
- Enable access to particular client groups where ACT has an established relationship
We have an experienced team of development officers that you can contact by telephone or email. They will be happy to meet you to talk about your plans and help you develop and implement these. As well as working with you we can provide guidance, toolkits and training opportunities appropriate to your needs.
Contact us to get in touch with a member of our Development Team and find out more.
Consultation and Involvement
Public sector organisations are increasingly required by Government to involve local people in the decisions that affect them, and to harness local activity to shape the communities in which they live. ACT has extensive experience in the use of community development techniques to engage and work with local people. These can be used on behalf of partners to reach all parts of a community, at a range of scales.
Community planning is one way to engage local people in thinking about the future of an area. However, we can use our experience of consultation and engagement techniques to develop tailored solutions that will meet your requirements.
We can draw upon a range of assets on behalf of partners, these include:
- A network of contacts and relationships developed through our earlier work in many of Cumbria’s communities
- Experience in reaching out to and engaging with hard to reach groups
- The independent status of a charity
- Experience in brokering between communities and the statutory sector.
If you would like to talk in more detail about ways in which we can work with you Contact us
Information, Advice and Skills
As an active group or individual working in your community you may find that you need advice if you are to achieve what you set out to do. We can help you to obtain the information, advice and help that you need, either providing it ourselves or signposting you to colleagues in other organisations with the specialist skills you need.
We are often asked about and can help with:
- Group development and organisation
- Governance
- Project planning
- Preparation of funding applications
- Project management and delivery
We have an experienced team of development officers that you can contact by telephone or email. They will be happy to meet you to talk about your plans and help you develop and implement these. As well as working with you we can provide you with published guidance and tool kits, and direct towards training opportunities appropriate to your needs.
Contact us to get in touch with a member of our Development Team and find out more.