Power to the People

Priority 1

Better integration and awareness of community of interest issues at a neighbourhood level and across neighbourhoods  

Priority 2

Priority 3

Prioritise developing more training and education centres  

Priority 4

More community development workers, who should be visible in the community, and able to support local forums

Priority 5

Form issue-based short term action groups in communities to tackle problems

Priority 6

Make information and publicity more accessible. Create more opportunities to publicise and promote ideas, services and facilities in communities (for example, newsletters, radio programmes). Use public services and spaces (e.g. buses) to spread information  

Priority 7

Explore how funding processes could encourage participatory bidding to be more inclusive and fair  

Priority 8

CVS should lobby statutory agencies to recognise that preventative actions make savings and result in community cohesion  

Priority 9 

Encourage inclusive projects in well facilitated community buildings (example of good practice is the Mouslecoomb Inclusion Project)  

Priority 1

Each community development worker to be supported to develop a communication strategy within their neighbourhood to include a newsletter, links with other services, and targeted actions to work with communities of interest at neighbourhood level

Priority 2

Create networking opportunities across neighbourhoods and communities of interest groups for local forums and groups, to encourage communication and the sharing of ideas and expertise

Priority 3

Promoting and celebrating the work of the CVS; for example through evidencing the benefits of volunteering

Priority 4

Use better language to engage different communities in ‘engagement' opportunities available

Priority 5

More volunteering opportunities in neighbourhoods; recognition of the roles volunteers play in linking the community to services. Small groups in communities would be an effective way for people to identify needs and meet these through volunteering

Priority 6

Need for better representation of young people in partnership and local decision making

Priority 7

Support for forums to hold service providers to account and lobby them on issues of common concern, support for networking, opportunities for integration

Priority 8

Develop Neighbourhood Panels (like Citizens' Panels)

Priority 9

Community engagement/development should be independent from statutory bodies if it is going to be needs-led

Priority 10

Capacity building training programmes to build confidence and skills in neighbourhoods where they are most needed, to develop future leaders

Priority 1

Lack of choice and access to services is linked to multiple disadvantages and this needs to remain on the agendas of statutory agencies. Community development needs to take a holistic approach

Priority 2

Need for a Local Representative Group (LRG) in every area, to increase decision making power, increase access to Council and other funding, stronger links to strategic partnerships

Priority 3

Human contact is important for consistency and sustainability, mentoring and networking opportunities should be valued

Priority 4

Better access to real resources, workers, funding, meeting space and information. Funding should be long

Priority 5

Encourage more good practice and information sharing across neighbourhoods

Priority 6

Improved access to all community buildings (including schools) e.g. longer opening hours and at weekends. Resources allocated should cover running costs

Priority 7

Better use of church buildings and schools as a resource in communities

Priority 8

Consistency across community development funding and provision - need Community Development Strategy with long term funding strategy and a paid community development worker where this resource is most needed, to address multiple disadvantage

Priority 9

Create a variety of opportunities to get ‘engaged', e.g. volunteering opportunities, participatory budgeting, skills swapping across neighbourhoods, and creative activities