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Dhon Qenderson Tod TA International
Adderston Kreigmail Park Klovenfords Gala-ils _otlandi[
Tel: 0044 1896 850414 efaks: 0044 870 132 5092 email: toddshaw@msn.com
The 3rd International Training Event - CEE Citizens Network
14th -16th September - 2004 Bankia Bulgaria.
Organizing Communities for Economic Revitalization with a focus on Social Enterprise
GUIDE TO CUMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TRUSTS/PARTNERSHIPS
The other training session will cover relationships with public authorities and other partners.
This guide is aimed at giving a brief outline of the steps needed to establish community
controlled organisations which can direct developmental activities in partnerships with local
authorities, public sector and donor agencies and provide support for the establishment of
specific community and social enterprises.
The model has been well developed in a number of countries including Scotland.
1.
What is a Community Trust?
Essentially, it is a formal organisation, led by the local
community but with membership from local authorities,
national government departments, NGOs and donor
agencies.
Strategic objectives should be general, ambitious but
achievable and cover a period of 5 to ten years. All
partners should sign up to the strategic objectives
formally.
6.
2.
They provide a vehicle for the generation of local
strategies and action plans and a source of advice to
individual enterprises.
By being under community
control with wide membership from all relevant local and
national organisations, they enable “bottom up” planning
to interface with “top down” planning and engage all
partners in the establishment and implementation of
agreed objectives.
3.
Define the Partners.
You must define exactly which organisations are relevant
to your needs. This can come out of the “Community
Audit” process as outlined in the “Guide to Business
Planning for Community Enterprises”.
They should all be approached and committed to
participate formally prior to the Trust/Partnership being
set up.
Neither the strategy or action plan should consist simply
of a list of projects but rather focus on activity types and
principles eg “all public facilities should have disabled
access within four years” not “build a wheelchair ramp at
the town hall”.
The action plan should define targets within a three to
five year time frame ie those elements of the strategy
which can be implemented in the short to mid term.
Each target area should be defined with resources to
achieve it quantified. The responsible agencies should
be identified for each target area along with a lead
agency. Staff, financial and other resources required
should also be identified for each target area.
All partners should approve the action plan and commit
themselves to their role and the provision of necessary
resources formally over its period of implementation.
7.
4.
Implementation and management.
Define the objectives.
You should identify collectively what the development
priorities are with a focus on ensuring that the partners
are capable of willing to engage in them.
5.
Prepare an action plan
What are they for?
Prepare a strategy.
This should clearly define the community as per the audit
and prioritise its needs and opportunities via a SWOT
analysis.
The action plan should be managed by the
Trust/Partnership management team and regularly
reviewed in the light of outputs.
Regular review
meetings should be held with all partners.
8.
Plant tulips.
It is important that the community at large sees some
visible results quickly to maintain confidence. This can
be as simple as cosmetic improvements to derelict sites
or cleaning up prominent buildings.
Adderstone Craigmyle Park Clovenfords Selkirkshire TD1 3LA
Tel: 01896 850414 email: toddshaw@msn.com efax: 0870 1325092
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