INVOLVING COMMUNITIES IN REGENERATION Lessons learned by the Salford Social Action Research Project A National Conference at two World Class Venues Thursday, February 28 - The Lowry Hotel Friday, March 1 - The Lowry Public sector organisations aim to involve communities - often with limited time and resources. The Social Action Research Project (S.A.R.P) releases the capacity of organisations and communities to work in equal partnership. It is developing ways of promoting health, looks at the concept of social capital and the importance of shared learning. We are planning an interactive and lively conference to share our learning and practical experience which will involve: o Keynote speakers o Video evidence of what it feels like to be regenerated o Sessions on: Involving communities Employing community activists Why people do and don't get involved in local action o Organisational development tools o Project visits Why not join us for the year's most innovative conference on Public Sector / Community Partnerships? For further details contact: Bryan Chadderton Tel: 0161 485 4853 Fax: 0161 488 4826 ISDN: 0161 488 4598 Email: [email protected] SARP CONFERENCE PROGRAMME Day 1 - Thursday, 28 February Location - Lowry Hotel, Chapel Wharf, Salford. 10.00 am Arrival / Registration / Coffee 10.30 am Welcome and introduction Chair - Chris Wells Former Police Divisional Commander 10.35 am What's it all about Dr Chrissie Pickin Eastern Regional Office, Department of Health Jennie Popay Chair in Sociology & Public Health, Lancaster University 10.45 am Key speaker Bill Espie Project Director, NELM Development Trust 11.05 am Q & A session 11.15 am Key speaker Keith Proctor Founding Coordinator of REGENERATE 11.35 am Q & A session 11.45 am Key speaker Dr David Colin-Thome Honorary Fellow of the Manchester Centre for Healthcare Management at Manchester University 12.05 pm Q & A session 12.20 pm Discussion and Panel questions 01.00 pm LUNCH 02.00 pm Workshop A 03.00 pm Coffee 03.30 pm Workshop B 04.30 pm End of Day 1 Q & A session Chair - Chris Wells 07.30pm Conference Dinner Hazel Blears MP Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Health Cllr John Merry, Deputy Leader, Salford City Council Day 2 - Friday, 1 March Location - The Lowry, Salford Quays, Salford. 11.15 am Coaches collect delegates from Lowry Hotel for site visits to one of the following: · Langworthy Cornerstone & Seedley and Langworthy Initiative (SALI) · The Angel Healthy Living Centre · CREST · Little Hulton 11.15 am Coaches pick up delegates for return journey to The Lowry Theatre 11.40 am Coffee 12 noon Welcome back Dr Chrissie Pickin & Jennie Popay 12.05 pm Video 12.25 pm Plenary session Dr Chrissie Pickin & Jennie Popay 12.30 pm Discussion / Q & A session Dr Chrissie Pickin & Jennie Popay Gerry Stone / Owen Gillicker Anne Marie Pickup / Rachel Worthington Diana Martin / Cllr John Merry 1.00 pm Buffet lunch & close WORKSHOP INFORMATION All delegates to attend one Session A Workshop followed by one Session B Workshop WORKSHOP 1 - Sure Start Led by Breastmates How do you encourage a new mother to breast feed when she has only seen babies fed by bottle? How do you enable mothers to continue when they have problems, which could have been avoided or solved if they were better supported? Sure Start, which aims to provide the best possible start in life for babies and young children, has pioneered a major Breast Feeding Project to tackle these problems, in partnership with Salford Primary Care Trust. It involves experienced health professionals training a group of mothers in techniques and management of breast feeding. The mothers - who call themselves 'Breastmates' - are now able to help support other mums in and around the area where they live and work - chatting at the school gate, down at the shops or in the local mother and toddler groups. WORKSHOP 2 - Communities that Care Led by Mary Rolfe Communities that Care is a new kind of prevention programme that confronts the disillusion and pessimism felt in disadvantaged, high crime neighbourhoods. This long-term programme targets four of the most important problem behaviours that damage people's lives and the communities in which they live - youth crime; drug abuse; school age pregnancy & sexually transmitted diseases; and school failure. The programme has been operating in Seedley and Langworthy since December 1999. WORKSHOP 3 - Social Entrepreneurs Led by Chris Dabbs The Salford Social Entrepreneurs Programme is the first of its type anywhere in the UK. A small group of 'community sparkplugs' experience a 'learning by doing' programme over a whole year to increase their confidence, capacity and skills to tackle issues in their own communities. The programme offers a variety of challenges and support to bring about practical involvement through both personal and project development towards sustainable community enterprise. The workshop will explore this approach to supporting individuals and its impact on both local people and agencies. WORKSHOP 4 - Action Learning as a process for change Led by Steve Young The Revans Institute offers support for local people, or those with a role in facilitating community development through a process of action learning. Action Learning can develop your skills to work in partnership with others. The process involves working in small groups - 'sets' - which consist of five or six people who have agreed to meet on a regular basis. Come and listen to how using an action learning approach and working in an action learning set has made a difference to local people in their community. WORKSHOP 5 - Community Strategy Led by Steve Thompson Salford's Community Strategy is aimed at encouraging Community participation and supporting Community activity. It is based on the belief that an active community is a healthy community. There are two main strands to the strategy: 1) To support community groups through providing access to various grants and using the City Council's assets i.e. staff, buildings, equipment etc. to enable communities to realise their full potential and 2) To enable community participation through the City's nine Community Committees and their development of their own local Community Action Plans. WORKSHOP 6 - Salford Money Line Led by Mike Whitnall & Joyce Fitzpatrick Salford Money Line is now established as Salford's independent loan company, delivering a range of personal and business loans. Partnerships across the public, private and voluntary sector allow us to 'add value', provide tangible financial support and act as a signpost to other support and advisory services. The workshop will look at Jam Jars, community finance and regeneration. WORKSHOP 7 - Capacity Releasing Strategy Led by Dizy Martin & Gerry Stone Salford has developed a Capacity Releasing Strategy, which is not just about building the capacity of the community. The workshop will explain how the agencies, organisations, staff and residents of the Salford Partnership aim to work and learn together about what works in involving people in decision-making. The strategy is about 'releasing' the capacity of its most valuable resource - its people - and enabling them to maker the changes necessary in their organisations. WORKSHOP 8 - Nottingham SARP Led by Beryl Whitehead Thilo Boeck & Jennie Fleming Nottingham Social Action Research Project is the sister project to Salford SARP. Both were funded by the Health Development Agency to understand and establish the existence of social capital. Nottingham Social Action Research Project has worked with local workers and people to develop and evaluate social capital in the Nottingham area. WORKSHOP 9 - Health Development Agency Led by Anthony Morgan Learning from Social Action Research, the HDA and before that the Health Education Authority, funded two major Social Action Research Projects at Salford and Nottingham. This workshop considers the lessons learned from the projects and emergent methodology. WORKSHOP 10 - Salford SARP Led by Dr Chrissie Pickin Anne-Marie Pickup & Owen Gillicker Salford Social Action Research Project was established to explore how effective community involvement in public policy making and implementation and in public service planning and delivery could be promoted. SARP explored through action the strength of social relations, civic engagement and other collective processes within and between communities forming a powerful collective resource that may have an effect on community health and well being. WORKSHOP 11 - Salford Local Strategic Partnership Led by Sheila Murtagh & Joyce Marsden Salford's Local Strategic Partnership was launched in November 2001 building on the existing Salford Partnership established in 1994 to bid for regeneration funding (SRB1). It has subsequently been successful in gaining major external funds including SRB (1,2,3 and 5) and £52m for New Deal for Communities. It has also actively supported and developed local partnerships working across a whole range of organisations. The Partnership was selected as a 'pathfinder' by the Local Government Association to test new approaches to regeneration in 1998. It has regularly reviewed its role, resulting in reduction in size from 46 to 16 organisations and inclusion of community reps, as well as existing public, private, voluntary and faith sector reps in response to LSP Guidance. The partnership has a dedicated support team that includes a number of secondees (from NHS, Benefits Agency, Employment Services and the community sector). Over the last seven years a lot of lessons have been learned, which may be of interest to newer Partnerships. WORKSHOP 12 - Participatory Appraisal Led by Sue Hinder, Mike Gaughran & Rachel Worthington Community participation is vital if local people are to take a leading role in the process of regeneration and to ensure lasting improvements after the physical regeneration process is complete. Salford's New Deal for Communities Delivery Plan was developed using a team of Participatory Appraisal Workers. The team has been retained and extended as an integral part of the NDC Delivery Team and they have a critical role on the ground in ensuring that projects are being implemented and are delivering what the Community wants and needs.