Gloucester VCS Working Well with the City Council Community Development

“Community development is a way of strengthening civil society by prioritising the actions of communities, and their perspectives in the development of social, economic and environmental policy.” SCDC Community development is "a process where community members come together to take collective action and generate solutions to common problems.” The United Nations

Community Development is about: Self Development: Individual confidence building Empowerment Building trust Respecting other opinions Example – from Matson Community Builder

Community Development is about: Workers understand that community development : encourages the mobilisation of a community as individuals and as groups is about building relationships is complex, like a jig-saw, each piece is different needs time to engage and build trust – on both sides Is about accepting what the community is saying – ‘what they say is a given’ is not about ownership – IS about facilitation Example – from a Community Organiser

Community Development is NOT: Not - parachuting in to ‘sort things out’ for people ‘one shoe doesn’t fit all’ – one street’s need may not be the same as the next Not - making decisions for people Not - about ticking boxes Not - what we want for the community – it IS about what the community can offer for itself. Interference is the biggest killer of community effort.

Community Development TOOLS: The VCS is an often untapped resource of experience, knowledge, time and expertise Community Development is flexible, responsive and outcome focussed There is a range of valid community development models and tools In Gloucester we have community builders, community organisers, issue based facilitators and some excellent VCS managed community venues Example from GRCC

How will the VCS know that the statutory sector values VCS community development work? When statutory organisations: respect VCS knowledge and feedback use the VCS - eg consultations / information gathering or disseminating / engagement with communities / on issues seek out our expertise recognise the added value that VCS brings in

How will the VCS know that the statutory sector values VCS community development work? Continued: when statutory organisations: treat the VCS on the same level as small businesses – lots of employment through the VCS accept that we will get it wrong sometimes, don’t write off an organisation if they get it wrong sometimes – it’s part of the learning process. Offer light touch monitoring Key message: The VCS is a large resource that could help balance the loss of financial resource for Local Authorities