Funding for Dorset Twinning Jeremy Barker & Kevin Waterfall Sherborne Douzelage

Douzelage – formed in 1991 Build Europe from its grass roots to give ordinary people a European Identity – Monsieur Poirier 1991

1991 Altea – Spain 2004 Bad Kötzting – GermanyChojna – Poland Bellagio – ItalyKöszeg – Hungary Bundoran – IrelandSigulda - Latvia Granville – FranceSušice - Czech Republic Holstebro– DenmarkTüri – Estonia Houffalize – Belgium Zvolen – Slovakia Meerssen – Netherlands Prienai – Lithuania – 2008 Niederanven – Luxembourg Marsaskala –Malta Preveza – Greece 2010 Sesimbra - PortugalSiret – Romania Sherborne - UKTryavna, Bulgaria Karkkila – Finland Oxelösund – Sweden – 1998 Skofja Loka, Slovenia Judenburg – Austria Agros Cyprus

Business Meetings, Activity centred visits, Youth Projects, Exchange and study programmes Locally Community Projects, e.g. VolunTEAMing, support student exchanges, hold talks, concerts and events What do we do? Internationally Have Fun !!

Funding Requirements Example Items Annual Fee Annual Admin/ publicity/ etc General Meeting Participation 5 delegates – 10 non delegates Two overseas youth trips (exclude EU grant) Overseas adult visits (typical) Hosting overseas visitors Sherborne Youth Conference (YiA) Together Across the Ages youth project (YiA) 2012 VolunTEAMing project (EU for Citizens 1.2) Additional to this is an untold amount of time and effort by a committee of 16 plus others Cost £ 300 1,600 2,000 4,000 2,000 5,000 1,000 12,000 16,000 65,000

Twinning Links Dorset towns are twinned with 27 French towns and 15 others Douzelage has 27 European Partner Towns, one per EU country

What are the Funding Issues?  Overseas visit costs are high and dissuade participation  UK visits from Twin Towns– to reciprocate their hospitality  Our Town Council does not support us  Raising funds is hard work  EU Funding application is difficult  Specialist funding advice is lacking  We need to hold fund raising events to generate money  What Else ????

What works for you now ? Generous town council Social events Local sponsorship EU funding What else ????

How do Sherborne Douzelage raise funds ? Social events.

Other methods. Participant contributions/ donations (including students) Simon Digby Memorial trust – Youth Travel Fund Industry Sponsorship, Sponsored events Sales of local produce at fairs Bartering/ In Kind help School minibuses & equipment loan Shops/ cafe’s, garden centres refreshments How do Sherborne Douzelage raise funds ?

Local Funding Opportunities Dorset CC – Community Fund West Dorset DC Town Councils Are Councils interested in Twinning? –Where do they get added value?

EU Funding Sources -Comenius -Leonardo -EU Youth In Action (15 – 28 yrs.)

EU Funding Sources -Gruntvig -Culture 2007 Programme -Europe for Citizens

Youth in Action Promote Active Citizenship by Young People Youth Exchanges Youth Initiatives Youth Democracy Projects 2 - European Voluntary Service Cooperation with the Neighbouring Partner Countries of the European Union Training and Networking of those active in youth work and youth organisations Meetings of young people and those responsible for youth policy Offering young people active participation in their daily life Project Costs, Lump sums, Travel & “Coach”. (Euro 11,350+ T)

Europe for Citizens 1 Town Twinning –1.1Citizens Meetings – Euro < 22,000 Reinforce commitment to EU integration; –1.2Networks of Twin towns – Euro < 150,000 Thematic & Citizens meetings; 2 Citizens Projects –2.1 Citizens Projects – Euro < 250,000 –2.2 Support Measures – Euro < 100,000

October 2008 with 2 each from 14 countries. Three Themes –Youth Policy –Youth in Action –Young people and the Environment Five topics –Youth Provision and Funding Support, –Healthy Lifestyles, –Retaining Young People in our Towns – Youth Justice –Young Peoples Voices. Friendly atmosphere, trips & social activities 2008 Young Euro Citizens

Volunteering Memorandum of Understanding between Town Councils

Other Sources and Help -Dorset Community Action (DCA) -Grantfinder Database -Ad Hoc -Various depending on project focus, Environment, Community, etc -Monitoring available potential sources is something a treasurer can do

Other EU Funding Opportunities -Interreg IV A Manche – can this help? -ttp://interreg4a-manche.eu/ -Do you know if this or other ways can help? – 2020 new funding round

EU Project Issues -Scope -Timing -Complexity -Funding percentage -Demonstrating completion -Auditing -Reporting

Funding Failures € Wrong Programme € Not completed the form € Missed vital information € Budget data inconsistent € Benefits of programme not clear € Benefits of the partnership not clear € Not signed the form € Arrives after the deadline

Funding a Way Forward -Determine a common interest with your Twins Town(s) -Consider relating a theme to the European Year -Find local interested Groups to create a project -Find the right person(s) to complete the paperwork -Funding purely for hospitality is very difficult -Legacy Funding??

Town Council Views Twinning activities are supported and encouraged by Town Councils but twinning should be driven by local people that wish to be involved in such activities. Most Town Clerks recognise that the position has changed over the years where in the past Councils were more actively involved but this has clearly reduced in recent years. With the pressure on local government, local councils need to focus their resources (staff and money) on local issues of importance rather than twinning. One key reason for the general reduction of support has come about as there has been criticism in the past that money has been spent on twinning trips that don’t actually produce much other than an exchange of people, hence not a good use of Council resources.