Working in Partnership with Communities

Why Bother?

How Can We Make our Projects Succeed By Doing with Not Doing To!

How Do We Get Communities to Take Ownership Firstly we need to demonstrate Relevance Benefit

The Community Partnership Building Process There are five key stages to engaging communities in project development that will create a stronger partnership, increase ownership and improve chances of long term project success; consultation resource procurement project design / format project delivery project aftercare

Consultation Residents are encouraged to take the lead on consultation themselves. This can result in: a higher level of response as residents ‘trust their own’ ‘know your neighbour’ - greater social interaction

Securing Funding Helping local communities to secure their own funding results in an understanding of : filling in application forms the costs associated with delivering the project other agencies involved (e.g. landowners, planners, highways, utilities) the technical aspects of the projects the need to consider project maintenance & sustainability the need for full community engagement to ensure ownership

Project Design By engaging the community on the design side, residents will have a greater degree of ownership for the project if they are able to recognise their input in the end product. Involvement in this process can be achieved in the following ways: choosing the tree / plant species agreeing planting locations targeting priority areas for intervention design / planning workshops use of visioning software

Project Delivery Maximise opportunities for resident involvement in the delivery phase to: reinforce ownership of the greenery create health benefits provide new horticultural skills

Providing residents with the skills needed to maintain their local greenery helps to reinforce the sense of ownership and also has the added the benefit of; providing residents with new transferable skills reducing the burden on finite Local Authority resources Project Aftercare

Ownership is the Key to Successful Partnership The 3 steps to achieving a successful partnership and a sustainable end product; Engage communities at the earliest possible opportunity Ensure communities are involved in all steps of project development Provide communities with the means to look after their projects once they have been delivered Above all build trust by maintaining the dialogue and then feel the love