Successful capacity- building: Is there a greater challenge in rural areas? Dr Jill Mordaunt Dr Kristen Reid

VSSN – Rural realities Outline Background Research methods Emerging issues 1 – network theory (Murdoch 2000) Emerging issues 2 – resource acquisition (Benson 1975) Conclusions and questions

Background Sustainable Funding Cymru Capacity building for small organisations - workshops, training and conferences - website - Champions – one to one support Commissioned to assist evaluation VSSN – Rural realities

Research Methods Focus group and telephone interviews with seminar participants Case studies for website of ‘success’ stories Longitudinal follow up with selected Champions VSSN – Rural realities

Emerging Issues 1 Network Theory (Murdoch 2000)

Rural networks VSSN – Rural realities Vertical Networks: Connect organisation to organisations participating in larger national initiatives and strategies. Horizontal Networks: Connect organisation to organisations and partners in local initiatives and local voluntary sector.

Skills for building Horizontal Networks More overlapping roles – managing a different kind of competition Geographic changes/isolation – building capacity in local resources Access to networks – building relationships and partnerships on a local level VSSN – Rural realities

Skills for building Vertical Networks Rural voices to national initiatives – identifying unique resources to contribute to larger strategies Rural realities – locating local needs in larger trends VSSN – Rural realities

Emerging issues 2 Resource acquisition and networks (Benson 1975) Access to money and authority (legitimacy) Power flows from - Internal network structure - External linkages of network organisations VSSN – Rural realities

Some challenges in rural Wales Competition with national agencies Minimal power leads to ‘blocked’ networks Problems agreeing fair terms of engagement with government Central initiatives and rural realities - what can be implemented at local level - regulatory environment

Conclusions and questions Good practice is difficult to achieve and sustain in rural areas Need to examine not just the strategies of successful organisations but their sources of power and access to networks What is the place of rural communities in a larger strategy? Do central initiatives take account of rural realities? Sustainable funding involves entrepreneurship as well as technical skills – is the former given enough attention? What WCVA offers is highly valued but it is not enough VSSN – Rural realities