LOCALISM AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT Ingredients for success? Rural Development Council 2 nd February 2010

Encouraging people to list the assets of their place and to think about why they place value on such things can bring positive results. Often the results are quite astonishing and peoples eyes are opened to the fact that the place where they live does indeed have potential

COMMUNITY- LED PLANNING Participatory appraisalPlanning for Real Citizen’s PanelsParish Plans Market Town HealthchecksFuture Visioning

‘This is not just a paper exercise; it’s about enabling people to take control of their lives, and say what they want for their community. Ours has gained so much from this process, which has highlighted everything we value most about the place we call home’ ’Doing the plan has lead to the development of a walking school bus, a flooding survey and the refurbishment of the community hall’ ‘If people act in isolation, you actually get nowhere but if you come together as we have, you can talk as a group of people to the local authorities’ ‘We were totally involved the whole way through. We wrote our own campaign. The adults were there to help us through it, but we did everything ourselves’ (Youth Group) ‘We brought new people in, people who who weren’t particularly involved in anything in the village. Out of that we brought in some fantastic skills’

A Vision for the future of Sleat improved transport, roads and service provision young people welcomed and staying in the area a community that retains its Gaelic culture and traditions increased job opportunities an integrated community working together keeping the environment safe provision of sports and leisure facilities provisions for affordable and executive housing improved visitor facilities crofting regeneration improved boating facilities caravan and camping facilities forest walks new and improved picnic areas community owned renewable energy sources care facilities for the elderly sheltered accommodation

A characteristic of empowered communities is the existence of locally owned, community led organisations. These organisations, which may be the local community association or development trust, often provide a local leadership role and a focal point for other local services. These characteristics include: that they are multi purpose, usually operate from a physical hub, and will often own or manage other community assets. Individuals who feel empowered can bring a dynamic and enterprising approach to the work of their groups.