1. ACE as a community hub organisation
18th October 2017

2. Introducing Ely & Caerau
Population 26,000
Built after first and second world wars
Lost local manufacturing industry
14% of economically active people are unemployed
Poor quality employment
Low income
Poor health
High levels of social capital and strong basis of community development
Significant local heritage

3. The story of ACE Communities First delivery under Cardiff Council
Commitment to a community development approach
Conversations about sustainability and legacy
A desire for independence
Establishment of an organisation

4. What is ACE? A local community organisation based in Ely & Caerau
A company and a charity
A local active membership (currently over 1000)
Run by a local board of trustees
‘ACE aims to support the social, economic and environmental regeneration of Ely & Caerau’

5. What is ACE for? To harness a vision and local energy
To represent our community effectively
To manage big community based projects
To employ staff
To manage buildings
To be sustainable
To support a network of community groups and volunteers
To be seen as credible and capable
To work with local people to tackle poverty and promote social justice

6. ACE – values and approaches
(What makes a community hub organisation unique?)
Deep roots within our community
Relationships
Bringing people together (across generations, races, abilities, etc)
Asset Based Community Development
Doing things with people, not to or for people (Co-production)
‘Everybody has something to contribute’
Taking a holistic approach
Sustainability through a diverse mix of funding sources

7. Our Place Dusty Forge Key ACE Projects Asset transfer, 99 year lease
DIY/community owned ethos
Income generating
Home of ACE and demonstration of co-production approaches
Redevelopment of
building
Shop, Café, Dusty Shed
Groups, Garden

8. Community Support Key ACE Projects
Drop-in and follow up support with benefit problems, debt, access to foodbank, fuel poverty etc
Crisis support (community shop)
Home visits
Integration with other ACE projects and support
Yearly contract delivery (Energy Best Deal, Big Energy Saving Network)
Citywide delivery (Smart metre roll-out project)

9. ACE Training Key ACE Projects Income generating social enterprise
Health and Safety in a Construction Environment, CSCS Card, Food Safety levels 2 & 3, Co-production and Community Development, ACTion for Living, Stress Control, CCIs
Building on successful personal approach
Construction and use of Pizza Forge pizza ovens

10. CAER Heritage Key ACE Projects Local heritage as a asset
Run in partnership with Cardiff University
Co-production of high quality research with local people
Local learning and routes to higher education
HLF grant of £150,000 to develop plans for a community heritage centre, further research, development of heritage trails and interpretation (includes staffing)
Tourism and enterprise

11. Community Health Key ACE Projects
Mental health and wellbeing support (Tier zero delivery)
Social prescribing
Co-production of health services

12. How can this approach be supported?
Provision of support for social enterprise development
Development of procurement approaches that value and facilitate the role of community hub organisations
An approach that involves government in identifying success and supporting sharing (not ‘race to the bottom!’)
Exploration of the role community hub organisations might play in local economic regeneration (we want to be involved in conversations)
Who pays for what we’re best at? (social capital, community development etc)