1. A front line organisation’s experience – ARK Community Networks
Community Planning Partnerships and Regeneration - The Pursuit and Importance of Skills and Learning
A front line organisation’s experience – ARK Community Networks

2. The Pursuit and Importance of Skills and Learning
ARK HA started in 1977
Grew in response to demand across East of Scotland
32 services across 12 Local Authorities
Different models of housing and support
Housing management and maintenance; Housing Development; Community Networks
Investors in People status
February 19

3. The Pursuit and Importance of Skills and Learning
Person centred culture
Clear value base – Social Justice, Social Inclusion
Use 5 Service Accomplishments as a guide to action and quality assurance framework
Emphasis on citizenship and making contributions – shifting perceptions.
Learning organisation with strong emphasis on capacity building
February 19

4. The Pursuit and Importance of Skills and Learning
Capacity building amongst staff – emphasis on values,
skills and knowledge required for the job:
Values based training – working in an inclusive and non-discriminatory manner, empowerment, inclusion, focusing on gifts, developing relationships which value people as individuals.
Policy Framework for the job
Listening and communication skills
Skills for person centred working and support planning
Problem solving and creative thinking
Person centred tools and approaches
Connecting to communities
February 19

5. The Pursuit and Importance of Skills and Learning
Capacity building amongst staff – emphasis on values,
skills and knowledge required for the job:
Making information accessible
Collaborative working
Reflective practice and ongoing learning
Craft of Management and performance management
Supporting people to gain appropriate qualifications
February 19

6. The Pursuit and Importance of Skills and Learning
Capacity building amongst tenants:
Confidence Building
Having Our Say Our Way
Speaking Up
Making a Presentation – involvement in staff training
Involvement in staff recruitment
Models of participation
Equal Opportunities
Promoting Active Citizenship
February 19

7. The Pursuit and Importance of Skills and Learning
Current Context:
Funding – Supporting People and Care Budgets
Housing Policy – Focus on Regeneration and Wider Role
Demography and Expectations
Community Planning – engaging with hard to reach communities
Citizenship
February 19

8. The Pursuit and Importance of Skills and Learning
Involvement in Community Planning
- Conference in April 2004 with BCDP
- Project funded by SCVO and Communities Scotland
Achievements:
- supported individuals to raise issues of concern
- built confidence and skills
- increased knowledge amongst staff and service users around
community planning and citizenship
- networking with others
- delivered training course for 9 people
- produced and launched pack ‘Taking Action and Making a Difference in your local community’.
Inroads into structures in Peebles
Citizens Panel for Scottish Borders
February 19

9. The Pursuit and Importance of Skills and Learning
Training Course
How meetings work; How I am in meetings
Citizenship – good citizen, active citizen
Democracy – voting, ways to get involved locally,
role of councillor
Community Planning – what’s happening, how to
get involved
What can we do in our community?
February 19

10. The Pursuit and Importance of Skills and Learning
Skills and knowledge developed by tenants:
Communication and listening
Speaking up for themselves and others
‘ gives you the chance to have your say about the services that are provided’.
Confidence building – increased well being
‘we have done things that we haven’t done before’.
Agenda setting; minute taking
‘I write the agenda and the minutes’.
February 19

11. The Pursuit and Importance of Skills and Learning
Skills and knowledge developed by tenants:
Creative thinking
‘we are going to ‘up’ our campaign soon to get the public to support us with this’.
Preparation and planning
Negotiation
Knowledge of how the council works - understanding local needs and context
‘ I found out what the council were doing about the problems in the town’.
February 19

12. The Pursuit and Importance of Skills and Learning
Skills and knowledge developed by tenants:
Influencing change
‘If I get a gate put in, I will be helping my neighbours as well’.
‘I want to do a course on Anti- Harassment and Bullying and talk to school children about these things’.
Training and presentation skills
‘We were asked to do a presentation and because of this we have made some changes in the town’.
‘I would like to be a co-trainer like other people’.
Committee skills
Partnership working
February 19

13. The Pursuit and Importance of Skills and Learning
Where next:
Promoting Active Citizenship Project funded by Big Lottery Fund – active citizens will inform others; emphasis on progressing employment; tenant involvement in staff recruitment and training
Clear Wider Role strategy – employment, safer communities, health
Framework for learning and personal development – Learning Culture Questionnaire
Increased partnership working and learning from others
Continued emphasis on capacity building and enhancing the voice of the people we support
‘Understanding Citizenship’ course
Standards for Community Engagement
February 19

14. The Pursuit and Importance of Skills and Learning
Community Planning structures might address:
Accessibility of information.
The power of visual images – creating a vision, graphic recording
Structure of meetings.
Learning from others about what helps make participation and engagement more effective.
Feedback on consultation – what is different?
Training for ‘both sides’
Standards for Community Engagement
February 19

15. The Pursuit and Importance of Skills and Learning
Being skilled and competent
as a citizen means
feeling empowered,
knowing and valuing
your potential for
positive action.
February 19