DTAS Conference, Monday 2nd September 2013

Growing Community Assets Evaluation

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Background

What was supported GCA 1 (2006 - 2010) Progress against five objectives

Stronger communities New/better services Skills and confidence Enterprise/self reliance Environment

Project feedback Wider thoughts/issues

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Background

Evaluation has involved: Case studies (10 each year) Household survey with community (12 projects) User surveys (449 users at 15 projects) Project manager interviews

GCA 1 (2006 - 2010) supported: 209 applications received, 127 awards were made to 114 community

groups and 84 projects up and running More than half of the projects were in areas ranked in the bottom half of

areas using the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) In all but 5 local authorities

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GCA 1 project profile

Urban

Small towns and

accessible rural

Remote rural Total % by type

Community facilities 13 21 20 54 43%

Community social enterprise 14 3 8 25 20%

Energy 1 4 12 17 13%

Environment 3 2 5 10 8%

Tourism 0 1 10 11 9%

Land 0 0 3 3 2%

Withdrawn 4 1 2 7 6%

Total 35 32 60 127 100%

% by geography 28% 25% 47% 100%

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Communities are stronger, with shared aspirations and the ability to achieve these together

Communities have services and amenities that meet people’s needs better and are more accessible

Typically 50% to 60% of regular users in their projects consider it to have made a “big difference” to their own lives, while 70% to 80% consider it to have made a “big difference” to the community.

People who visit or are involved with GCA projects rate their area and community more highly as a place to live

They also know more people and they feel they have more influence over local decisions.

Around 36,000 people now using GCA-funded services and facilities in their own communities on a regular basis

Among those that were aware of the projects 74% considered the project had provided services and amenities that meet people’s needs better

Objectives and progress

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Objectives and progress

People have more skills, knowledge and confidence….

Communities are more able to grasp opportunities, and are more enterprising and self-reliant

Communities have a more positive impact on the local and global environment

Mainly from development/management of projects and social links rather than through more formal training or skills

700 people in project management Across 84 projects, 1,700 regular volunteers.

337 full-time jobs and 301 part-time jobs related to projects

140 businesses have been accommodated - 15 new ones started

Majority of projects aim to become financially self-sustaining - 26% have achieved this to date.

Rental income most significant source of revenue

New-build projects typically incorporate ways of maximising energy efficiency (e.g. solar panels).

The 18 GCA supported energy projects are currently operating or anticipate connecting to the grid in the next 12 months will bring 9.8 MW of renewable capacity

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Additionality of support

An application would have been made to another

funder

We would have raised the finance

ourselves

The project would have taken place in the same way

regardless

The project would have taken place but on a smaller

scale

The project would have taken longer

to come about

The project would have taken place

but been of a poorer quality

The project would not have taken

place at all

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

7% 5%

0%

19%

32%

15%

62%

% o

f pro

ject

s

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Impact of projects

As a result of the project would you say that neighbours look out for each other more

Specifically, has the project encouraged people from different backgrounds to meet and work together

Increased the ambition and confidence of the community to take on other activities

Helped bring the community together?

Made this a better place to live?

30%

47%

53%

60%

61%

19%

29%

36%

43%

45%

Aware of project Visited

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Project feedback

Research, scope and planning of the project agree the scope early on, carry out research with the community, clarify plans

Experience of the project manager and Directors full-time project manager and management team in place from the start, set up a

sub-groups, use previous business experience for the board – be selective Use of external advice

get training and experience to understand consultants, especially architects Learning from peers

go and visit similar projects to see what they are doing and learn from these. Time

Prepare for a long run - not a sprint, but a marathon, don't be too optimistic about what can be achieved in a short time with volunteers

Community engagement and communication Generate sense of community ownership, events and celebrations. Get people

involved as much as possible from the start rather than just consulting them. Where possible make sure there are short term tangible indicators of progress

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Wider issues

Community ownership People like the concept of community ownership - 92% of those using facilities

thought it was a “good thing”. While 11% were willing to volunteer time or take decisions

Most (68%) of project leaders were more positive about community ownership than when they started

Although community engagement is an issue for some, the overall view of project leaders is that demand had met expectations (60%) or exceeded them (30%)

Urban and rural On the surface, the remote and rural projects appear to have a greater

chance of success. Urban projects have the potential to impact on more people (but also require more support).

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More issues

Sustainable The evaluation has been over a very weak economic period, which has affected

income. There are examples where business plans have been too optimistic (important for GCA 2)

Income is central to empowerment, but it also attracts participation and raises status with partners. Could more be done to grow assets and develop innovative ways of generating income?

Monitoring Monitoring and consultation remains important in ensuring that projects respond

and adapt (not always right first time) - this can get forgotten Could more be done to understand the profile of users (and non-users) and

understand whether objectives are being met? Where people engage with projects we know there are real benefits. The next

stage is then to grow participation

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Putting it together