Under embargo until: 00.01hrs Thursday 29 March 2007

Local community groups should be given 'light touch' support to make a real difference

Empowering people through continuous yet low cost ‘light touch’ support can make a real difference to closing the gap between the most disadvantaged communities and the rest of society. This is according to a new report from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) based on its four-year programme of practical work with communities in Britain. The JRF programme created a learning network, bringing together and supporting community-based organisations tackling regeneration in 20 neighbourhoods across England, Scotland and Wales.

The programme found that some particularly disadvantaged or fragile communities need more intensive community development support to engage residents and bring about change. It also found that, despite policy commitment to working with local groups, many community organisations felt marginalised in partnerships with power-holders, such as local authorities. When dealing with local councils, groups could face bureaucratic obstacles that prevented genuine community participation.

Community groups also found that organisational development, recruiting and managing staff, and financial management were a major challenge. The resources needed to help develop these crucial skills are widely acknowledged still to be insufficient.
‘Light touch’ support (which cost JRF £7.5k a year for each neighbourhood) can make a real difference to community groups. A little mentoring by a trusted facilitator and a small, flexible pot of money was found to be a highly cost-effective method of developing skills, offering support and providing inspiration.

Changing neighbourhoods: lessons from the JRF Neighbourhood Programme examines the impact of this ‘light touch’ support in achieving effective and sustainable community engagement. The five key areas of this support are:

• facilitation - a mentor to turn to for ideas and support;
• credit - small amounts of unrestricted money to tackle immediate priorities;
• networking - bringing the 20 organisations together to share experiences and learning;
• action planning - help with reviewing needs and mapping out future directions;
• brokerage - an experienced mediator to help improve links with other bodies, particularly power-holders such as the local authority.

The report suggests that for communities to reach their full potential, public sector culture needs to become more flexible. Provisions to progress this include: incentives for public sector players, including councillors, to work alongside communities; help to engage with governance structures; resources for community mediation and brokerage; and clear community development strategies.

Julia Unwin, Director of the JRF, said: “Despite the policy commitment to community engagement, this programme echoes the findings from too many other initiatives before it: many community organisations still feel marginalised in partnerships with statutory authorities and agencies. For community-based groups to thrive they need effective leadership, sustainable funding, and broad participation. The commitment of a range of public bodies at local, regional and national levels is also indispensable.”

Notes to Editors:

1. The full report, Changing neighbourhoods: lessons from the JRF Neighbourhood Programme by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation is available in print for £15.95 from Marston Book Services, email:direct.orders@marston.co.uk.
2. A summary document and four short summaries from joint projects that were carried out as part of the Neighbourhood Programme, focusing on community engagement, funding, diversity and being taken seriously by power-holders are also available.
3. The four-year programme worked with communities in the South-West, West Midlands, and Yorkshire and Humber regions of England, Scotland and Wales.
4. The Joseph Rowntree Foundation is one of the largest social policy research and development charities in the UK. It supports a research and development programme that seeks to understand the causes of social difficulties and explore ways of overcoming them.

Issued by Nasreen Memon, JRF Head of Media Relations:
020 7278 9665 | nasreen.memon@jrf.org.uk