Lochside Neighbourhood GroupMaking a Real Difference in our Community

Lochside, South Ayrshire, Scotland

Background

2012 – local residents identified a need

Develop a more co-ordinated approach to community issues, neighbourhood improvements & partnership working

Key stakeholders committed to support a community led multi-partnership forum for the Lochside area

Community Development approach was adopted

Local residents and local voluntary sector organisations identified issues as well as strengths within the community

Core principles

Engagement

Empowerment

Capacity

Building

Key values

Community Development

Process – Stages of Development

Achieving Better Community Development (ABCD Framework, CHEX)

Process- Stages of Development

National Drivers• Community Empowerment Scotland (2014) Bill

• The Christie Commission (2013)

• Public Service Reform : locality planning and effective partnership working

• Co-production model: shared role, catalysts, mutuality, networks, assets and capacity

“Co-production is the process of active dialogue and engagement between people who use services and those who provide them.” Sir Harry Burns, Chief Medical Officer

Regional Drivers• Single Outcome Agreement

Long Term Outcome (5-10 Years) Communities are more confident and empowered to address

issues that matter to them.

Intermediate Outcome (3-5 Years) Communities can more effectively influence decision making and

service development.

• Community Health Profiles for Braehead, Whitletts & Lochside areas

Partnership DevelopmentRepresentation from local residents, voluntary, private/business , faith and public sectors:

Local residents (age range 5-86) North Ayr Community Council Lochside Community Association Cowan Crescent Tenants and Residents Association The Jolly Dollies (local womens’ drama group) Lochside Church Ayrshire Housing Braehead Primary School Access to Employment Local Businesses including ASDA and Family Shopper NHS Ayrshire and Arran Police Scotland South Ayrshire Council - Departments involved have expertise in the key

components of regeneration - social, economic, physical and environmental

Achievements

• 92 local residents involved and informed of all developments via email, word of mouth, meetings, one to one interviews, focus group discussions, Facebook page and events

• 210 local children involved in active citizen initiatives and promotion of community pride in the area

Community involvement & participation

• Partners from voluntary, faith, private/business and public sector which has enabled the process of partnership development to be meaningful, effective, efficient and productive

Effective & meaningful partnership working • Planning & visioning outcomes

sessions took place with local residents and group members which provided the basis for collating issues of interest and concern as well as identifying strengths, knowledge and skills

Development of local Community Action

Plan

Achievements

• Delivered locally covering committee skills, governance & management, promotion & marketing, funding and social enterprise

Community capacity building programmes

• Health issues in the community (CHEX) delivered to local residents based on the principles of community development and community led health approaches

Community Health & Wellbeing

programmes • Local residents raising traffic and parking issues

• Less obstruction to the area and working with planning department to paint yellow lines

Parking & Traffic management

Achievements ‘Keep Lochside Tidy’ campaign

• Community led campaign promoting active citizenship and community pride and the importance of looking after the local environment.

• Local children designed posters of their ideas and suggestions to keep the area tidy and encouraged friends, family and neighbours to put posters in house windows.

• 210 local children and 40 adults involved as well as local services and key stakeholders

Making A Difference in Our Community Awards

Development of creative play areas Ideas and designs came from workshops organised through the group

where local children and their families designed the space based on what they liked and wanted for the area. The group developed a proposal and project plan for a creative play initiative

Achievements

Achievements Inter-generational approaches

The group have worked on a number of inter-generational projects, bringing together children, young people and older people from the area and presented their work at a national conference which took place in Troon in 2013.

Achievements

Housing Developments

• New housing development underway for the area with an investment of £5 million.

• As a result of consulting with group members and the wider community, MAST architects revised housing plans for new housing development and changes were made based on suggestions of group members

Achievements

Alcohol and Drugs

• A series of focus group discussions took place with local residents, voluntary sector organisation reps and key stakeholders

• Analysis of data will inform our Community Action Plan 2014 – 2017

AchievementsCOSLA Award winners 2013/14• Group received national recognition for providing excellent service to the

communityFeatured in national publication• Group featured as case study in Scottish Co-Production Network magazine

and website and asked to provide workshops at national co-production event, Edinburgh, April 2014 as example of good practice in Scotland

Produce Lochside Community Newsletters • Sharing and promoting “good news” stories with 600 local residents

Aligned with Lochside masterplan• An overall design and provision of new houses and improvement of leisure

facilities & the ADP asset based project

Achievements

Economic Benefits of partnership developmentThe economic benefits for adopting a multi- partnership approach to neighbourhood improvements have been considerable as the total spend to date is

• £3,000 (Ayrshire Housing) • £10,000 (Lottery Fund) and • £2,000 (South Ayrshire Council) approximately

For Further InformationIf you would like to have your say and get involved in issues

that matter to you please contact:

• Robert Green, North Ayr Community Council robertdgreen69@yahoo.co.uk • Colette McGarva, Community Engagement/Development,

South Ayrshire Council colette.mcgarva@south-ayrshire.gov.uk

Any Questions?

What do you like best about our group?