Community Engagement & Empowerment Projects

Below is a summary of the Community Engagement & Empowerment Programme projects. Documentation relating to the programme can be found on the Key Products page.

Research (baseline & evaluation) - Research and analysis conducted in Year 1 to establish a baseline of community engagement and empowerment in the region and to inform Programme activity. Evaluation of CEE Programme and repeat of research in Year 3.

Themed Sounding Board & Best Practice events - Delivery of six Sounding Board and Best Practice events based on the following themes drawn from the Government's Empowerment White Paper, which were focused on developing an understanding from community and specialist sector perspectives of the challenges, barriers and opportunities to be derived from mainstreamed engagement and empowerment

Themed Forum events - Delivery of a number of forum events based on the following themes, which were focused on developing a rich understanding from the broader public, voluntary and community, sector perspective of the challenges, barriers to and opportunities to be derived from mainstreaming engagement and empowerment as identified in the Empowerment White Paper and existing practice by a range of stakeholders in the region.

Member Sounding Board - Establishment of a Member Sounding Board and a Member Development Programme to improve members understanding of the Community Engagement and Empowerment (CEE) agenda and to develop appropriate skills and learning to enable them to deliver their role effectively

Member Development - Identification and delivery of a Member Training and Development programme which supported Members requirements to meet the challenges of community engagement and empowerment, thus increasing capacity of community leaders.

Programme Knowledge Exchange beyond the region - This project enabled members of the Programme to participate in a wide range of events beyond the region to facilitate sharing best practice within the region beyond its boundaries and conversely bringing in to the region good practice from outside

Delivery of CLG grant funded Neighbourhood Resource - CLG provided funding for 2008/09 only to the NE IEP to support the transition for funding for the North East Neighbourhood Resource Centre (NENRC) coming via the NE IEP from April 2009. On the basis of a proposal submitted to CLG, a ring-fenced grant of £132,000 was given to deliver projects to support a broadening of the role of the NENRC to support the community empowerment agenda

Developing Community Capacity - This project comprised of three sub-projects with the overall aim of 'developing community capacity'. A series of five facilitated events were held to facilitate the sharing of learning between the projects.

Learning and Sharing Events and Annual Conference - Funded a range of events and activities aimed at sharing the learning across projects. In 2009, a CEE Programme Conference was held.

Empowering Cultures - This programme enabled Local Authorities to design, develop and participate in a bespoke individual development programme to develop an empowering culture by improving their skills and knowledge of community engagement and empowerment.

Measuring effectiveness of Empowerment & Engagement - This project funded the development of a Community Engagement and Empowerment Performance Management and Evaluation Framework. The Framework was specifically designed for, and piloted with the Innovation Fund projects and the model was further refined to take into account lessons learned.

Enabling good conversations through purposeful engagement - Consultants were be appointed to deliver the project which will comprise of two stages. The initial stage involved the preparation of a positioning paper to articulate and quantify the relationship between efficiency and community engagement and empowerment. In the second stage - 'Understanding of where we are now' - the consultants worked with each local authority to draw together what we know of ourselves as a region including mapping to identify gaps and opportunities for improvement and areas susceptible to change. The work will culminate in the production of a regional summary document.

Support NEEP in Northumberland & Durham - Funding provided to North East Empowerment Partnership to fund CEE activities in the two sub regions

Community Led Planning, Engagement and Empowerment - Funded an effective community led planning process (building on good practice developed in other areas) that enabled local authorities to work in partnership with the voluntary and community sector

The Green Exercise Project - Project aim was to encourage residents from local targeted South Tyneside Homes communities to improve their health and local community through volunteering in practical horticultural and conservation activities that improves their community spaces.

Community Action Planning - The programme involved working with five geographical community partnerships to enable them to contribute to the development of community action plans.

Getting Involved - Increase engagement of minority groups : Development of engagement toolkit, engagement events to enable representatives to engage more widely with their communities, funding community groups who represent 'hard to hear' communities to help them develop their infrastructure and address barriers to participation

Social Marketing Toolkit for NE FRS - The project involved the development of a bespoke Regional Fire and Rescue Service (FRS) Social Marketing Engagement Delivery Toolkit, designed using in-depth analysis and research techniques such as customer behaviour profiling and focus groups.

Durham Young Decision Makers - Aim was to develop a young people led, coordinated and joined up approach to engaging with children and young people in County Durham

Gateshead Volunteer Researcher Project - Project was to train local volunteers to deliver community research, appraisal, evaluation and consultation.

Neighbourhood Voices Pilot - To test the effectiveness of the new 'Neighbourhood Voices' model at increasing the involvement of residents in local decision-making, producing tangible examples of empowerment and leading to an increase participation in the re-launched Area Forum.

Delivery of Warden and Front-line Related training services - This project delivered demand-led Warden and Front-Line training services, building on the findings of an independent review of the current North East Neighbourhood Resource Centre and the evidenced need for a flexible approach due to the nature and demand for training.

Supporting Neighbourhood Management and Neighbourhood - This programme comprised of four sub projects to support gaps in activity around neighbourhood working which were identified through an evidence-based, intelligence-led approach across the region during 2008/09. Activities built the capacity of communities (local people and third sector organisations), and local authority partnerships to work together to develop and implement effective neighbourhood working approaches.

Understanding services and communities - Training programme involving Nland CC front line workers and local residents to facilitate a re-focusing of service and culture with a view to embedding a genuine customer led approach.

Integration and cohesion in Newcastles East End - The objective of this project was to support the sustainability and closer partnership working of grass roots organisations from both host and migrant communities, with a key role in fostering community cohesion. This was achieved through the twin mechanisms of reinforced infrastructural support for front line organisations and a joint community education initiative.

Equality Advocates - This involved the development of a support programme for locally based equality advocates, so that there is a pool of trained and networked local people and groups, who can advocate both on behalf of their own diversity strand and also from a single equalities perspective. The project promoted understanding, cohesion and bonding between diversity groups and improve engagement and linking between equality advocates and public sector partners.

From the Horses Mouth - The aim of this project was to identify the issues and barriers to effective engagement and empowerment from residents' perspectives. There was a particular emphasis on the 'hardest to reach' residents who are less likely to have their say e.g. those who live in diverse, disadvantaged communities.

Specialised Volunteer Development Agency - This project sought to increase opportunities for volunteers with epilepsy, volunteers with disabilities and people with mental health issues. The aim was to assist individuals to build confidence both through their own personal achievement and by their contribution to the wider community.

Youth Conference - Terrorism & Radicalisation - One day conference (11 Feb) hosted by Stockton Youth IAG for young people to discuss terrorism and radicalisation in a safe environment.

Engaging with BMEs & hard to reach communities - Project was to empower people from the BME community to define and shape their own lives, creating a sense of belonging by learning and encouraging people to engage and actively participate in the democratic and decision making processes

Communities Together - This project enabled local communities to network, engage and become empowered with other communities across the Stockton borough.

Total Homes Safety initiative - The purpose of this project was to; reduce house burglary in our most vulnerable communities and to safeguard vulnerable people from the impact of burglary, for whom the consequences can be devastating; reduce domestic fires, thereby providing the opportunity to save lives and reduce the economic consequences to the suffering occupants and reassure, and raise confidence within, our vulnerable communities where our surveys show reassurance is low.