A significant evaluation of the Coalfields Community Futures programme was launched last week at Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh. The evaluation, carried out by Social Value Lab, focusses on the achievements and impacts of the Coalfields Community Futures programme between 2012 – 2017.
The CCF programme was developed and designed by STAR Development Group in 2011. We were delivery partners with the Coalfields Regeneration Trust for the first three years, establishing the programme and its robust approach to community engagement in 13 communities across the country. Since then, CRT has rolled out the programme with a further 20 communities using STAR’s Community Futures process, tools, templates and good practice principles.
We are delighted to see the outcome of this evaluation, which has identified some of the key impacts as being:
- The development of community action plans based on genuine and robust community engagement – developed by communities, for communities.
- Increased and stronger partnership working between community groups, and also between communities and local authorities and other service providers.
- Participatory budgeting which allocated funding based on community decision-making, aligned with identified priorities and real need.
- Increased community capacity, wider community engagement and ultimately, stronger and more sustainable communities.
STAR has developed Community Futures Programmes with public sector bodies over the last 18 years. The first Community Futures Programme – Community Futures Stirling – won the UK RTPI award in 2001 for Social Inclusion in Planning.