POWYS EQUALS PARTNERSHIP The EQUAL Programme

1. POWYS EQUALS PARTNERSHIP The EQUAL Programme • The Aim • To research and develop services that provide pathways to social inclusion through the strategic development of social enterprise, and encompassing the value of the lived experience, in the rural context of Powys.

2. POWYS EQUALS PARTNERSHIP • Rural Context of Powys Powys is approximately 125 miles (200k) x 50 miles (80k). The total population is just 128,000 people making it one of the most sparsely populated regions in the UK. The major employers are Powys County Council and Powys Local Health Board The majority of businesses are small or micro businesses

3. POWYS EQUALS PARTNERSHIP Objectives To develop and research initiatives that explore the potential benefits for rural communities to create opportunities for socially inclusive employment through : i. Social Enterprise ii. Integrated approaches to service delivery iii. The value of the lived experience within the planning, management and running of services and enterprises

4. POWYS EQUALS PARTNERSHIP The Problem ·While there are excellent examples of social enterprise within Powys, there is no strategic policy in Powys, or in Wales, for examining its potential for social inclusion ·    Voluntary organisations, dependent on grant aid, find it difficult to provide a consistency of service to address persistent barriers to equality of opportunity, and social inclusion ·    User and carer involvement and participation strategies are sometimes tokenistic and marginalised

5. POWYS EQUALS PARTNERS Hypothesis • Social Enterprise can provide a vehicle for the development of services for individuals, families and communities • A more integrated approach to service delivery can overcome problems associated with economies of scale • Valuing the ‘lived experience’ of people who have learnt from personal experiences of disadvantage adds value to the development, running, and staffing of social enterprise • Rural communities have assets that include the natural environment, facilities and people skills

6. POWYS EQUALS PARTNERSHIP Social Enterprise To carry out an action research programme that examines inclusive employment practices within different models and approaches to the development of social enterprise Including:

7. POWYS EQUALS PARTNERSHIP Social Enterprise and Social Inclusion Building Upon: • Experience Within the Partnership • The Development of New Services • Other Existing Social Enterprises • The Development of New Enterprises

8. POWYS EQUALS PARTNERSHIP Service Development To develop, in conjunction with Powys County Council and Local Health Board, services for individuals and families that address: i. Responsible Employment Practices ii. The needs of Families and Children at Risk

9. POWYS EQUALS PARTNERSHIP Definition of Lived Experience • The Lived Experience is a stage beyond the democratic involvement and participation of people who have experienced stigma and/or discrimination. • It is a recognition of the value of particular skills that can enhance the development, management and delivery of services, enterprises, and other initiatives, through team and partnership working, on an equal basis. These skills are derived from an acknowledgement of personal and collective insights that have been gained directly from managing the disadvantages that led to the stigma and/or discrimination, or from supporting someone in a caring capacity. These skills can provide pathways for people, out of discrimination and disadvantage, that can be a role model for other people, that challenge both internal and external stigma.

10. POWYS EQUALS PARTNERSHIP The Partnership will explore the potential benefits of employing people with lived experience through: • Its own employment practice • Learning From Other Experience in Powys • Developing Best Practice in Employment • Promoting the Lived Experience

11. POWYS EQUALS PARTNERSHIP Structure The Development Partnership The Executive Cluster Groups Lead Responsibilites

12. POWYS EQUALS PARTNERSHIP PAVO BBNPA MP MIND PRACTICAL CS PDAC ARCADY PEARL TRUST DISABILITY POWYS CYMRYD RHAN CAE POST SPLETS SIREN PMHA

13. POWYS EQUALS PARTNERSHIP Quality and Best Practice – Capacity Building PAVO is an independent agency providing support to voluntary agencies and community groups by providing advice, information, support services and training. PAVO is an advocate for the voluntary sector and assists with community development and regeneration strategies. PAVO takes the lead within the DP for capacity building where they bring their considerable experience. PAVO is also the Lead Agency for the DP.

14. POWYS EQUALS PARTNERSHIP Quality and Best Practice – Research Cae Post is a social enterprise that provides day support and work placements for people with learning disabilities within the context of a contract to deliver a re-cycling service for paper and plastics across Powys. Cae Post are the lead agency in identifying and developing the resources to undertake the action research needs of the Partnership.

15. POWYS EQUALS PARTNERSHIP Quality and Best Practice – Innovation Siren are a social enterprise, or Intermediate Labour Market, that provides supported employment and training for people, who have a history of disadvantage and discrimination. They produce a range of high quality wood products that give the employees the opportunity to develop their work skills and to train in the field of their choice. Siren are the lead agency in the development of innovative approaches within the work of the DP.

16. POWYS EQUALS PARTNERSHIP Quality and Best Practice – Communications The Perl Trust is a trust that has acquired a property in France that provides opportunities, for young people who have difficulties with drugs, alcohol or who have been through the court system, to work on the property in France. The Perl Trust has the lead responsibility for Communications

17. POWYS EQUALS PARTNERSHIP Learning – Transnational Practical Care Solutions is a private company that provides consultancy services to residential care homes and supported housing schemes. PCS is the lead agency for the Transnational Partnership The main themes for transnational working are: i. Research into different models of social enterprise ii. Developing training tools through and for lived experience working iii. Developing capacity for Partnership working

18. POWYS EQUALS PARTNERSHIP Learning – Training Mid Powys Mind provide a range of day and outreach services for people who experience mental distress. They aim to support people through confidence building, training and valued occupation along their chosen recovery pathway. Mid Powys Mind are the lead agency in addressing the training needs of the DP, and for the programme of action research. PAVO Capacity Building PAVO Capacity Building PAVO Capacity Building SIREN Innovation SIREN Innovation SIREN Cae Post Innovation Research Cae Post Research Cae Post Research MPM Training MPM Training Training BBNPA MPM Training Equal Opportunities Training BBNPA PCS Equal Opportunities Training Transnational BBNPA DP PCS Equal Opportunities Transnational DP PCS Mainstreaming Communication Transnational SPLETS DP Mainstreaming Communication PT Policy & Strategy SPLETS Mainstreaming Communication PT Policy & Strategy SPLETS STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP PT Policy & Strategy STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP Contracts Products Contracts Products Contracts SOCIAL ENTERPRISE Products SOCIAL ENTERPRISE Community Regeneration SOCIAL ENTERPRISE Community Regeneration Community Regeneration ARCADY ARCADY ENVIRONMENTAL INCLUSION PROJECT CYMRYD RHAN ARCADY ENVIRONMENTAL INCLUSION PROJECT CYMRYD RHAN OUT SOURCING PROJECT ENVIRONMENTAL INCLUSION PROJECT CYMRYD RHAN Communities OUT SOURCING PROJECT Communities OUT SOURCING PROJECT Individuals Communities Individuals Individuals PDAC PDAC HIDDEN HARM PROJECT PDAC HIDDEN HARM PROJECT HIDDEN HARM PROJECT Families Families Families

19. POWYS EQUALS PARTNERSHIP Learning – Lived Experience Powys Mental Health Alliance are a user-led agency that provides a framework for the involvement and participation of people who experience mental distress in the planning and development of services. Powys Mental Health Alliance are the Lead Agency for developing the ideas and resources that are needed to understand and include people with a lived experience within the work of the DP.

20. POWYS EQUALS PARTNERSHIP Policy and Mainstreaming – Policy SPLETS is a local exchange trading system that has developed its own currency – beacons. SPLETS has promoted environmental and community responses to local, national and international issues. SPLETS is to take the lead in responding to the policy agenda raised by the work of the DP

21. POWYS EQUALS PARTNERSHIP Policy and Mainstreaming – Mainstreaming Disability Powys represents and provides services to support people with physical disabilities whose needs are often not catered for within the structures of wider society. Disability Powys are the lead agency within the DP in mainstreaming the results of the work undertaken by the DP.

22. POWYS EQUALS PARTNERSHIP Policy and Mainstreaming – Equal Opportunities The Brecon Beacons National Park Authority, BBNPA, are a Local Authority that are responsible for Planning and development within the National Park. This includes responsibility for housing, and access BBNPA have Lead responsibility for Equal Opportunities

23. POWYS EQUALS PARTNERSHIP Projects – Responsible Employment • Cymryd Rhan are a voluntary organisation than specialise in a range of domiciliary, day care and residential services for people with Learning Disabilities. • Cymryd Rhan will work with Powys County Council and Local Health Board to create jobs, within these organisations, and within the third sector for people who have been placed out of County or been in Care.

24. POWYS EQUALS PARTNERSHIPProjects – Hidden Harm • Powys Drugs and Alcohol Centres (PDAC) provide a range of community services, including community detox and rehabilitation, for people recovering from alcohol and drug dependency • PDAC will provide the lead in the development of services that will examine the potential for social enterprise that address the needs of families and children whose lives have been affected by disadvantage and discrimination

25. POWYS EQUALS PARTNERSHIPProjects – Community Regeneration • Arcady are an embryonic social enterprise that aims to include people from all sections of society within a community regeneration process that is aspirational for the people who take part and their communities • Arcady will take the lead in examining the potential for the development of services through social enterprise and community regeneration and ‘big ideas’

26. POWYS EQUALS PARTNERSHIPStakeholders • Stakeholders who are key to the delivery of the programme have been invited to join the DP • Gofal Cymru • Powys County Council • Powys Local Health Board • Stakeholder we hope to work with in the future will be invited to join the programme at a later date, they include: • Ecodyfi • Phoenix

27. POWYS EQUALS PARTNERSHIPGofal Cymru • Gofal Cymru are a national charity in Wales providing a range of services for people who experience mental distress. In Powys, Gofal Cymru, provide a service, Working Futures, that supports people to overcome barriers to voluntary work, training, or returning to work.

28. POWYS EQUALS PARTNERSHIPPowys County Council • Powys County Council are the principal Local Authority within the County and one of the largest employers. The Responsible Employment Project and the Hidden Harm Project have evolved out of discussions with the County Council about implementing a strategy that reflects their responsibilities for individual people and families.

29. POWYS EQUALS PARTNERSHIPPowys Local Health Board • Powys Local Health Board (LHB) has responsibility for Primary and Secondary provision of health care within the County. The LHB have been developing a plan to employ people within their employment strategy, to create ‘champions’ within the work-force, and to create effective mechanisms for involving people who use their services and carers.

30. POWYS EQUALS PARTNERSHIPECODYFI • Ecodyfi is a voluntary organisation working in one of the most rural communities on the borders of Powys and Gwynedd. They have supported the development of a number of social enterprises involving communities, including: renewable energy, waste, tourism, and transport. • We hope to work with Ecodyfi to address social inclusion within these enterprises.

31. POWYS EQUALS PARTNERSHIPPhoenix • Phoenix is a voluntary sector organisation that has been working primarily in the reuse of furniture and other items. • They have started to develop a social enterprise that provides training a work opportunities for people who have been out of work for a long time.

32. POWYS EQUALS PARTNERSHIP Contact Details • Derek Turner, Partnership Facilitator • Powys Equals Partnership • Old Town Hall • Temple Street • Llandrindod Wells • Powys LD1 5DL • Phone: 01597 824777 • Email: derekt@powys.gov.uk