Funding for Dorset Twinning Jeremy Barker & Kevin Waterfall Sherborne Douzelage

1. Funding for Dorset Twinning Jeremy Barker & Kevin Waterfall Sherborne Douzelage

2. Douzelage – formed in 1991 Build Europe from its grass roots to give ordinary people a European Identity – Monsieur Poirier 1991

4. Have Fun !! What do we do? Internationally Business Meetings, Activity centred visits, Youth Projects, Exchange and study programmes Locally Community Projects, e.g. VolunTEAMing, support student exchanges, hold talks, concerts and events

5. Funding Requirements Example Items • Annual Fee • Annual Admin/ publicity/ etc • General Meeting Participation 5 delegates – 10 non delegates • Two overseas youth trips (exclude EU grant) • Overseas adult visits (typical) • Hosting overseas visitors • Sherborne Youth Conference (YiA) - 2008 • Together Across the Ages youth project (YiA) 2012 • VolunTEAMing project (EU for Citizens 1.2) - 2011 Additional to this is an untold amount of time and effort by a committee of 16 plus others Cost £ 300 1,600 2,000 4,000 2,000 5,000 1,000 12,000 16,000 65,000

6. Thank you

7. Twinning Links Dorset towns are twinned with 27 French towns and 15 others Douzelage has 27 European Partner Towns, one per EU country

8. What are the Funding Issues? • Overseas visit costs are high and dissuade participation • UK visits from Twin Towns– to reciprocate their hospitality • Our Town Council does not support us • Raising funds is hard work • EU Funding application is difficult • Specialist funding advice is lacking • We need to hold fund raising events to generate money • What Else ????

9. What works for you now ? • Generous town council • Social events • Local sponsorship • EU funding • What else ????

10. How do Sherborne Douzelage raise funds ? Social events.

11. How do Sherborne Douzelage raise funds ? Other methods. Participant contributions/ donations (including students) Simon Digby Memorial trust – Youth Travel Fund Industry Sponsorship, Sponsored events Sales of local produce at fairs Bartering/ In Kind help School minibuses & equipment loan Shops/ cafe’s, garden centres refreshments

12. Local Funding Opportunities • Dorset CC – Community Fund • West Dorset DC • Town Councils • Are Councils interested in Twinning? • Where do they get added value?

13. EU Funding Sources Comenius Leonardo EU Youth In Action (15 – 28 yrs.)

14. EU Funding Sources Gruntvig Culture 2007 Programme Europe for Citizens

15. Youth in Action Promote Active Citizenship by Young People • 1.1 - Youth Exchanges • 1.2 - Youth Initiatives • 1.3 - Youth Democracy Projects • 2 - European Voluntary Service • 3.1 - Cooperation with the Neighbouring Partner Countries of the European Union • 4.3 - Training and Networking of those active in youth work and youth organisations • 5.1 - Meetings of young people and those responsible for youth policy Offering young people active participation in their daily life Project Costs, Lump sums, Travel & “Coach”. (Euro 11,350+ T)

16. Europe for Citizens • 1 Town Twinning • 1.1Citizens Meetings – Euro < 22,000 • Reinforce commitment to EU integration; • 1.2Networks of Twin towns – Euro < 150,000 • Thematic & Citizens meetings; • 2 Citizens Projects • 2.1 Citizens Projects – Euro < 250,000 • 2.2 Support Measures – Euro < 100,000

17. 2008 Young Euro Citizens • October 2008 with 2 each from 14 countries. • Three Themes • Youth Policy • Youth in Action • Young people and the Environment • Five topics • Youth Provision and Funding Support, • Healthy Lifestyles, • Retaining Young People in our Towns • Youth Justice • Young Peoples Voices. • Friendly atmosphere, trips & social activities

19. Volunteering Memorandum of Understanding between Town Councils

20. Other Sources and Help Dorset Community Action (DCA) Grantfinder Database Ad Hoc Various depending on project focus, Environment, Community, etc Monitoring available potential sources is something a treasurer can do

21. Other EU Funding Opportunities Interreg IV A Manche – can this help? ttp://interreg4a-manche.eu/ Do you know if this or other ways can help? 2014 – 2020 new funding round

22. EU Project Issues Scope Timing Complexity Funding percentage Demonstrating completion Auditing Reporting

23. Funding Failures Wrong Programme Not completed the form Missed vital information Budget data inconsistent Benefits of programme not clear Benefits of the partnership not clear Not signed the form Arrives after the deadline

24. Funding a Way Forward Determine a common interest with your Twins Town(s) Consider relating a theme to the European Year Find local interested Groups to create a project Find the right person(s) to complete the paperwork Funding purely for hospitality is very difficult Legacy Funding??

25. Thank you from

26. Town Council Views • Twinning activities are supported and encouraged by Town Councils but twinning should be driven by local people that wish to be involved in such activities.  •  Most Town Clerks recognise that the position has changed over the years where in the past Councils were more actively involved but this has clearly reduced in recent years.  • With the pressure on local government, local councils need to focus their resources (staff and money) on local issues of importance rather than twinning.  • One key reason for the general reduction of support has come about as there has been criticism in the past that money has been spent on twinning trips that don’t actually produce much other than an exchange of people, hence  not a good use of Council resources.