Building sustainable partnerships: The work of Big Local

1. Building sustainable partnerships: The work of Big Local Niamh Goggin, Small Change (NI) Ltd Social Investment Advisor Big Local

2. What is Big Local? • Big Lottery Fund’s largest ever (£200m) investment in community-led regeneration • 150 areas across England • from Northumberland to Dover • From Cornwall to Hull • Each area is getting at least £1 million to spend in up to 10 years • Making their areas even better places to live

3. Delivered by Local Trust Working with national delivery partners: • Community Development Foundation • CCLA (Fund Managers) • Institute for Voluntary Action Research (IVAR) • National Association of Neighbourhood Management (NANM) • Renaisi • Small Change (NI) Ltd • Unltd – the Foundation for Social Entrepreneurs.

4. What sort of areas? • Smallest is Harefield and Townhill Park in Southampton with pop of 1,365 • Largest is Little Hulton in Salford with pop of 17,140 • Concentrated urban areas like South Bermondsey, South London • Rural areas like Three Parishes of Gobowen, St Martins and Weston Rhyn in North West Shropshire • More than 1 million people live in Big Local areas in England

5. Big Local’s four outcomes • Communities will be better able to identify local needs and take action in response to them • People will have increased skills and confidence so that they can continue to identify and respond to local needs in the future • The community will make a difference to the needs it prioritises • People will feel that their area is an even better place to live.

6. Resident-led • Residents identify issues and opportunities in their areas • Residents work together to develop a plan to address them • Residents decide who they want to work with to deliver the plan • Funding doesn’t have to go to just one organisation within the area

7. Communities building financial resilience…. their own way • Raise the issues and opportunities • Give space to share knowledge and expertise, decide priorities and build partnerships • Workshops, briefings, podcasts, examples • Find who is already doing stuff and support them to do more • Innovative, small, flexible funding packages • Small Change and 12 p/t social investment reps

8. North West Ipswich Big Local • North West Ipswich has been plagued by illegal loan sharks • £5k marketing grant and £20k corporate deposit in Eastern Savings and Loans CU • CU agrees to attract 250 new adult members to CU and save at least £30k in interest costs • Also to open Junior Savers Clubs in two local primary schools • Finally, to offer account and payment card services for local community groups

9. Collyhurst (Manchester)Big Local • Partnership members trained by Manchester CU– 17 new CU members to date • Volunteers trained to support residents to open accounts • Savings club with financial education and support to reduce debt • Save £2/wk for 6 months - £20 reward • Northwards Housing/Smarterbuys stores

10. Greatfield Big Local (Hull) • Agreement with Hull and East Yorkshire CU (£18k/3yrs) • School Pennies 2 Pounds Clubs • Local CU Contact Point • Community Finance Buddies • Promotional Activities • Volunteer Training • Co-operative E-Store and Smarterbuys • Community Account for clubs, societies etc. • Targets for membership, savings, loans and community accounts

11. Leigh West, Wigan • High proportion of redbrick terraced housing owned by private landlords and in poor repair • Social enterprise letting agency • Local residents identify properties in poor state of repair and Council targets landlords • Working with a CDFI to develop a loans scheme to help residents/landlords improve properties and make them more energy efficient

12. Finance for Enterprise • Microfinance pilot project from HACT and the CDFA • RSLs are persuaded to 'invest' (grant-fund) £50k in a microfinance loan fund for their area. • This attracts a further £100k from the Start-Up Loans Company • A local CDFI (Business Finance Solutions, Manchester for Collyhurst) runs the loans fund at local level • The Start-Up Loans Company will also provide business advice and mentoring to the value of £1,000 per start-up. • Collyhurst has decided that they want to invest £5k of their funds alongside the RSL.  This will attract an extra £10k from the Start Up Loans Company.

13. Community Energy • Wind Turbines • Solar Photovoltaics • Rent a Roof schemes • Solar water heating for sports facilities • Domestic energy efficiency schemes • Green Community Buildings

14. Learning lessons • Local people know the problems and can work out the solutions • Don’t crowd out existing services; • Grant fund/commission services that cost provider more • Invest where residents and providers can expect a return • £1m commands respect that residents should be given by right • Build lasting partnerships based on respect and high quality service delivery

15. Local Trust: Big Local Local Trust: Big Local http://www.localtrust.org.uk/big-local/ Big Local: Social Investment http://www.localtrust.org.uk/big-local/social-investment/ Small Change (NI) Ltd • Niamh Goggin • Small Change (N.I.) Ltd • 63 Claragh Rd • Castlewellan • BT31 9NU • Northern Ireland • Tel 02895 810803 • Mob 0770 2835672 • Skype niamh.goggin2 • Email niamh@small-change-ltd.org.uk • Website www.small-change-ltd.org.uk

16. For Discussion • What would residents say is needed to build financially resilient communities? • How can they make their voices heard? • Which works better for them; small, volunteer-run local credit unions or larger, professionally managed full service CUs/CDFIs? • What message would you give to Big Local residents? • What message will you take away from this session?