Rose Ardron, community activist and facilitator in Sheffield tells us about the development and pilots of 'How your Neighbourhood works' empowerment and partnership tool (originally developed by Hull CEN).

1. Title

"How your Neighbourhood Works"

2. Name of organisation

OFFER (Open Forum for Economic Regeneration)
(Community Empowerment Network for Sheffield)

3. Describe the experience
‘How Your Neighbourhood Works' (HYNW) is a practical learning tool piloted in 5 areas of Sheffield between 2007 and 2008. The programme was to set up to generate a partnership discussion around how things work at a local level and how they could work better to develop and support active participation and community engagement throughout the whole of Sheffield. Participants of the programme were made up of individuals and organisations who were already active at a local level but whom wished to develop their capacity or work across other partnerships. The programme used the following core learning framework:

What is our neighbourhood and why does it matter;

• Routes to influence
• Building local links
• Menu of participation
• Evaluation
• Celebration

An evaluation report and a training resource pack have been produced.

4. Tell us why you did it

Sheffield was (at the time) reviewing how they could better organise their partnership working at neighbourhood level to provide more opportunities for collaboration to shape services more effectively (e.g. police or childrens' services with VCS/ community organisations etc). OFFER (the Community Empowerment Network) managed the project with the aim of enabling local residents to contribute their perspectives to the city review.

5. Describe what you did

1) HYNWs was based in the 5 pilot areas that had been identified as part of the city-wide review. Local contacts, groups and partner agencies were brought together to go through the process between November 2007 and March 2008.

2) Each pilot programme included the following elements:

• A visual mapping of local services and boundaries;
• An exploration of local priorities using case studies from partner agencies;
• Mapping where power and influence are located and decisions being made;
• Action planning on increasing influence and bringing about change

3) 60 people participated in the programme (with an attendance rate of over 80% for the duration).

6. Tell us what worked and why

The process was positive and worked by way of being:

• Participative
• Community-based
• Led by residents with (prepped) partner input including local Councillors
• Pitched at the right level for learning
• Partnership orientated
• What it said on the ‘tin' and hoped to deliver

• Partly facilitated by local ‘host' organisations who participated in delivery and now have the experience and training materials to deliver further programmes in their neighbourhood.

7. Tell us what didn't work and why

Unfortunately due to the City changing direction in its plans for neighbourhood working, the follow-up didn't happen. Although this didn't deflect from the importance of what was achieved by the process, it was disappointing nevertheless for the lead bodies and there was no longer space to feed in comments and proposals as a result of the work. Also inconveniently, there was a high turnover of the relevant people in various partner organisations needed to make the process work and this caused a number of frustrations.

8. Tell us about any problems you encountered and how you dealt with them

• Clarity of purpose was an issue as the HYNWs programme was unknown and untested so roles between partners were not always clear;

• The timeframe was very tight and this limited the essential embedding and outreach work which needed to be undertaken;

• Content: planning the sessions were challenging to achieve the right balance between information and debate.

9. Describe what has changed as a result of this work

• Relationships and communication have been strengthened at a number of levels: between individuals in neighbourhoods and at a partnership level between agencies.
• Individuals reported feeling more confident and engaged on a number of issues and therefore, much more able to participate.
• Constructive dialogue between service providers and local residents has taken place and is continuing.
• The Council is going to role out a further programme of HYNW's.

10. What advice would you give someone who wants to do something similar?

The most important advice would be to really nail down what needs to be achieved and with whom. Work with a local community host organisation and involve partners in planning the programme from the outset. Also, don't underestimate the value of group learning as process which takes time.

11. Provide a contact person if anyone wants to find out more
Rose Ardron
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Natalie Hunt
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 How your neighourhood works case study