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 |  | Starting a Community GroupThe information on this web page has been adapted from a factsheet provided by Durham Rural Community Council. Building Sustainable Communities"Building sustainable communities involves considering how to encourage employment, decent housing, good health and access to services and recreation in ways which make good use of natural resources, protect the environment, promote social cohesion and contribute to local, regional and national prosperity". Opportunities for Change, DTLR (formerly DETR), 1998.One characteristic of a sustainable community is where the community is actively involved and participates in determining future developments within a town, village or area. This involvement and participation often occurs through the workings of local community groups. There are thought to be more than a million community organisations operating throughout the UK. Why Form a Community Group?Community groups are usually formed to address a need that has been identified or in response to a threat or opportunity that will have an impact on the lives of local people. For example, a group may form to respond to the need to provide or upgrade a play area, take on the responsibility for managing a community building or to oppose a decision to build a bypass.Forming a group has many benefits. It:
Getting StartedThere are four main steps which need to be taken when starting a new community group:Step 1 - Getting a Group TogetherWhatever the reason for starting a group there are a number of possible activities or events that need to take place to establish an initial group:
Useful hints and possible points to achieve at this first meeting:
Step 2 - Holding a Public MeetingThe group may wish to hold a public meeting allowing the whole community the opportunity to voice their opinion and debate the issue. Useful hints for holding a public meeting:
Step 3 - Running the Meetings of a Community GroupHaving established the need to set up a group and gained support, the work of the group needs to be carefully discussed and decisions recorded. Well organised meetings have the potential to be inspiring, creative, empowering and enjoyable. To create organised meetings there are generally a number of procedures: An agenda is produced prior to the meeting. A basic agenda should include:
Notes should be taken at the meeting and the minutes circulated to group members. The proceedings of the meeting should be minuted. Minutes should be brief and accurate, recording any decisions reached. An outline plan for presenting minutes is shown below: Minutes of the _____________________ on __________________ at _________________ ACTION: Names and people responsible for action 1. Members present 2. Apologies for absence 3. Minutes of the last meeting : whether accepted as a true record, and any amendments noted. 4. Matters Arising 5. Correspondence 6. Agenda Items 7. Any other business Date and time of next meeting People within the group may take on particular roles. This may seem very formal but it helps if people involved in the project know who does what and the responsibilities people are willing to accept. Generally your group will need a chairperson to keep the meetings going smoothly and to be the spokesperson, a treasurer to open a bank account and keep track of the money and a secretary to keep a record of the meetings. There may be other useful roles that people may take on such as fundraising and publicity. Roles of the Committee MembersThe ChairpersonThe Chairperson is expected to be the central figure for the Committee and its meetings. Their main roles are to:
There is obviously a lot expected of the Chairperson. Some groups have co-chairpersons who share the tasks between them. In larger organisations, a Vice-Chairperson is often essential. The SecretarySecretaries are responsible for the paperwork and other administration of the group. Their main roles are to:
This job may well be split into several "assistant secretary" roles, e.g. Minutes Secretary, Membership Secretary, Public Relations Officer etc. The TreasurerMoney matters sometimes create suspicion and bad feeling among groups. In addition committee members are often personally liable for any debts incurred by the group. The Treasurer has a vitally important job. Their main role is to:
The group may want/need to adopt a constitution. This is a list of rules, or guidelines, by which the group agrees to be governed. Often groups can adopt a standard or model constitution. Key Elements of a ConstitutionYour constitution is a key feature of your organisation - it should set out the aims of your organisation, how it will be run, who will run it, and what it can and can't do.It should be very carefully worded, and should contain certain elements under certain headings. These may vary, especially if you are adopting one of the more complex organisational forms such as an Industrial and Provident Society or Limited Company. These key headings are:
Step 4 - Sustaining Community InvolvementAlthough members of the community will be involved in the committee and at public meetings, other activities can be undertaken to ensure enthusiasm is maintained.This may be ensuring that all members of the community have the opportunity to participate. This may require removing barriers to involvement. Barriers to InvolvementAre there transport problems?Are childcare facilities available? Does the venue have disabled access? Have young people been targeted? Are they welcome? It is necessary that the community is kept informed. This may be through written reports that outline the progress made or may be through a local newsletter or series of posters. Other events and activities may be planned that encourage involvement, raise the profile of the group's activities and sustain the momentum. Activities and events that involve the community could be: Fun Days, Parish Maps, Walk Guides, Fayres, Outings, Planning for Real, Village A-Z's, fundraising events, IT, Fetes Developing a Community GroupAs groups continue, they often identify that there are skills that people within the group want to develop further. These skills will usually benefit both the group and the individuals within it. The kinds of skills that groups ask for training in are:
Acquisition of these skills increases the capacity of the community group and enables it to function more effectively. Further InformationManaging for a change. How to run community development projects. Anthony Davies (1997) ISBN 1 85339 3991.Designing productive meetings and events. How to increase participation and enjoyment (1998). Available from Community Services, South Oxfordshire District Council, P O Box 140, Council Offices, Crowmarsh, Wallingford, OX10 9QX. �7.50 cheque payable to Oxfordshire District Council. Voluntary but not amateur. A guide to the law for voluntary organisations and community groups. 5th Edition (1998). London Voluntary Service Council ISBN 1 872582 22 2. Just about Managing. Effective management for voluntary organisations and community groups (1998). 3rd Edition. Sandy Adirondack ISBN 1 872582 17 6. Key elements within the development of a healthy community organisation. DRCC leaflet 1999. ContactsDurham Rural Community Council Park House Station Road Lanchester County Durham DH7 OEX Tel: 01207 529 621 Fax: 01207 529 619 Email [email protected]. Durham SCVO The Old School House Front Street Framwellgate Moor Durham Tel: 0191 384 9266 Fax: 0191 384 9266 Email [email protected]. Darlington CVS Church Row Darlington DL1 5QD Tel: 01325 480 55 Fax: 01325 468 073 Email: [email protected]. FINE John Haswell House Gladstone Terrace Gateshead Tyne and Wear NE8 4DY Tel: 0191 477 1253 Fax: 0191 477 1260 Email [email protected]. Derwentside CVS Louisa Centre Front Street Stanley County Durham DH9 OTE Tel: 01207 218 855 Fax: 01207 218 849 Email [email protected]. Chester le Street CVS Volunteer Centre Clarence Terrace Chester le Street County Durham DH3 3DQ Tel: 0191 3891960 Fax: 0191 3891969. Easington and District CVS 25 Yoden Way Peterlee County Durham SR8 1BP Tel: 0191 586 5427 Fax: 0191 518 0889 Wear Valley VDA Unit 4 Crook Business Centre New Road Crook County Durham DL15 8QE Tel: 01388 762 220 Fax: 01388 762 225 Email [email protected]. Durham County Foundation of Community Organisations (DCFCO) The Old School House Front Street Framwellgate Moor County Durham Tel: 0191 384 9266 All the above sources of information are available in the Durham Rural Community Council's Resource Centre. Case Study - Setting up a New GroupGroup Name: Lanchester Parklife
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