Issue 14 November 2009

A bi-monthlynewsletter of theSustainableCommunitiesExcellenceNetwork (SCEN).The SustainableCommunitiesExcellenceNetwork is analliance of publiclyfundedorganisations inthe UnitedKingdom workingto buildsustainable placesthrough skills,knowledge andnetworking. Weprovide learningopportunities forprofessionalsdirectly involved inregeneration andplace making toincrease theirunderstanding,grow their skillsand reach theirpotential.Submissions forthe January issueare due by 15

December.Submissions by e-mail only to:Melissa@regenerationem.co.uk

A large printversion of thisnewsletter isavailableupon request.

Four housingassociations, the HCA andRegenWM have cometogether in the WestMidlands to create aunique opportunity for fourambitious graduates. The‘Future Leaders inHousing’ programme is apioneering scheme thatgives the opportunity forpromising graduates togain two years workexperience and learn skillsacross a broad range ofhousing and regenerationdisciplines in the WestMidlands.

RegenWM, HCA and HCA Academylaunch new graduate programme

First Chief Executive appointed to Centrefor Regeneration Excellence Wales

It was announced at therecent WelshRegeneration Summit thatProfessor DavidAdamson, from theUniversity of Glamorgan,has been appointed thefirst Chief Executiveof theemerging Centre forRegeneration ExcellenceWales (CREW). It isanticipated that David willtake up his new post onMonday 30th ofNovember.Dave Adamson iscurrently a Chair inCommunity and SocialThe launch of theprogramme follows sixmonths of planning workinvolving housingassociation leaders, HCAregional and nationalteams and RegenWM.Each participant will beemployed by one of thefive associations but willbe part of an exchangeprogramme that seesthem experience a rangeof roles across the regionand the sector. Theprogramme will bemanaged by RegenWMwho will also provide aninnovative learningprogramme that focusesand develops the talentsof the participants. Thegoal is that participantswill exit the programmeequipped to becomefuture leaders in one ofthe country’s mostchallenging sectors.The closing date has nowpassed and over 100graduates have applied.Find out more on theRegenWM website – www.regenwm.org.Policy and Director of theCentre for Regenerationand SustainableCommunities, an inter-disciplinary group atGlamorgan which bringstogether a number ofresearch Centres andUnits engaged with thewider regenerationagenda. Working in thisfield, he has served threetimes as an Advisor to theWelsh AssemblyGovernment on issues ofregeneration and workedon the design of theCommunities Firstprogramme.David has researchedcommunity empowermentand recently completed areview of area-basedregeneration in the UK,both for the JosephRowntree Foundation.Hiscurrent research interestsinclude communitydevelopment learning,social enterprise,empowerment and widerissues of social exclusionand poverty.

sustainable voice

a newsletter of the Sustainable Communities Excellence Network

www.scen.org.uk

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Five SCEN members have joined CABE and the otherregional design reviewpanels in establishing anew design reviewnetwork. An agreementhas been reached ondefining shared values anda joint commitment to highstandards in designreview. It will also ensurethat the panels work moreclosely together, learningis shared, and a consistentservice is provided todevelopers and plannersacross England. Thisshould ensure an evenbetter quality service for

SCEN members announce CABE affiliation

developers and plannerslooking to improve theirschemes. The five SCENmembers that haveaffiliated to the networkare:

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East of England designreview panel (run byInspire East)

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South West designreview panel (run byCreating Excellence)

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North East designreview panel (run byIgnite)

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East Midlands designreview panel (run byOpun)

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Yorkshire and Humberdesign review panel(run by IntegreatYorkshire).The other three designreview panels are:

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South East designreview panel (run bythe Kent ArchitectureCentre)

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North West designreview panel (run byPlaces Matter!)

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West Midlands designreview panel (run byMADE)

Integreat Yorkshire runs the Bradford Regeneration Academy. Integreat Yorkshire has been working in close partnership with Bradford Metropolitan Councils Department of Regeneration over the last year to develop a pilot which consists of 55 staff from the whole of the Department.The aim of the programme is to deliver learning and knowledge transfer to over 500 staff in the next 3 years.SCEN held an event attended by over 30 stakeholders on Monday,9

November at CABE offices in London on ‘Energy efficiency in existing homes’. The event hosted several speakers including Thomas Kwapich of the German Energy Agency, Dena; Graham Jennings of the London Development Agency,representatives of the Low Carbon Zone in Wales and a speaker from Poland speaking on the MESSIB consortium.

SCEN members helppeople in localcommunities develop theskills, knowledge andnetworks they need tobuild sustainablecommunities. We do thisthrough programmes suchas the following:Enterprising Places,Enterprising People (ep2)in the East Midlands, TheRegeneration Academy inYorkshire and Humberand the CURE skillsprogramme in the East ofEngland.

Spotlight on three SCEN skills programmesfor local communities

Ep2

is founded on thebelief that everycommunity, howeverdisadvantaged, containsthe seeds of its owntransformation. Theprogramme focuses onequipping those that workwith disadvantagedcommunities with the skillsthey need to unlock localresources. ‘Coaching forRegeneration’ is a unique,three-day training courseabout how a coachingapproach can be appliedwithin a regenerationsetting. Another Ep2workshop covers issuessuch as:buying locally;understanding howinvestment leaks out andhow to stop it; anddeveloping local assets.

Capacity for UrbanRenaissance in the East(CURE)

is a RegionalCities East (RCE)programme managed anddelivered by Inspire East.

Opun architecture centre in East Midlandsholds culture and regeneration workshops

Opun is the ArchitectureCentre for the EastMidlands, part ofRegeneration EastMidlands. Opun is leadinga

Culture andRegenerationprogramme

supported bythe Arts Council.

Thisproject is still in the earlystages, and they areinviting people to informthe shape of theprogramme by coming totheir next round ofworkshops in earlyDecember in Leicester.They are holding twomeetings, one for theprivate and one for publicsector individuals to gettheir views on workingwith artists. Opun alreadyconducted one workshopwith the artists at theexcellent WirksworthFestival in September.

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HCA Academy to hold LeadersConferenceon 27th NovemberRegenWM highlights West Midlands’regeneration successes at Parliamentaryreception

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Current and potentialmembers of the HCAAcademy’s LeadersNetwork are invited to the2009 Annual Conferencein London. The openingaddress will be from SirBob Kerslake, ChiefExecutive of the Homesand Communities Agency(HCA), which will befollowed by a series ofprominent speakers andbreakout sessions. Thisconference, whichprovides an insight intothis year’s agenda for theleaders’ network, will bestructured around fourthemes:

Partnerships

Funding

Delivery

SustainabilityThe conference will belocated at Deloitte’s officein London, CC4A 4TR.The event is free forcurrent members –the feefor nonregisteredmembers if £250.00. Ifyou are not a member andwish to attend, thenplease email us atleadersnetwork@hcaacademy.co.uk.

Run by the HCA Academy on behalf of the Homes &Communities Agency, the Leaders Network is now in its 4th year and involves decision-makers and strategists from the public,private and community sectors. It is a peer group for current and emerging leaders of place.RegenWM Prizes, the regeneration awards for the West Midlands, were recently announced with a record-breaking 90 entries set to compete for the five prestigious titles, including Best Regeneration Team,Successful Community Engagement and Creating Outstanding Places.

The best in WestMidlands’ regenerationwas on show in Londonon the 5

of Novemberwhen RegenWM led adelegation of MPs,including Gisela Stuart,Joan Walley and RichardBurden, to a parliamentaryreception at the House ofCommons.Hosted by RegionalMinister Ian Austin MP,the event was designed torecognise and celebrate ahost of best practiceregeneration initiativescurrently being deliveredin the region, includingFort Dunlop, theUniversity Quarter inStoke-on-Trent, therestoration of theStourport Canal Basinsand ‘The Think LocalCampaign’.Chief Executive AdrianPassmore also used thereception to urge thegroup to continue theirsupport for bringing newprojects forward in adifficult economicenvironment.Regional Minister IanAustin added his support: “I was delighted to be ableto lead this delegation andto recognise theoutstanding regenerationwork taking place in theWest Midlands.”Regeneration EastMidlands is running a newnetwork for funding advicespecialists and anyonewho helps community andvoluntary groups accessfunding. The EastMidlands Funding AdviceNetwork is preparing tomeet at a regionalnetworking event onJanuary 27th inGrantham. Just twomonths into the projectRegeneration EastMidlands has grown itsdatabase of fundingadvisor contacts to 175people from across theregion, and has had overa hundred responses to asurvey of learning needs.By coordinating EMFAN,Regeneration EastMidlands aims to improveaccess to, and quality of,funding advice forvoluntary and communitygroups, and illustrates thedifference that advicemakes, both to funderslooking for effective use oftheir resources and tocommunities in need.