Building sustainable partnerships: The work of Big Local

Niamh Goggin, Small Change (NI) LtdSocial Investment Advisor

Big Local

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Community Energy

• Wind Turbines• Solar Photovoltaics– Rent a Roof schemes

• Solar water heating for sports facilities• Domestic energy efficiency schemes• Green Community Buildings

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

Local Trust: Big Local

Local Trust: Big Localhttp://www.localtrust.org.uk/big-local/ Big Local: Social Investmenthttp://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

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?