Local Trust

From murals to flower baskets and a revamp of their local green space, hear how Arches Big Local are investing in their community in episode seven of the community power podcast. In this clip, host Chris Allen FRSA chats to Arches co-chair, Kate Mechedou: https://lnkd.in/dNGkSM2C

“We were all working together very collaboratively, with different voices, including the church, putting ideas on the table.” (Carole Lewis) In Windmill Hill Big Local in Runcorn, Nikki and Carole connected over their vision for the redevelopment of St Bert’s church and community hub – which is just one of the many legacies their Big Local is leaving for its residents. Read their story at: https://lnkd.in/erQUsVtw 

“Local Trust works on long time frames. It was created in 2012 when many communities felt forgotten by the local and national state; not deprived enough to be targeted by neighbourhood renewal, but lacking the assets and capacity to benefit from economic growth. “The solution offered to those communities by Big Local was resident-led change, backed by inputs of community development expertise and a comparatively modest investment of £1million over ten years. “More than a decade on and with Big Local entering its final phase, this research shows the world outside of Big Local is much more aligned to its values and approach than it was in 2012. The challenge now is to encourage others to absorb the learning the Big Local programme can offer.” Read more in our guest blog from Ben Lee, Director Shared Intelligence: https://lnkd.in/e9S3S9_F

Where we live – the streets, estates, and neighbourhoods that we call home – has a profound effect on our health, wealth and wellbeing. Our new report with 3ni, the national network for neighbourhood improvement, produced by Shared Intelligence, examines how local authorities in England are using neighbourhood approaches to support their most disadvantaged areas.  It found that 32 out of 34 local authorities had some form of neighbourhood working being directed at their most disadvantaged wards. Read more about the evidence at: https://lnkd.in/eeYwsX7W

What does delivering good jobs for doubly disadvantaged neighbourhoods look like?  “The new government has been elected on a platform that includes ambitious targets to kickstart economic growth and make work pay. In light of the growth of zero-hour contracts, insecure work and the gig economy, there is an emerging understanding that for economic growth to tangibly raise living standards, the quality of work must improve. “Creating more work, and better work, is part of the solution, as is new legislation to improve workers' rights. But the neighbourhoods in England where poor quality, low paid and insecure work are most common are also the areas where inequalities are the most entrenched. In these areas, wider economic growth or labour market reforms will not shift the dial for residents.” Read more from our policy officer Kyle Vanelli at https://lnkd.in/e_cRFVYx 

2.3 million people are living in doubly disadvantaged neighbourhoods across England. As the government’s Plan to Make Work Pay takes centre stage, our research with Centre for Progressive Policy highlights the unique challenges facing these areas – and the realities of good work in some of England’s most economically and socially deprived communities. We’re calling for a shift in the national policy agenda towards place-based interventions that directly address the challenges facing these areas. Read more about the impact this could have at https://lnkd.in/eK_RHRf4

From opening a pump track to running a new youth group to improving the local woodlands, Phil, Carole and Nikki from Windmill Hill Big Local share their journey over the past 10 years in our story from Ryan Herman https://lnkd.in/eTvnTEsP 

Don't miss out on free tickets! We're running our fifth seminar in our series of interdisciplinary, cross-sector research seminars about community-led change. This one will examine how community leadership can be effectively supported. Join us in London on 26th November. You'll hear from Dr Carol Jacklin-Jarvis from The Open University, Mari Martiskainen from University of Sussex and Dr Sarabajaya Kumar from UCL. The session will be chaired by Sarah Pearson from the Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research at Sheffield Hallam University. Register for your place now at: https://lnkd.in/eQZPqgsY .

Our new community action plan from TAKE A PART CIO on empowering young people is out! You’ll find tips on how to empower young people through engagement, from getting started with the fundamentals to codesign and using awards to celebrate achievements. Volunteers Serena and Layba from Heston West Big Local in London also share their experiences of how youth-led initiatives have impacted their lives: https://lnkd.in/e8j2akKj 

“I think it’s telling that not only have so many Big Local areas prioritised health but that so many felt that they had to take the lead in improving the health outcomes of their neighbourhood because the top-down, system-led services weren’t working." When thinking about health in a Big Local context, what comes to mind? It's the community pantry in Dover offering nutrition advice and cookery lessons, and the Shape Shifters programme in Northwood, where local people have had the chance to exercise but also to make friends and improve their overall wellbeing. It's also Ewanrigg Big Local’s We Will campaign in Cumbria around young people’s mental health and the Pom-Poms 4 Loneliness project in East Coseley Big Local, to name just a few. Our latest blog by Local Trust’s chief operating officer Rachel Rowney explores the impact of health-related projects on communities in the #BigLocal programme following the launch of our new research with NHS Confederation looking at why health services in England need to engage with neighbourhoods and communities. Read the blog now: https://lnkd.in/eTAfgN2u