Sustainable Voice Newsletter - November 2009

sustainable voice a newsletter of the Sustainable Communities Excellence Network www.scen.org.uk

Issue 14 November 2009 A bi-monthly newsletter of the Sustainable Communities Excellence Network (SCEN). The Sustainable Communities Excellence Network is an alliance of publicly funded organisations in the United Kingdom working to build sustainable places through skills, knowledge and networking. We provide learning opportunities for professionals directly involved in regeneration and place making to increase their understanding, grow their skills and reach their potential. Submissions for the January issue th are due by 15 December. Submissions by email only to: Melissa@regener ationem.co.uk

A large print version of this newsletter is available upon request.

RegenWM, HCA and HCA Academy launch new graduate programme Four housing associations, the HCA and RegenWM have come together in the West Midlands to create a unique opportunity for four ambitious graduates. The ‘Future Leaders in Housing’ programme is a pioneering scheme that gives the opportunity for promising graduates to gain two years work experience and learn skills across a broad range of housing and regeneration disciplines in the West Midlands.

The launch of the programme follows six months of planning work involving housing association leaders, HCA regional and national teams and RegenWM. Each participant will be employed by one of the five associations but will be part of an exchange programme that sees them experience a range of roles across the region and the sector. The programme will be managed by RegenWM who will also provide an innovative learning

programme that focuses and develops the talents of the participants. The goal is that participants will exit the programme equipped to become future leaders in one of the country’s most challenging sectors. The closing date has now passed and over 100 graduates have applied. Find out more on the RegenWM website – www.regenwm.org.

First Chief Executive appointed to Centre for Regeneration Excellence Wales It was announced at the recent Welsh Regeneration Summit that Professor David Adamson, from the University of Glamorgan, has been appointed the first Chief Executive of the emerging Centre for Regeneration Excellence Wales (CREW). It is anticipated that David will take up his new post on Monday 30th of November. Dave Adamson is currently a Chair in Community and Social

Policy and Director of the Centre for Regeneration and Sustainable Communities, an interdisciplinary group at Glamorgan which brings together a number of research Centres and Units engaged with the wider regeneration agenda. Working in this field, he has served three times as an Advisor to the Welsh Assembly Government on issues of regeneration and worked on the design of the Communities First programme.

David has researched community empowerment and recently completed a review of area-based regeneration in the UK, both for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. His current research interests include community development learning, social enterprise, empowerment and wider issues of social exclusion and poverty.

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SCEN members announce CABE affiliation

SCEN held an event attended by over 30 stakeholders on Monday, 9th 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.

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.

Five SCEN members have joined CABE and the other regional design review panels in establishing a new design review network. An agreement has been reached on defining shared values and a joint commitment to high standards in design review. It will also ensure that the panels work more closely together, learning is shared, and a consistent service is provided to developers and planners across England. This should ensure an even better quality service for

developers and planners looking to improve their schemes. The five SCEN members that have affiliated to the network are:  East of England design review panel (run by Inspire East)  South West design review panel (run by Creating Excellence)  North East design review panel (run by Ignite)  East Midlands design review panel (run by Opun)

 Yorkshire and Humber design review panel (run by Integreat Yorkshire). The other three design review panels are:  South East design review panel (run by the Kent Architecture Centre)  North West design review panel (run by Places Matter!)  West Midlands design review panel (run by MADE)

Spotlight on three SCEN skills programmes for local communities SCEN members help people in local communities develop the skills, knowledge and networks they need to build sustainable communities. We do this through programmes such as the following: Enterprising Places, Enterprising People (ep2) in the East Midlands, The Regeneration Academy in Yorkshire and Humber and the CURE skills programme in the East of England.

Ep2 is founded on the belief that every community, however disadvantaged, contains the seeds of its own transformation. The programme focuses on equipping those that work with disadvantaged communities with the skills they need to unlock local resources. ‘Coaching for Regeneration’ is a unique, three-day training course about how a coaching approach can be applied within a regeneration

setting. Another Ep2 workshop covers issues such as: buying locally; understanding how investment leaks out and how to stop it; and developing local assets. Capacity for Urban Renaissance in the East (CURE) is a Regional Cities East (RCE) programme managed and delivered by Inspire East. The programme is funded …continued on page 8

Opun architecture centre in East Midlands holds culture and regeneration workshops Opun is the Architecture Centre for the East Midlands, part of Regeneration East Midlands. Opun is leading a Culture and Regeneration programme supported by the Arts Council. This

project is still in the early stages, and they are inviting people to inform the shape of the programme by coming to their next round of workshops in early December in Leicester. They are holding two

meetings, one for the private and one for public sector individuals to get their views on working with artists. Opun already conducted one workshop with the artists at the excellent Wirksworth Festival in September.

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HCA Academy to hold Leaders Conference on 27th November Current and potential members of the HCA Academy’s Leaders Network are invited to the 2009 Annual Conference in London. The opening address will be from Sir Bob Kerslake, Chief Executive of the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), which will be followed by a series of prominent speakers and

breakout sessions. This conference, which provides an insight into this year’s agenda for the leaders’ network, will be structured around four themes: - Partnerships - Funding - Delivery - Sustainability

The conference will be located at Deloitte’s office in London, CC4A 4TR. The event is free for current members – the fee for nonregistered members if £250.00. If you are not a member and wish to attend, then please email us at leadersnetwork@hcaacad emy.co.uk.

New Regeneration East Midlands network keeps funding advisers in the loop Regeneration East Midlands is running a new network for funding advice specialists and anyone who helps community and voluntary groups access funding. The East Midlands Funding Advice Network is preparing to meet at a regional networking event on January 27th in

Grantham. Just two months into the project Regeneration East Midlands has grown its database of funding advisor contacts to 175 people from across the region, and has had over a hundred responses to a survey of learning needs. By coordinating EMFAN, Regeneration East

Midlands aims to improve access to, and quality of, funding advice for voluntary and community groups, and illustrates the difference that advice makes, both to funders looking for effective use of their resources and to communities in need.

RegenWM highlights West Midlands’ regeneration successes at Parliamentary reception The best in West Midlands’ regeneration was on show in London on the 5th of November when RegenWM led a delegation of MPs, including Gisela Stuart, Joan Walley and Richard Burden, to a parliamentary reception at the House of Commons.

host of best practice regeneration initiatives currently being delivered in the region, including Fort Dunlop, the University Quarter in Stoke-on-Trent, the restoration of the Stourport Canal Basins and ‘The Think Local Campaign’.

Hosted by Regional Minister Ian Austin MP, the event was designed to recognise and celebrate a

Chief Executive Adrian Passmore also used the reception to urge the group to continue their

support for bringing new projects forward in a difficult economic environment. Regional Minister Ian Austin added his support: “I was delighted to be able to lead this delegation and to recognise the outstanding regeneration work taking place in the West Midlands.”

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.

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Urban Design London Videos now on iTunes

Urban Design London offers over 30 presentation and seminar videos from the UK’s leading thinkers in urban design. What’s more, this incredible resource is freely available to anyone with access to the web. To view this resource, see: http://www.urbannous.org.u k/udlvideotraining.htm

The President of the Royal Town Planning Institute, Martin Whiley, visited REM on the afternoon of 17th November as part of his tour of the East Midlands Region. The president was invited by James Carpenter, the Design Support Services Manager at Opun, the architecture centre which is part of Regeneration East Midlands. James himself is an active RTPI member (image courtesy of RTPI).

Some of Urban Design London’s training videos can be downloaded to mobile phones or iPods for free so viewers can watch them on public transit. These include clips from the popular ‘Introduction to Urban Design Day’. So if you

have colleagues you think need a little help in beginning to see urban design as relevant to them, then we recommend forwarding this link. At the moment they are in the top 10 video podcasts under arts/design. If you would

like to see urban design staying up there, please subscribe rather than just opening or downloading individual clips. The easy way to find Urban Design London’s videos is at: http://www.itunes.com/pod cast?id=330630415.

University of Salford launches HCA Academy Foundation Degree The HCA Academy has chosen the University of Salford to be the North West provider of its Foundation Degree in Sustainable Communities. Salford’s part-time, one afternoon a week course covers a broad range of topical issues including regeneration, community safety, local economies and worklessness, sustainable design, governance and community engagement. Those who complete the Foundation Degree can go on to pursue a BSc (Hons) Sustainable Communities. The first year of the course has attracted over twenty

students from a wide range of disciplines and organisations. Approximately half the course is co-taught with students on the Housing Practice Foundation Degree: this helps all the students enhance their understanding of the different agencies and professions involved in developing and helping to maintain sustainable communities. The Academy has also launched a new short film to raise awareness about the degree and to move closer to achieving its aim to ensure the Foundation

Degree in Sustainable Communities is available in every English region by 2011. The film can be viewed via the following link http://www.hcaacademy.c o.uk/courses/foundationdegree# The course also currently runs at Sheffield Hallam, Northumbria and London Metropolitan Universities. For general information about the HCA Academy’s Foundation Degree in Sustainable Communities contact Nicola Bond on 0113 394 4591 or [email protected]. uk

Inspire East sells out ‘Sustainable Communities in Practice’ event On the 9th of October, Inspire East held a fully booked event on Sustainable Communities in Practice. This event was an opportunity to explore sustainable communities principles

and policies combined with a hands on practical session, where participants applied these to Thetford, a historic market town facing significant growth challenges. The event

included an overview of Sustainable Communities thinking – What makes a great place, a policy overview, and an introduction to Inspire East’s own Excellence Framework online toolkit.

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Integreat Yorkshire holds two Great Briefs events in November Integreat Yorkshire offers the latest in its engaging Great Briefs series in November. The first event, held on the 11th November, was themed on ‘Tackling long-term unemployment: Managing your labour market in a recession.’ This third Great Brief focused upon identifying the challenges local labour markets are facing in a period of recession. It focused on the Government’s current

welfare reform policy and specifically interventions to tackle worklessness; a framework of approaches for tackling labour market challenges in a recession; and advice as to how local authorities and partners in Yorkshire and Humber can effectively manage labour markets in a recession. On the 26th of November, Integreat Yorkshire will hold a second Great Briefs event, themed on

‘Stimulating Enterprise in challenging economic times’. Held at the Workstation in Sheffield, This event, drawing upon examples from the Yorkshire and Humber, will seek to examine how enterprise can be stimulated in a period of recession, assessing in particular how barriers to enterprise formulation and sustainability can be overcome.

Integreat Yorkshire’s Great Briefs series stimulates debate and discussion about the economic and social issues that are impacting on communities and the Yorkshire and Humber region. Each month, they publish a Great Brief and follow it up with a lively networking event.

Scottish Centre for Regeneration launches new housing and energy networks At the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) Excellence in Regeneration conference in Edinburgh, Alex Neil, Minister for Housing and Communities the Scottish Government, announced the establishment of two new learning networks which are to be managed by the Scottish Centre for Regeneration. These new

networks will look at energy efficiency and housing management. The new networks will not seek to replace existing activity, but rather fill gaps and to signpost. The SCR is in discussions with COSLA, Chartered Institute of Housing and Scottish Federation of Housing Associations – amongst others – to see how this

can be taken forward in partnership with housing sector bodies. More detail and dedicated web pages will be available soon. Contact the SCR on [email protected]. gov.uk to learn more. The event also marked the launch of CIH Scotland and SCR's Excellence in Regeneration Award 2010.

South East Excellence interactively maps provision of built environment courses The South East England Development Agency (SEEDA), through South East Excellence, commissioned SQW Consulting in December 2008 to map the provision of built environment courses in the South East in order to understand better the nature, scale and location of gaps in the supply of skills and knowledge. This work has now been completed along with an interactive

map designed to signpost individuals to courses, from foundations to post graduate degrees (http://www.southeastexce llence.co.uk/skills/courses ). The findings from the research were consulted upon with the Professional Institutes, Sector Skills Councils and Universities, and actions were developed to take them forward. These actions included the Professional Institutes encouraging

further practitioner involvement in building strategic relationships with employers, and developing a coordinated approach across the professions with regards to what generic skills they are looking for new graduates to have. For further information, please contact South East Excellence or visit http://www.southeastexcel lence.co.uk.

South East Excellence has mapped the provision of built environment courses in the South East in order to understand better the nature, scale and location of gaps in the supply of skills and knowledge. To find out more, visit: http://www.southeastexcel lence.co.uk/skills/courses/

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Belfast’s Titanic Quarter one of Europe’s largest waterfront regeneration projects

The 185 acre Titanic Quarter in Belfast, is one of the largest urban waterfront regeneration schemes in Europe. (Photo courtesy of TitanicQuarter.com)

Liverpool local authorities have been given the power to create the UK’s largest low-carbon economy in Merseyside. A number of schemes will be run in the area to raise skill levels, create new jobs and develop transport links, all within a low-carbon framework. (Photo courtesy of FreeFoto.com)

From TitanicQuarter.com – At 185-acres, Titanic Quarter is one of the largest urban waterfront regeneration schemes in Europe. The mixed-use site will provide residential, commercial, leisure, education and heritage space. Upon completion, it’s anticipated that 20,000 people will

work or live within Titanic Quarter. Titanic Quarter is a co-promotion between Titanic Quarter Ltd and Belfast Harbour. One of the options being proposed is a five-star boutique hotel which includes an extension to the former Harland & Wolff Headquarters building, replacing a wing

which was previously used as an accommodation block. Given the enormous global interest in the Titanic and the building’s close associations with the ship, it is perceived this would add to the Northern Ireland tourist experience. …continued on page 7

Low carbon city region to be developed in Merseyside From the North West Development Agency Local authorities in and around Liverpool have been given the power to create the UK’s largest low-carbon economy in Merseyside. According to housing and planning minister John Healey, the government will green light a number of schemes in the area to raise skills levels, create new jobs and develop transport

links. This will all take place in a low-carbon framework, meaning that plans will be developed in a sustainable way that minimises the emission of greenhouse gases that cause climate change.

absolutely crucial to the northwest as it’s one of the economic powerhouses of the region.”

Councils in Liverpool, Knowsley, St Helens, Wirral, Sefton and Halton will work together to meet Phil Woolas, regional minister for the northwest, a series of key targets. Mr Healey added that the suggested that the new plans would help Liverpool agreement would give the re-emerge “once again as authorities the power to create as many as 6,000 a world-class city.” new green jobs. “The city region is

Inspire East holds Climate Change Tools Training event On the 19th of October, Inspire East held a successful session at Peterborough Cathedral, to provide delegates with hands on experience of using three practical tools all focused around Climate Change issues. Developed by the New Economics Foundation, these tools are: Climate Talk, Climate Scenarios 2027 and Climate Walk. The aims and objectives

of the training session were to:  raise awareness of the resources available to support empowerment  develop practical experience of using the tools  build confidence & knowledge of using the tools. Climate Talk is a conversation game for groups to share thoughts

and feelings about climate change issues and to decide what to do about it. Climate Scenarios 2027 invites participants to explore newspaper articles and possibilities based on different climate change scenarios. Climate Walk is a tool in which participants discuss possible climate change situations and key milestones that may occur between 2009-2010.

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Regeneration Skills Collective Wales holds conference on ‘Delivering Regeneration’ The Regeneration Skills Collective Wales held a successful conference titled ‘Delivering Regeneration’ on September 24th in Cardiff. SCEN members Dominic Murphy of Creating Excellence and Craig McClaren of the Scottish Centre for Regeneration presented. After a keynote speech from Leighton Andrews, Welsh Assembly Minister for Regeneration, the conference covered the topics of:

 The Strategic Frameworks for Regeneration, chaired by Prof Bob Lark, Chairman ICE Wales Cymru  Centres of Regeneration Excellence: Wales and the UK chaired by Richard Essex: Coordinator, Regenerative Skills Collective Wales  Key issues for regeneration in Wales chaired by Jon Fox, Immediate Past Chair of RTPI Cymru

Other speakers included Roger Tanner from Caerphilly County Borough Council on “Regeneration: A Local Authority perspective”; Chris Jofeh, Chair of the Zero Carbon Hub, Wales; and Arup on “The Sustainability Agenda and regeneration”; and Kedrick Davies, Director CDN Planning; & Design Review Panel member, Design Commission for Wales on “Place making & its importance in creating sustainable communities”.

Scottish Centre for Regeneration holds key November learning events November is a busy month for the learning networks at the Scottish Centre for Regeneration. On the 4th November a workshop on ‘Future Infrastructure Requirements for Services’ was held in Edinburgh in partnership with the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors; on 10th November a study visit to Barrhead and Neilston was organised to look at Renaissance Towns; on 12th November, SCR ran an …continued from page 6 “The plans have been devised in consultation with the Northern Ireland Environment Agency and will help ensure that the building is appropriately refurbished and restored.” A separate planning application was lodged in January of this year to restore two Drawing Offices, which also form

event on ‘Securing Private Sector Investment in Town Centre Regeneration’ with Scottish Business in the Community (SBC) and Business Improvement Districts Scotland. This event looked at issues, challenges and lessons in attracting private sector investment to town centres. And on the 19th of November an event was held on ‘Performance Management in Town Centres: The “Milestone” Database’; this event was

the first of a programme of activity between the SCR and the Association of Town Centre Management to address the important issue of Performance Management in town centres.

part of the former Harland & Wolff Headquarters building, and make them available for public events.

the Titanic Signature Project is projected to draw c. 400,000 visitors annually. Other commercial, residential, leisure and education developments such as the new Belfast Metropolitan College and Public Record headquarters will also help drive demand for new hotels.

The 185-acre Titanic Quarter development is expected to attract significant numbers of visitors. The recent Tall Ships festival attracted 500,000-plus visitors to Belfast’s waterfront while

On 3rd December SCR is holding an event ‘Building on Best Practice’ showcasing the 2009 SURF awards winners. Communities.

In 2003, a network of six professional institutes in Wales established The Regeneration Skills Collective Wales (RSCW) to improve the performance of the public, private and third sector delivery of policy and practice in integrated physical, economic, social & environmental regeneration. RSCW lobbied for the now in-development Centre for Regeneration Excellence Wales (CREW), which has just hired its first Chief Executive.

The Scottish Centre for Regeneration runs several learning networks. These learning networks are crossGovernment initiatives that respond to needs expressed by people and organisations working in regeneration. Learning networks give practical help to those working at a local level and connect people from across Scotland.

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Issue 14 November 2009

A monthly newsletter of the Sustainable Communities Excellence Network. Submissions to Melissa Riches by 15th December for the January issue: Melissa@regenerati onem.co.uk

South East Excellence launches Work Placement Guide Through South East Excellence, the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) has developed a work placement guide for employers working in the built environment. The guide gives clear suggestions as to what

makes a successful work placement for young people ages 19+. It is supported by research into the careers and advice offer for those individuals looking at entering the built environment profession.

An interactive guide has been published and is available at: http://www.southeastexcel lence.co.uk/resources/doc uments/?/Skills/

HCA Academy launches Placemaking Recognition Scheme Training providers, academic institutions and professional bodies in the place-making sector are being invited to submit their products for recognition under a new scheme from the HCA Academy, the skills arm of the Homes & Communities Agency. The Place-making Recognition Scheme has been designed to create a highprofile list of recognised learning programmes, resources and best practice case studies. …continued from page 2 The programme is funded by Improvement East and will develop the skills of the region’s local authorities to deliver growth and cope with the economic downturn. The programme has three elements: City Seminars – These analyse a key project being delivered by each city, identified as part of the IDPs (Integrated Development Plans) carried out by each city. Organisational development – using Inspire East Enablers the cities will develop their own learning and development programmes. Collaboration – this section of the programme

The scheme will open for submissions up to four times a year. The closing date for submissions for the first round of the scheme is 30 November. An independent panel appointed by the HCA Academy, made up of five leading place-making professionals, will assess all applications for recognition under the scheme. The HCA Academy ran a successful pilot in August. Products that received the

seal of approval include a sustainable communities and regeneration masterclass for senior managers run by the British Urban Regeneration Association (BURA) and the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH); a CIH course for community activists and tenant board members. The HCA Academy has created a dedicated website at: http://recognition.hcaacad emy.co.uk/

Bradford will deliver both individual and business requirements. Its approach will focus on 3 key areas of learning within the context of regeneration and place shaping: Integreat Yorkshire runs - Project Management the Bradford Regeneration Academy - Place shaping in partnership with the City - Leadership of Bradford Metropolitan District Council (CBMDC). These three SCEN programmes are reaching The Regeneration individuals and releasing Academy approach is to deliver a highly skilled and widespread capacity to build sustainable effective learning programme. This is about communities on the The Council’s Department ground. of Regeneration growing its own workforce, building capacity and using people’s talents. The Regeneration Academy will address issues common to all the RCE authorities but also other ‘engines of growth’ like the Thames Gateway and Cambridge.