Neighbourhoods
Evaluation of the Community Participation Projects
This report shares findings from an evaluation into the Community Participation Projects. It assesses the extent to which the projects contributed to the delivery of the Neighbourhood Renewal strategy, to share good practice and to inform future development.
Title: Evaluation of the Community Participation Projects
Authors: University of the West of England, COGS (Communities and Organisations, Growth and Support), European Institute for Urban Affairs, Liverpool John Moores University
Series: Neighbourhood Renewal Unit Research Report 15
Date published: April 2005
Number of pages: 44
Availability: Download full report 
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About the projects
The 3 community participation projects are:
Community Chests. These provided grants of up to £5,000 to local community groups and aimed to give particular priority to marginalised and/or newer groups in Neighbourhood Renewal areas.
Community Learning Chests. As with Community Chests these provided grants of up to £5,000 to local community groups.
Community Empowerment Fund. This aimed to build local capacity and support community participation in Local Strategic Partnerships (LSPs).
Together these projects were designed to support 3 outcomes:
encourage more people to become involved in the regeneration of their neighbourhoods
help residents gain the skills and knowledge they need to play an active role in Neighbourhood Renewal
support the involvement of the local community and voluntary sector as an equal partner in local strategic partnerships (LSPs).
In April 2004, the 3 programmes were integrated into the single Community Programme. This aims to encourage a more integrated, strategic and focused approach to community participation. The single community programme has also introduced a fourth goal: supporting neighbourhood-level partnerships. The programme will later be merged into the new Stronger and Safer Communities Fund.
What the projects have achieved
Community Chests and Community Learning Chests
Community Chests and Community Learning Chests are:
giving many groups access to funding for the first time, which helps them to find out more about funding and other support, increase their profile locally and become involved in neighbourhood or borough-wide activities
giving people in neighbourhood renewal areas access to training and opportunities to learn from each other
involving many people in decision-making for the first time as members of grants panels
helping build a social capital within neighbourhoods and to renew local neighbourhoods.
The Community Empowerment Fund
The Community Empowerment Fund is:
building links between local groups, developing networks and improving cohesion and co-operation within the voluntary and community sector
influencing the ways in which LSPs are run
giving marginalised groups greater access to decision-making
gaining influence over the way in which neighbourhood renewal funds are spent
establishing credibility as partners that can make an important contribution to Neighbourhood Renewal.
Experience so far suggests that, if engagement is to be widespread it is important to allow adequate time and resources to build a strong and sustainable foundation both at Community Empowerment Networks and LSP level.
Comparison with 2 areas just outside the 88 neighbourhood renewal priority areas suggests that, although there can be a lot of community activity and commitment, without Community Participation Projects funding, any successful activity is confined to its immediate locality.
The full report contains information on the lessons learnt from the 3 Community Participation Projects and the challenges and policy implications that face the single community programme.
Last update: Tuesday, July 22, 2008