Community participation: Case Studies
Community Futures
Community Futures is a local community-planning programme in Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park that uses a strategic framework and a participative process to enable communities to develop local Action Plans. Aspects of this could be of interest to peatland managers wishing to engage communities in their sites, and the Community Futures website has useful resources, both within it and through partners. This includes the skills toolkit developed by Stirling Council to assist people in communitiy organisations.
Community Futures was established at the outset of the National Park so that the Park Authority and its partner agencies, including Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) could better understand the views, aspirations and priorities of communities in and around the Park. The programme is managed by a partnership of communities and agencies working together with local people employed as Community Agents trained in local community planning and support. Twenty-four communities in and around the Park have taken part in the Community Futures Programme since it started in autumn 2001.
The Small Town and Rural Development Group (STAR) designed the programme and supports it by helping communities to prepare Action Plans and establish Community Development Trusts.
Many things were achieved during the 18-month period of the project:
- 24 Community Action Plans produced and distributed to all households and agencies
- 24 Community Profiles produced
- A park-wide Partnership group established
- 4 Area Networks established
There was a significant increase in local democracy and participation in decision making:
- Around 40% of households responded to surveys
- 500 stakeholder views were gathered through face to face interviews
- Around 15% of the population attended community workshops
- 24 steering groups or local people were supported
- 8 local people employed and trained as Community Agents
- Website and leaflet developed
Since its completion, 20 communities have set up community development companies, and many community led projects are now being taken forward as a result of the Community Futures Action Planning.
The project has engendered partnership working at many levels.