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ARC Planning for Real 2001 Report.

Peter Bryant

Background

I was contracted through Bootstrap Enterprises to work with small community groups in disadvantaged parts of Blackburn. My brief was to help such groups develop ‘capacity building’ ideas and progress such ideas into projects. I then assisted groups with funding bids and if bids are successful with subsequent project management.

One of the groups I worked with was A.R.C. (Area Residents of Cicely) a residents association for a small housing estate in the Audley Community Regeneration Zone. ARC has been in existence since March 2000. The purpose of A.R.C. is ‘to represent the residents of Cicely by working together towards building a better safer community’.

There are 72 houses on the estate which was built in 1996.

I first met with ARC in December 2000 and through ‘problem tree’ planning exercises helped them to identify the main issues effecting them and produce their Mission Statement. One of the main issues they identified was the need for them to work closely with other residents to identify their main concerns. We talked about a range of Community Consultation techniques, which would allow them to do this and they decided they would like to use the Planning for Real method.

Method

From early on it was agreed that I was not going to conduct a community consultation exercise for the group . They would lead the process and I would assist them with this. Such an approach would help ensure that the group would have ownership of the consultation and its results. This meant there was a need for a series of planning meetings / workshops leading up to the event itself. These meetings allowed members to fully appreciate the method and also to feel confident with their responsibilities.

The aim of the pre event planning meetings were to:

	Build the model (members decided to design polystyrene model houses which were painted by children form the estate)
	Produce a check list of things to do
	Agree on event promotion
	Decide on aim of the event
	Agree roles and responsibilities
	Identify resources needed
	Decide on how best to record information
	Decide on how to consult with children and young people
	Rehearse use of the model

As a result of the planning meetings the following decisions were made:

In addition to the Planning for Real model a number of other consultation methods would be used.

	A Suggestion box.
	Children’s video talk box. Children and young people were invited to talk to a video camera about their feelings on the neighbourhood and suggestions for improvements. The camera was set up in a caravan.
	Children’s video interviews. A number of young people led a video tour around the estate recording their comments and feelings.
	Children’s ranking exercise. A group of children identified and then ranked activities they would like to see organised at an after school club.

Fun activities would be organised as part of the day to attract residents. Free buffet, magician, raffle and visit by a fire engine.

Extensive local promotion would be used (1 door to door leaflet drop, knocking on doors to explain to residents and final reminder leaflet delivered to each house)

The ‘Planning for Real’ event (May 6^th 2001)

There is no community building on the estate and so it was decided to hold the event in a marquee on one of the central car parks.

Most people started arriving at midday.

All participants were encouraged to place a red sticker on the model of their own house, so a record could be kept of who attended. Each participant was given a leaflet explaining the aim of the event and inviting them to the follow up meeting.

By 2.30 pm it became apparent that residents from the flats on the estate were not attending. Two ARC members then visited each of the flats and invited residents to attend. Some explained they were not interested, some were out and a further 3 later joined the event.

The event was deemed as a great success by ARC committee members with a total of 100 adults attending with 609 suggestion cards being laid on the model and 36 suggestions placed in the suggestion box.. 20 young people made comments on the Video talk box.

Post ‘Planning for Real ‘ event planning meeting

After the event ARC committee members sorted all the cards and produced the results of the day. The product was a list of all cards / suggestions which had been made, the number of times each suggestion had been made and which location each suggestion applied to. The next stage was for residents to prioritise the order in which suggestions could be taken further. This was achieved at the follow up meeting to which all participants were invited. This was held at Audley Community Centre (approximately 15 minutes walk from the estate) on May 21^st 2001.

Attendance at the meeting was disappointing. However, those residents that did attend identified:

	Which activities should be organised in the short term and which in the long term
	Who should lead any future projects? (e.g. We can do it on our own, We can do it with help plus money etc.)

Planning for Real event evaluation

ARC committee members summarised feedback from other residents as follows:

	It was a good event
	It was good to see others listening (i.e. Council employee, Bootstrap employee)
	It was good to use cards rather than to speak
	The magician helped attract people

If it were organised again the following changes should be made:

	Split the day in 2, half day for adults and half day for young people
	Attract people from the flats by placing the marquee closer to them

ARC Committee members stated in an evaluation that:

There was some confusion about what the day was for. The idea of gathering information for use in ARC’s Business Plan should have been the explanation.

My own personal observations were as follows:

	Some of the residents, despite a number of personal invitations, failed to attend. It will take much more than a Planning for Real event to gain their interest.
	The poor attendance at the follow up meeting shows how difficult it is to get people to move from a position where they purely give their opinions to one where they are actively involved in the organisation of projects.
	Some of the young people who attended needed to be monitored as a number of them were indiscriminately placing large numbers of cards.

ARC Business Plan

One of the main reasons for ARC’s use of the Planning for Real model was to assist in their development of a Business Plan.

I have assisted members with producing:

	action steps for each project
	plotting action steps on a time line.
	a Business Plan format for their use.

A drat Business Plan has now been written up by one of the Committee members and they are currently trying to identify potential funders for their prioritised projects.