Brixham's Neighbourhood Challenge was a journey of discovery, based on finding, connecting, and using local assets - people, energy, ideas, skills and ambitions - in a small coastal town in South West England. The project invited local people and groups to propose their ideas for a better Brixham, and harnessed the resources and energy of local people and organisations to create a collection of community activity and enterprises. Much of the activity generated by Neighbourhood Challenge revolved around The Edge, a former church in the centre of Brixham. The building was renovated by local people at the outset of the project- a very visible activity which also acted to draw curious new people in to participate. The group also set up a community-run café in the centre which became a hive of connections, conversations and thinking about change. In the later stages of the project the group also went on to open a community shop at another visible location in the town centre.
"Our growth, reach, expansion and project development over the past year has been staggering. So much is happening, so quickly, that it has been a challenge to capture it as we go - like trying to hold a shaft of sunlight." (Project blog post, March 2012)
"It has been absolutely amazing - there is no way I could have had the confidence to set up my own business without this process. It has honestly been life changing for me." (Challenge Prize project holder)
Neighbourhood Challenge was led by Brixham Youth Enquiry Service (YES), a small voluntary organisation whose work focused on developing the skills and aspirations of the town's young people. YES's ambition was to challenge local people to become more involved in the life of the community, leading activities and projects which could spark a sense of optimism and belief for the future in a town which has suffered from the decline of the fishing industry and where young people and adults seemed disconnected from each other. YES were supported in the project by Outset Torbay, a business development agency, which provided training and support to the Challenge Prize projects.
All the Neighbourhood Challenge projects offered rich opportunities for learning. We have picked out just a few specific insights from this project below:
The project set out to tap into local people's ideas and enthusiasm for change, and turn those ideas into community action. To do this, YES used a Challenge Prize to provide a structure for their engagement and to drive new projects. The Prize process had four main stages:
The development of the Edge ran alongside the Challenge Prize process and became part of the support process for many of the projects, some of which delivered their work at the centre. The Edge also hosted other community activity, community events and a Community Café, which became a focal point for social contact across YES's work.
These approaches enabled the project to do four crucial things: 1) find people and ideas that could make change happen, 2) support people to turn ideas into action, 3) develop a focal point for community action in the town and 4) become a leader of thinking about asset based approaches in the district.
1. Finding people and ideas
"We discovered that many people have great ideas, but didn't know how to move them forward. Neighbourhood Challenge provided the 'critical mass' to move those ideas on." (YES volunteer)
"A core group of six retired people are now actively involved in delivering engineering, crafts, horticulture and arts projects. They are a daily presence at the Edge, working with many of the projects - making tools, designing, building, creating and advising. Our groups are learning that you don't have to buy, you can make, and people are working and learning with others they would never have spoken with in the past." (YES trustee)
Events held in the community, workshops with other organisations, talks to groups, radio interviews, news stories and the more unusual techniques mentioned above were used by YES to get their invitation to be a part of making a better Brixham out to local people.
People were asked to offer ideas which brought young and old together, swapped or improved skills, shared knowledge, or promoted harmony in the community. People with ideas had the chance to develop them alongside YES staff and volunteers.
2. Supporting people to make change happen
"I was able to build and develop networks with local schools, sports coaches and sport development officers. I have developed relationships with local journalists and businesses. None of this would have been possible without YES having the trust to believe in me so much." (Challenge Prize project holder)
"They nurtured and encouraged us and now we have the tremendous pride and satisfaction of knowing that we worked hard to get where we are and have the knowledge and skills to sustain our business and contribute to the community and economy of Brixham." (Challenge Prize project holder)
Projects chosen by the independent panel received a small amount of cash (on average around £700) to kickstart their work. YES and Outset Torbay created a training programme, based on the development needs of the 36 project holders, and YES provided support through one of four Community Builders employed through the Neighbourhood Challenge. Not all projects accessed the support, but those who did found it extremely valuable.
YES also held periodic events to bring projects together to share resources and learning, and often acted as a connector, enabling people to benefit from each other's knowledge or skills. Connections also emerged naturally, as people spent time around each other at the Edge, and discovered shared interests or knowledge. This was particularly true of a variety of different catering projects, from cooking classes to a local ethical food business which were naturally drawn together through the resources at the Edge's kitchen.
3. Developing a focal point for community action in the town
"Every day is a surprise. The way people walk in off the street, share their ideas, tell their stories. Each day we learn something new or unexpected about someone." (Project blog post, June 2011)
YES moved to The Edge in the first month of the Neighbourhood Challenge project. Undaunted by the scale of the task, or the dampness of the old church, volunteers set about creating a usable collection of community spaces through donated time, skills and resources. An open door policy, word of mouth, an element of persuasion and the town centre location attracted a willing workforce and donations of equipment, paint, floor tiles, transport and damp-proofing expertise!
Believing in local people paid off handsomely. A flexible community space was quickly created through the use of energy, skills and resources available in the town, without the need for designers, architects or fundraising.
The Edge became an open and welcoming place for activity, and this was central to the Neighbourhood Challenge process. It provided a tangible feeling of community and a place where people could make connections and feel a part of something special.
4. Becoming a leader of testing asset based approaches in Torbay
YES was keen to promote an asset based approach within Torbay, and hosted their own two day event. Called 'Dare to Dream' it attracted over 150 people from across the district. Stories of change from the Neighbourhood Challenge were shared by some of those who had received support. The importance of 'understanding strengths before identifying needs' was shared, leading to a commitment from the Director of Children's Services to support Asset Based Community Development in the district. This thinking will be led by YES who contributed to a second event held for local Elected Members to help them learn about the approach.
YES learnt that the nature of Challenge Prizes can be both uplifting and deflating. 26 of the original 36 projects selected asked to be considered for the final Prize Awards of six amounts of £3500. The outcomes inevitably felt good for some, and bad for others, and YES have reflected that there may be better ways of stimulating motivation without such a strong element of competition.
The period of the Neighbourhood Challenge was one of remarkable achievement for YES, and remarkable commitment from the charity's trustees and staff, who invested vast amounts of time and energy into the work. Burnout and over work were never far away. The project managed to keep up their momentum through a sense of optimism, a high level of trust and mutual support, and a motto of 'if in doubt, have a party!', but the intensity of the Neighbourhood Challenge year could not be maintained indefinitely.
YES also suffered as a result of the public sector funding cuts during the Neighbourhood Challenge year; they lost the Local Authority funds for the organisation's core work with young people. The trustees' response was to review their purpose, adjust the charity's objects and re-shape the organisation's work. Nevertheless at the end of their Neighbourhood Challenge year, YES were uncertain about how it could continue to support the people that had gained so much through the project.
Local assets have been unlocked
New networks, connections and collaborations have been created
New opportunities for Influence have been developed
YES have made new connections with other organisations and local government. They are well positioned to influence strategic thinking around community planning and asset based approaches across the whole of Torbay.
New ambitions for change have emerged
For many involved with YES, there is a clear ambition for themselves, for others and for the wider community.
"People think differently about themselves now - 'I'm worth knowing, I'm worth bothering with, I have something to contribute which other people are interested in.'" (YES Community Builder)
There is a strong commitment within YES to build on the experience of Neighborhood Challenge, to continue to support the development of the Challenge Prize projects as they grow and respond to local demands, to continue to provide quality support to young people and to maintain the special spirit that has developed at The Edge. There is also a desire to enable others in the district to discover the benefits of asset based working and lead them towards a more optimistic future based on the potential of local people. The pace at which it will be possible to achieve these goals is unclear within an uncertain economic climate.
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