We asked a sample of community groups that have been delivering a Lottery-funded Community Spaces project what they have learned from their involvement in the programme. Key lessons learnt were:
- Be clear from the outset what you want your project to achieve.
- Get all the paperwork together and take the time to read it properly.
- Be realistic about costings, resources and time for planning, developing and delivering the project.
- Consultation is imperative as well as keeping partners and beneficiaries up to date with what’s happening.
- Get as much support as you can from experienced organisations, such as a Groundwork Trust, and build good relationships with councillors and officers.
- Make best use of the Facilitator.
What has your experience been of delivering a Community Spaces project? Please feel free to share your comments using the box below.
Hi, I helped deliver the R.A.P natural play area in Hampshire.
It is now six months since the launch of our community space and we are still absolutely delighted with the result. This is my first blog so am not sure if what I say will be of any use but here goes..
The most important thing I have learnt from this project has been the need for clear communication at all times. We all want to be the right and we all want our ideas to be the best but we must all remember not to be aggressive and to put the ideas foward to everyone involved. There must be a clear leader of the project who is strong enough to deal with problems as they arise.
We were given tremendous support from both our facilitator and from Groundwork UK’s open grants department. My recommendation is to remember to use them and ask questions if you are not sure about something. They were wonderful for us. If you are clear then everyone else will be happy.
I guess you could say we were not prepared for such bad weather when we started but in a way it gave us more thinking time which is always helpful. The other difficulty we experienced was with finance. Getting the bank details correct before you start is a must. There was a small blip over ours which left the contractor with delayed payments, work stopped until it was clear and panic set in for a while. It all worked out in the end but a lesson was learnt from it.
As a community project we also learnt it is vital to involve as many people as possible and at the same time keep the rest of the community informed.
We had a little group of people who were not happy with the proposed site so reassurance was necessary. Since the launch and observation of use they are now happy.
My last thought is to remain focused at all times and despite the occasional negative comment, don’t lose sight of the bigger picture. The end result for us is fantastic.
Thanks for your comments Ann – it just goes to show that you have to take the rough with the smooth and keep going despite any setbacks. I’m glad it was worth it!