The document outlines the 'Our Place' program, which aims to empower local communities to create and manage services tailored to their needs through co-design and devolved budgets. It discusses the program's phases, application criteria, supportive resources, and the importance of community involvement in service delivery and budget management. The document also provides details on grant opportunities, partnership engagement, and paths toward operational planning for participating communities.

1. locality.org.uk
info@locality.org.uk @localitynews

2. Understanding the ‘Our
Place’ Programme
19th February 2014
1.00pm – 2.00pm
Margaret Adjaye
Margaret.adjaye@locality.org.uk
Deb Appleby
Deb.appleby@locality.org.uk

3. Why this session?
• Introduction to Our Place and the stages involved
• Shared Learning including Champions Network
• Clarification and questions

4. Initial Poll
Which of the following applies to you?
• Just interested
• Am frustrated by current service delivery
• Have a project which may be suitable
• Have applied already

5. About Our Place
• Collaborative approach used by local
communities and public service
professionals to transform local services
and budgets within their
neighbourhoods
• Co-designing and re-wiring services
around the needs of local people

6. • Local health provider invest in training diabetes
health champions, who operate from satellite
locations, offering advice, support and signposting
services
• Local people in partnership with a local voluntary
based organisation managing a devolved budget of
500k. Money is used to commission services for the
elderly – proper competitive process run by local
people

7. The Building Blocks for Our
Place
Scoping and designing
Establishing the building blocks
Identify community
priorities
Use existing knowledge/data
about problems/issues
Identify key partners and
bring together
Work out what the problem is and why it
isn’t being solved
Develop a
clear focus,
and vision
(think about
outcomes)
Get partners to work together, and with the
community, to find a better way of doing things
Take decisions in partnership
(community & partners)
Develop a business case
Work towards local control through
devolving budgets and resources
Selling/marketing the Our Place! approach – understand what motivates different people
Leadership, relationships, changing organisational and public expectations, and ways of working
Making it
happen

8. Our Place
What it is not!
• To buy and develop local shop as a meeting
place for community
• County wide initiative, purchasing IT
equipment for volunteers
• Hire equipment to run workshops
• Run the local after school club – doing what
you have done for a long time
• Run additional services in the local library

10. Our Place – the differences you
can make
• Services influenced, shaped and designed by
local citizens
• Opportunity to replicate a successful model
from another neighbourhood
• Using local budgets differently for community
benefit
• Communities can have more control/say over
how budgets are used
• Major cost savings
• Minimise waste/duplication

11. Middle Poll
Which of these applies to you:• Have completed an eligibility checker
• Have submitted an application
• Have been told our project is not eligible
• Have been accepted on to Our Place

12. •
•
•
•
•
476 completed eligibility checkers
66% are from community organisations
104 applications so far submitted
35% are for ineligible projects
11 Areas so far accepted on to Our Place
- 5 community organisations
- 4 town and parish councils
- 2 local authorities

13. Year 1 – Application to
Development Strategy
Application
Development Strategy
• What a strong
application looks like
• Grant and direct support
– what it can help you to
achieve
• Purpose and Description
• Timescales

14. Updates
• Area and vision
• Focus and intended
outcomes
• Community engagement
• Partner buy-in
• Progress achieved
Looking forward
• Project management
• Emerging business case
• Cost benefit analysis
• Governance
• Timetable
• Finances to develop
operational plan
• Support requested
• Sign off at a senior level

15. • Phase 1 – Getting started
Small Getting Ready grants of £3,000 in Year 1 with
some direct support
• Phase 2 – full programme
Getting Going grants of £10,000 in Year 2 with
further direct support
Going Further grants of between £5,000 and £7,500
for those who are prepared to push the boundaries
up to £20,000 for projects preparing to break new
ground

16. • Direct support – includes a relationship manager and
consultancy/coaching support tailored to meet your
needs.
• Relationship managers - are critical friends providing
challenge, guidance and mentoring/coaching. They
will also report on progress.
• Consultancy support (also learning events) –
including leadership, transformational change, service
design, community engagement, business cases, cost
benefit analysis, devolving/aligning budgets.
• c90 groups will get an RM or some consultancy in
phase 1

18. • 9th May 2014
Submit Development Strategy
These are used as the basis for selection of the 120 groups who
will progress on to phase 2 – accessing grant and direct support
• 25th November 2014
Draft Operational Plan
This will start a period of peer challenge and refinement of the
Area’s Operational Plan
• 20 February 2015
Final Operational Plan
Showcase event and sign off of all Operational Plans by 31
March 2015
‘Fast track’ option for 10 Areas to complete by 21 December

19. Year 2
Turning your Development Strategy to
Operational Plan
Development Strategy
• Grant and direct support
– what you can use them
to achieve
• Pushing boundaries
• Breaking New Ground
Operational Plan
• Purpose and Description
• Peer Review
• Sign off

20. Finalises
• Area and vision
• Focus and outcomes
• Community engagement
• Partner buy-in
• Progress achieved
Implementation
• Timetable
• Changes to service
delivery and budgets
• Governance and
accountability to the
community
• Leverage of other
resources
• Sign off at a senior level

21. • Summary of the changes to be made:
– Changes to local service delivery
• Summary of new services/redesigned services
• Community delivery of services
• Business cases including cost benefit analyses
– Community-influenced spend / devolved
budgets
– Operational structures

23. •
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Champions Network
Knowledge Hub
Peer Groups
Packs and How to Guides
Learning Events
Webinars – what else would help?
Newsletter
Coaching/Mentoring
Case Studies
Time bank model
Publishing the Strategies and Plans

24. • Date:
• Venue:
10 March 2014
Local Government House, Smith Square,
London SW1P 3HZ
Chaired by Cllr Ron Ley, Chair of the Our Place Champions
Network and an Our Place pioneer, One Illfracombe,
Keynote speakers: • Cllr Sir Merrick Cockell, Chairman of the Local
Government Association
• Stephen Williams, MP, Minister for Communities
Find out more and book your free place.

25. Decision Time - Poll
• Having attended this session would you say
–
–
–
–
I will submit an application?
I need more information before deciding?
I am interested but won’t apply?
No, Our Place is not for us

27. Further Information and Resources
Available here
http://mycommunityrights.org.uk/our-place/
• Starter Pack
• Short film - Castle Vale Neighbourhood Project’s achievements.
• Frequently Asked Questions: - See responses to some of the questions
you’ve been asking in our FAQs section.
• Learning from a successful year-long pilot programme - twelve
neighbourhoods working to improve the lives of local residents.
• Find out more about Our Place and what the pilot areas achieved.
• Quick guides on community engagement, partner engagement,
governance and cost benefit analysis.
• Ten Top Tips for Success

28. Who is around to help?
Mycommunityrights Enquiry Team – call us on 0845 345
4564, Mon-Fri 9.30am – 12.30pm or submit your enquiry
using the ‘get advice’ button or email
ourplace@locality.org.uk
Programme team
•Deb Appleby, Programme Manager
•Nicola Berry, Programme Officer
•Ricky Mitchell, Programme Administrator
•Margaret Adjaye – Director of Programmes

29. Thank You