Professor Peter Roberts OBEChair of the Academy for Sustainable Communities

SALFORD URBAN VISION PARTNERSHIP30TH JUNE 2008The Academy for Sustainable Communities: Delivering the Skills and Knowledge for Sustainable Communities

CONTEXT• Place-shaping and associated areas of practice are reflected in the sustainable

communities model.

• And the sustainable communities concept represents the spatial manifestation of sustainable development – it is a place-based and people-centred idea.

• People live and work in communities and places, not sectors or categories.

• But many sectoral elaborations and applications of sustainable development ignore the importance of place and this causes fragmentation in terms of policy formulation and implementation.

• Sectoral actions can weaken the effectiveness of sustainable development, especially with regard to the social and equity dimensions.

• Place-shaping activities can help deliver the full sustainable development portfolio over the long-term: need to think ‘whole of place’ and ‘whole of life’

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Places

Equity

Social Dimension

Economic Dimension

Politics and Applications

Environmental Dimension

Inheritance

IMPORTANCE OF PLACE AND PEOPLE• Place as a product of the evolving contextual environment has been

recognised as a fundamental for over a century.

• But dealing with all aspects of place is sometimes seen as ‘too difficult’ by academics, practitioners, politicians and others so a ‘selective menu’ or ‘silo’ approach has emerged.

• The ‘selective menu’ or ‘silo’ approach ignores the need for comprehensive and integrated thinking and implementation – this can result in social exclusion outcomes, including socio-spatial exclusion.

• Such weaknesses have been recognised and addressed in sustainable communities thinking and practice – need for a ‘cradle to grave’ approach.

• The sustainable communities idea also represents a shift in philosophy – doing things “with” communities, rather than “to” communities.

SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES AND PLACE-SHAPING • Much of the sustainable communities agenda will be familiar – it draws on

research and best practice from many aspects of theory and practice, and it challenges sectoral thinking.

• Formal definition: sustainable communities are places where people want to live and work, now and in the future.

• Place-shaping and sustainable communities policy and practice are about making places for people in regenerating, evolving and new communities – management of place is as important as creating places.

• Sustainable communities principles will not be applied automatically – skills of leadership and partnership building are essential.

• It is also important to recognise that place-shaping and the sustainable communities approach represents an agenda for change.

SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES

Regenerating Places

Evolving Places

NewPlaces

COMPONENTS OF PLACE-SHAPING AND SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES• Eight Key Component Elements:

- active, inclusive and safe – fair, tolerant, cohesive- well run – effective and inclusive participation- environmentally sensitive – caring for environment and resources- well designed and built – quality environment- well connected – good services, access and links- thriving – flourishing and diverse economy and jobs- well served – good public, private and voluntary services- fair for everyone – just and equitable

• And an extra essential component which brings the eight basic components together – this equals place-shaping.

KEY COMPONENTS

PLACE-SHAPING SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE• Skills dimension often overlooked in the past – the assumption was

made that demand would drive the provision of suitably qualified professionals and others would gain skills and knowledge through experience.

• But there have been too many alternative attractions, an absence of education and training provision and an historic lack of concern with stimulating supply, especially given the image problems of the public sector and some professions, and the shortage of resources.

• Silo thinking and silo activity has also discouraged team working.

• This implies that it is essential to rebuild skills and knowledge capacity at all levels in order to ensure the future provision of sufficient competent professionals, community leaders and engaged citizens.

• It is also evident that much learning and practice is inefficient and that effective knowledge transfer must be promoted.

WHAT SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE ARE REQUIRED?• Wide range of groups involved:

- professionals across all place-shaping activities- national, regional and local government members and officers- private sector organisations and companies- voluntary and community sector bodies- trades people and others involved in delivery- local residents of all ages

• Important also to engage with young people – they can help to shape their future and they have a major delivery role.

• Skills and knowledge are essential ‘tools’ for all groups – there is a need to share skills and experiences in order to avoid wasteful duplication.

• Skills cover technical, operational and organisational matters – shaping, making and managing sustainable communities is a seamless progression on a continuing basis.

• Skills including generic and specialist elements

• Knowledge exchange should also cover the full range of activities – and this includes the outputs of academic research, which must be made more accessible.

KEY GENERIC SKILLS INCLUDE: visioning, strategy building and innovative thinking

partnership, team working, inclusion

analysis, decision making and evaluation

leadership and supporting delivery

programme and project design and management

process management and enabling change

stakeholder management and conflict resolution

communication

And new generic skills such as climate change management and promoting social inclusion and cohesion

EDUCATING AND TRAINING PROFESSIONALS• Ensuring professionals have adequate generic and specialist skills is

essential, but they also need to be trained to work as a team with other place-shaping professionals.

• There are three stages or opportunities to ensure a sufficient supply of skilled and knowledgeable professionals: before initial education and training, initial education and training, continuing professional development.

• Team working is about capacity, attitude and opportunity – all require attention.

• Engagement with non-professionals is about the need for resource mobilisation and direction, the creation of trust and competence, and the creation of local ownership through active engagement and participation.

• These requirements also suggest the need for other place-shaping professionals to be able to call on knowledge resources and community – based mentors and enablers.

ACADEMY FOR SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES • The national centre to deliver the skills and knowledge required to

create and maintain better places (regenerating, evolving and new).

• A CLG agency established in 2005 with a delivery programme which commenced in April 2006.

• Staff of 30 and Board of 9.

• Not a direct training provider – 102 professional areas.

• Working with a wide range of partners – RCEs, central and local government, professional bodies, colleges and universities, private sector, community and voluntary sector.

TARGET GROUPS

Prime focus now on up skilling current professionals

ASC’s Target Audiences

2006 / 08

ASC ACTIVITIES

• ASC provides strategic direction, products and leadership• Influenced education training and development of 100,000

professionals• Developed, piloted learning programmes to 24,000 professionals• Fostered a common approach for 100,000 professionals• Working with major professional bodies and range of universities• Foundation Degree and Generic Module• Curriculum support to 74,000 young people and 3000 schools• Careers advice to 60,000 young people and 900 careers advisers

FINAL THOUGHTS

• ASC will be part of HCA – enhanced delivery• Common agenda with specific conditions – team

working approach• Importance of partnership and leadership• Importance of dissemination• Fast track to best practice – role of knowledge

resources and mentoring• ‘Whole of life, whole of place’ thinking and activity are

essential