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Strong Communities: A Social Infrastructure Plan for Voluntary and Community Action in the Milton Keynes Growth Area (UK)

The Milton Keynes Social Infrastructure Plan is based on the recognition that an important element of community development work in new communities is community empowerment and capacity-building where individuals and communities are enabled, through information, skills development and other support to become decision-makers and take control of their futures.

The plan identifies a six-stage community capacity-building process for new communities:

  1. Shaping – community information and consultation with existing communities regarding the formation of development briefs etc.
  2. Planning – continued community consultation, detailed planning of social infrastructure
  3. Engaging – information/signposting as part of welcome service; provision of initial community facility/ies, initial community development work; grants for development of new community groups; support to/from existing communities to build bridges to new residents.
  4. Growing – development of community groups; community development work; volunteering; grant funded projects helped to develop; community services/support established.
  5. Maintaining – community-run services and support to meet existing and new resident’s needs; development of long-term social infrastructure facilities including income generation and social enterprise opportunities; ‘external’ community development support reduces.

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City of Port Phillip Small Poppy Neighbourhood Grants

The City of Port Phillip’s Small Poppy Grants program helps local people have a positive impact on the look and feel of their neighbourhoods by providing a matching grant to support their efforts.

Small Poppy Neighbourhood grants support new projects that:
Heart shape with community based images and text inside

  • Improve the appearance or use of shared space
  • Build social connections
  • Share resources and ideas
  • Support neighbourhoods to adapt to climate change.

The eligibility criteria are that the group must be:

  • A grassroots neighbourhood group of local volunteers who will benefit from the project
  • Actively seeking involvement from others in the neighbourhood
  • A minimum of three individual households in the neighbourhood actively contributing to the project.

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Big Local, UK

Big Local is an exciting opportunity for residents in 150 areas around England to use at least £1m to make a massive and lasting positive difference to their communities. It’s about bringing together all the local talent, ambitions, skills and energy from individuals, groups and organisations who want to make their area an even better place to live.

Big Local is being run by Local Trust, which is working with over £200m from the Big Lottery Fund and a range of partners providing expert advice and support for residents.

The four programme outcomes for Big Local are:

  1. Communities will be better able to identify local needs and take action in response to them.
  2. People will have increased skills and confidence, so that they continue to identify and respond to needs in the future.
  3. The community will make a difference to the needs it prioritises.
  4. People will feel that their area is an even better place to live.

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