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INITIATIVE AT THE EDGE NORTH ISLES LTD 2 YEAR PLAN
The North Isles Initiative at the Edge gained the status in October 2004, however staff were not employed until March 2005. During the three years of the status there has been a complete change of workers, and a number of the original Directors have moved on which has had an impact on the work of Initiative at the Edge.
Initiative at the Edge-North Isles has led to the creation of 1 full time and 2 part time posts.
In addition to our core funding, Initiative at the Edge has secured an additional £214, 993 of funding/income and we estimate approx 75% of this has been spent directly in the local economy.
There has been an increase in the capacity of the Directors, staff and Communities through the Consultation process, Initiative at the Edge Conference, the Tourism conference and the many projects that we have worked on to date. And much useful experience has been gained.
Achievements to date-
· Extensive Public consultation and information gathering for the Development plan
· The Initiative at the Edge National Conference
· The Tourism Conference – “Make Tourism your Business”
· The Fetlar Land use and Management survey.
· Motivation for local Enterprise – Transnational project with Norway and the Highlands.
Lessons learned along the way
- The need for Initial rigorous training and Induction for Directors and workers.
- ROA Funding has been a good and a bad thing for Initiative at the Edge-North Isles as it has enabled us to help some of the local Community groups within the first year, and the second and third years we were able to have 2 excellent projects. But there were specific needs we had to address to obtain the funding, and also it was very late in being paid to us therefore jeopardising the projects. For example,
- The Trails project we wanted to be a 2 year project, but by the time we received the money in March 2007 for the second years funding we were not able to advertise the post for 2 years as there was only 13 months left and by the time we recruited it has had to be a post funded for 12 months. The same with the Youth project all the courses we have offered have had to be packed into 1 year instead of being able to spread them over 2 years.
- Working in partnership with the Unst Response Team has been extremely beneficial for the workers, but has caused some division within the 3 Islands as it has been seen as specifically for Unst. Some of the original Directors also left Initiative at the Edge as they had strong feelings about the role of the Unst response team taking over the role of Initiative at the Edge-North Isles.
What follows is a detailed action plan for funders for 2007-2008 as this is all we have funding for at present but we do see a number of the tasks as being longer term and we will continue to work on the key areas of Housing and Tourism.
Initiative at the Edge-North Isles ltd will continue to work on the six key areas of:-
Services
Transport and Infrastructure
Young Folk
Tourism
Business and Employment
Environment and land use
Lobbying, Community Councils, and Directors of Initiative at the Edge North Isles.-
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AREA
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KEY ACTIONS
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WHO
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Services
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Work in Partnership with a range of organisations to ensure provision of quality services.
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Community Councils, IATE Directors.
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Transport and Infrastructure
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Ensure the North Isles needs are addressed throughout the developing Shetland Transport Strategy.
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Community Councils, IATE Directors.
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Tourism
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Encourage projects and business opportunities which provide new tourist accommodation, eating places and attractions. Lobby for additional facilities e.g. signposting, public toilets
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Community Councils, IATE Directors.
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Business and Employment
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Lobby for continued improvement of Communications in the North isles (Broadband, mobile phone coverage).
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Community Councils, IATE Directors
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Environment and Land use
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Continue to represent the North Isles of the Geoparks Steering group and promote the development of a Geopark in the North Isles. Set up and develop community recycling facilities and environmental improvement projects. Work towards fulfilment of criteria for Neutral Waste Status.
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Community Councils, IATE Directors
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Specific projects
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Project
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Key actions
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Who needs to be involved
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Timescale
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Resources
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Intended Impact
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Remote working project
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· Support current “hot deskers” to settle in/troubleshooting.
· Hold a Launch day to promote facility in the North Isles.
· Evaluate first 12 weeks, benefits & use in future promotion.
· Market facility to the North Isles and the rest of Shetland.
· Monitor Income
generation.
· Share the learning/knowledge with others.
· Decide future
sustainability.
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Development worker, Admin worker.
HIE North Isles
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Ongoing
Jan 08
April 08
Sept 09
Sept 08
Dec 07
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HIE funding to set up base.
Initiative at the Edge funding for running costs + income generating for future sustainability.
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To enable remote working to happen and to Demonstrate that remote working can work, that it can make a difference to peoples employment options.
That it will keep people living and working in the Communities of the North Isles.
As a Pilot Project we can share the learning/knowledge with others, to inform others on the remote working practice.
An income generating project for North Isles Initiative at the Edge
It will also have an environmental impact as it reduces pollution
There will be a saving of time, mileage and cost to the individual worker.
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Young People/Business and employment
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· Evaluate benefits and outcomes from the motivation for local enterprise project.
· Continued support of/ and work with the MLE group to become more self sufficient.
· Access training/support entrepreneurs in addition to what is already on offer.
· Fostering Entrepreneurial skills and attitudes.
· To enable development opportunities e.g. conferences, motivational speakers
· Access funding for learning journeys for a small number of entrepreneurs.
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Development worker, North Isles Youth worker, and Chairperson.
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March 08
Sept 09
March 08
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ROA funding for training and study visits.
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Gain experience and skills.
Enhance knowledge and understanding of employability skills.
Produce positive attitudes towards the world of work and business.
Develop social and core skills and build confidence.
Provide training on relevant topics relating to work, business and entrepreneurship.
Help create some new entrepreneurs in the North Isles
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Housing
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· To audit North Isles needs for housing.
· Work with the Development groups and Community Councils in the North Isles on housing issues, and to liaise with HIE Shetland North Isles on housing situation in Unst
· To investigate Community Initiatives.
· To investigate a range of different solutions for housing in the North Isles e.g Community ownership of housing, opportunities of renovation of empty houses on crofts.
· Research how similar areas have tackled their housing problems.
· To investigate Land ownership and availability in Yell and Unst.
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Development worker
Rural Housing service
Crofters Commission
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Sept 08
Sept 09
Sept 08
Ongoing
Sept 09
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To increase the opportunities for folk to return and remain in the North Isles.
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Local food produce
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· To set up a North Isles local food production group
· To assist Fetlar with their Community Poly tunnel project.
· To investigate Land availability in Yell and Unst
· Promote the benefit and advantages of locally produced food in the North Isles.
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Development worker.
Fetlar C.C.
Crofters Commision
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September 08
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Further employment/enterprise in this area.
An increased amount and range of local food
Local food contributing to the North Isles economy and health
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Trails/tourism
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· To complete a tourism audit to promote what we have and to identify the gaps in the North Isles.
· To research and devise a series of visitor trails for the North Isles
· To promote what we have to offer and identify the gaps in provision.
· To promote and market these trails, including the creation of appropriate publicity material.
· Encourage providers to promote each other and signpost visitors to other activities/attractions
· To encourage visitors to the North Isles to experience the relatively untouched natural world here.
· To promote well known figures from the North Isles past such as Sir Watson Cheyne
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Trails development worker.
Development worker
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August 08
April 08
September 09
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Project funded by ROA fund.
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Further employment/enterprise through encouraging activities to enhance the visitor experience
Increased awareness of what the North Isles has to offer the visitor and increased visitor nos
To provide employment for a local person.
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Organisational roles and responsibilities
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AREA
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WHO
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Hold Directors meetings every 8 weeks
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Development worker
Admin worker.
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Monitor Development plan quarterly and report to stakeholders on progress, including funders.
Identify any new issues or projects for development.
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Development worker
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Conduct a skills audit of the Directors and find out what projects and/or specific activities they are willing to get involved in and how much time they can commit.
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Development worker
Chairperson
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Conduct an organisational health check and ensure up-to-date policies and procedures in place
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Development worker
Admin worker.
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Update Director’s Induction Pack
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Admin worker
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Explore future options for Initiative at the Edge North Isles/ develop an exit strategy
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Development worker
IATE Directors
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Provide regular updates on the work of Initiative at the Edge North Isles and other development projects/issues relevant to the North Isles through a range of newsletters, events, website etc.
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Development worker
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Continue to make the public sector and any other relevant bodies aware of the results of any new consultations or studies to inform future planning and development proposals
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Development worker
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Office management
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Development worker
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Admin/Trails management
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Development worker
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Staff management/training
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IATE Director
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Administration of budgets
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Admin worker
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Initiative at the Edge has made a difference to the North Isles, as illustrated by our key achievements and ongoing work and can continue to do so but will require some continued resources ie. funding and support to be able to do this. If funding is withdrawn the Community Company that has been formed will be a waste of time and resources. The Directors, the Development worker and the admin worker are resources for the Community to continue to use.
WHY DO WE NEED TO CONTINUE?
The long term aspirations and issues of the North Isles are still the same
· To sustain and increase the North Isles population levels- In Fetlar it has dropped to 58 with only 3 children. In Unst there is a 20% loss of population due to the withdrawal of the RAF.
The council has made promises to support Fetlar in its continued survival and there is a role for Initiative at the Edge- North Isles to support them through this.
· To broaden the economic base – To encourage new industry, ie arts and Crafts, tourism
· To create new employment opportunities and businesses - with the withdrawal of the Unst response team it is important that Initiative at the Edge can support any new businesses.
· To maintain high quality, locally accessible services – to continue to work with the North Isles Community councils.
· To enable young people to return to, and remain in, the North Isles. – Initiative at the edge will continue to offer support and training to young people through the entrepreneur project, and in any other way it is able.
· To enhance the visitor experience of the three Islands - Initiative at the Edge-North Isles will continue to work on the trails project and seek further funding to enable us to continue to employ a person to create and market Trails etc in the North Isles. We are conducting a tourism audit to promote what we have and identify any gaps in provision. To promote the importance and value of music, architecture, literature and archaeology to an economically fragile area.
· To improve telecommunications - Initiative at the Edge-North Isles will work with the Community Councils to lobby for continued improvement of Communications in the North isles (Broadband, mobile phone coverage).
· To help develop a North Isles identity.
· To continue to offer and maintain a remote working base.
· To continue the good work that we have done to date and not to let it all go to waste, and be yet another initiative that was brought to the North Isles and then taken away after a just a few years.
· To continue to monitor and identify any new issues or projects for development.
This is the final year of HIE Unst and the North Isles Community lifelong learning development officer is on maternity leave for the next 12 months which only leaves myself and the CLLADo’s replacement so there is a vital need for Initiative at the Edge-North Isles to stay and continue the work that we have achieved so far.
I would like to request some support from the Shetland Community Regeneration Partnership on any upcoming projects, for example on the Housing projects if I could have some input from SIC housing or Hjatland and anything else that we may be working on. I would also like to request copies of the minutes of the meetings and to be able to attend a meeting occasionally when it is appropriate.
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