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Community Assets – Delivering on the Potential? Roundtable, Inverness, 23 November 2010. Power, Partnership and Participation: Engaging Communities and Community Assets. Michael Woods Aberystwyth University. The new rural development paradigm. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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Power, Partnership and Power, Partnership and Participation:Participation:
Engaging Communities and Community Engaging Communities and Community AssetsAssets
Michael WoodsMichael Woods
Aberystwyth UniversityAberystwyth University
Community Assets – Delivering on the Potential?
Roundtable, Inverness, 23 November 2010
The new rural development The new rural development paradigmparadigm
““Rural development is not just about ‘new things’ Rural development is not just about ‘new things’ being added to established situations. It is about being added to established situations. It is about newly emerging and historically rooted realities that newly emerging and historically rooted realities that are currently reappearing as rural development are currently reappearing as rural development experiences avant la lettre. Rural development experiences avant la lettre. Rural development policies should focus on strengthening proven policies should focus on strengthening proven constellations and supporting emergence of new constellations and supporting emergence of new ones. A particularly decisive element will be the ones. A particularly decisive element will be the combination of the ‘old’ with the ‘new’”combination of the ‘old’ with the ‘new’”
Van der Ploeg et al. (2000) in Van der Ploeg et al. (2000) in Sociologia RuralisSociologia Ruralis, p 400, p 400
The new rural development The new rural development paradigmparadigm
‘‘Old’ paradigmOld’ paradigm Inward investmentInward investment Top-down planningTop-down planning Sectoral modernizationSectoral modernization Financial capitalFinancial capital Exploitation of natureExploitation of nature Transport Transport
infrastructureinfrastructure ProductionProduction IndustrializationIndustrialization Social modernizationSocial modernization ConvergenceConvergence
‘‘New’ paradigmNew’ paradigm Endogenous developmentEndogenous development Bottom-up innovationBottom-up innovation Integrated developmentIntegrated development Social capitalSocial capital Sustainable developmentSustainable development Information infrastructureInformation infrastructure ConsumptionConsumption Small niche industriesSmall niche industries Valorization of traditionValorization of tradition Local embeddednessLocal embeddedness
Source: Woods (2010) Rural, p 140
Natural
Land
Minerals
Forestry
Water
Wind
Wildlife
TANGIBLE ASSETS
Natural
Land
Minerals
Forestry
Water
Wind
Wildlife
TANGIBLE ASSETS
Achieved
Property & buildings
Livestock
Financial capital
Natural
Land & landscape
Minerals
Forestry
Water
Wind
Wildlife
TANGIBLE ASSETS
Achieved
Property & buildings
Livestock
Financial capital
INTANGIBLE ASSETS
Cultural
Heritage
Tradition
Folk culture
Natural
Land & landscape
Minerals
Forestry
Water
Wind
Wildlife
TANGIBLE ASSETS
Achieved
Property & buildings
Livestock
Financial capital
INTANGIBLE ASSETS
Cultural
Heritage
Tradition
Folk culture
Environmental
Tranquillity
Carbon sequestration
Biodiversity
Natural
Land & landscape
Minerals
Forestry
Water
Wind
Wildlife
TANGIBLE ASSETS
Achieved
Property & buildings
Livestock
Financial capital
INTANGIBLE ASSETS
Cultural
Heritage
Tradition
Folk culture
Environmental
Tranquillity
Carbon sequestration
Biodiversity
Human
Skills
Enthusiasm
Cooperation
Natural
Land & landscape
Minerals
Forestry
Water
Wind
Wildlife
TANGIBLE ASSETS
Achieved
Property & buildings
Livestock
Financial capital
INTANGIBLE ASSETS
Cultural
Heritage
Tradition
Folk culture
Environmental
Tranquillity
Carbon sequestration
Biodiversity
Human
Skills
Enthusiasm
Cooperation
ASSET-BASED COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT
Natural
Land & landscape
Minerals
Forestry
Water
Wind
Wildlife
TANGIBLE ASSETS
Achieved
Property & buildings
Livestock
Financial capital
INTANGIBLE ASSETS
Cultural
Heritage
Tradition
Folk culture
Environmental
Tranquillity
Carbon sequestration
Biodiversity
Human
Skills
Enthusiasm
Cooperation
ASSET-BASED COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT
Power
Participation
Partnership
Benefits of approachBenefits of approach
Reduced dependency on external investment Reduced dependency on external investment and reduced vulnerability to external and reduced vulnerability to external decision-makingdecision-making
Increased retention of wealth generated in Increased retention of wealth generated in the localitythe locality
Maintenance of local culture and traditions, Maintenance of local culture and traditions, and environmental sustainabilityand environmental sustainability
Empowerment of local communities with Empowerment of local communities with control over development paths and projectscontrol over development paths and projects
Three challengesThree challenges
Defining the ‘community interest’Defining the ‘community interest’ Bringing communities together in Bringing communities together in
inclusive partnershipsinclusive partnerships Reflexivity in rural developmentReflexivity in rural development
Complex communities Complex communities
Assumption of geographically-coherent Assumption of geographically-coherent communities able to express a singular communities able to express a singular view or set of interestsview or set of interests
Rural communities have always been Rural communities have always been more dynamic and diverse than more dynamic and diverse than popularly assumedpopularly assumed
Rural communities have become more Rural communities have become more complex with greater mobility and complex with greater mobility and social and economic restructuringsocial and economic restructuring
Complex communities Complex communities
Different members of community Different members of community may value community assets may value community assets differentlydifferently
Different viewpoints on the Different viewpoints on the enrolment of community assets in enrolment of community assets in development projectsdevelopment projects
Internal opposition to the Internal opposition to the valorization of community assetsvalorization of community assets
Them vs. Us?Them vs. Us?
Local support out-Local support out-shouted by non-local shouted by non-local opposition?opposition?
Them vs. Us?Them vs. Us?
Local support out-Local support out-shouted by non-local shouted by non-local opposition?opposition?
Defensive localism Defensive localism against exploitation by against exploitation by large transnational large transnational companies?companies?
Them vs. Us?Them vs. Us?
Local support out-shouted Local support out-shouted by non-local opposition?by non-local opposition?
Defensive localism Defensive localism against exploitation by against exploitation by large transnational large transnational companies?companies?
Antipathy towards Antipathy towards landowners and sections landowners and sections of community gaining of community gaining financially from schemesfinancially from schemes
Community betrayal?Community betrayal?
““during foot and mouth, when it was acting during foot and mouth, when it was acting as a community he was obviously very as a community he was obviously very happy for the community to be round happy for the community to be round helping him, and now he’s gone and he’s helping him, and now he’s gone and he’s now having wind turbines on his land, and now having wind turbines on his land, and people feel very, very betrayed by that”.people feel very, very betrayed by that”.
Windfarm campaigner, DevonWindfarm campaigner, Devon
CamddwrCamddwr
CamddwrCamddwr
Opposition to community-led Opposition to community-led wind energy schemeswind energy schemes
““Community-led or owned schemes have Community-led or owned schemes have had to wrestle with [local opposition] had to wrestle with [local opposition] alongside the largest commercial wind alongside the largest commercial wind energy projects, albeit often with greater energy projects, albeit often with greater difficulty in funding the necessary advice difficulty in funding the necessary advice and support.”and support.”
Munday, Bristow & Cowell, Munday, Bristow & Cowell,
forthcoming in forthcoming in Journal of Rural StudiesJournal of Rural Studies
Different community Different community attachmentsattachments
Natives:Natives: Long-standing family attachments Long-standing family attachments to placeto place
Investors:Investors: Made financial and emotional Made financial and emotional investment in joining communityinvestment in joining community
Pilgrims:Pilgrims: Return repeatedly to places of Return repeatedly to places of personal emotional importancepersonal emotional importance
Different community Different community attachmentsattachments
Sensuous:Sensuous: e.g. as a site of solitude or tranquillity e.g. as a site of solitude or tranquillity
Performed:Performed: Stage for performed actions that Stage for performed actions that articulate a sense of identity, e.g. crofting, hunting.articulate a sense of identity, e.g. crofting, hunting.
Communal:Communal: Site of interaction, evoking security, Site of interaction, evoking security, belonging, solidarity.belonging, solidarity.
Symbolic:Symbolic: Represents wider values or meanings, e.g. Represents wider values or meanings, e.g. Scottish national identity.Scottish national identity.
SensuousSensuous PerformedPerformed CommunalCommunal SymbolicSymbolic
NativeNative
InvestorInvestor
PilgrimPilgrim
Source: ‘Grassroots Rural Protest and Political Activity in Britain’, ESRC Grant RES-000-23-1317, M. Woods, J. Anderson. S. Guilbert, S. Watkin.
SensuousSensuous PerformedPerformed CommunalCommunal SymbolicSymbolic
NativeNative
InvestorInvestor
PilgrimPilgrim
Windfarm opponentsWindfarm opponents
SensuousSensuous PerformedPerformed CommunalCommunal SymbolicSymbolic
NativeNative
InvestorInvestor
PilgrimPilgrim
Community wind energy projectCommunity wind energy project
Community dynamicsCommunity dynamics
Issues of ownership and financial benefit Issues of ownership and financial benefit are important in shaping attitudes towards are important in shaping attitudes towards asset valorization, but do not fully explain asset valorization, but do not fully explain community responsescommunity responses
Consensus on valorizing community assets Consensus on valorizing community assets requires an understanding of the requires an understanding of the emotional dynamics of belonging and emotional dynamics of belonging and sense of place within the communitysense of place within the community
Managing Community Managing Community DevelopmentDevelopment
Participation in community Participation in community developmentdevelopment
Who gets empowered?Who gets empowered? Issues of accountability and inclusionIssues of accountability and inclusion
Harnessing the intangible human Harnessing the intangible human assets of the communityassets of the community
Example: Tapping SkillsExample: Tapping Skills ““The community centre – that’s brought a lot The community centre – that’s brought a lot
more people out, professional people who’ve more people out, professional people who’ve come out and said, ‘well, we can help you with come out and said, ‘well, we can help you with fundraising; we can help you with drawing up fundraising; we can help you with drawing up plans for the internal remodeling, for things plans for the internal remodeling, for things that you might need to do to extend’. When that you might need to do to extend’. When the need is there, people come forward…. the need is there, people come forward…. Retired professionals from various industries, Retired professionals from various industries, from construction industry, from management, from construction industry, from management, from fundraising. I mean, we’ve got one chap, from fundraising. I mean, we’ve got one chap, lives locally, who worked for the Lotteries grant lives locally, who worked for the Lotteries grant board for quite a while and he’s helping us put board for quite a while and he’s helping us put together an application for Lottery funding.” together an application for Lottery funding.”
(Councillor, Winchcombe)(Councillor, Winchcombe) Source: ‘Participation, Power and Rural Community Governance in England and Wales’, ESRC Grant L215252052, M. Woods, B. Edwards, J. Anderson. G. Gardner, E. Fahmy.
Example: Superficial Example: Superficial empowermentempowerment
“ “People came into the town in 1995, they immediately started People came into the town in 1995, they immediately started to take on all the key roles, and then they created themselves to take on all the key roles, and then they created themselves into a role, and one of the things you will be asking yourself into a role, and one of the things you will be asking yourself today is, there is this regeneration partnership, how did this today is, there is this regeneration partnership, how did this regeneration partnership come about, do I, as a member of regeneration partnership come about, do I, as a member of the public, know who the members of this regeneration the public, know who the members of this regeneration partnership is, no I do not know, have we ever been talked to partnership is, no I do not know, have we ever been talked to about this regeneration partnership, no.”about this regeneration partnership, no.”
(Community activist A, England)(Community activist A, England) “ “Some incomers moved in and took over the Development Some incomers moved in and took over the Development
Trust, but some of the oldcomers wouldn’t go and [laughs] sat Trust, but some of the oldcomers wouldn’t go and [laughs] sat there very firmly um…and so it was closed down, the there very firmly um…and so it was closed down, the Development Trust, prematurely, and they started the single Development Trust, prematurely, and they started the single regeneration company.”regeneration company.”
(Community activist B, England)(Community activist B, England)
Challenge of community Challenge of community developmentdevelopment
Combining the individual drive of (social) Combining the individual drive of (social) entrepreneurshipentrepreneurship
……with a responsibility to collective engagement and with a responsibility to collective engagement and ownershipownership
Visionary leadershipVisionary leadership Mechanisms for inclusive planning and governanceMechanisms for inclusive planning and governance Transparency and accountability in the management Transparency and accountability in the management
of financial earnings from asset valorizationof financial earnings from asset valorization
Need for stable structures and partnershipsNeed for stable structures and partnerships Ability to engage professionally with different scalesAbility to engage professionally with different scales
“ “the ostensibly ‘local’ nature of community the ostensibly ‘local’ nature of community renewable energy inevitably involves negotiating renewable energy inevitably involves negotiating with and coordinating complex networks of with and coordinating complex networks of regulatory institutions and actors at wider spatial regulatory institutions and actors at wider spatial scales. One of just three community-owned wind scales. One of just three community-owned wind farms operating in Wales at the time of our farms operating in Wales at the time of our research was the Bro Dyfi Community research was the Bro Dyfi Community Renewables Ltd, with two single turbine schemes, Renewables Ltd, with two single turbine schemes, each developed and owned wholly by the Dyfi each developed and owned wholly by the Dyfi Valley community. The development of this small Valley community. The development of this small scale project benefited from a stable end-user scale project benefited from a stable end-user contract and good rates of return (with the contract and good rates of return (with the supportive Centre for Alternative Technology near supportive Centre for Alternative Technology near Machynlleth) and proponents were able to draw Machynlleth) and proponents were able to draw upon existing community knowledge of green upon existing community knowledge of green energy, and possessed the skills to access EU energy, and possessed the skills to access EU aid.”aid.”
Munday, Bristow and Cowell, Munday, Bristow and Cowell, forthcoming in forthcoming in Journal of Rural StudiesJournal of Rural Studies
Reflexive rural developmentReflexive rural development
Knowing the community and its dynamicsKnowing the community and its dynamics Building a collective understanding of Building a collective understanding of
community assets and their potentialcommunity assets and their potential Agreeing a consensual way forwardAgreeing a consensual way forward Repeatedly referring back to the Repeatedly referring back to the
community and reflecting on progress and community and reflecting on progress and outcomesoutcomes
Reflexive rural developmentReflexive rural development
Learning as a communityLearning as a community Sharing specialist knowledge Sharing specialist knowledge
and expertise in collective and expertise in collective problem-solvingproblem-solving
Drawing appropriately on Drawing appropriately on external resources and external resources and assistanceassistance
www.derreg.eu
Rural Learning RegionsRural Learning RegionsDirk Roep &
Wiebke Wellbrock
Westerkwartier
Dirk Roep & Wiebke Wellbrock
‘region’
‘knowledge’
WSI
Local organisations:-AVN-Vereiniging Gr. Dorpen-Boeren & Natuur S.W.-Abel Tasman Kabinet-VVV Leek-SBB-Gr. Landschap
Examples ofNetworks/Initiatives:
-Biomass-Wichterwest
-MEI- Dwarsdiep
‘public administratio
n’
EducationResearch
Advice
Knowledge Institutes
(public funded)&
Agencies
CountrysideExchange
Brug Toekomst
Atelier
Example:GKC
A-programme(RegionalTransition)
Publicfunded
Research,Education &
Advice
EULNVOWC
LAG
Inte
grated
Dev.
Pro
. Wstkw
tier
SteeringGroup
GroningenWest
Communalhouse
RegioLokket
Touristicpromoters
Brug ToekomstBrug Toekomst
‘‘Bridge to the Future’Bridge to the Future’ Exchange of (local) knowledge to support Exchange of (local) knowledge to support
sustainable developmentsustainable development Established by Wageningen University and Van Established by Wageningen University and Van
Hall-Larenstein UniversityHall-Larenstein University Universities acted as facilitators of knowledge Universities acted as facilitators of knowledge
exchange and discussion between local actorsexchange and discussion between local actors Collective learning about the region and its Collective learning about the region and its
potential & identification of prioritiespotential & identification of priorities Led to creation of the ‘Westerkwartier Initiative Led to creation of the ‘Westerkwartier Initiative
Group’ (WSI)Group’ (WSI)
MEI projectMEI project
‘‘Environment, Energy and Innovation’Environment, Energy and Innovation’ Knowledge sharing platform for farmersKnowledge sharing platform for farmers Collaboration of Aves-Tura (a consultancy Collaboration of Aves-Tura (a consultancy
company), LEADER, regional and local company), LEADER, regional and local government and farm organizationsgovernment and farm organizations
Delivery of ‘social learning’ tools to Delivery of ‘social learning’ tools to encourage farmers to think about encourage farmers to think about opportunities, including sustainable opportunities, including sustainable energy productionenergy production
Biomass projectBiomass project
Initial stages of developmentInitial stages of development Stimulate cooperation between farmers and Stimulate cooperation between farmers and
organizations involved with nature conservation organizations involved with nature conservation and land managementand land management
Using ‘biomass’ produced by landowners, water Using ‘biomass’ produced by landowners, water boards and farmers as an energy source as a boards and farmers as an energy source as a community projectcommunity project
Emerging from the process of ‘regional learning’Emerging from the process of ‘regional learning’ Building on established collaborations, but also Building on established collaborations, but also
looking to draw in additional partners with looking to draw in additional partners with technical expertise (e.g. Groningen University)technical expertise (e.g. Groningen University)
ConclusionsConclusions
Issues of power, participation and Issues of power, participation and partnership are essential to the successful partnership are essential to the successful valorization of community assetsvalorization of community assets
‘‘Community ownership’ is more than a Community ownership’ is more than a legal conditionlegal condition
Financial benefits alone may not be Financial benefits alone may not be sufficient to ensure community supportsufficient to ensure community support
Process of engaging and understanding Process of engaging and understanding the community and building consensusthe community and building consensus
Communities ‘learning Communities ‘learning to doto do together’ together’
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