Better Recognition And Support Required for Stronger Communities in Deeside says ThinkTank

Communities in Deeside want greater recognition of how groups, individuals and local organisations are providing essential support and services.

That’s the finding of a year long of research project carried out by the think-tank the Young Foundation.

The research carried out in the Connah’s Quay community highlights key concerns for people living in a wide range of communities across the country.

For the past year, The Young Foundation has been running a project called Amplify Cymru looking at the changes needed within local communities in Connah’s Quay as well as Aberystwyth and Port Talbot  in order to see successful and sustainable social change.

Amplify Cymru has focussed on gaining an understanding of what communities across the country need and want, as well as what has already been achieved.

The main findings from the work in Connah’s Quay and the two other area’s suggest:

• local people are best placed to know the needs of their communities and should be involved in all decision making
• communities should be acknowledged for the good they do – instead of only focusing on area’s weaknesses
• community organisations need recognition for providing essential support that is being lost elsewhere
• those organisations cannot solve problems alone – in order for their work to succeed they need support and investment

Amplify Cymru has been working in the three localities, running workshops and coaching sessions with a variety of community and social enterprises, to help them improve what they do and think big about how they could adapt to increase impact.

The programme has run similar projects in Northern Ireland and the north of England.

Glenys Thornton, Chief Executive, The Young Foundation said:

“The challenge to Welsh institutions and leaders, those with resources and influence, is to pool resources and to change what they do in order to facilitate and support action at the local level.

We understand the level of challenge this presents to current ways of thinking.

We also think it is an opportunity which cannot be missed if we want more equal, vibrant and healthy communities. Shifting the dial on inequality in Wales is a long-term goal for which the prize is potentially huge.”

The research gathered in Aberystwyth, Connah’s Quay and Port Talbot has been published in a storybook ‘More Than Meets The Eye’ – which can be read here.