As part of an ongoing partnership with Together for Change, Arsyllfa is proud to present the first in a series of reflections by the social enterprise setting out their vision for the future of Wales, and what can be done to improve wellbeing in place in our communities.
The forthcoming Senedd elections provide a welcome opportunity for civil society to influence the manifestos of the political parties vying for power. The issues raised will most certainly include a consideration of how national policies could better support neighbourhoods, villages and towns given their crucial role in the wellbeing of our nation. There are tens of thousands of community groups and organisations in existence in Wales, constituting a massive resource whose potential should be maximised.
Communities that are good places to live are known to have high social capital, are likely to be organised and to own or control physical assets. If a community group or organisation exists as a formal entity, then some funding may be required that can be used to build on the unique needs and strengths of the community, and boost and sustain their impact. Community led action operates in the field of ‘prevention’, reducing the numbers of people from having to use public services, but are increasingly undertaking public service functions themselves in the current challenging environment in which services struggle to meet their statutory obligations.
Our current policies all highlight the importance of community led action, yet there is no overarching policy in place that provides clear leadership and overview of intentions. The ease with which communities can acquire assets differs from county to county. The Wellbeing and Future Generations Act requires communities to be present in decision making forums as equal partners, yet all too often lip service is paid to this requirement. There remains a total dependence on grant funding that is in increasingly short supply and, furthermore, highly competitive to obtain.
Research and evaluation should not be optional ‘add- ons’ yet they remain elusive for community groups given their self-reported lack of skills and capacity. Anchor organisations say that more could be achieved with leadership and a national infrastructure centred around a platform for change that provides more opportunities for skills development, collaboration and the sharing of learning.
These are not insurmountable obstacles. They can be tackled with serious national leadership that marries clear policy statements with a supportive infrastructure, and funding models that prioritise those communities most in need. Together for Change Cymru has highlighted 8 issues that we would expect the political parties to consider and commit to (see below), if they are serious about progress and change for better lives and social justice.
