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Local Alchemy Event Report

13th Jul 2007

The elusive magic of sustainable change

Alternative approaches to re-inventing local economies

Local people at community meetingAn event exploring alternative approaches to sustainable local economic development was held on June 13, 2007, hosted by the Bro Ddyfi Communities First Partnerships Economy and Employment Group and supported by nef (new economics foundation) and the Welsh Institute for Community Currencies.

Elizabeth Cox of nef explained "Those present explored how we recognise sustainable local economic development, and the proposition that enterprise (in its broadest sense) needs to be harnessed through the passion and drive of local people to support a move towards a more sustainable future".

To start the debate three approaches were presented:

Local Alchemy: a community-based enterprise support approach being run in the East Midlands with the support of emda (East Midlands Development Agency).

The starting point of this approach is the energy for changing the local economy within a community, and the natural resourcefulness, skills and passions of the local people.

The principle behind Local Alchemy is that people who live and work in a place, and others who care about its future, are best positioned to find solutions, implement them and reap the rewards. Local Alchemy supports passionate people through: a coaching process to do what they want to do to reinvent their local economy; and an economic toolkit to support development of understanding about the local economy, and raise awareness about the environmental and social impacts of actions.

Co-production: a process whereby clients work alongside professionals in order to make public services more effective. An approach which involves:

  • Engaging all community assets

  • Recognising multiplicity of work

  • Working reciprocally

  • Generating social networks

Community Currencies:

  • Supporting local enterprise

  • Connecting people

  • Valuing community assets

  • Recognising and rewarding contributions

It was proposed by nef that sustainable local economic development can be recognised by 7 elements which are mutually reinforcing:

  • Diverse range of businesses & enterprises (size, social & private, goods and services)

  • Positive local money & resource flows (high multiplier, local re-use of waste)

  • Strong local asset base (attitude, skills, knowledge, physical, financial services, natural)

  • Responsive public and business sector - working to strengthen & invest in the local economy

  • Strong community & civic voice Ð activism, leadership, cohesion, volunteering, political voice, engagement in debate.

  • Sustainability & reduced environmental footprint

  • Interdependence - global, inter-community links, drawing on networks for transformation

It was emphasised that this was not a blueprint for change, and in each community the actions they choose to take under and across these elements will reflect their passions and their local development context. The challenge is then how we can support this to happen.

The Bro Ddyfi Communities First Co-ordinator Cyril Evans in summarising the event said "The challenges raised during the debate included: acknowledging what had been done before in the local communities by such organisations as Menter a Busnes, working with existing institutions effectively and operating in the Welsh language if people from outside the area are providing support. A lively debate was held about what a sustainable future would look like for the local community and appropriate actions to support this."

Cyril went on to say "in order for Communities First to succeed it has to be a community led process and should anyone require more information on the work of the Communities First Partnership and its thematic groups, or indeed are interested in participating in the process, then please feel free to contact the Communities First Office."

Tel: 01654 700315; E-mail: cyril@powys.gov.uk .

A considerable amount of information on the Bro Ddyfi Communities First process to date can be accessed by visiting our website.

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