[Updated
19th November 2008]
1. Sustainable communities
online workshops
We were commissioned by the Academy for Sustainable Communities to design, develop and deliver five new online workshops providing an introduction to various aspects of sustainable communities. The workshops have been developed for the Moodle learning environment, and they form a series under the title of “In a Nutshell…”
Following extensive remodelling, the workshops were again made available through the Academy’s learning site, and we delivered them to participants from a variety of interested organisations across England.
We are currently making further improvements to the In a Nutshell workshops, and they will shortly be made available to a wider audience using a pool of trained tutors.
You can find out more about the ‘In a Nutshell’ workshops at http://www.ascskills.org.uk/courses/nutshell
2. train&sustain
We were commissioned by the Academy for Sustainable Communities to design and develop a sustainable communities resource for trainers. This comprised a guide, workshop presentation, trainer manual and supporting resources all housed on a single USB memory stick. train&sustain has been used in a variety of seminars and workshops, and has been piloted through a number of organisations across England.
We are currently revamping train&sustain so that it can be made available online.
You can find out more about the train&sustain
product at
http://www.ascskills.org.uk/courses/train-and-sustain
3. Sustainable communities quiz
We completed work on the design and development of an online
quiz on topics related to the sustainable communities agenda. Commissioned by
the Academy for Sustainable Communities, the quiz is expected to go live on the
Academy’s website shortly.
4. New Performance Framework: lean
thinking
We have been assisting NA Consultants Limited with the design, development and testing of a suite of courses on aspects of lean thinking. These are intended to contribute towards the lean thinking component of the New Performance Framework for public sector organisations – specifically local government and the health service.
The initial product was a three day workshop, providing a Lean Foundation, and linked to a BTEC Certificate. We designed and developed a session plan, tutor guide and learner’s workbook. The workshop is currently being delivered at sites across England.
5. SES systems and procedures
We were commissioned to carry out an in-depth review of the systems and procedures used by SES (formerly Social Enterprise Sunderland) to implement their packages of support for small businesses and social enterprises. SES focuses on the encouragement of enterprise in disadvantaged areas and with hard pressed groups.
6. Social registered landlords and
enterprise
We were commissioned by SES (formerly Social Enterprise Sunderland) to undertake research into the role of social registered landlords in tackling worklessness and supporting enterprise. This resulted in a discussion paper which provided a basis for considering how the Enterprising Futures project (see below) might be taken forward.
7. Enterprising Futures
We worked with SES to review the impact of this programme which helped around 85 Sunderland residents to start up in business. Enterprising Futures has been sponsored by registered social landlord Gentoo, and financed through the Phoenix Development Fund and Neighbourhood Renewal Fund.
8. Northumberland InfoNet
We completed a second evaluation of Northumberland InfoNet – the sub regional observatory/research & intelligence unit for the County. This work was commissioned by the Northumberland Strategic Partnership. It reviewed the performance of InfoNet since our earlier evaluation in late 2004, and examined options for its future sustainability.
The website can be viewed at www.northumberlandinfonet.org.uk.
9. Bridging the sustainable communities
knowledge gap
We were commissioned by the Academy for Sustainable Communities to design and develop a resource pack for use in raising the awareness of training providers and training/business brokers on the sustainable communities agenda. We worked with Gainford Design Associates LLP, and in collaboration with Regional Centres of Excellence in the East of England (Inspire East), North East (Ignite) and West Midlands (RegenWM). The commission involved the delivery and evaluation of pilot presentations in each of the regions.
The resource pack was published under the title of “In a nutshell… Understanding sustainable communities”, and over 5,500 copies were distributed across England.
You can read more about the Academy’s projects at www.ascskills.org.uk.
You can view some sample pages from the resource pack in the ‘Resources/Samples of our work’ section of this website.
10. Seaham Harbour
project
We assisted with the preparation of a business case for the development of workspaces and marina facilities at Seaham North Dock. The work was commissioned by Social Enterprise Sunderland, and we collaborated with Roger Clubley Associates to complete it. The project has subsequently been allocated over £2 million of funding by One NorthEast.
11. IGNITE
We were commissioned by ONE NorthEast to provide the authoring role on the economy, services and generic skills to the North East’s Regional Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Communities. This project, known as ‘IGNITE’, is intended to improve the skills and know-how of people involved in regeneration in response to the recommendations of the Egan Report. We developed the content for Ignite, during the start-up phase, in a consortium with Northumbria University, IDOX and ESRA Solutions.
The work involved researching sources, preparing abstracts and case studies, as well as contributing to the development of the overall Ignite service.
You can find more details at www.ignite-ne.com.
12. Integrated Services Pathfinder
We evaluated the Sedgefield Integrated Services Pathfinder. This project sought to encourage closer and more co-ordinated working between all the public and voluntary sector agencies providing family support services, including the two Sure Start local programmes, Social Care & Health and the Primary Care Trust.
13. Review of Market Towns in the North East
We were commissioned by One NorthEast to carry out a review of the 15 market towns in the Region that were designated under the Countryside Agency’s ‘Market Towns Initiative’. The review focused on two aspects: (a) the economic potential of each town, and (b) the capacity of each market town partnership to deliver economic regeneration. The work involved the development of economic and partnership profiles for each town, and we were assisted by our partners in Durham Business School and ESRA Solutions.
14. White Lea Farm Business Plan
We were commissioned to produce a business plan for the development of The National Trust’s property at White Lea Farm on the Durham Heritage Coast. The work was commissioned by Acumen Community Enterprise Development Trust Ltd. in association with The National Trust, and funded by Durham Community Project Development Fund.
The project involved the development of options for the use of the site and buildings, and working-up the chosen option which comprised a mix of residential and non-residential learning, enterprise and other activities.
15. Evaluation of local Sure Start programmes
We were commissioned to carry out local evaluation of the Sure Start Horden and Easington Colliery, Teesdale, Shildon and Newton Aycliffe West programmes. This work included an examination of the effectiveness of the arrangements for partnership working, the approach to parental engagement and involvement, and the effectiveness of the services provided – both group activities and home visits.
We also completed evaluation strategies and annual evaluation reports, 3 year reviews of progress, accessible guides to the Sure Start Delivery Plans, helped with the development of more effective communications strategies and analysed the results of satisfaction surveys. We provided training in evaluation for staff and parents.
16. Productivity and enterprise in schools
We led on the design and development of an innovative pilot project with Framwellgate School Durham. This involved an enterprise and productivity programme for school students working towards Key Stage 4.
The “WOWtoolkit” (World of Work Toolkit) comprises the following:
· Attractive learning materials on a series of productivity and enterprise themes
· Activities designed to stimulate students and meet all preferred learning styles
· A student learning log for recording progress
· Supporting teacher resources, including session plans and suggestions on delivery
It is intended to contribute across the curriculum in terms of personal and social development, citizenship, enterprise and key skills.
This project was sponsored by Learning and Skills Council County Durham and supported by Nissan Motor Manufacturing (UK) Ltd. Other schools helped in piloting and refining the toolkit, and the project was steered by experts from the Local Education Authority. The graphics for the project were developed by Gainford Design Associates LLP.
You can review the WOWtoolkit in the ‘Resources/Resources for viewing or downloading’ section of this website.
17. Productivity improvement learning
materials
We have undertaken the design and development of a wide variety of learning materials on productivity improvement. Over 74 modules are grouped into 13 courses. Over 50,000 of these modules have been studied to date. They cover the following topics: standard operations; skill control; ‘5S’ workplace organisation; kaizen; 7 tools; failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA); production-led maintenance (PLM); 7 new tools; JIT kaizen; an introduction to productivity improvement (3 courses at different levels); six sigma.
We have prepared further learning materials on work measurement, statistical process control, poka yoke, value stream mapping, single minute exchange of dies (SMED) and visual management.
For each course we also developed guidance and assessment materials.