Events and Conferences 2007

Regional Conference - 6 June 2007: Citizen Engagement

Our third annual regional conference (pictured, right) was held at Cheltenham Racecourse on 6 June 2007. Yet again we had lovely weather for the event so were able to take advantage of the fabulous setting!

This was our biggest conference yet with over 130 delegates attending from a wide range of organisations including warden schemes, local authorities, fire and police authorities, neighbourhood management schemes, housing associations and Government Office for the South West (GOSW).

The theme of this year's conference was Citizen Engagement, and our first speaker was Dave Duggan, Assistant Director for Stronger Communities at GOSW who talked about the government white paper and the opportunities it offered for engaging with people in communities.

This was followed by Gavin Jones, Chief Executive of Swindon Borough Council, who spoke about the importance of neighbourhood management and the work being done in Swindon.

(Gavin is pictured, above, presenting Hayley Reed from Torbay warden scheme with her Warden Core Training Certificate.)

The after-lunch 'graveyard' slot fell to Chris Coombs and Robbie Coates (pictured, right) - two of the team of young advisors working with Transform Neighbourhood Management in North Devon to improve youth engagement in the area. Their refreshing different approach to their presentation was perfect for this slot, ensuring that no-one was tempted to drop off, no matter how much they had indulged at lunchtime!

Jason Keates, Senior Community Team Sergeant from Gloucestershire Constabulary gave an insight into the difference that neighbourhood policing had made in the Barton, Tredworth and White City areas of Gloucester which have seen crime reduced and satisfaction rates with the police increase since its inception in August 2004.

Our final speaker was Dominic Murphy, Executive Director of Creating: Excellence, who spoke enthusiastically about the key role community workers play in our neighbourhoods and how important we all are in the future success of engaging communities in the South West.

In addition, delegates had the chance to attend two workshops from a choice of four.

In the Engaging Residents session, Lynn Jarvie from the Resource Centre used case studies to look at how to get residents involved in making decisions and becoming actively involved in their neighbourhoods, thinking in particular about how to reach the groups we have least success in engaging with.

Reaching Older Members of the Community was run by Amy Swan and Emma Spragg from Help The Aged who looked at the issues faced in persuading older people to become more involved in their neighbourhoods.

Stroud Neighbourhood Warden Ashley Nicholson and Pam and Phil Hughes from Stroud and District Access Group held a workshop looking at the issues faced by people with disabilities when they attempt to access services.

Joanne Keates from Springbourne and Boscombe West Neighbourhood Management ran a workshop on how they have worked in partnership with other agencies in their area to improve citizen engagement.

We would like to say a bit "thank you" to all our speakers and workshop facilitators and to everyone who came along and made the day such a success.