DTA Wales and the Wales Co-operative Centre are seeking opinions for a proposed new peer to peer "Early Stage Support Programme" for groups interested in developing affordable community led housing schemes across Wales.
Your input will help us capture the need for such a programme and shape how the project is developed and delivered.
The proposal is to support groups and organisations, at the grass roots level, to become more resilient and financially sustainable and tackle a range of housing issues (such as lack of supply, cost of housing etc) in their communities, through the development of community led housing schemes and assets.
We are proposing that the programme will run over 2 years, with a possible 3rd year extension, where we will aim to work in detail with 8 community groups in Wales over this time (12 if over 3 years).
The project will apply for funding from the Nationwide Foundation and will involve DTA Wales and Wales Co-operative Centre.
DTA Wales has a wealth of experience of supporting community ownership of assets and community enterprise through programmes such as Renew Wales, Enterprising Solutions and support to award winners on the Community Asset Transfer 2 Programme.
Wales Co-operative Centre currently delivers Co-operative Housing Support across Wales providing expert advice, guidance and support to emerging co-operative housing projects. In addition it leads on the Social Business Wales, Digital Community Wales, Community Shares Wales and Care to Co-operate initiatives.
Nationwide Foundation have funded a similar programme in England over the last 2 years. More about that support can be found here:
http://www.nationwidefoundation.org.uk/projects-we-fund/funding-2013-16/locality/
1. What are the housing needs / issues in your area?
2. Does your organisation currently provide housing?
3. How would you like to see any support programme structured?
4. We anticipate that mentors on the programme could provide advice and support to groups developing community led housing. Example activities would include advice and guidance on governance, organisational structures, partnership working, community engagement, finance, planning and legal issues. What are your thoughts on whether a wrap around support provision like this is needed in Wales?
*This question is required.
5. Is there other support your group needs / would benefit from? *This question is required.
6. How would you prefer to receive support?
7. If you provide housing, what type of housing / tenure are you planning to offer?
8. What is the scale of your housing project?
9. Are there any legal models in particular you are interested in?
10. Which target groups does your project work with?
11. Have you heard of any similar housing projects to yours that you would like to hear more about / have as your mentors?
12. If there was a pre-development grant of £2,500 available as part of the programme for early stage costs, what would your priorities be for using it?
13. Would your group / project / community be interested in taking part in a peer to peer early stage support programme as described above?
14. Tell us who you are, if you would like us to contact you with more details about the programme, should we secure funding for it.
