Support, Guidance and Training Resources

Glass-House Downloads

Why Places Matter
Produced by Living Streets with the People and Places Coalition, of which The Glass-House is a member, the booklet offers a practical manifesto for councillors and communities on how they can transform the places where they live, and signposts to useful information and tools to help communities and local councils work together effectively to shape their neighbourhoods.

Review of Online Resources for Community Led Design
Research we put together for community groups to give them an idea of what resources are available online which can help with their built environment project. This document assesses the resources available and shows how useful they are

Downloads from other organisations

Communities and Local Government (CLG) : Communities in Control: Real people, Real power
Advice on how to become an active member of your community, how to access information, how to manage community organisations and address conflict of interests

Community Matters: Engaging young people tool kit
An accessible, 8-step toolkit for engaging and empowering young people within the local community. The toolkit is accompanied by a CD resource tool, which must be sent for

IZWE: How to get involved in your community
A quick guide with useful, practical tips

IZWE: How to get others involved in your group or cause
Another short guide with very practical ideas on how to drum up interest in your project

Sensory Trust: Community Engagement Booklet
The sensory trust provides methods with examples of how to encourage participation in your community group, including reports on diversity awareness, creating social cohesion and how to utilise these skills during a community building project.

CLG: Community Power Pack
An explanation of how your community group can organise, facilitate and influence government discussions on a regional and national level. Also providing useful info on how to set up community events

Useful Links

ACRE (Action with Communities in Rural England)
ACRE is a national organisation which operates at national, regional and local level in support of rural communities. ACRE aims to promote sustainable rural communities through community empowerment programmes and community led planning
www.acre.org.uk

BTCV – Every Action Counts
BTCV have been working with a consortium of voluntary and community sector organisations across England to deliver the Every Action Counts programme
www2.btcv.org.uk/display/everyactioncounts

Black Environment Network
BEN works to integrate social, cultural and environmental concerns in the context of sustainable development and to enable full ethnic participation in the built and natural environment. See the website for details of their projects
www.ben-network.org.uk

Capacity Global – Every Action Counts
Capacity Global is a niche NGO and social enterprise pioneering the way towards environmental and social justice and a mouthpiece for local communities. Every Action Counts is a nationwide initiative designed to help individuals, community workers and the third sector improve their communities and environment, funded by DEFRA
www.capacity.org.uk/communityprojects/everyactioncounts

Community Development Foundation
A leading source of intelligence, guidance and delivery on community development in the UK which aims to help community groups to take action on matters that concern them for the greater public good. See the website for details on grants, training, events and publications
www.cdf.org.uk

Community Matters
Community Matters is the National Federation for Community Organistions. They champion voluntary and community action at neighbourhood level through membership, services and campaigning
www.communitymatters.org.uk/ 

DTA Scotland
DTA Scotland is the community led regeneration network for Scotland. It is a member organisation which provides support and learning and development opportunities for community based organisations. Visit the website to find out more about the benefits of becoming a member and to read some of their very helpful publications www.dtascot.org.uk

DTA Wales
This national body provides its network of community organisations with support and training in all aspects of their work. Non-members can access case studies and publications from their website www.dtawales.org.uk

Engaging Places: A-Z Glossary for buildings and places

This resource provides a glossary of terms relating to buildings, streets, public space, building features and historic buildings, among others. Activity suggestions are provided for using the glossary www.engagingplaces.org.uk/teaching+resources/art63666

Energy Savings Trust: green communities website
Aims to support, facilitate and promote community based energy projects and does so through, project support, funding advice, case studies and guidance/useful tools
www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/cafe

Environmental Agency
Public body which aims to protect and improve the environment and promote sustainable development. The environment agency plays a central role in delivering the environmental priorities of central government and the Welsh Assembly
www.environment-agency.gov.uk/ 

Groundwork
Groundwork is a group of charities assisting communities as well as professionals and government organisations to create better neighbourhoods, build skills and job prospects, and to live and work in a sustainable way. The website provides example case studies and funding information
www.groundwork.org.uk

Just Act
A website that supports Third Sector organisations to help each other create, implement and review their action plan on climate change
www.justact.org.uk

Locality
Locality is a network for community led organisations, formed in 2011 by the merger of bassac and the Development Trusts Association. They support  organisations to work effectively through peer-to-peer exchange of knowledge and best practice on community asset ownership, collaboration, commissioning support, social enterprise, community voice and advocacy. Like The Glass-House, Locality also work to influence government and others at national and local level to build support and investment for the movement. Their website has some fantastic case studies of what other community groups have achieved http://locality.org.uk/

My Community Space
My Community Space provides a free web page for community and voluntary organisations to advertise their services and facilities for hire
www.mycommunityspace.org.uk
 
National Association for Voluntary and Community Action
NAVCA is the national voice of local third sector infrastructures in England. NAVCA aims to support is members in their work through providing networking opportunities, specialist advice, policy information and training
www.navca.org.uk

The National Communities Resource Centre
The NCRC is a registered charity offering training and support to all those living and working in low-income areas throughout the United Kingdom to develop their skills, confidence and capacity to tackle problems and reverse poor conditions. 
www.traffordhall.com

People and Participation
A resource site focusing on encouraging public participation in planning and events organisation. The website details the planning process explained with case studies along with opportunities to ‘ask an expert’
www.peopleandparticipation.net  

The Scottish Community Development Centre
The designated National Development Centre for community development in Scotland. Delivers large scale contracts on behalf of national agencies such as Communities Scotland and NHS Scotland as well as offering consultancy and training services to local agencies and local communities
www.scdc.org.uk

Sust.org: case studies of sustainable development
A series of case studies, accessed as pdf documents, with detailed review of the process - from the client perspective and architect perspective. Summary points of lessons learnt are provided at the end www.sust.org/?view=49&parent=4