The Cosla Excellence Awards 2017

COSLA EXCELLENCE AWARDS2017

THE COSLA EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2017

APPLICATON FORM

Please refer to the ‘2017 Guidance for Applicants’

before completing this form.

The application is split over three sections.It is up to you to decide the content and length of each section, but the executive summary and three sectionsmust not exceed three pages in total (excluding the front and back cover pages).

Any questions relating to your application or the submission process should be directed to or 0131 474 9275.

The deadline for submission of entries is 5pm on FRIDAY 16 JUNE 2017.

Submitting Your Application Form

Please use ouronline applicationprocessto submit this application form.

PLEASE PROVIDE SOME DETAILS ABOUT YOUR APPLICATION:

CATEGORY APPLIED FOR / Local Matters
PROJECT NAME
(as you wish to see it published) / FEVA (Freestyle Environmental Visual Audit)
LEAD ORGANISATION(S) / South Ayrshire Council
DEPARTMENT/TEAM / Community Safety team
PARTICIPANT NAMES OR PARTNER ORGANISATIONS / Fiona McAvoy
Newton Primary Headteacher / PC Ben Brizell and others
Campus Police / Police
Paul Dougall
SAC Waste Management / Connie Lobban
SAC Environmental Health
Gordon Harkins
Fire & Rescue / David Burns & others
SAC Housing
Helen Lavelle
CJ Community Payback / Dalene Sinclair & other
NHS
CONTACT NAME / David Porte – Community Safety Team Leader
CONTACT DETAILS / / Tel: 01292 559407
CAN WE PUBLISH THIS APPLICATION FORM ON OUR WEBSITE? / YES
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY / In one short paragraph please describe this project is about, what it has achieved, and why it is delivering excellence.
Please note that we may use this summary for promotional purposes on our website and elsewhere.
Our FEVA (Freestyle Environmental Visual Audit) initiative is a great example of what can be achieved by developing creative solutions to address local priorities in conjunction with the local community. FEVA was set up primarily to tackle environmental issues in the Wallacetoun area of Ayr and was based on active engagement and partnership working between the local primary school, partner agencies and the wider community. The aim was to work with the pupils to identify the local issues which were important to them, and to support them to work with partners to find solutions.A detailed programme of activity was undertaken, which has delivered environmental improvements in the community, increased participation and engagement with families and the wider community, and established stronger partnership working. It’s a positive example of the Building Safer Communities Programme in action, contributing particularly to:increased pride in the local neighbourhood and participation in activities to improve the local area; increased awareness of the range of local services available and the identification of local assets; and increased engagement between young people and local service providers to influence local service delivery and make a difference.
PLANNING and DELIVERING / What is your project about, and why is it important?What are you aiming to achieve, and how does this fit with the bigger picture?How have you carried out your project effectively? Are you improving efficiency and effectiveness?
Our initiative was developed in response to some targeted multi-agency environmental work carried out in the area.Concerns had been raised by community groups regarding inappropriately discarded drug paraphernalia.At the same time, the Head Teacher at Newton Primary was keen for the school to be involved in working with partners to raise awareness of environmental issues with pupils, and to use this as a tool to engage with the wider community.
Wallacetoun has a high level of environmental issues, ranging from litter and dog fouling through to higher level issues such as fly-tipping and inappropriately discarded drug paraphernalia. There are also a high number of housing issues and derelict buildings, with high levels of turnover of tenants and a large number of private rented short term tenancies in the area. It was hoped that by engaging more widely with the community, people would feel more connected to the area, and become more actively involved in making positive differences in their community.
FEVA is based on the format of an Early Years Collaborative project, but has been broadened to include a wider range of agencies and more in-depth engagement with parents and grandparents and the wider community.Young people were instrumental in developing the initiative according to their experience of local issues and needs.
The projectinvolved pupils from the P4/5 class carrying out anaudit of their local community, along with partner agency representatives, family members and members of the wider community.Pupils identified and recorded environmentalissues, and also identified the things that they liked about the area.These assets and issues were recorded using pen and paper, and also photographed digitally.All information was then collated, in class, on a database.
Partner agencies also played an active role, delivering a range of inputs to the class in response to some of the issues identified, and pitched at the appropriate level for that age group.Agencies involved included various teams from the Council as well as Police Scotland, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, and NHS Ayrshire & Arran.
Young people drew up a detailed action planand contacted agencies, Council services and shops who might be responsible for addressing some of the issues both by email, and by letter.Feedback suggests this approach really made an impact on those contacted.
Monitoring and evaluation was carried out through auditing work, inputs and discussion with partner agencies and a review of our achievements. The area was split into four zones for the purpose of audits; this was done deliberately to highlight differing environments and this gave the pupils an appreciation of the different environmental issues (and potential assets) in each area. Progress on actions was documented and updated within the action plan.
The action plan was monitored and all actions identified were completed.The issues highlighted have continued to be monitored, which has allowed focus to move to emerging issues.This led to the development of the ‘Cleaner Close’ initiative to improve some of the communal closes in one area of the community.A workplan has been drawn up in partnership with pupils, and work has started as part of this year’s FEVA initiative in partnership with colleagues from Community Payback, Housing, Environmental Health and Cleansing.The aim is to improve the communal close areas, and celebrate with a barbeque in the area before the school closes for the summer.
Two of the primary pupils and some of the partners put the project into their own words: and showed why local matters to them.
INNOVATION & LEADING PRACTICE / Why is your project innovative? How is it helping to prepare for the future? What is happening to help other organisations benefit from your approach?
FEVAhas delivered real innovative action and engagement, led by young primary pupils who have highlighted issues of concern to them, and who have also taken the time to identify the assets and things they like within their community.Young people had the opportunity to contact various agencies and Council services themselves, building a knowledge and appreciation of the range of agencies who could help to resolve issues in their community and building confidence in being able to improve their local community.Young people were also encouraged to shape the initiative around the issues of interest to them, keeping their learning fresh and fun, while delivering important messages.
The project won the Safer Communities Award 2016 in the Strengthening Community Engagement and Resilience category, and pupils from the school travelled to Edinburgh to record a short film piece where they talked about the difference the project had made to their community.The project also won a South Ayrshire Council Outstanding People Award in 2016.
The FEVA model has already been replicated in other primary schools to help engage pupils in identifying environmental issues in their local area, and as a way of addressing specific community safety and antisocial behaviour issues at a local level. It’s clearly making a difference and empowering local communities to play an active role, which is a significant and positive outcome.
RESULTS & IMPACT / What impact are you having, or expect to have?How are you measuring your success? Are you delivering what you set out to achieve? How do you know this?
FEVA has undoubtedly delivered positive benefits for the local primary school, wider community and strengthened partnership working within the area.The initiative has shown the positive action and lead role that can be taken by young people to make a positive difference in their community.Young people driving the project was crucial to its success and to get the wider community involved through their family and friends, starting a wider discussion around local environmental issues.This was seen as a way of breaking down generational barriers, getting young people and older people together to talk about how environmental issues impact on their day to day life.For example, older people exploring the local play area and understanding what the problems and issues might be, and for younger people to appreciate the negative impact that vandalism and graffiti has in an area.
It was also seen as very important for those involved to detail the positive environmental aspects within their community, or the assets, as it is as important to maintain and look after these assets as it is to rectify any issues or deficits.
An additional outcome of the project was to improve the numeracy and literacy of the pupils involved. This was achieved by supporting the young people to record and document the issues/assets in the area, and contact the appropriate services and agencies to request repair or action.The young people also learned how to use technology as well as traditional methods to record data, and to send data to the appropriate agency or service.
As a result of this project, young people have become more interested and aware of environmental issues within their community, and have been shown to be valuable and responsible citizens in tackling these issues. They have demonstrated through group discussions that they are now more aware of environmental issues, how they can avoid adding to problems, and how they can contribute to resolving environmental issues within their community.Pupils have also discussed their appreciation for some of the assets they have within their area, such as a play park, multi-use games area, green spaces and shops.
All issues reported by young people as part of the audit have been resolved, and this has helped to increase the confidence of the young people in being able to make a positive difference to their local community, and to see how working with local service providers can influence service delivery.
The school has also gone on to be represented on community safety-led problem solving groups tackling environmental issues and antisocial behaviour in the area. The Head Teacher has identified a number of positive outcomes which have taken place since this project began including, a reduction in vandalism around the school, children being much more community aware, parents taking time to sit in the school garden, and greater engagement with parents, and parents more likely to raise environmental/community concerns at Parent Council meetings – with solutions, rather than just voicing problems.
The FEVA project is now ongoing with a number of other initiatives being developed with the school/parents and local community including community clean-ups, ‘Cleaner Close’ and a Recycled Guitar project working with parents and young people.
It’s an exemplar of working with communities to tackle local issues and show that they and their communities matter.

Please limit your application to 3 pages or less and use font size 11or greater

NEXT STEPS

Have you answered the criteria set out in the guidance?

Is your application form 3 pages or less.(Anything more, including appendices, will be automatically rejected)

Have you discussed your application with the right people in your organisation?

Have you provided contact details for your application?

SUBMITTING YOUR APPLICATION