Mission StatementOur mission is “to help Barnsley’s communities to develop community- based business and to prepare for new job opportunities”. Within this we aim to promote and resource the community-based ownership of an expansion in the social economy by developing our communities’ capacity to create, manage and implement community enterprises. The overriding ethos of the social economy is the creation of organisations which are surplus-generating with social aims and inspirations but seeking sustainability. We work with communities who wish to develop projects that create wealth and jobs locally but which also have a good business approach, seeking to ensure economic survival rather than grant dependency. Returning the wealth There are lots of gaps in the provision of services in local communities which can be identified effectively and owned and managed by those communities returning the wealth within the locality. One good example is the development of childcare facilities in Barnsley by CERT. Barnsley leads the way in community childcare provisionResponding to a lack of appropriate, affordable childcare facilities both nationally and at a local level, Barnsley Development Agency’s Community Economic Regeneration Team (CERT) has created an innovative approach to childcare for communities by communities. This has been developed with Wombwell and Barnsley Dearne Community Partnership. The initiatives have led to the formation of two new pioneering community enterprises in the borough, at Wombwell and Bolton-on-Dearne, which will not only provide much needed childcare facilities, but which will also create long term sustainable employment. Childcare that is Affordable, Diverse and FlexibleThe childcare centres are equipped to deliver a quality, affordable and diverse range of childcare, in order to provide flexible wraparound cover and offer parents and carers of children the best possible chance to return t the labour market or to upgrade their skills. Many people who want to work and have children find themselves in something of a dilemma. They are restricted to the hours they can work and what happens when school holidays come around. Very often people can be working to pay childcare and have very little to show for it at the end of the day. New initiatives such as the working Families Tax Credit are helping families to overcome this barrier to work and, in addition to this, childcare Community Enterprises can keep costs to a minimum. With fees that only need to cover running costs and coupled with the flexibility and diversity that these kinds of enterprises can offer, childcare becomes an option within everyone’s means. QualityEvery parent or carer can rest assured that their child is in a safe secure environment being cared for by qualified professional staff. Children are encouraged to learn through play and will receive the very best start to their early education by working towards the Early Learning Goals. Older children are offered a range of activities to do after school as well as being able to read quietly or complete homework with the support of staff if required. Although the success of these are other Community Enterprises relies on the ideas and commitment of the local people and voluntary organisations, the process can often be made easier with the assistance and expertise of practitioners in economic development such as Barnsley development Agency. By working with groups and acting as facilitators at every stage of a project’s development, much of the pressure can be taken away from the volunteer members. | |||
Barnsley Development Agency, Community Economic Regeneration Team, Beevor Court, Pontefract Road, Barnsley S71 1HG Tel: 01226 784 444 Fax: 01226 784 464 E-mail: cert@barnsleydevelopmentagency.co.uk | |||