Ref: PR436
Date: 08/07/05

Wakefield District Partnership is launching a £100,000 Learning Action Plan at Wakefield Town Hall, on Tuesday, 19th July to address issues of unemployment, crime, health, housing and environment across the district. 

The Neighbourhood Renewal Learning Action Plan Steering Group is inviting organisations and individuals to come along to find out more about the Plan (NRLAP) which aims to contribute towards narrowing the gap between Britain's poorer neighbourhoods and the rest, so that no-one is seriously disadvantaged by where they live. 

The meeting is looking to encourage people to come forward with proposals which will deliver the Plan's objectives. These proposals will then be considered by an independent panel of partners from statutory, community and voluntary sector organisations which meets every two months.

The aim of the scheme is to improve skills development within the voluntary and community sector, young people, councillors and local strategic partnership board members, and public sector officers. 

Examples of the types of activities being sought include:-

• events designed to raise awareness of Neighbourhood Renewal such as  workshops, field visits, community events
• projects and events aimed at young people including arts and community projects, extended schools' initiatives, field visits, both accredited, and non-accredited learning activities.
• projects and events designed to raise awareness of Neighbourhood Renewal issues in elected members and statutory sector officers.
• projects and events that develop the skills and knowledge of community and voluntary sector groups to take an active role in Neighbourhood Renewal
• developing frameworks that consolidate partnership between statutory and voluntary/community sectors.

Cllr Peter Box, Wakefield Council Leader, said: "We are keen to put the Plan into action to learn what works so that we can solve the shortage of skills and knowledge. I hope that organisations and individuals which can help will take advantage of this first meeting. 

"In the past examples of best practice were lost because of lack of funding and evaluation systems.  With this programme we want to learn from any new methods which prove successful and use them to become mainstream practice for the future."

Anyone unable to attend can request copies of the Neighbourhood Renewal Learning Action Plan and associated documents in large print, on audiotape and in languages other than English. 

More information is available from Mark Cranmer, Community Engagement Co-ordinator, at Wakefield Town Hall on 01924 306962 (Type Talk calls also welcome), or email mcranmer@wakefield.gov.uk.

ENDS