Growing Community Assets

Practical support for an asset based approach to community regeneration

Leading Scottish politicians have referred to ‘a silent revolution’ in community ownership and empowerment over recent years in the Highlands and Islands. This has been achieved through strategic support for a community asset based approach to regeneration.

This special SURF seminar investigated the further potential of this approach in disadvantaged communities throughout Scotland. The event was supported by SURF sponsoring organisation, Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), which has a responsibility for promoting and administering the Growing Community Asset (GCA) fund on behalf of the Big Lottery Fund in Scotland.

The GCA fund supports regeneration efforts by helping rural and urban communities obtain assets that will provide a positive economic and social impact on the community in the long term. The closing date for applications in 2008 is the 1st August. For further details, please visit the following link:

http://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/prog_growing_community_assets.htm

The following downloads from this event are available:

1) Presentation slides from SURF Chief Executive Andy Milne’s introduction and background to the event

2) Slides from HIE’s Head of Community Land Unit Andrew Anderson and HIE’s GCA Project Manager Anita Proctor substantial presentation on a wide range of aspects of the GCA fund.