We ran Green Spaces and Sustainable Communities (GSSC) between 2000 and 2006. The initiative was made up of 11 programmes that operated in different countries of the UK.
Overall, GSSC set out to create, preserve or promote access to green spaces, and to encourage community-based projects that engaged local people in caring for their environment and promoting sustainable development. Our funding allocation for the initiative also took account of levels of deprivation – we wanted to promote social as well as environmental benefits.
Each of the programmes was run by an award partner – organisations with specific expertise in relevant areas of environmental work.
We commissioned Baker Associates and Alison Millward Associates to evaluate the effectiveness of:
- GSSC in promoting social inclusion, including assessing social, economic and environmental achievements of the initiative; and
- our decision to use award partners to deliver the initiative.
The evaluation covered ten of the award partner programmes. The eleventh, the Scottish Land Fund, was evaluated separately.
Main findings
- GSSC funding made real and varied differences to the lives of many disadvantaged people. But understandings of 'disadvantage' also differed between award partners.
- Community-led projects tended to be more successful at promoting community involvement and developing social capital.
- Overall, social benefits were the most marked, followed by environmental and then economic ones. GSSC showed the value of linking these areas, as well as that of sustainable development.
- Sustaining the benefits of the projects after our funding ended was a complex issue – and one for all involved to think about from the outset.
- Award partners brought environmental expertise and enthusiasm to the initiative and to supporting projects. Our funding helped to build capacity in award partners and to strengthen their links to other sectors, notably housing and play. The approach also allowed other funding to be drawn in.
- But the diversity of partners and approaches risked making our overall vision for the initiative somewhat confusing. And some award partners found it hard to provide adequate support for applicants and grant-holders within agreed administrative budgets, particularly when working with small and inexperienced groups.
Reports
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