RDC(3) RRSWA1
Rural Development Sub-Committee
Inquiry into Reorganisation of Schools in Rural Wales
Response from The Association of Communities in Wales with Small Schools (ACWSS)
The Association of Communities in Wales with Small Schools (ACWSS) aims to promote the benefit and opportunity of community and social development in areas of Wales with small schools. The organisation is made up of the Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales (CPRW), The Farmers Union of Wales (FUW), Wales YFC, Merched y Wawr, NFWI-Wales and the Small Welsh Schools Fund (SWSF -The Fundraising Arm) of the Association of Communities in Wales with Small Schools (ACWSS)
ACWSS aims to work with a variety of agencies including the Assembly, Local Authorities and community groups in areas with small schools to ensure that the public services are developed on a 'joined up thinking’ approach. We would also like to see planning developed on a more holistic and community shared resource basis. The ultimate aim is to stimulate new enterprises for our communities and to ensure that young people can find employment, housing and a decent standard of living which in turn will allow the social balance to have a stable level of children to populate the successful small schools of Wales.”
In terms of this inquiry the three main points that ACWSS wishes to highlight are:
1. Independent consultation & engagement process.
To develop an intermediate body to ensure fair consultation provision when Local Authorities conduct their individual consultations. Currently many communities have expressed that they have lost confidence in the consultation system.
Providing initial funding to recruit independent assessors to oversee the consultation process will give greater confidence and ensure local authorities give greater involvement to communities.
2. Effective use of community & public sector resources.
To integrate community schools and other public sector buildings as physical resources for the community to stimulate community and social activities and sustainable social enterprises.
To promote the Asset Transfer of school building to become community co-operatives. The school provision can be maintained and access to funding made easier within community facilities funding bids. The transfer will allow pride and ownership of building by local citizens. Full training and support for individuals involved will be important. As an example the Cylch Meithrin Model has worked well with each Cylch set up as a charity with Trustees having access to Governance and operational support from area co-ordinators.
Encourage volunteering by community group members who can have access to the school building with voluntary led initiatives. Training as volunteer care-taking and cleaning duties will eliminate additional costs for use of the buildings and resources.
New community groups can be formed and current groups developed to take advantage of additional community-led funding initiatives, to provide additional resources at the school/community led building.
Such initiatives will ensure full social inclusion for the catchment area of population and also reinforce pride and ownership by the residents and children. Our ain is to ensuring a social/educational benefit for young citizens
3. Promoting Rural Sustainability by engaging and supporting rural social entrepreneurs
To ensure that School Buildings become the hub of Social and Community Enterprise development. Working with school governors and PTA’s to look at new opportunities for social and community regeneration, using proven social enterprise development. Parts of the school building could be redesigned to offer weekend courses, a weekend retail function, meals on wheel/catering, conferencing, to act as a catalyst for new ideas.
Working with other agencies and other local authority departments to ensure that we:
'Make the Connections’ between various services. To ensure that the current 'Silo’ mentality of a lack of 'joined up thinking’ and planning is developed on a more holistic and shared resource basis.
The ultimate aim is to stimulate new enterprises for our communities and to ensure that young people can find employment, housing and a decent standard of living. Which in turn will allow the social balance to have a stable level of children to populate the historically successful small schools of Wales.
ACWSS have received confirmation in June 2008 that a European Funding bid to look at best examples of small school education across areas of Europe has been successful. The lead partners in Poland will be visiting Wales in September to exchange ideas. The Polish example of co-operative school run by the community is a robust and sustainable model. They have demonstrated how rural communities can support the village schools via full ownership and control by the parents and local citizens rather than council departments and officers imposing top down directives from people who have no local knowledge or understanding of rural issues.
Deb Wozencraft - Voluntary Secretary of ACWSS
June 2008
