Regeneration Exchange have commissioned and participated in a number of items of research aimed at sharing good practice and knowledge amongst regeneration practitioners in the North East.  These are outlined below:

Building Social Capital Case Study Report

The North East Social Capital Forum (NESCF) is a joint initiative between the Community Foundation and Regeneration Exchange, funded by One North East. It is the first regional initiative to attempt to capture social capital as a tool for economic and community development. It aims to raise awareness of social capital as a practical tool, and to identify good practice in the North East.

Social capital is generally acknowledged as a force for the good of all, at least when it is of the type that is inclusive and promotes social cohesion. There has been much discussion and research on understanding just what social capital is and on measuring it. What is still lacking is the ‘nuts and bolts’ of how it happens. This study aims to begin to identify the elements and process of how social capital has been built taking a case study approach. The case studies are built up using projects that typically exhibit a high level of a particular type of social capital.

The report, and further information on the North East Social Capital Forum is available by following the links below:

Building Social Capital Case Study Report

NE Social Capital Forum Link

Assessing the contribution of Community Empowerment Networks to communities, the VCS and public sector partners in the North East 

CENs in the North East have made an extraordinary contribution to the Community Engagement agenda in the North East. They work to underpin a “healthy third sector (which) is in itself a national priority outcome”.

However despite their considerable progress it is clear that effective community engagement takes time and resources. This report documents where the North East CENs are currently at in terms of their development and highlights areas for further development. Amid a national and local review of LAAs, the end of Neighbourhood Renewal Fund and ongoing consultations and discussions with Department of Communities and Local Government, the future of CENs nationally is uncertain. As this report evidences most CENs in the North East are under threat as their funding is not ring-fenced and individual local authorities and LSPs have varying levels of commitment to continuing their funding.

The report, is available by following the link below:

NEEP Community Empowerment Network Final Report

Shotton Partnership Training and Skills Analysis

This research provides an analysis of the current level of skills and educational attainment within the workforce currently employed by business trading in, or based in, Shotton colliery, and provides evidence of the future skills training and educational needs of the population.   It also provides suggestions as to how those needs could be met within the context of the existing Community Economic Development Initiative (CEDI) in Shotton.

The report is available by following the link below:

Shotton Workforce Skills Analysis Final Report

North East ChangeUp Good Practice Review & Case Studies

One of four recommendations resulting from the North East Regional Voluntary and Community Sector ChangeUp Infrastructure Development Plan was to develop a mechanism to share good practice at a regional level. On behalf of the Regional Consortium, Voluntary Organisations Network North East (VONNE) commissioned Regeneration Exchange and ARK 19 to undertake a North East Good Practice Review involving 23 case studies of region-wide and sub-regional

ChangeUp initiatives.

The Good Practice Review aimed to identify and highlight areas of good practice as well as issues facing the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) organisations involved in delivering ChangeUp in the North East.

ChangeUp Good Practice Review Report

ChangeUp Case Study Matrix

ChangeUp Case Studies

Project Succession after SRB for the VCS

Single Regeneration Budget (SRB) funding will come to an end in March 2006. Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) projects that are still receiving SRB funding will need to plan their future.

Invest 2006 is a campaign in the North East to secure funding for voluntary and community groups beyond SRB and other funding streams (e.g. European Social Fund, which is also due to end in 2006). Invest 2006 and SRB6 Preparing for Change in Newcastle upon Tyne has commissioned some work to offer practical support to VCS projects. An audit of project needs took place in December 2005, and a series of training seminars was held in January 2006 on funding, creating a

more business-like VCS, and the voice of the VCS.

This guide has been produced to help VCS projects with their succession planning.  It contains information from the audit and training seminars, examples of good practice and other projects' experiences, details of resources for succession planning, and contact information for support organisations in the region.

Project Succession Booklet

North East Neighbourhood Renewal In Action

"North East Neighbourhood Renewal in Action" has been produced as a result of a partnership between Regeneration Exchange, Government Office North East's LSP Team and the Social Futures Institute at the University of Teesside.

Its purpose is to provide a response to the needs of both practitioners and policy makers in understanding what works in neighbourhood renewal interventions and to act as an opportunity for partnerships to fulfil part of their audit and best value reviews in respect of the promotion of practice and 'good news stories'.

To find out more and read the case studies click here.