Get Involved
The report’s recommendations and agreed further activity:
Communities will need to develop new skills to enable them to identify core threats that impact on their sustainability and develop local solutions based upon their Community Capital. To support and focus communities we recommend that Central Government:
- requires local plans to consider the impact of the Northern Powerhouse on northern communities
- considers the recommendations of NALC to implement some form of rural devolution
The RSA North Fellowship Councillors will support the development of local solutions with the following activites:
- Skills shortage and misalignment are linked to weak productivity. During the round table discussions, it was agreed that local solutions are required that will provide clearer and more accessible pathways to more varied and relevant careers. Towns can play a role in developing relationships between businesses and education/training providers. In one of our next projects we will focus on skills alignment in rural communities. It will be focused on Frodsham and will develop and test ways in which local employers including enterprise sites such as Sci-Tech Daresbury, Thornton Science Park and Ince Recovery Centre can develop links with local schools and influence local skills development.
- A second follow-up project will focus on hub working and business models that promote flexibility and optimise productivity. We will also consider what factors should be considered when deciding how to engage with City Regions. Our conclusions will inform the type of activity the Fellowship should support with time and financial resources. We will support local initiatives like the exploration of Community Capital in Kendal and the viability of a Cultural Hub in Berwick upon Tweed.
- The Incredible Edible team has launched a project under the banner of Incredible North to explore a new type of prosperity, one that embraces health, wealth and happiness. They want to identify people with the will to change, people who want to find a better way and to help them. They want to enable individuals and whole communities to make best use of their resources (human, social, built and natural), combining them with new technology and exploring new ways of doing things that will help communities build sustainable futures. This fits with the RSA’s existing work on Community Capital and the Northern Powerhouse focus on increasing productivity.
If you would like to get involved or support this follow on activity please contact Rod Hyde FRSA or Kate Dodgson FRSA.