The way forward for Kintyre?

[LO]

Can I just take a few minutes to clarify the history of Opportunity Kintyre?

1. Back in 2005-2006, The Scottish Executive was looking all over the world for new ways of delivering local support for economic development in communities.

2. During this process they discovered the work of the Dr Ernesto Sirolli, the Principal of The Sirolli Insitute, who pioneered the technique of Enterprise Facilitation in places as diverse as Africa, Australia, Italy and the USA.

3. Following discussions with Sirolli, the Scottish Executive decided that this would be worth trying in Scotland as a pilot scheme to assess whether or not it was worth rolling out throughout Scotland.

4. In late 2006, the Executive announced details of a competition whereby up to three communities would be offered the chance to host a pilot project..

6 Part of this bid was to include evidence of pledges from individuals and businesses from within the community (both in cash and in kind ) looking to achieve a minimum target of £50k. The prime reason for the pledges was to gauge the HUNGER of the community to host the project (this is a prerequisite for any involvement by the SI - they won't work in a community that doesn't show both a hunger and a need for their support)

7. The Scottish Executive would fund the bulk of the project costs with additional funding coming from pledges and other sources.

8. In Kintyre, a series of public meetings were held throughout the peninsula to see if there was the enthusiasm to mount a bid. There was, a proposal was written,the pledge level was achieved and exceeded, and to cut a long story short Opportunity Kintyre was one of the three bids which were successful along with one from East Perthshire and one from Dundee.

OK has been operating in the area now for around 18 months with Lynn Hammal operating effectively as the Enterprise Facilitator. Many people know about OK, and its community panel which has around 60 members throughout Kintyre and has helped a number of fledgling businesses. Equally though, many people haven't heard of OK or they have the wrong impression of what it does or think it is some kind of secret society! I think that this is an unfortunate consequence of having to sign a formal agreement with the SE and SI, which includes adhering to strict Sirolli guidelines for the duration of the pilot. Unfortunately, one aspect of doing so is that there are restrictions on publicity as the Sirolli model expects this to happen by word of mouth, I suppose on the basis that it makes the message stronger.

Anyway, I don't have time to post any more but I thought it was worth pointing out that

1) "Campbeltown" was not selected for this because it is one of the two most deprived area in Scotland

2) "Campbeltown" did not pay £50,000 to take part in an experiment to find out why it was deprived

3) OK is a Kintyre-wide initiative that is open to anyone over the age of 16 to join as an individual

Although OK is not a magic bullet to cure all Kintyre's economic ills, I'm pretty certain that it is a valid part of the solution. As always, the more people that become involved, the more effective an organisation can become.

Further information at

http://opportunitykintyre.org.uk/

[£3.73]

What was the question?

Now you're talking !!!

LO, thanks for the information, that's my weekend reading sorted out

... and then I'll be back to lay down the Gauntlet to interested parties, who hopefully like myself, would rather pro-actively shape their own destiny.

[History]

I thought it was worth pointing out that

1) "Campbeltown" was not selected for this because it is one of the two most deprived area in Scotland

2) "Campbeltown" did not pay £50,000 to take part in an experiment to find out why it was deprived

Your post quite rightly points out that I should say Kintyre and not Campbeltown. Definitely an inaccuracy on my part.

On the two points highlighted above regarding deprivation and the £50,000 it is what I truly understood to be the case so no mischief or malice intended. At one point I was asked for a contribution and told that it would be called for at a later date. Wrongly informed obviously.

Campbeltown" did not pay £50,000 to take part in an experiment to find out why it was deprived

Where did I say that the money was to find out why Campbeltown is deprived?

Now that you have posted on here anyone who reads it will have an understanding of the situation rather than word of mouth which at times can turn into Chinese Whispers.

that's my weekend reading sorted out

I take it you got a copy then

[History]

Now you're talking !!!

NO!!

[elainemck]

Thanks History for that info. I'll see if I can get hold of the Minutes on the A & B C website. And it's good to know that members of the CCC read this

I apologise for my ignorance on if the CCC existed and when/where it met but I'm only just getting back to Campbeltown life again And it's great that such a thing is in place and hopefully can make a difference to take Kintyre forward.

Thanks LO for the info on Opportunity Kintyre - a great enterprising initiative to be part of and hope it is successful? just checking out the web page now! Again, apologies for ignorance, I'm afraid I slipped away from everything that was going on in Kintyre being away for 10 years.

Emdee - interesting article on rebranding of Argyll & Bute... let's see what comes of it.

[EMDEE]

Argyll and Bute Brand

It would be interesting to find out a bit more about the establishment and promotion of the Argyll and Bute brand. Is anybody aware of what is going to happen? The article is a bit nebulous. Questions might be:

Is "brand" strictly the right word to use? Normally a brand name would be an all encompassing umbrella under which all the products of say, a company would be promoted. Is this the intention?

What methods are going to be used to research and analyse information in order to proceed with this project?

Will there be substantial community involvement and consultation? I would certainly hope so, as a project such as this would be pointless without it.

Is it going to be primarily concerned with tourism, or will it be geared towards wider economic development?

It would appear that the underlying rationale of the project is to "educate" the world, and potential customers, of the existence of Argyll and Bute, as Argyll and Bute Council seem to be of the opinion that it is currently perceived as a desert attached to the south-west of the Highland area.

Does the fact that Argyll and Bute Council consider such a project to be necessary not reflect on the job that they have done in past years in the promotion and maintenance of the profile of the area? Why is there more public awareness of the other areas mentioned in the article?

Could it be because Argyll and Bute is promoted by a Tourist Board that covers a much larger geographical area with other parts being more easily accessible? Is there not a case for the promotion of Argyll and Bute without having to share its publicity with other areas? Argyll and Bute is big enough to merit a dedicated Tourist board.

I would hope that something worthwhile comes from this project, and that it doesn't turn into an academic exercise with little in the way of tangible benefits.

[£3.73]

This is Ernesto Sirolli, (video taken from Sirolli website)

I must admit, having worked for & in partnership with some of the biggest bluechip companies in Europe, I am aghast !
Please watch the great man himself, and make up your own mind.

Me, I think I'll try lounging on a Caribbean beach, surrounded by nubile belly dancers, feeding me grapes & sipping on a JD & coke ..."at the top of my form" of course ... Yes, I think I'd love that, and possibly be really good at it ... and therefore be highly productive for any company willing to employ me in such a role (for 10 grand a day mind)... meanwhile some other sucker can do all the work !!!

Gie it laldy Ernesto .. you da man

[Mod4]

I have moved some posts to Speakers Corner at

viewtopic.php?f=21&t=6797

PLEASE try and keep to the thread!

[elainemck]

Regarding the Argyll & Bute 'brand'.... yes I think that is the right term to use? The public sector need to start using better techniques from the private sector counterparts to make their organisation work for a change. Let's see it happen for us and set the standard for other local authorities for a change.

Another thread caught my interest - Campbeltown losing the waterfront upgrade. Maybe we should all just abandon ship and close Kintyre and move as we seem to be invisible.

[minto]

I must admit, having worked for & in partnership with some of the biggest bluechip companies in Europe, & I am aghast !Please watch the great man himself, and make up your own mind.

Yes, and a great man he is. I met him last night.

[EMDEE]

It's good to see that this thread has started moving again.

Couple of questions about Opportunity Kintyre:

1. Am I correct in thinking that the pilot schemes will run for 3 years?

2. In the event of the Scottish Government deciding not to follow up the pilot schemes, is there a "Plan B" to keep such a facility going in Kintyre with alternative funding methods?

[£3.73]

Yes, and a great man he is. I met him last night.

Minto,

Your sense of irony is destroying me with laughter ! Seriously! (and I was under the impression humour is now banned from serious threads ? ... not that I like to complain or anything)

In the first breath you are having a pop at "incomers, who want to dictate local policy" ....

.... and in the next you are being reverential towards an Italian (based in St.Pauls, Minnesota, USA) ..... and hailing him as the next Colonial Overlord or Our Salvation !!!

Perhaps it may have been safer to start your posting career with "Hello World" ...

[LO]

It's good to see that this thread has started moving again.

Couple of questions about Opportunity Kintyre:

1. Am I correct in thinking that the pilot schemes will run for 3 years?

2. In the event of the Scottish Government deciding not to follow up the pilot schemes, is there a "Plan B" to keep such a facility going in Kintyre with alternative funding methods?

EMDEE

1. Yes it was a three year pilot - much of the first year was taken up with developing the community resources required to host the project. The pilot will finish here in the Spring of 2009, ahead of the other two which were slower at getting started.

2. Plans B and C are currently in development - funding will always be a challenge for this type of project which doesn't tick the usual boxes for conventional funding criteria. All known options are being explored in the even that the Scottish Government doesn't wish to take this forward.

[westport321]

I was born and raised in the town, and have seen over the years the loss of jobs and good people. I have also seen the complete disregard by ABC for the area, roads on many of the outer islands are much better than in kintyre.I no longer live in the town but live in a small farming community in the states. We have some of the same problems, very few good jobs and a feeling that the area is becoming a bedroom community. What is happening now is that the good old boys that ran things for years are starting to die off and a younger group has come to the fore. We are starting to see food festivals, shops becoming involved in "hot chocolate night" where all the shops stay open and serve hot chocolate on the pavements outside to customers and an influx of reasonably priced antique shops. This community is starting to agressivly search for good employers.We recently built our 1st indoor swimming pool and recreation center complete with gym and nice indoor facilities.Our 1st internet cafe has just opened and a new 100 bed hotel just built, things are starting to look up.
This was accomplished by the COMMUNITY, the people that said we have to do something to liven this place up or the community will die.
We do not have the natural beauty of kintyre, nor do we have the musical and artistic talent that Kintyre posesses that could be marketed to a high degree, but they are doing something and ignoring the naysayers who said" we cant change that" or "it will never work'.
The community ignored these people and started speaking out and demanding a move into the 21st century and its happening.
Kintyre needs and should DEMAND a better transportation system,That road is an abomination and should be completely rebuilt, most business and tourists travel by road and those roads are a nightmare for moving manufactured goods to and from the area. CN has a very nice ferry terminal, put pressure on the powers that be that it be USED. Why no sunday flights into and out of the airport? Market" cradle of the nation" this is where Scotland started, how many people know that?
Dump the wednesday half day routine and shopkeeprs PLEASE welcome your customers, most shops seem to have a dont bother me attitude if you are a tourist, if you dont know how to do that, take some classes on customer service.Rebuild the Kiel hotel into a convention centre and become the convention centre of Scotland. Market "cradle of the nation" Scottish weddings. I could go on and on, but I wont. Primarily the area needs good jobs, that will be the start, it will take years to accomplish but a vision must be formed as to what the area wants to be known for.It can be done, the communities should start talking and then roaring at their councillors to make those changes that better the people and I think that if all the communities could come together as Kintyre and demand that things change they will, eventually the squeeky wheel gets oiled. OK off my soapbox now.

[WC1]

I've found this thread very interesting while at the same time feeling at something of a loss to know what I could possibly contribute. Of one thing I am certain: there will be no ONE way forward for Kintyre. There is a plethora of individuals and agencies all with something relevant to contribute - Community Council, Argyll and Bute Council, AIE, the Kintyre Initiative Working Group, Opportunity Kintyre to begin with, before we even get to a national level and bring in the Scottish and Westminster governments. And there are plenty of ideas out there, along with examples of what similar communities have done elsewhere that we could copy or adapt.

If any one of the sudden, major losses of employment that have happened here had happened in the Central Belt - scaled up to match the overall population - it would have been bigger in scale and more devastating in its effects than the closure of Ravenscraig or Upper Clyde Shipbuilders, for example. Various sorts of government initiative followed those major economic catastrophes. The numbers involved here may be much smaller, but proportionately they are every bit as devastating, or more so, to this community. The government (at whatever level) needs to take it just as seriously. So I think we need to get together everyone who may have something to suggest or to offer, thrash out a range of possible ways forward, then send a community delegation to lobby both Holyrood and Westminster to get them as involved in delivering initiatives and solutions - with appropriate levels of funding - as they were when the likes of Ravenscraig went down the Swanee. And soon.