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During the Caithness Challenge communities were supported through regular collaborative events and coaching to test out a range of different ideas to use underused local spaces in new ways that support the community to live well locally.
Achievements included:
Establishing a local youth group
Local volunteers worked with young people to set up a youth group in the community hall as a safe space for young people to connect and unwind. The group aims to connect young people with local employers, services, and additional activities.
Local volunteers worked with young people to set up a youth group in the community hall as a safe space for young people to connect and unwind. The group aims to connect young people with local employers, services, and additional activities.
Piloting a ‘hub’ approach to local service outreach
A successful family fun day at the community hall brought local families together, but also featured a range of stalls from local services, including NHS, housing services, employment services and others, testing out a collaborative, accessible model of delivering services.
A successful family fun day at the community hall brought local families together, but also featured a range of stalls from local services, including NHS, housing services, employment services and others, testing out a collaborative, accessible model of delivering services.
Increasing utilisation of the university campus in the community
The Challenge team promoted the community facilities offered by the university through developing a communications campaign, and tested out using the spaces for community activities, which now includes a family support group.
The Challenge team promoted the community facilities offered by the university through developing a communications campaign, and tested out using the spaces for community activities, which now includes a family support group.
Formation of the Caithness Collective Leadership Group
This group co-designed, led and facilitated this work, bringing together cross-sector leaders from anchor organisations and offering a sustainable approach to local leadership.
This group co-designed, led and facilitated this work, bringing together cross-sector leaders from anchor organisations and offering a sustainable approach to local leadership.
"Previously with wicked issues, I was looking internally for solutions – now I look to partners."Member of Caithness Collective Leadership Group
The approach
The Caithness Challenge approach brought people together from across Caithness to test out their ideas about how to make best use of their existing resources, and breathe new life into underused local spaces, in order to help people to live well locally.
Over 40 people were actively involved, including community members, young people, local leaders, and practitioners, whilst underused buildings and spaces acted as ‘vehicles’ for place-based change.
Drawing from the achievements, insights and learning from the Caithness Challenge, we identified six key conditions for place-based change across Scotland:
- Working together with purpose
- Collaborative leadership at all levels
- Making best use of assets
- Involving young people
- Storytelling – seeing change happen
- Celebrating and harnessing innovation, entrepreneurial spirit
"The Caithness Demonstrator project has successfully shown how people can work together to create place-based change. This approach offers a clear roadmap for other communities across Scotland to follow."Place and Partnership Director
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