We wish to follow up on our recent statement about issues affecting the realization of development in Strathnairn, to ensure we can reconcile these and move forward constructively together.
Of course many community groups are doing amazing work with great results for the community, and there is much to celebrate. However, the relationship between SCBF, SDC and SNCC is pivotal to deliver larger projects residents have voiced as priorities such as affordable housing, a social hub, paths for active travel, improved public transport and outdoor spaces. As our statement highlighted, it is these types of projects which are not being delivered. This is due to our collective weaknesses in governance – the structures and processes through which decisions are made, objectives defined and the ways we interact to do so (governance is different to management, which comprises the day to day activities through which decisions are implemented).
Our benefit fund and development trust are separate charitable organisations with SCBF acting as authority over funds which SDC applies for, with limited additional interaction. In most other communities across Scotland (including Strathdearn, Stratherrick, Garve and many more), the model is for these organisations to sit side by side, sometimes under the same umbrella organization, and to work closely, continuously, to formulate shared strategies, ideas, proposals, projects and events in the community. In Strathanairn, the SDC and SCBF boards have somewhat divergent understandings of what development means and pathways to deliver it. The main way we interact is only at community council meetings, which have become slightly undignified recurring events of throwing blame at one another and moving further apart. Past experiences and individual relationships add to the dysfunctional mix. Taking sides, playing politics to undermine the other, and arguing will not help improve the situation. We all need instead to acknowledge there is a problem, come together with humility, maturity and the community’s interests at heart to let the past go, co-design improved governance processes based on mutual respect and trust and forge a better more collaborative path forward.
We understand why our public expression of our Board’s perspective may induce negative reactions among SCBF directors, as we have at times felt from your own public expressions about our ‘failures’. Yet, we hope we can all reflect, now put aside past experiences and personal grievances and collectively look to reset, think innovatively and put our heads together in an improved effort to deliver sustainable development in the strath.
We do not make these suggestions reactively or speculatively but through experience and expertise. SDC is a registered SCIO (Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation) and constituted to run its own affairs. SDC’s Chair is a respected professor of economics who advises the Scottish government on poverty and social policy and has played a role in numerous large social development projects from Glasgow to the Highlands. SDC’s secretary teaches courses and works with communities across Scotland to further cultural connection and empowerment. Our vice chair is an applied social scientist specializing in the governance of community institutions and his publications are widely utilized by development practitioners around the world. We could go on. So we understand the many different qualities of governance, relationships and leadership that are necessary for successful development projects, and where improvements could be made in our organisations.
As a community we are in such an advantageous position in Strathnairn with our own funds available, good community assets and many community groups. But we do lack some resources and opportunities, and are over reliant on Inverness to provide them. We are far behind other rural communities in some respects, suggesting we could rethink our approach and learn from others. Imagine if we were at the beginning again, with the first funds from wind farms becoming available. How would we set up our benefit fund and development trust and establish their boards and the platforms they work through to ensure they deliver for the community? What differences might there be to the current situation, and how have other communities done it to good effect?
Why should we make changes in how our benefit fund and development trust work together? The SDC board believe this reflection and change is essential for the following reasons:
- To build the cooperation required to co-create and achieve larger projects. Development is challenging! Other communities’ benefit funds and development trusts sit side by side, planning, conducting and assessing most activities collaboratively. Ours are clearly far too detached, structurally and in thinking. This means we lack the mutual understanding and trust required to properly support community employees or to initiate and deliver large, long term projects.
- To make the lives of volunteers easier and more fulfilling. This not unique to SDC, but we hear of numerous instances where volunteering has become hard, such as funding renewal being an arduous process. Criticism and uncertainty can bring stress and fatigue. At SDC, the recruitment of CDOs has been difficult and time consuming. But people do change jobs for all kinds of reasons. To be labelled as failures without even being consulted and have funding frozen, and decisions taken away from us is deflating. It dampens enthusiasm at times when support is required. All community volunteers are stretched already. With support, praise and encouragement for creativity it can be more fun. Such positive atmospheres attract more people, make people more likely to lead events or projects and share their ideas rather than suppressing them.
- Creating the space for ideas to flourish. Better collaboration and more informal spaces for sharing and developing ideas can lead to innovation, such as finding staffing solutions that can unlock potential to achieve positive things for the community.
- The alternative is dire. Conflict, blame, political manoeuvring and burning of bridges will not bring these things for the community. Arguments and aggression at public meetings are undignified and unhelpful and have become too common here. When we talk of needed improvements in governance of our local organisations and their interactions these are the changes and the likely benefits we envisage. It is time to step up and show leadership qualities with the bigger picture of a better future in mind.
The option we favour to inspire improvements in Strathnairn is to come together in a set of facilitated meetings to both equip our community group boards and volunteers with the skills they need, and to help them build shared visions about how our community groups fit together, for how volunteering could best be supported through staff, resources and funds, for the types of projects to run and how best to deliver them.
This could be an inspiring event, a means to forge better understanding and relationships between community groups and a way to bring in new volunteers, community group leaders and project managers.
We intend to write a proposal to SCBF for such an event as a progressive way forward for our groups. We all wish to produce social benefit for the community, and to do so we must avoid bickering and revisiting past grievances and instead move forward in a spirit of cooperation. We look forward to constructive discussions soon. If you support such an event or approach, we would love to hear from you. Also if you have alternative ideas or if you disagree, we always welcome your feedback at michael@strathnairndevelopment.scot .