This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Bigger say for Rural Voices
09/02/2004
The Executive is to make £150,000
available to rural communities throughout Scotland through
its Scottish National Rural Partnership to enable them to
gather information on important local services.
Allan Wilson, Deputy Minister for
Rural Development, announced that the Executive would be
continuing a pilot initiative Rural Voices: Action Research
Competition (RV:ARC).
He said:
"The Scottish Executive is committed
to helping Scotland's rural communities develop services
which properly meet the needs of people living and working
in them.
"This innovative programme proved to
be very successful in its first year and helped promote
sustainable community development in rural Scotland. This
latest funding will provide financial support for up to 15
community action research projects from all over Scotland
to encourage rural communities to become directly involved
in consultations on rural services.
"Rural communities are best placed to
assess their own needs. This competition will enable them
to design, run and take part in their own research
projects, resulting in the improvement of local services in
their area."
Full training and on-going support
will be provided to the communities through out the
programme. Emphasis is placed on grass-root communities
defining their own project aims to meet their own local
needs.
No guidelines are set over the subject
of the research.
Instead, the communities can focus on any
aspect of concern for them locally.
This might be services for young people or
different uses for village halls, access to shops,
libraries and health services or the need for advice
centres.
The closing date is March 15 and successful
projects will be notified in May.
RV:ARC will be publicised widely through rural
channels such as Rural Gateway website, Local Rural
Partnerships, Community Planning Partnerships, Scottish
Local Authorities and Voluntary organisations.
Applications are available from Nina Loginova, Rural
Voices Project Co-ordinator, Environment and Rural
Affairs Research Team.
RuralVoices@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
Tel: 0131 244 4183