Scottish Government

4 DUMFRIES & GALLOWAY

Project Background and Rationale

Background

4.1 The Dumfries and Galloway Pathfinder was designed to target different communities within Dumfries and Galloway to explore levels of cultural participation and awareness and to investigate barriers to cultural participation. Understanding the community, perceptions and interaction with cultural activities lay at the heart of the Pathfinder project which aimed to engage communities in a large-scale consultation exercise and to use these findings to inform future strategy and activity.

4.2 The project targeted three geographic communities: Langholm and Eskdale; Dalbeattie and the Solway Coast; and Stranraer and the Rhinns. These areas represent the rural nature of the region.

4.3 The project was a consultation study aimed at gathering the views of those already engaged in cultural activities and those who are not. The views of young people were also important, and specific activities were included to capture input from young people and their families.

4.4 Consultation workshops were held in Langholm and Eskdale and in Dalbeattie and the Solway Coast. In Stranraer and the Rhinns a small number of workshops took place but the main focus of activity was on producing a film of 'stories' of the Dicks Hill estate. This project was driven by the local community and a number of groups worked collaboratively to deliver the project.

4.5 The Pathfinder was delivered by Dumfries and Galloway Council's Cultural Services in partnership with Dumfries and Galloway Arts Association ( DGAA). DGAA managed the operational aspects of the project and worked with other stakeholders including the CPP. External researchers from Glasgow Caledonian University's Division of Cultural Business ( DCB) were commissioned by the partners to deliver the consultation elements of the project.

Aims and Objectives

4.6 The aim of the Dumfries and Galloway Pathfinder was to determine what people of a rural region expect from their cultural entitlements. The project aimed to deliver desired outcomes such as increased confidence, social networks, greater participation by individuals and increased capacity and confidence to deliver cultural activities. The project also sought to identify any issues and barriers that rural populations face in accessing cultural opportunities.

4.7 Specific aims were defined in the Evaluation Plan as:

• to develop a broader awareness of cultural provision already available;
• to improve understanding of how people learn about cultural opportunities;
• to stimulate increased activity through cultural planning;
• to identify and seek to address barriers to participation;
• to identify and seek to address any perceived gaps in provision; and
• to develop improved communication conduits.

Funding

4.8 The total cost of the project was £107,000 of which 61% (£65,000) was provided by the Cultural Pathfinder Programme. Match funding of £42,000 was provided by the local authority and DGAA.

Strategic fit

4.9 The project was developed in line with national cultural policy guidance at the time (eg Scotland's Culture).

4.10 Locally, there was no cultural policy for Dumfries and Galloway and it was intended that the findings from the Pathfinder would be used to shape a new policy that was under development.

4.11 The Community Plan for Dumfries and Galloway, launched in 2000 and updated in 2004 presents a vision for culture as "we will utilise our high quality natural environment and distinctive cultural heritage to encourage economic growth and retention." Culture sits within the inclusive communities theme of Community Planning. Enabling people to have the means and motivation to make a greater contribution to the cultural life of the area is central to this theme. Therefore, the Pathfinder project fits well with the Community Planning vision.

Activities and Processes

4.12 The Dumfries and Galloway Pathfinder project was led by Dumfries and Galloway Cultural Services and DGAA. DGAA project managed the project and was responsible for co-ordinating input from partners and for managing commissioned researchers from DCB. A project steering group with representatives from the Council, DGAA, DCB and Community Planning provided strategic input to the project.

4.13 The project focussed on community consultation and engagement and a range of consultation exercises were carried out. The initial phase of the study, 'Development of Research Methodology' identified tools and techniques for community engagement and developed a training package to be used by those delivering community engagement and consultation exercises.

4.14 DCB was commissioned to develop the research methodology and to train artists and facilitators in the use of participatory tools and techniques. During this first phase, the three geographic communities were selected and were felt to represent the rural nature and makeup of the region.

4.15 An important aspect of this initial phase of the project was the development of tools and techniques for participatory research and training for facilitators. DGAA staff was also involved in these training sessions to ensure they had a full understanding of the methods being used.

4.16 Phase two of the project was carrying out participatory research, using various methods, including:

• workshops across the three communities;
• film making;
• discussion groups;
• cultural activity monitoring through diaries; and
• cultural activity monitoring through 'blogs'.

4.17 A total of twenty workshops were hosted across the three community areas. These workshops were held with established groups, many of which were involved directly in cultural activities (eg singing groups, amateur dramatic groups).

4.18 The film making exercise was prompted by a major regeneration scheme in the Dicks Hill estate. The local community were keen to capture the 'stories' of the estate before its redevelopment. The film documents life on the estate in the fifties and sixties, life on the estate currently and captures people's hopes for the future following its regeneration. This activity involved a collaboration of eleven groups in the area and a creative director and filmmaker from Urbancroft.

4.19 DGAA staff, artists and facilitators were involved in this aspect of the study. DCB was not involved in the 'hands on' delivery.

4.20 Cultural activity monitoring was introduced as a new element of the project during the project design stage. It was recognised by the project team that the participatory research would only capture the views of those already participating in, or aware of, cultural activities. To capture the views of a wider audience, cultural activity monitoring was introduced. This included student diaries and online blogs.

4.21 Students at two local secondary schools - Langholm Academy and Stranraer Academy - kept a cultural diary. These diaries tracked the experiences and cultural participation of the young people and their families. 124 students participated in this exercise.

4.22 To add value and depth to the diary exercise, an internet blog site was set up and participants were posed questions about culture. Students from both schools were invited to participate in this, although uptake varied in each school.

4.23 The findings from consultations and the monitoring activities were consolidated by DCB and reported in the Final Pathfinder Report. It is unclear from the final report whether an evaluation of the project has been carried out - the report, by Glasgow Caledonian University, reports on the activities and achievements of the project. From consultations with project partners it is understood that the activities have been evaluated and a wrap-up event at the end of the project, attended by a wide range of interested parties, provided a forum for further feedback and discussion.

4.24 The Scottish Government evaluation plan was used as an initial template for evaluation but it not clear whether a full evaluation has been carried out. A full evaluation report should have been produced at the end of the Pathfinder and is expected by the Scottish Government.

Achievements and Impacts

4.25 The achievements and impacts presented are mainly those outlined in the Final Report and the evaluation consultation feedback.

4.26 In line with the Evaluation Toolkit, the Evaluation Plan for the Dumfries and Galloway Pathfinder identified indicators in relation to Activities, Participation, Satisfaction, Impacts and Value for Money.

Activity

4.27 From the Final Pathfinder Report and consultations with project stakeholders it is clear that the project achieved against each identified indicator.

4.28 The project successfully followed its project plan and devised a consultation toolkit with support from DCB. This toolkit of participatory tools and techniques was used in delivering community-based consultation workshops. DCB provided training to artists, facilitators and DCB staff and, as such, built capacity amongst the research team. Although some of the partners had awareness and understanding of participatory methods prior to the study, it was reported that the toolkit and training were useful and valuable activities.

4.29 Feedback from consultations indicates that the consultation toolkit was effective and generated a lot of rich data.

4.30 The project aimed to recruit community organisations and from the final report it is clear that this was achieved. Thirty-one organisations across the three areas were involved either in workshops or in the film making activity.

4.31 Developing projects and delivering cultural events were also identified as indicators in the evaluation plan. From the report, it is clear that the community engagement workshops combined consultation with project development and/or cultural events. For example, artists such as voice coaches, dance tutors and musicians worked with groups to develop their skills or add new dimensions to their existing activities. The film making project about Dicks Hill brought eleven community groups together with a director and film maker to capture views and aspirations of community members.

4.32 Overall, the Pathfinder has delivered project development and has provided groups with an opportunity to experience cultural activities and build capacity. However, it is not clear what particular methods were used to capture people's views at the workshops. The workshops provided groups with an opportunity to work with an artist and develop their practice. It is not clear what proportion of time spent in the workshops involved working with the artist and what proportion of time was spent on consultation.

4.33 Work with the CPP to develop an interface with cultural planning was identified as a key indicator in the Evaluation Plan. From consultation feedback it is evident that the CPP was involved at the strategic level on the project steering group and at a local level in identifying and encouraging community groups to participate.

4.34 From feedback, the input of the CPP at meetings was infrequent and the local input varied by local area. In one area in particular, the local Community Planning officer was very pro-active at engaging with groups and encouraging them to participate.

4.35 The Pathfinder project engaged with the Rural Partnerships in Dumfries and Galloway and presentations were made about the Pathfinder project and aims. It is unclear whether the input of Community Planning and engagement with the Rural Partnerships has enabled the development of an interface with planning for cultural provision for the future and whether the partnerships will be involved in the development of the new Cultural Strategy for Dumfries and Galloway.

Participation

4.36 The Pathfinder project has largely achieved each of the indicators set for participation. The project set specific targets as follows:

• will work with five community groups in each of the three areas;
• will achieve 100 participants in each of the three areas; and
• will attract audiences of 400 in each of the three areas.

4.37 The project worked with a total of 20 community groups through the engagement workshops and a further four groups were engaged in additional discussions with DGAA staff. The Pathfinder report does not report the number of participants or audience members in each of the areas and therefore it is unclear whether those targets, as outlined, have been achieved. From evidence it is clear that individual community members that were not part of established groups were not engaged with as part of this Pathfinder project.

4.38 The Pathfinder project sought to engage people from rural communities to examine their expectations of cultural entitlement and also, to examine the issues faced by rural populations in accessing cultural opportunities. From evidence it is clear that this has been achieved by engaging groups and individuals in local communities.

4.39 During the design phase project managers and researchers from DCB became aware that the activities mainly focussed on engaging with those already involved in cultural activities. To address this, the activity monitoring cultural activities by young people was included.

4.40 These activities only focussed on young people living in Dumfries and Galloway. This was recognised as a potential weakness by project stakeholders who reported difficulties in engaging with people with mental ill health and in making links with potential facilitators, including the NHS, who could have helped identify and encourage participation from a wider population. The project partners reported disappointment and frustration with the lack of engagement and buy-in to the project by the local NHS.

4.41 The community engagement workshops largely engaged local arts and culture groups but it is noted that for the Dicks Hill film, groups providing support for addiction issues, parental support and training activities were involved.

4.42 Overall, the Pathfinder achieved its target of working with five community groups. Without a finalised evaluation it is not clear whether the participant and audience targets were achieved.

Satisfaction

4.43 The levels of satisfaction of project participants and community groups were not clearly reported in the Pathfinder report. Without evaluation feedback from the participatory workshop and cultural monitoring activity it is unclear whether these outputs have been achieved. The final evaluation report should enable a full assessment of the achievements but this has not been made available by the project as yet.

4.44 From consultations with project stakeholders it can be concluded that the steering group was largely satisfied with the running and outcomes of the project.

4.45 Project partners were satisfied with the community consultation work and the information that it generated. Partners were also satisfied that the project has helped to raise the profile of cultural activities taking place within communities.

4.46 In terms of value for money, project partners were very satisfied that the project offered good value for money in both the commissioned work and project management and support activities.

Impact

4.47 From the Pathfinder Report and consultations with project partners it is unclear whether the project achieved all of its forecast impact.

• The following indicators were defined in the Evaluation Plan:
• increased levels of confidence amongst participants;
• increased social networks amongst participants;
• greater likelihood of future participation;
• increased capacity within the group to deliver cultural activities; and
• increased confidence within the group to pursue their aspirations.

4.48 Engagement workshops with artists were designed to enhance cultural participation and activity within communities. The workshop sessions with artists helped local groups to develop their skills and try new techniques. For a group of young men who were involved in workshops, their involvement enabled them to produce two short films. From the workshop descriptions it can be concluded that some groups developed their capacity for active engagement by working with artists. Evidence of increased confidence, social networks and greater future participation was not provided and therefore it is unclear whether this has been achieved.

Value for Money

4.49 It is unclear from the project report and consultations whether value for money has been achieved in the following , which were identified as indicators in the evaluation plan:

• the cost of employing facilitators;
• the cost of hiring/securing venues for projects; and
• the cost of other related aspects of delivering projects.

4.50 Anecdotal evidence from project partners suggests that value for money was achieved. Project partners feel that the project delivered a large number of activities and for less than the original budget. The level of in-kind support provided by DGAA staff and others was felt to be invaluable.

4.51 In terms of value for money outcomes, it was envisaged that these would include members of communities having increased involvement in cultural opportunities and participants going on to deliver activities for themselves and others. There is little evidence of this from the research report and discussions with project partners. The pending evaluation report and final Pathfinder report should provide an indication of achievement in this regard.

Contribution to Strategic Objectives

4.52 We have identified a number of key strategic objectives to which each of the projects would be expected to contribute. Here we provide an assessment of the extent to which the Dumfries and Galloway Pathfinder project has successfully:

• engaged under-represented groups in arts/cultural activities;
• encouraged collaborative working within and/or across authorities;
• engaged CPPs and other partners/stakeholders;
• delivered effective consultation with communities;
• delivered something that is truly new and additional; and
• considered and ensured the sustainability of its impacts.

4.53 This section draws on the feedback from the evaluation fieldwork as well as lessons reported by the projects through their interim and final reports.

Engaging Under-Represented Groups

4.54 The project did not target specific groups and sought to consult as widely as possible. A key aspect of the project was to engage with those who do not participate in cultural activities and to examine the issues faced by rural populations in accessing cultural opportunities. The under-represented groups in this Pathfinder were under-represented in terms of geography. Given the largely rural make up of Dumfries and Galloway, the Pathfinder sought to engage those living in rural communities. The three areas selected were felt to be representative of the rural nature of the region. The Pathfinder did not seek to engage specific target groups within these communities.

4.55 A number of engagement workshops were held in each of the community areas. Six workshops took place in Langholm and Eskdale and seven workshops took place in Dalbeattie and the Solway Coast. Each of these workshops involved local community groups and many of the groups were already involved in arts and cultural activities in their local area. In Stranraer and the Rhinns a collaborative project was preferred over a workshop series and eleven groups worked together to make the Dick's Hill film with creative staff from Urbancroft. Further consultations were carried out in this area with a further four community groups.

4.56 The project mainly engaged groups that are actively involved in cultural activities. The project partners identified this and took action to ensure the research covered a wider audience. The cultural monitoring activities and online Blog with young people were introduced to address this. These activities also replaced planned activities to work with families due to concerns that it would be very difficult to engage a representative cross-section of the community. It is unclear why engagement with families was thought to be challenging.

4.57 Individual community members that are not part of established groups were not engaged with as part of this Pathfinder project. The consultation findings highlight a number of barriers faced by those community groups in rural Dumfries & Galloway. Many of these groups are already engaged in arts and culture activities. Given this, the findings of the project whilst valuable, are limited and do not provide a insight into the barriers faced by individual community members, particularly the 'harder to reach' groups living in rural areas.

Collaborative Working

4.58 Collaborative working at a regional and local level was achieved by the Pathfinder although feedback from the project partners indicates that this could have been better.

4.59 The Pathfinder facilitated collaborative working between the Council, DGAA and the CPP. Collaboration with Community Learning and Development and Council staff from cultural services was effective.

4.60 Cultural Co-ordinators working in local schools were not keen to become involved with the Pathfinder although project partners report that this changed towards the end of the project. Cultural Co-ordinators have become more receptive and there is now an improved effort in terms of partnership working at the local level. Project partners reported that a lack of direction from a senior level made it difficult to identify partners and to secure their involvement with the Pathfinder project activities.

4.61 The project had limited success in engaging with the NHS. It was reported that this was disappointing as greater collaboration could have resulted in broader consultation including 'harder to reach' groups e.g. adults with mental health problems.

Engaging Community Planning Partners

4.62 Community Planning partners were engaged at the strategic level and attended steering group meetings. At the local level, local Community Planning officers varied in their input and support for the Pathfinder activities. The varied input from Community Planning officers was influenced by a period of change within Community Planning in Dumfries and Galloway. Personal interest in culture and cultural activities also influenced the level of officer involvement. In some areas, local Community Planning officers became involved in identifying groups to work with and encouraging groups to participate in activities. In other areas, local officer input was varied.

4.63 Within Dumfries and Galloway there are Rural Partnerships for each area as well as the CPP. Community Planning Co-ordinators are linked into Rural Partnerships and it was reported that there was a lack of awareness of the Pathfinder project at the top level of these partnership structures but this did not filter to officer level within the council. It is not clear at this stage, how planning for cultural provision will be considered in the Community Planning process in Dumfries and Galloway.

Effective Consultation with Communities

4.64 Consultation with communities was fundamental to the Pathfinder project and a range of consultation methods were used to gather information from community groups and individuals. The Pathfinder aimed to use consultation to find out more about individuals' aspirations for, awareness of and engagement with cultural activities. It was envisaged that the consultation material would help to develop cultural entitlements and to inform the new cultural strategy for the area.

4.65 Workshops were carried out in the three communities and secured input from many community groups. Participatory methods were effective in gathering information and project partners felt that rich data was collected through this process.

4.66 The cultural monitoring activities using diaries and internet blogs were effective in capturing the views of young people. It is noted in the report that local schools were supportive of the activity and this helped to encourage participation. With the blog activity, one school provided children dedicated time to participate and the other school did not. Despite this, the research report indicates overall satisfaction with response rates and richness of data.

4.67 Project partners expressed overall satisfaction with the consultation methods. However, it was commented that in some cases a questionnaire rather than participative methods were used to capture workshop participants' views and that this was not very effective due to the inclusion of complicated questions.

Additionality

4.68 Without the Pathfinder project the views of communities living in Dumfries and Galloway would not have been captured and the new Cultural Strategy for the area would lack this community perspective.

4.69 The cultural Pathfinder project provided community groups with an opportunity to work with artists and to develop their own practice or learn new skills. It is unlikely that this would have happened without the Pathfinder due to funding constraints.

4.70 Overall, the project added value in terms of consultation with the wider community and this may provide a foundation for future consultation exercises. New techniques and tools for consultation were developed by DCB and DGAA staff and the local artists who were commissioned to facilitate workshops were trained in using these techniques. These tools and techniques enabled facilitators to record findings from the community engagement exercises and will be able to be used again in future.

Sustainability and Legacies

4.71 The outputs from the consultations carried out during the Pathfinder will be used to inform the new Cultural Strategy for Dumfries and Galloway. In moving forward, project partners are keen to continue engaging with communities to understand their needs, expectations and aspirations. The Pathfinder has helped those shaping the cultural strategy to understand that community members are modest in their expectations and aspirations for culture and that intervention does not always have to involve high expenditure. The new Cultural Strategy is expected to be presented to Council Committee in April. The new strategy has been influenced and informed by the Pathfinder project and particularly by informing the strategy in relation to activities for young people.

4.72 Project partners envisage that the Pathfinder findings and new Cultural Strategy will provide an impetus for culture to be considered in policies and strategies within other Council Departments (eg Community Learning and Development and Education) and Community Planning.

4.73 Participating in the Pathfinder has helped DGAA in terms of its organisational sustainability. Its 'Arts in Community' team was involved throughout the Pathfinder and will continue to work with communities. The Pathfinder project offered the team an opportunity to understand the makeup of the different communities in Dumfries and Galloway and the team is keen to use this knowledge in shaping its future activities. For DGAA, the Pathfinder helped to strengthen its role in communities and to raise its profile with key partners and it is hoped that its involvement in the Pathfinder will contribute to the organisation's long term future.

Overall Assessment and Key Lessons

4.74 The Dumfries and Galloway Pathfinder project was designed to target communities within Dumfries and Galloway to explore the levels of cultural participation, cultural awareness and to investigate barriers to cultural participation. Overall, the Pathfinder project achieved this and a number of consultations took place across three community areas in the region.

4.75 The consultation exercise within the three communities engaged a number of community groups that were already engaged in arts or culturally based activities. Wider consultations across communities and with those who do not participate in arts or cultural activities may have enriched the findings from the study and given the steering group an insight into the cultural needs of a broad range of individuals.

4.76 Consultations with young people were carried out and facilitated by local secondary schools that were keen to be involved with the project. The cultural diaries and internet blog offered an alternative approach to consultation and produced useful information for the project steering group. Involving local schools in the project was effective in gathering the views of young people.

4.77 The consultations through workshops worked well and captured a wide range of information; however, it is not clear what methods were used to capture people's views. Project stakeholders expressed disappointment that in spite of commissioning experts to develop a participatory approach and toolkit, a lot of consultation was carried out using a questionnaire. Combining consultation events with arts activities in order to build capacity or develop people's skills seems to have been effective; however, the balance between arts activity and consultation was not clear.

4.78 Collaborative working was achieved during this Pathfinder project but it was fairly limited with little involvement or engagement with local cultural agencies. Engagement with Community Planning appears to have worked well at the strategic level in terms of input and attendance at meetings. However, little has been achieved in terms of influencing Community Planning about culture and cultural provision.

4.79 Project stakeholders acknowledged that Community Planning is vital as a way of working and that more hands-on involvement and participation could help cultural development. Engaging with Community Planning across all the areas of Dumfries and Galloway was patchy. Where local officers were engaged with the Pathfinder there was greater participation and engagement by local groups as the local officer offered encouragement.

4.80 This Pathfinder found that effective engagement with communities is vital and can effectively inform future plans, and consultees indicated that they were surprised that people's expectations were modest. This demonstrates that consultations are important in policy development. The findings from the Pathfinder have informed the development of the new Cultural Strategy for Dumfries and Galloway.