Development Programme introductory note

Context

Chester in Partnership is committed to improving the ways in which we work.  Partners recognise the need to continue learning and developing.  As part of this process Chester in Partnership was awarded funding from the Learning and Skills Council Cheshire and Warrington to deliver a Partnership Training and Development Programme in 2004-05.

It delivered training on partnership principles, practice and related topics to Chester in partnership (the Local Strategic Partnership for the Chester District), which includes constituent groups, partnerships and networks.

The programme was desiged following consultation with partners which included undertaking a Training Needs Analysis ( TNA ). 

The TNA report (121kb) 

Target Audience

The target audience includes residents of the Chester District, representatives of voluntary and community groups, elected members, officers of public sector agencies and representatives of business interests.    More specifically the project will target hard to reach groups including ethnic minorities, young people, older people, the disabled, residents of rural areas and those from disadvantaged communities, for example West Chester. 

Delivery of Development Programme

A priority throughout this project has been to ensure that wherever possible the skills required to develop and deliver the programme are retained by the partnership.  To date this has resulted in a team of volunteers from across the partnership being recruited and trained to undertake the training needs analysis.

As part of the training needs analysis respondents from the partnership were asked to identify components of the training programme they could deliver themselves.  A potential 'trainer' was identified for almost every learning topic.  The partnership is pursuing this route for the delivery of some if not all of the training modules as a clear demonstration of 'mainstreaming' partnership activity. 

 

Programme Modules

The programme was then formulated into modules to enable attendees to pick and choose the components most appropriate to their individual needs.  Wherever appropriate, resource packs of presentations and discussion papers from the modules have been produced.

Click on the link to find more about the programme of development modules.

 

Programme Evaluation

The evaluation of the programme was undertaken in early 2006 by Professor Hilary Russell of European Institute of Urban Affairs, Liverpool John Moores University.

Please click on the links below for the results of the evaluation.

• Summary of the Evaluation Report (56kb)
• Full Evaluation Report (209kb)   

 

What Next?

Chester in Partnership will continue to offer development training to partners as appropriate.  As part of the roll out of the community plan projects we are looking to develop the project management skills of key partners responsible for managing their delivery.

We will also deliver development sessions as issues and hot topics arise.  If you have any particular issues you think we should address please contact the partnerships team on 01244 402400 or email us on partnerships@chester.gov.uk.