By an early volunteer who omitted to subscribe
CommEnt was formed in 1998 by a group of community activists in Bolton, including Gino Ward and Les Elvin [others?]. It 'formalised an existing alliance between the Community Education Service' and these activists (Angus Soutar 2008) which had started in 1994 as an unincorporated association and research project. It initially set out to be a development trust with charitable aims. In 1998, it was not certain if the main source of funding would be from government or charitable trusts, accordingly, it was structured as a company limited by guarantee and the governing document allowed for becoming a registered charity if this would prove advantageous.
The organisation's mission statement is 'CommEnt supports sustainable development in East Bolton by encouraging residents to contribute to the development of their own neighbourhoods. Those residents, together with their families and friends, are encouraged to help generate an active and supportive local economy' (CommEnt 1999).
Although reference was made to social enterprise in the Mems and Arts (CommEnt 1998), this was still a voluntary organisation, where the founder directors did not have any expectation of remuneration. They 'chose to take control rather than be paid' (Angus Soutar 2008). However a Policy Document drafted in 2001 stated that 'being a director of the company shall be no barrier to gaining employment within projects nurtured by the company' and 'directors to be paid for providing professional help' but that 'some funders do not share the company's views' so these policies could not always be applied (CommEnt 2001).
The document 'Rationale for Community Enterprise work in Bolton East' makes clear that the organisation took a Community Economic Development (CED) model where 'CommEnt will act as an "umbrella" organisation, sheltering the delicate shoots of the Credit Union, Breightmet Arts and the emerging residents groups until they can stand the full, cold blast of today’s economic climate' (CommEnt 1999).
This approach was supported by both European and UK policy makers at the time, with the European Commission supporting 'localised economic activity' to 'achieve an increase in employment and therefore in social cohesion'. (Local Development 1995 [get doc and check this]) and Bolton Council developing a CED Strategy that established a policy of working with community organisations, including providing funding (Bolton CED 1997 [get doc and check this]).
The first projects from 1998 to 2001 were funded from 'council house receipts' (Angus Soutar 2008), including Breightmet Arts (which became a separate organisation in [when?]) and a community launderette. The main project was supporting the growth of Breightmet Credit Union, which started in 1995. CommEnt supported the credit union [until when? How?]. However, despite a stated 'joined up approach' for Single Regeneration Budget 6 funding, CommEnt was not able to access any of this funding at first. An evaluation of East Bolton Regeneration SRB Round 6 Programme in 2002 concluded that the process was 'A fatigue factor in the community. They too want action and delivery. Too many meetings, consultation and near burn out' (EBR 2002).
[East Bolton Regeneration is primarily an SRB6 programme focused on “people regeneration” – in other words, building the capacity of the community to take a more active role in and to take control of, the future development of their community]
These projects were delivered by an organisation that 'effectively squatted the Community Enterprise Centre' in New Lane in East Bolton, 'piggy backing on existing assets'. There was no funding for the organisation itself, only for projects [link in with funding policies]. The organisation relied on volunteer work where 'unpaid work was a huge investment in the business' (Angus Soutar 2008). By 2001, however, a 'visioning exercise' concluded that the organisation needed 'an external consultant' to undertake 'strategic fundraising'.
The credit union struggled from 2001 when the Financial Services Authority ruled that volunteers could not lead credit unions, with activity suspended in 2004 and it was finally declared insolvent by the The Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS 2008) in 2006. The Young Savers project was started in [2002?] as a spin-off from the Credit Union, funded by The Big Lottery Fund, SRB 6 and the Bolton Local Network Fund [check]. This was the first time CommEnt had been able to access statutory funding, and the funder 'ended up praising us for how project was run'. [SRB money towards end of programme Kids Quids is this the same project?]. The project ran until 2006.
In 2006, the organisation moved away from 'local projects' to a more 'partnership' approach, with a proposed structure indicating a social enterprise with a 'development trust' model (CommEnt 2006) providing services to charities, social enterprises and micro-businesses.
The Voices from the Mills project, which started in 2006 was the first to adopt the partnership approach, delivered in partnership with Bolton Arts Information Network and Open Frontiers Youth Project, with a steering group which included local heritage societies and Bolton Museums. Despite being 'very frustrating in terms of achieving our goals' the project was brought to a successful conclusion in 2008, having created a historical legacy of oral history about Bolton's millworking past.
Postscript
2000 CED promotion project ERDF driving role in establishing local partnership and acting as a bridge to Local Authority.
With the changes, and responding to the financial crisis of 2008, CommEnt converted to a Community Interest Company structure, with a wider, regional mission otherwise much the same as before.
References
Here are some of the people who have been involved in CommEnt in the past:
Charlotte Dean
Charlotte trained in social and visual anthropology at the University of Manchester then worked as a researcher in the university's Education in Urban Contexts group, on projects funded by the DfES, Joseph Rowntree Foundation, NCSL etc, for five years. Research included using creative and collaborative methods to explore and promote inclusive practices, networked learning, children's wellbeing and participation, and local involvement in informal and formal education. A consultant to local authorities, universities, businesses and the third sector since 2006, Charlotte specialises in programme evaluation, developing support packages for schools, sharing good practice, and ethnographic filmmaking. Clients have included Greater Manchester Challenge, MMU, AfSL, Save the Children and the BBC. Training in Permaculture Design with Angus Soutar in 2009 has led to an ongoing apprenticeship with Angus and project design and management including working with young people, volunteers, local enterprise, charities and community networks to create spaces and events for growing, learning and ecological health.
Mark Turner
Mark Turner is a Community Development practitioner, qualified teacher, youth worker and sports coach. He has many years experience in the statutory and voluntary sectors delivering successful projects in the health, education, social and economic spheres; always advocating for and involving communities in the design and subsequent management of projects. Whilst managing a large youth project in Canterbury, Mark developed several innovative schemes with young people in the area, including for care leavers, those at risk of custodial sentences and those excluded from school. Mark has also worked for the Amicus Group in providing resources for tenants and residents in his role as Community Development officer. He has also worked as an SRB programme officer in Lancashire, advising and assisting groups engaged with social, economic and environmental projects, enabling them to bring forward bids for consideration of funding. Mark has experience of bid writing and on-going report and financial accounting procedures, including managing a £156K NLCB project for youth homelessness work.
Roger Bertrand
Roger has seven years experience as a project worker in community development work in Bolton. He was the project manager of our Young Savers project, which included managing volunteers at the collection points in schools and also reporting to the funders on the financial progress of the project. He also worked for East Bolton Regeneration as a Community Participation worker. Roger has previously worked in market research, after beginning his working life in banking. He is trained in project evaluation and community-based evaluation techniques. He also has the City and Guilds teaching certificate and has done teaching work with adults in prisons. He works with young people as a table tennis coach at the Bolton Lads and Girls club.