www.cupp.org.ukprojectsexchange.htm

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www.cupp.org.uk/projects/exchange.htm
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BSCKE Aims

• A pilot programme within Cupp, Brighton and
  Sussex Community Knowledge Exchange (BSCKE) aims
  to
• Build mutually beneficial partnerships between
  universities and communities in Brighton and Hove
  and Coastal Sussex
• Tackle real problems
• Bring real issues into teaching and research
• Facilitate the exchange and growth of knowledge
  across sectors

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Background to BSCKE

• University of Brightons history of engagement
  with local communities
• 4 year funding to set up Cupp from The Atlantic
  Philanthropies, from March 2003
• Research Helpdesk introduced October 2003
• Brighton Sussex Community Knowledge Exchange
  began August 2004, supported by Higher Education
  Innovation Funds
• Ethical rather than fiscal model of exchange

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Elements of BSCKE

• Fifteen projects to date, funded 6 - 25K each
• Academic disciplines art, architecture,
  business, education, environment, health,
  pharmacy, social sciences, sport
• Community partners include organisations working
  with LGBT people, people with learning
  disabilities, disadvantaged young people, people
  from deprived neighbourhoods, refugees and asylum
  seekers, councils, police, health trusts, schools
• Forum and e-list, to share learning from
  different projects and explore generic issues
• Dissemination publications and events

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BSCKE Structure
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Project Development

• Ideas for projects come from Cupp research
  helpdesk, Cupp small projects, matching events,
  networking with academics and community groups
• Priorities work in new areas of university and
  with new community partners
• Sustainability projects support the development
  of long-term relationships between project
  partners

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Project Management

• Regular steering/development group meetings to
  reflect on progress to date, address challenges,
  revisit plans and determine next steps
• Importance of clarity re roles, responsibilities
  and accountabilities of associate, supervisors,
  partner organisations and stakeholders
• BSCKE Development Manager complex role as
  broker, mediator, support person, confidante,
  manager, funder
• Continuous participatory evaluation

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Different Strokes

• Cupp/BSCKE entrepreneurial, experimental,
  operates between institutions and organizations
  (although located within the university)
• University context labyrinthine bureaucracy
• Academics accustomed to working autonomously
  averse to micro-management
• Community partners accustomed to working
  collaboratively within equalities framework
• Partners wear variety of hats
• Focus on people and relationships - offer variety
  of formal and informal opportunities for people
  to meet and get to know each other and develop
  understanding of different cultures

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Truth or Dare

• Party game play, exploration, discovery
• Starhawk magic, activism, challenging power
  structures
• Truth honesty, tact, curiosity, self-knowledge
• Dare experimentation, risk-taking, courage

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Examples of BSCKE projects

• Access to Art
• Dispensing with the Mystery
• Count Me In Too
• Postgraduate Voluntary Sector Management
  Development Project

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Postgraduate Voluntary Sector Management
Development Project

• Reasons for the Project
• Significant gaps in the professional development
  opportunities
• Small Scale market research of an NVQ in
  management
• High response wanting courses at HE and Masters
  Level

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PVSMD Project Aims

• What the Project Aims/ed to Achieve
• Identify the learning needs of voluntary sector
  managers at a postgraduate level
• Identify current Masters level provision in
  Universities that might be relevant or could be
  adapted
• To make short and longer term recommendations
  about how the Universities should develop
  provision for voluntary sector managers in the
  future
• To develop some kind of provision for a voluntary
  sector cohort to start in September 2006.

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PVSMD Project Learning

• Other Things We Found out
• Having a relevant and enthusiastic academic
  supervisor key
• Experience and relevance of community partner
  important
• Structure of University initially difficult to
  understand
• Finding research information was difficult
• Relevant courses in the University, however they
  are not necessarily packaged for or marketed to
  the Voluntary Sector
• Everyones expertise was acknowledged
• The project linked with, incorporated and built
  on other Voluntary Sector related learning
  activities

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BSCKE Learning to date

• Communities of practice framework shared
  passion, fluid boundaries, brokers, champions
• Importance of substantial developmental phase
  where project partners build relationships,
  clarify agendas and expectations, determine roles
  and responsibilities, anticipate risks
• Time needed for recruitment and to engage and
  consult with stakeholders
• Importance of regular space for project partners
  and other stakeholders to meet, reflect on
  project development and address institutional
  constraints and cultural differences e.g. re
  time, money, distribution of power, language
• Need for flexibility - plans change for a host of
  reasons (e.g. as a result of consultation with
  stakeholders, people leaving their posts)

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What next?

• Will hear this month whether BSCKE has received
  two years continuation funding
• Revise BSCKE framework in light of learning to
  date
• Identify potential project partners and start
  building relationships and developing new project
  plans
• 18th July 1-5 pm BSCKE Dissemination Event The
  Ethics of Exchange

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If you have an idea for a project or would like
to find out more

• Contact Dana Cohen, BSCKE Development Manager
• Tel [phone]
• Email d.m.cohen_at_brighton.ac.uk
• Log on to www.cupp.org.uk/projects/exchange.htm

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Discussion

• (5 mins) What image or words would describe your
  organisational culture, particularly re
  partnership working?
• (10 mins) What would be some of the challenges
  and rewards for your organisation of working in
  partnership?
• (10 mins) If one person in your group has a
  project idea and is happy to share, boardblast
  some of the issues they would need to address to
  work in partnership

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Resources

• Community-university engagement resource list
• http//www.brighton.ac.uk/cupp/resources/engage.h
  tm
• Cupp Student Learning In The Community Guide,
  www.brighton.ac.uk/cupp/resources/slic.htm
• The Step by Step Guide to Successful Partnership
  Working,
• www.raise-networks.org.uk