ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION ( SCOTLAND )
ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT & FORWARD PLAN
Published: November 2007
PROGRESS REPORT (for financial period ending 31 st March 2007)
SUMMARY OVERVIEW
During this period our activities continued to support an improvement in practitioner knowledge, skills and networks throughout Scotland. EDAS’ main activities and developments in the last year include:
· Regular events held throughout Scotland.
· Twice yearly Introduction to Economic Development Course.
· Dissemination of economic development-related news and information.
· Development of policy & international work.
· In development of member activities, supports and networks, engagement with:
- Academia
- Business associations and private sector
- Centre for Scottish Public Policy
- Communities Scotland
- Economic research networks
- Enterprise networks
- European Association of Development Agencies (EURADA)
- European partnerships and research networks
- Institute of Economic Development
- Intellectual Assets Centre
- International Economic Development Council (IEDC)
- Local and national Government
- Local economic regeneration agencies
- Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Forum on Partnerships and Local Governance (OECD LEED Forum)
- Princes Trust in Scotland
- Scotland Europa
- Scottish Centre for Regeneration’s Partners in Regeneration network
- Scottish Leadership Foundation
- Scottish Urban Regeneration Forum
- Sustainable development organisations
- Udaras Na Gaeltachta (Irish economic development agency covering mainly the western seaboard).
- Urban regeneration and renewal companies and projects.
· Ongoing development of an inclusive and diverse membership.
· Developments to the website and electronic communications and booking systems.
· Continual refresh of contact management system to widen exchange of knowledge and develop new networks.
· Launch of the first version of the online EDAS Directory – a guide to who’s who in economic development.
· To complement the EDAS Directory, we have established links with the Economic Development Consultants Directory (EDCD).
· Collaboration with Scottish Centre for Regeneration on the production of Economic Development and Community Regeneration Perspective Paper.
KEY AREAS OF DEVELOPMENT & ACTIVITIES
In December 06, with the assistance of an independent facilitator, the EDAS Board of Directors met to develop priorities and activities for the Association from that point forward. The Action Plan outcomes streamlined working groups to become known as Membership Services, Continuing Professional Development and Policy & International Development . Work within each area included:
MEMBERSHIP SERVICES
1. Review of membership, identifying gaps and analysing usage.
2. Targeting new members from different geographies and sectors.
3. Promoting EDAS’ activities to potential and existing members.
4. Involving members in our development and service improvement.
Work on these aspects has resulted in high retention rates, attraction of new members with a current membership of 3000 comprising members from different geographies and sectors.
CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
1. Market research gauging areas of interest; avoiding overlap with other organisations; identifying partnership opportunities and focusing on improving practice as well as highlighting issues.
2. Seminar and course programme development, marketing and delivery. Nine events and two courses were delivered or promoted by EDAS as follows:
- Scotland’s Waterfronts: Regeneration Vs Gentrification (Partner: Scottish Enterprise) (Glasgow – April 06)
- Where is the Public Sector Going in Scotland? (Stirling – May 06)
- Communities Scotland Briefing (Partner: Communities Scotland) (Glasgow - May 06)
- Renewable, Local, Secure: Community Energy in Practice (Partner: HIE Inverness & East Highland and HICEC) (Inverness - Sept 06)
- From NEET to EET: The Right Way Forward (In consultation with: Prince’s Trust in Scotland) (Stirling - Oct 06)
- EU Funding & Scotland’s Economic Development & Regeneration: The Future (Partner: Highland Council) (Inverness - Nov 06) (Repeated in Glasgow)
- Local Government Finance in Scotland – where now? (Delivered by Centre for Scottish Public Policy) (Edinburgh – January 07)
- Taking Forward the South of Scotland Competitiveness Strategy (Delivered by: South of Scotland Alliance) (Newton St Boswell’s - March 07)
- Introduction to Economic Development Course (June and December 06)
3. Development and delivery of the Annual Conference (Dundee - June 07).
POLICY & INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
1. Offering to act as conduit for key bodies such as the Scottish Government, to reach the economic development profession.
2. Feedback sessions were added to a selection of events and outcomes circulated to key stakeholders.
3. Through associate memberships and links with international organisations, international work focused on dissemination of information and good practice. An international networks listing has been researched and will be added to the refreshed edition of the online EDAS directory.
FORWARD PLAN (07 – 08)
Adopting the Action Plan 07 – 08 (the outcome of the December 06 planning session), the Association will continue to develop priorities and activities in the three key areas outlined in page two, i.e. Membership Services, Continuing Professional Development and Policy & International Development.
In addition, through consultation with its members, EDAS plans to develop new CPD supports and activities in 2008. Following a Board discussion, the following ideas have been put to members for feedback via an online survey:
1. Publishing case studies linked to seminar themes.
2. Creation of a student bursary linked to academic and work experience project.
3. Travel fellowships to enable good practice exchanges.
Early indications are that members would be interested in EDAS publishing case studies linked to seminar themes. A number of other suggestions made for our consideration include:
1. Online research library or access via EDAS to idox.
2. Open honest debate
3. Awareness courses to encourage new members from related fields of work.
4. More bulletins, including policy briefings and external training opportunities with linked discounts for EDAS members.
5. More interaction with private sector.
6. Cross cutting examples of seemingly unrelated agencies working better together – included in case studies and delivered in learning sessions.
7. More ‘Introduction to….’ themed sessions.
8. Short courses by prominent international academics.
9. Short term placement/job swap programme between member organisations.
10. Mentoring service. Senior/more experienced members offer their time.
11. Standalone networking events.
12. Inter-agency multi media case studies.
13. Doors Open Day – member organisations offer tours of new projects, presentations on their work to other interested members.
14. Link with LearnDirect4Business to establish special partnership approach.
15. Partner/collaboration for tenders and links to tender sources.
16. Help employers adopt CPD schemes for those working in economic development.
17. Peer group discussions on policy developments and best practice.
18. CPD accreditation framework.
19. Inclusion of more non-Scottish speakers in seminar programme.
20. Links to case studies produced by EDAS’ international equivalents.
21. Evaluation and appraisal short courses.
The full results of the survey will be analysed and published in December. A review of suggestions will take place in January with development work taking place throughout 2008.
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