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Please
click on link below copy of the Sutherland Summit Report.
SUTHERLAND SUMMIT REPORT
A
MESSAGE BOARD facility has been created to provide an on-line,
opportunity to comment on some of the principal issues raised in the 5
Summit workshops. Please use this to elaborate and develop points made
in your own workshop or in any of the other four.
After registration
you can post threads once you’ve followed the link in
the confirmation email.
To
access the MESSAGE BOARD please click on the link below:-
MESSAGE BOARD
Mind Mapping
Exercise
Jim Mather, MSP -
Minister for Enterprise
Mr Mather MSP attended and held
a mind mapping workshop for 200 people the results are in a PDF
available below. Mr Mather's advice would be that to get the most
benefit from the event and the accumulated data, "I believe that they
need to:
1. Maintain the engagement and keep people talking and working with each
other to allow solution and new initiatives to emerge
2. Also identify the top priorities for action for the overall sector
and individual players.
3. Run future events, where they involve an even wider array of
stakeholders and allies........and mind map them. "
To access the Mind Map File
you will need to download:-
Mind Genius - Mind
Map first
(you can get a 20 free use version of the
software, Mind Genius - Business Edition, from the Mind Genius Web site)
www.mindgenius.com
090914 Sutherland Summit Conversation.mgmf
090914 Sutherland Summit Conversation final.pdf
Sutherland Summit – A Unique Event for the County!
The
Sutherland Summit took place in Lairg on Monday 14th
September and was amazingly well attended. 200 delegates were packed in
to Lairg Community Centre to participate and engage in the debate on
Sutherland’s future. The response to the event was overwhelming to the
extent that several would-be delegates had to be placed on a reserves
list because there literally was no more room to fit in another body.
Ministers, MSPs, Councillors and public service agency reps rubbed
shoulders with the young and old of Sutherland. The MP, John Thurso
hosted the morning session which provided an opportunity for him and the
constituency MSP, Jamie Stone, to say a few words on Sutherland, its
people, culture and heritage. This was followed by a mind-mapping
session led by the Minister for Enterprise, Mr Jim Mather, who
encouraged all delegates to contribute to a lively debate on
opportunities for Sutherland in the future.
Topics
as diverse as more activities for young people to energy and climate
change were tackled. Issues surrounding communications were raised with
a plea for faster broadband, better video conferencing facilities
accessible by all, dualling of single track roads, improvements to
public transport and the return of the post bus were requested.
Crofting issues were aired and again requests for crofts for young
people were heard. The natural heritage of the area was noted as
outstanding and the need to raise awareness of internationally important
species and habitats was voiced. Many health and social care issues
were raised too along with the need to grow business opportunities and
create jobs. Jim Johnston, the head teacher at Farr High School,
informed us that at the start of the twentieth century the population of
Sutherland was two and a half times greater than now. Encouraging
inward migration and the return of young people once they had received
their tertiary education was deemed of prime importance for the
sustainable development of the county.
“Building Sutherland’s Future Together” was the strap-line for the
event. There was certainly a very positive and united feeling about the
day. Brian Macleod, NW Sutherland Community Care Forum, quoted an
aphorism on his calendar “If you want to travel fast, travel alone, but
if you want to travel far, travel together”.
Now that
the event is over there is still much work to do. A team of
consultants, Rural Analysis Associates, will be holding six workshops
throughout Sutherland to provide more opportunities for local people to
have their say on Sutherland’s future before an Action and Development
Plan is drawn up. The Summit Working Group will continue to meet to
drive this forward. The Working Group consists of reps from VGES, CVS
North, the Highland Council, SNH, NHS Highland, Sutherland Partnership,
Northern Constabulary and HIE.
***********************************************************************************
CVS North and Voluntary Groups East Sutherland are working together to
arrange a Sutherland Summit in Lairg o. Two Government Ministers, Jim
Mather MSP Minister for Enterprise, Energy & Tourism and Ms Roseanna
Cunningham MSP Minister for
Environment and a series of key
persons with expertise and knowledge have agreed to participate. “The
Summit has been arranged to establish Sutherland’s place in a forward-
looking Scotland. We are planning to bring together a wide range of
stakeholders from the public, private and third sectors working across
the County of Sutherland. This Summit will provide an opportunity to
build a vision for Sutherland and influence a Socio-Economic Strategy
for the rejuvenation of the County. By involving members of the public
in conversation with Government Ministers we hope to turn the vision
into reality,” said a CVS North spokesman. The Ministers have agreed to
lead the delegates in a mind mapping exercise which has been used to
facilitate and record discussion at similar events with breakout
workshops based upon the building of the economy of Sutherland, keeping
the Sutherland pound in Sutherland and the County’s role in a growing
Scotland. Mr Mather said “You know I consider events like this a real
opportunity to gather voices and momentum to drive real change at local
level and I am pleased to see that both Rob Gibson and my colleague the
Minister for the Environment are keen to be involved and I am delighted
to attend”
The
Summit aims to bring expertise to meet with the grass roots population
in a series of inspiring, mind-expanding and imaginative actions and
hope that delegates can look at social innovation from all angles by
inclusive involvement. ‘’Economic uncertainty places tremendous pressure
on organizations, therefore we propose a day of knowledge, resources and
networking, all focused on how we can help develop an effective strategy
around identifying the key strengths of the area, common challenges and
shared solutions’’, CVS North added. Places will be limited and
potential delegates are asked to make an early registration of their
interest. Prior to the event a discussion forum has been established on
the CVS North website
www.cvsnorth.co.uk where anyone can become involved by joining the
discussion and leaving points or questions that will be incorporated
into the day. An online survey for identifying key opinions, ideas, or
facts that can be put forward in the course of forming the main elements
of a discussion will be available shortly.
What
we want from the summit-
The Sutherland Summit is designed to encourage co-operation in working
towards building a sustainable future. What strategies can stakeholders
in Sutherland (i.e. everyone who lives and works in Sutherland), adopt
to build better communities in the future, and what actions do we need
to take now to overcome present challenges in the economy? We will
discuss ideas which enable raised performance and growth.
We would like to see Sutherland play an active role in the Scottish
Government’s vision for the future. In increasingly difficult times
where everyone is competing for resources, are there alternative models
for delivering services? This Summit will look for practical solutions
as to how the community and voluntary sector in partnership with public
agencies and private businesses can work together constructively to meet
the challenges facing Sutherland today. During the summit we will hear
from inspiring people who have been able to make a difference.
We are aware public trust and confidence are essential to the wellbeing
of Sutherland and maintaining it requires care and thought. A key role
of the Summit is to ensure this trust is well placed, and it is
important that we recognise strong leadership with a proactive and
efficient approach, as well as representing the diversity of the
Sutherland communities. The Summit sessions will hear from a wide range
of delegates who will outline their vision for the county and their
perspective on the challenges and opportunities for working together for
the economic, social and environmental welfare of Sutherland.
We propose that the Sutherland Summit will set out to be self critical,
to be outward looking and to bring together diverse models of practice
in order to share lessons. It will be a forum for discussion and a
platform for development.
The main outcome of the event is to produce a coherent and achievable
development and action plan which will collate and formulate data into
potential projects with realistic outcomes and time scales, whose
objectives are identifiable as being achievable with the co-operation of
agencies, the voluntary sector and businesses. This will lead to a co-ordinated,
integrated vision for Sutherland that can be shared by stakeholders as a
development plan for the next 3 to 5 years.
This plan should incorporate numerous challenging, though realistic,
aims that are a reflection of the consultation process before, during
and after the event. The report will recognise the contribution of all
the Sutherland stakeholders to society, the economy and the environment.
It will also recognise the importance of government and all sectors
working together to achieve social and economic benefits and the role
that we all have to play in enabling an environment in which the county
of Sutherland can thrive.
SUTHERLAND SUMMIT - MONDAY, 14th SEPTEMBER 2009
LAIRG
9.15 a.m. Registration and Coffee/Teas.
10.00 a.m. Domestic Arrangements - RAA.
10.05 a.m. John Thurso and Jamie Stone “Current Situation in
Sutherland”
10.30 a.m. Jim Mather - mind mapping exercise “The
Opportunities for Sutherland”
12.35 p.m. LUNCH
1.30 p.m Roseanna Cunningham “Sustainable
Development in Sutherland”.
2.00 p.m Workshops in various venues
3.15 p.m Roseanna Cunningham – summing up from the Workshops
3.30 p.m Question Time with Lesley Riddoch
4.40 p.m. Close
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