LOCALISM/ BIG SOCIETY - THIS IS WHAT WE CAN ACHIEVE TO REGENERATE DORSET'S ECONOMY

6.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 19th Jul 2010

A pioneering bid for funding from the European Rural Development Fund Local Action programme to set up a college specialising in new technologies in domestic & industrial renewable energy systems & developing traditional agricultural practice to diversify farming, horticulture & Dorset's tourist industry is being submitted by BLAST (Bridport Local Area Skills Training) & a range of local education providers.

Headed by Blast director (one of 3) , West Dorset District Cllr & Lib Dem Parliamentary Spokesman for South Dorset, Ros Kayes , the bid is a unique public/private partnership which pools the resources of experts across Dorset, South Somerset & East Devon in an audacious vision for transforming the rural economy by developing industries which contribute to environmental sustainability.

"West Dorset has always been a hard to reach area for further education" said Ros, " because of the high numbers needed to make a college sustainable financially .As a result in Bridport we have very low levels of qualification post 16. That's the rationale behind BLAST…We decided to find a way of bringing in colleges to provide training without them having to invest in a premises or do the recruitment or have the overheads. We find the students, we identify the training needs through liaising with employers & schools & we liaise with the colleges to deliver courses they can afford to deliver."

To date Blast has specialised in helping hard to reach post 16 learners……NEETS (not in education , employment or training) through its successful ASPIRE educational outreach project & the delivery of E2E (education to employment) at its new West Dorset skills Training Centre in Bridport, funded by Nacro

.

"But", continued Ros " rural Dorset has also historically had a problem with developing its economy beyond traditional agriculture. We have poor transport infrastructure which means that our tendency is to support light industry & agriculture - & the latter has become increasingly unprofitable in a global economy, which is why so many small farmers are turning to organics & local food markets.

" Bridport has become known as a town which specialises in local food production (with our excellent farmers' market) & the community & town council have very strong environmental leanings. Many, many people have moved here in order to live more sustainably - the town has many allotments, a zero waste group & a renewable energy group & I felt it was time to add some of these things together - our genuine desire in the town to live more sustainably; the excellence & expertise available & the importance of developing the rural economy here."

Combining local FE colleges - Kingston Maurward & Yeovil, private training providers - Windmill Training, Monkton Wyld & Trill Farm, & a community social enterprise - Blast, the centre will offer a mixture of short courses for community learning & longer academic diplomas training 16 -25 year olds in areas like generating energy from waste, anerobic digestion, wind & solar power technologies, wood fuel technology & developing supply chains for solid fuel & water heating systems, setting up a small holding, permaculture, organic growing, creating herbal products, biodynamic techniques for farm & garden, food preparation, sales & product development, reuse of materials , design & marketing, promotion of eco tourism, rural business skills, the use of composites in sustainable construction & animal husbandary.

"The bid is designed to support members of the community who want to live more sustainably but also to train up our young people to be entrepreneurs in areas like eco tourism, renewable energy, sustainable construction & organic farming which have been identified as the growth industries of the future- we are linking the courses with mentoring & business support & hope to be setting up a business incubation centre with another of our training partners as a follow up to the project," said Ros.

"My experience of working in South Dorset over the last 18 months has convinced me that this is a model that can be rolled out across Dorset as a whole" she continued, "especially in the Purbecks where there are similar problems with access but a huge interest in sustainable technology & local food markets . But if you look at somewhere like Portland, with its proposal for an academy to rejuvenate the economy & a huge windfarm about to be located off the coast - there is clear potential to roll out something like this there as well."

Those involved in the bid would like to thank West Dorset District Council, Dorset County Council, Bridport Town Council, the Learning & Skills Council & the South West Regional Development Agency for their financial & moral support which has made it possible to put the bid together. "We think it ticks all the boxes " said Ros, "the other projects we have got going have also found it difficult to get funding - although I don't like the term 'big society' these kinds of projects are exactly those that should be getting support. It's taken 30 years for us to get further education in Bridport !"