In 2022 CTP worked with North of Tyne Combined Authority (NTCA – including Newcastle, North Tyneside and Northumberland local authorities) and Carnegie Trust UK to develop a wellbeing framework for the region. The project brought together public, private and third sectors and listened to almost 2000 residents and partners. Using Carnegie’s SEED approach, which gives equal weight to social, environmental, economic and democratic wellbeing, we developed a framework that sets out residents’ ten priorities, including education, health, fair work and sustainability.
‘We can use the framework to paint a picture of the kind of place we would collectively like to live in and a call to action to bring others along with us.’
Robin Fry, Head of Inclusive Economies, North East Combined Authority
CTP helped develop a strategy for collecting and monitoring data and built a dashboard of indicators to sit alongside the framework. We’ve continued to work with partners as they test the framework to shape different kinds of conversations, spending decisions, and policy approaches. In 2024, we helped review how the framework was being implemented across the region and developed recommendations to take forward as NTCA was replaced with the North East Combined Authority (made up Durham, Gateshead, South Tyneside and Sunderland, along with the three North of Tyne local authorities).
One of the ways the framework shifted thinking about resources was in the design of the ‘community partnerships fund’ – a £4.5m fund created from the UKSP allocation in the region. The fund was developed in response to insights from the framework process, into the importance of building community and social infrastructure – the connections around community organisations, between citizens and in local decision making. The fund explicitly supports activities that build social capital, strengthen the VCSE sector and support communities to have a stronger say in local decisions.
‘We’re using these programmes to test hypotheses that when communities have greater social capital and when citizens have more agency, they are more resilient through good times and bad. We wouldn’t have done that ten years ago. We need to treat people as citizens and partners, not consumers and service users.’
Robin Fry, Head of Inclusive Economies, North East Combined Authority
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