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Fairer Fife

Introduction

This case study relates to work in which Connecting Scotland collaborated with Fife’s Third Sector Strategy Group and Fife Voluntary Action in order to develop a strategic approach to the third sector’s role in tackling inequality and promoting fairness in Fife as recommended within the Fairer Fife plan of action.

Background

The Fairer Fife Commission articulated a vision for Fife which is ‘a region in which all have the capability to live good lives, make choices, and reach their potential and where all children are safe, happy and healthy.’

Need and Purpose

Fairer Fife needed to undertake a one-day conference event with a number of community organisations in order to collect views and identify actions that would help strengthen the third sector’s role and strategic contribution to tackling inequalities and promoting fairness in Fife.

Approach

Connecting Scotland provided three Art of Hosting practitioners and a graphic facilitator to the Fairer Fife event to help with hosting a series of World Cafe and Open Space conversations to explore the topics that really mattered to the participants, and then devise some actions for the plan.

Benefits Delivered

The purpose of the day was to:

  • Share good practice by identifying what’s working well in terms of leadership, collaboration and team working, and what could be done differently
  • Explore new ways of achieving shared goals and desired impact
  • Create and explore fresh patterns and healthier ways of collaborating for a fairer Fife
  • Carve out better pathways – that should lead to greater impact

By the end of the day the key results included:

  • A shared clarity on the strategic direction and priorities of the third sector in Fife
  • A greater understanding of the whole, where the third sector’s work fits in
  • A renewed enthusiasm for the fresh ways the third sector might lead and team together
  • Specific actions – personal, for individual teams, for organisations and partnerships – arising out of the participatory process that will help to bring about change.

It was anticipated that further collaborative work might ensue including an annual event to take stock of progress on the journey.

What People Said

  • "The conversations allowed everyone to have their say and make suggestions for action."
  • "Until we met together today we hadn’t realised how many other organisations in the region were doing similar work, and so we are now going to collaborate rather than compete"