Invitation to Tender from Foundation Scotland

Improving our communities: what are the views and aspirations of young people?

Introduction

1 The EDF Burnfoot Hill Community Fund is a charitable Fund provided by EDF, the developer of the Burnfoot Hill, Burnfoot North Wind and Rhodders Wind Farms. The fund provides approximately £60,000 per annum to benefit community-led activity in the Hillfoots communities of Alva, Dollar, Menstrie and Tillicoultry.

2 The Fund is managed by Foundation Scotland, an independent charity with expertise in grant making and community engagement. Foundation Scotland works with communities and developers across Scotland to design and develop community benefit funds, primarily from commercial scale renewable projects. For further information on Foundation Scotland’s work with community benefit please go to https://www.foundationscotland.org.uk/community-benefit/

3 The EDF Burnfoot Hill Fund has been operating since 2011. Decisions on grants are taken by a local Community Panel that received assessed applications from Foundation Scotland.

4 The Panel notes that very few of the grants made since the Fund opened in 2011 have reached projects or organisations that work with young people aged 10 -18. As a result the Panel wishes to better understand the needs and aspirations of young people in relation to their home communities.

5 This project will mainly comprise intense community engagement activity during April – June to identify young people’s aspirations for their communities in the longer term (10-15 years) and particular themes and priority projects for the next five years. What do they value about living in their community? What do they want more of or less of? What can they contribute to making their community a better place? If they were parents here in 20-30 years time what kind of facilities and services would they like to see here?

6 The project must engage young people directly (aged 10-18) and other relevant stakeholders in a process of discussion and decision-making around key issues, themes and priorities. This includes other community groups that may or may not currently involve or affect young people. The work will demonstrate good practice in consultation and engagement and be inclusive and transparent.

7 The research findings will help inform future decisions about the direction and use of some of the community benefit fund – in the short, medium and longer term. However it is acknowledged that the research findings will likely encompass activity in excess of what the Fund will be able to support.

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