Carnegie UK Trust’s four-year Rural Action Research Programme (RARP) came into being in April 2005. The Big Lottery Fund provided an opportunity to delegate responsibility for this programme to Carnegie UK Trust through an ‘award partner’ model. Jointly the funding for the first four years will be £2.2M from Big Lottery Fund and £750,000 from Carnegie.
This programme has been designed to demonstrate cost effective, community-led solutions to the challenges facing rural areas. The work that is commissioned will deliver long-term sustainable change and Carnegie UK Trust will use their experience to influence policymaking.
In support of the work of the Commission, Carnegie UK Trust established working groups, each supported by staff and consultants to take forward six themes. The commissioning of work under these themes took place over 2006 and 2007. All of the action research partners have now been contracted and the work will be completed during 2009.
While the pace at which the Rural Action Research Programme themes work will vary, the links and joint activities that emerge will be maximised. To facilitate this process, Carnegie plan to hold working conferences and seminars at which the findings of the action research themes can be shared.
The 6 themes are as follows:
| Theme | Consultant |
|---|---|
Trevor Cherret | |
Philomena De Lima | |
Dr Frank Rennie | |
| Addressing skills development of those involved in rural community development | Paul Henderson |
| Developing models of community-led service provision in rural areas | Dr Sarah Skerratt |
| Developing sustainable management of community assets |
