Community Champions

The Neighbourhood Challenge is all about engaging volunteers in the community. We plan to do this through seeking what the people of Darwen already love about where they live and their thoughts on how they could make it a better place. All the ideas will form part of a graph that will be displayed throughout the town on large displays, projections and other key locations to raise awareness in the community. All participants in the survey will be asked to attend an event to exhibit their interest in improving the area from which all in attendance will have the opportunity to vote for the projects they feel best meets the needs of their community.

All groups will receive access to support and guidance from the project but only those selected will be eligible for seed funding.

Community Champions are people who will actively encourage people within their area to volunteer and will serve as a “champion” all the projects in their ward. Their role is to act as a single point of contact who will tell volunteers about help and support available through our project and ensure they get any help we can provide.

Champions WILL:

• Support the tour around Darwen to find what people like about the area and what they think would make it better.
• Will help decide which projects will be carried forward to receive aid from the project.
• Will support the projects in their areas to achieve their goals.
• Will conduct 10 surveys in their area to ascertain a baseline and then follow up these after a short while with the same people to measure the impact.

Champions WILL Receive:

• Support from Darwen Academy and the Entrepreneurship Team.
• Free Training around being a Community Champion and may have access to a range of other free training opportunities.
• Will receive a number of other benefits from organisations and partnerships formed through the project (TBC)
• Will be a focal point of their local community for the neighbourhood challenge.