Fiery Spirits is a 'Community of Practice' for rural activists and practitioners who share their experience building vibrant, resilient communities. It's purpose is to:

Accelerate learning by activists, professionals and policy makers who are building resilient and sustainable rural communities. It does this by enabling practitioners to connect, challenge and learn from each other at face-face events and virtually via a social networking website.

The high level outcomes for the CoP are:

• Accelerated learning by members about rural development practice;
• Opportunities for members to work together to influence policy development;
• Demonstrate the value of the CoP model for rural and other development.
• Evidence of increased activity and engagement by CoP members

Support from Carnegie UK Trust
Since 2008, Carnegie UK Trust has supported the development of this Rural Development Community of Practice. Following a positive evaluation in 2010,  Trustees have increased support to allow CoP members to more fully 'own' development of the CoP. To assist with this, innovations for 2011/12 include

• a £150,000 CoP Development Fund;
• continued support from development officer Nick Wilding; and
• the establishment of a member-led Steering Group.

The remit of the Steering Group includes stewarding the CoP to independence from Carnegie UK Trust support by the end of December 2012. 

Focussing on Themes
In order to support activity and value for members, the CoP focusses on priority themes - each supported by active and experienced CoP members, and resourced through partnerships and the CoP Development Fund (see 'themes' tab above).

Members are able to propose themes for consideration by the Steering Group - contact Nick Wilding to discuss proposing a theme.

What is the CoP's unique contribution to rural development?
Many rural development networks exist. Some are connected with LEADER European funding programmes, others have emerged from grassroots groups focussing on particular practice topics (suggest as community land trusts).

Carnegie UK Trust has identified opportunities to cross-fertilise learning between these networks across the jurisdictions of the UK and Republic of Ireland. This Community of Practice is about cultivating those connections, as well as addressing gaps where these exist.

Resourcing CoP Development with partners

Carnegie UK Trust works through a CoP Development Fund to sponsor CoP themes.

During 2011/12, Highlands and Islands Enterprise is co-sponsoring the 'developing rural services' and 'managing community land'. 

Steering Group meetings and minutes
The Steering Group's task is to ensure the CoP is highly useful to its members. The Steering Group consists of seven members. At present, these are Diana Brittan (Trustee, Carnegie UK Trust), Martyn Evans (CEO, Carnegie UK Trust), Mark Shucksmith (University of Newcastle), Neil Ross (Highlands and Islands Enterprise), Nia Griffiths (Wales Rural Network), Amanda Bryan (practitioner) and Seamus Boland (Irish Rural Link).

The full papers and minutes for Steering Group meetings are made available to CoP members:

CoPMeeting1.zip

• This ZIP file includes approved minutes and the papers presented to discussion on: 
  - remit of the group,
  - a background paper summarising outcomes of the 2010 evaluation,
  - clarification of the CoP's purpose,
  - and scoping proposals for innovative ways to apply the £150K development fund (it will not follow the traditional grant-making format)

Meeting2.zip

• This ZIP file includes approved minutes and the papers presented to discussion on:
  - monitoring progress of CoP development;
  - appointing additional Steering Group members; and
  - pump-priming new CoP topics with the assistance of Carnegie Associates

Please don't hesitate to be in touch with suggestions, clarifications - or just to reconnect after a while.

Meeting 3 - October 10th 2011

• Papers (PDF file with full set of papers)
• Minutes (approved at Meeting 4, 8th March 2012)

Nick Wilding
Carnegie UK Trust