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Development Links are characterised by having an 'outward looking' focus:
being accountable to the wider public and beneficiaries, beyond their immediate supporter circle;
involving a diverse cross section of northern and southern volunteers engaged in their activities;
coordinating with appropriate local authorities and civil society actors / NGOs
reflecting and learning from participatory / independent monitoring and evaluation of their project activities
Can enunciate their contribution towards community development and specific impact upon poverty reduction
Phase 4 - Making a difference to development
Once community partnerships have reached this stage within the UN Gold Star Award Framework they are eligible to apply for the prestigious UN Gold Star Award for their contribution to one of five areas relating to community development and poverty reduction. Groups should focus attention on not only delivering poverty reduction projects but also on monitoring, evaluating and measuring the impact your partnership is having on the people within your communities.
Please see the Youtube clip below to get the first hand story from Richard Adams, coordinator of Velindre NHS Link between Cardiff and Sierra leone about how the partnership is benefitting the wider community.
The following summaries and brief video clips offer short introductions to the sorts of interventions that Welsh community links are contributing to in Africa. The clips are all taken from a short film about PONT, the Pontypridd Uganda Link, but reflects the passion and innovation of community linking initiatives across Wales.
1. Health
The partnership is working to improve the physical, mental and spiritual health and well being of members of its communities.
Increasing access to health care facilities and resources
Increasing access to maternal health care
Increasing access to childcare
Improving social welfare provision
Improving quality of service provision
Improving access to water and sanitation
Improving access to food and nutrition
Improving support and facilities for physically, mentally or learning disabled community members
Links between youth organisations within the partnership
Increasing access to formal education
Increasing quality of formal education
Increasing access to health care and maternal health care
Increasing access to childcare
Improving social welfare provision
Supporting youth led work and youth ambassadors
Involving children in the decision making and activities of the link
3. Livelihoods
The partnership is working to develop opportunities for making a living, that benefits those community members who have poor access to sustainable livelihoods.
Sustainable work opportunities
Promoting Fairtrade products or Fairtrade community status
Skills development and training
Access to resources
A trading relationship between partners
Capacity building
Improving market access
Advocacy and campaigning
4. Environment
Both sides of the partnership are contributing to sustainable development and protecting local and global environments.
Resource management
Forestry protection
Sustainable resource production
Carbon reduction
Recycling intiatives
Carbon offsetting within the partnership
Promoting healthy environments
Environmental education
5. Equality (formerly Social Harmony)
The partnership is working to increase social cohesion on both sides of the partnership, tackling barriers and increasing understanding between different parts of the communities
Equality of opportunities for women
Equality of opportunities for minority ethnic groups
Equality of opportunities for those at a disadvantage or vulnerable groups
Active learning about race relations, gender equity, class and caste equity, disability and sexuality
