DTA in the North East

The Angel of the North - Gateshead

About us

There is a strong development trust movement in the North East with 46 full and emerging members. The North East office covers Northumberland, Tyne & Wear, Durham and Tees Valley.

Our most recent analysis shows that development trusts in the North East have grown in size and financially sustainability over four years - with a growth in average income of 168%, growth in average earned income of 214% and a growth in average asset ownership of 89%.

The main activities of the DTA in the North East are to:

• support the establishment of new development trusts
• support existing development trusts to work more effectively
• promote the development trust model within the region.

Asset Development

The DTA supports its members to develop property assets through initiatives at national level like the Advancing Assets programme and the Asset Transfer Unit. In the North East, members, other voluntary and community enterprises and social enterprises can access Places For Everyone. The Places For Everyone programme was developed through a partnership between PNE, DTA, Pentagon Partnership and Mosedale Gillett Architects. It provides training, specialist support and access to a small grants pot for feasibility. Its website includes a range of resources and toolkits covering all aspects of capital development.

Enterprise Support

Members of the DTA regional staff are accredited business advisers and the DTA aims to support its members to develop viable community enterprises which contribute to the financial sustainability of their organisation. The recently completed Cultivating Enterprise programme resulted in a range of business set ups in the North East from a business distributing local food to a commercial laundry.

Community Alliance

The DTA in the North East is part of the national Community Alliance which involves bassac, Community Matters and the DTA. In the North East, we also work closely with Novas Scarman. The Community Alliance runs a series of conferences and training. For details of our next conference 'New Horizons - Developing Enterprising Organisations' and to view details/book on training sessions please go to the Events page.

Community Benefit

Development trusts are community controlled and managed. They seek to improve and regenerate their local area - generating wealth and keeping it there. Development trusts in the North East have an impressive record of delivering community benefit - for example supporting those out of employment into work and training, providing services for young people and older people, promoting healthy lifestyles and enabling access to a range of services. The DTA aims to help members to tell their stories and document their social benefit.

Networking

Networking is fundamental to the DTA - through its annual conference and regional meetings. Regional meetings in the North East are well attended and focus on key topics around generating income through assets, enterprise and contracts. For highlights of our last regional meeting please go to Previous Regional Meetings. For future meeting details please go to Next Regional Meeting. The DTA encourages and supports networking on a sub-regional and more local basis. An example of successful local networking and support is the Federation of Northumberland Development Trusts.

Contact Us

If you would like to know more about the work of the DTA in the North East, please contact:

Gail Bland, Regional Development Officer on 01740 652000

Debbie Lamb, Regional Development Manager on 01207 588534
Debbie will be out of the office on sabbatical until 4th October 2010 - so please, in the first instance, contact Gail.

Susan Heads, Administration Officer on 01670 518150