The Compass Regeneration Academy Merseyside is a learning and development forum for graduates new to the regeneration sector, as well as staff moving from the housing sector. It was set up by a group of seven housing organisations that wanted to address skills gaps and recruitment and retention problems.
Students on the programme come from a broad range of public and private sector organisations. The course lasts 11 weeks, with participants attending nine days of teaching by experienced regeneration professionals, all of whom offer their skills on a voluntary basis. Members of the community are also able to take part in the programme, and local residents assist with delivering some of the teaching for the communities element of the course.
The emphasis of the course is on regeneration in practice, rather than academic theory. Towards the end of the programme, students take part in a planning exercise, which forms part of their assessment. They visit a neighbourhood to survey the area, noting architectural features and heritage issues. After the visit, they develop their plan for the area and then present them to the rest of the group.
The first intake of students was in spring 2005 and the Compass programme has since run twice a year. Initial funding for the programme came from a Housing Corporation Innovation & Good Practice grant and it is now supported by financial contributions from the founding organisations plus student fees. One hundred and ten individuals took part in the programme between 2005 and 2007.
Topics associated with this project
Governance, Housing, Neighbourhood, North West, Planning, Private sector, Skills, Training