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TEP demonstrates both good practice in support for individuals seeking to develop their business ideas and good practice in community development activities.  That’s the key finding from the 3-year evaluation of the service by international evaluation specialist Blake Stevenson.  The evaluators point to TEP’s ‘blend of individual and community support, based on sound theoretical underpinnings around ways of working professionally and ethically in communities and with individuals’, as its most distinctive characteristic.  ‘What makes Tynedale Enterprise different and makes it work is that local businesses and others are delivering and supporting community activity,’ the report goes on.

Much of the approach echoes what would be regarded as best practice in community development, in that it is person-centred; goes at the pace of the client; encourages and supports people - does not dictate their actions; links up individuals and organisations in order to add capacity; enables the development of further opportunities; and, overall, increases the social and economic capital of the local community.  The project trusts people to take charge of their own problems and solutions. 

According to Graham Taylor, who leads reaction’s Advisory Board, “it shows that the model is workable, usable, and successful. We have achieved what we set out to do which was to introduce a process for supporting our local communities and local individuals to achieve their goals, particularly in setting up or expanding businesses.” The 172-page report is available to download here.