Rural Mainstreaming
Rural mainstreaming is part of a national policy framework which recognises that all communities are different and policies therefore need to be flexible enough to respond to local circumstances.
Introduced through the Rural Strategy in 2004, Rural Proofing is the process through which rural differences are identified and accounted for in policy design and implementation. Developing and influencing policy relies on a robust evidence base. In 2009 One North East established a detailed evidence base to:
- Support rural mainstreaming
- Confirm and identify rural differences
- Feed in to the development of the Integrated Regional Strategy
Examining data at the lowest geography possible this evidence base provides a much more refined picture of the economic strengths and weaknesses of the rural north east. It confirms that apart from geography, environment and the land based sector that rural north east is as equally diverse and complex as its neighbouring rural areas. Whilst there are subtle differences that characterise some parts of the rural north east, many of the factors that drive the wider economy: innovation, skills, investment, competition and enterprise also underpin the economic strength of the rural North East.
For this reason, in line with national policy One North East has decided that apart from the Rural Development Programme of England we will mainstream rural across the Agency’s programmes and policies.
One North East’s rural mainstreaming priorities:
Rural mainstreaming
Effectively tailoring the policies and programmes that flow out of the Regional Economic Strategies Priorities:
Business
– Designing and targeting our Enterprise programme to capture and replicate the potential of the rural enterprise culture
– Tailoring business support to increase the competitiveness of rural based businesses
– Increasing the competitiveness of the land based sector.
People
- Influencing mainstream employment support agencies through innovative employability pilots
- Ensuring access to skill attainment is not limited by geography
Place
– Harnessing the economic opportunities that the low carbon agenda presents for the rural North East in supporting the long term sustainability of the region.
– Building on the strength of regionally significant rural market towns as visitor destinations and hubs for rural businesses and employment support services.
– Overcoming gaps in broadband provision that will help to overcome some of the barriers geography creates for rural businesses and communities.
Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE)
- Maximising the use of existing mainstream delivery channels through the effective integration of RDPE activity. Click here to view the RDPE website.
