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| About Development Trusts Association Scotland |
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DTA Scotland was established during the summer of 2003 with a small staff team consisting of CEO, development officer and administrator based at 54 Manor Place, Edinburgh. The early work to secure a funding package from Communities Scotland (now Scottish Government), Coalfields Regeneration Trust and The Royal Bank of Scotland was carried out by Senscot and ASTIS (Assoc of Small Towns In Scotland). Further funding has subsequently being secured from Esmee Fairbairn Foundation and ESF.
Membership has grown quickly and in April 2008 now stands at 107 full members and 20 associate members.
During the initial phase the majority (75%) of the membership came from rural communities. At its strategic review in 2005 the Board of DTAS agreed that it should be a priority over the next few years to refocus efforts on the urban areas of the country. Since then DTAS has been awarded a 4 year funding package from the BIG Lottery Inclusive & Dynamic Communities, which allowed DTAS to employ an urban based development officer, with office space in Glasgow, and a part-time administrator as well as running a series of training seminars designed around the needs of the membership. Part of this funding has also been used in an innovative new approach to offering support to the more inaccessible areas of Scotland by commissioning two member organisations to carry out development work locally on our behalf. The pilot areas are the Orkney Islands and Skye. The Scottish Government continues to support the work of DTAS with a further 3 year funding package staring in April 2008.
DTA Scotland has a close working relationship with our sister organisation Development Trusts Association (England) and together with Development Trusts Association Wales, there is now a UK-wide network which has over 380 members. All members of DTA Scotland automatically receive membership of the UK-wide association.
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DTA Scotland aims to have a successful development trust in every community that wants one. To achieve this DTA Scotland will address itself to four key tasks:
1) To encourage mutual support among development trusts in Scotland by creating opportunities for development trusts to network with each other in order to share ideas and experiences and to learn from one another.
2) To encourage the growth of new development trusts in communities who want them.
3) To promote and represent the interests of development trusts at all levels of local and central government and with the other UK associations, at European and international level.
4) To run our own organisation efficiently and to reflect the democratic wishes and aspirations of our member organisations.
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