The Development Trusts Association Wales - The Community-Based Regeneration Network

 What is a development trust association? They are part of the community enterprise movement, which are community-based and aim to build profits that are used to build community wealth that has a lasting effect and improvement on the area. For example, DTA Wales are engaged in the economic, environmental and social regeneration of Wales, and work as an independent, community-centred network.

DTA Wales works as part of a UK-wide movement of development trusts, alongside sister organisations in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. There are a total of 40 development trusts in Wales, and 400 across the UK in total. DTA Wales relies on membership, and people coming together to improve their community through creating community-based wealth.

According to their website, DTA Wales' main objectives are:

" - The establishment of new trusts in every community that wants one.

- To provide support for existing ones to operate well and grow their businesses, community enterprises and services.

- To promote good practice from within the network and encourage others to support development trusts.

- To support new enterprise opportunities and growth sectors within our movement.

- To run the association effectively."

The association was actually founded in 1992, and a number of them in Wales were original founding members of the DTA. It was developed as a response to communities that were committed and determined to regenerate their neighbourhoods and local areas, but lacked the knowledge or information for how to go about the change.

Through creating a nationwide association, they created a network of people and communities to learn from and help one another to succeed. The association could share ideas and aims, and accomplish far more through having a voice at a national level. This is why DTA Wales still works closely with associations in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The network has since become one of the most rapidly growing movements across the UK.

DTA Wales itself was first established in January 2003, with the support of the Welsh Assembly Government, in order to support the existing network in Wales. Their aim and objective is simple: to create wealth in communities, and keep it there.

Through their website, it is possible to find a number of successful case stories of how they have improved various communities across Wales. They create community-based wealth through creating new shops, services and suppliers in the needing communities, in order to encourage creating and keeping money in the area. You can see exactly how they improve the local areas, and successfully promote the people in each community.

The Development Trusts Association relies heavily on membership, however, in order to encourage ideas and promotion through the various communities in Wales. As a member, it's not just about the membership fee; they expect members to contribute with ideas and sharing experience. DTA Wales classes itself as a learning network, which all works to influence the community, as well as current and future projects.