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Local Improvement Advisor – Climate Change
In December 2008, Emma and Joanne were both appointed by the UK Department of Communities & Local Government to a national panel of Local Improvement Advisors (LIA) who will be supporting the delivery of the national improvement and efficiency strategy. Specialising in Climate Change and Environmental Leadership, Emma and Joanne have been appointed to undertake assignments across the country until 2011.
What is an LIA?
LIAs are experienced field experts who are recruited by central government to provide specialist, focused support for local and regional organisations and partnerships across England. Typically working with Local Strategic Partnerships and agencies, they are funded centrally to undertake assignments of usually around 5-15 days in duration.
How can an LIA help?
LIAs can provide advice, coaching, training and mentoring to support you, your staff and colleagues in local partnerships and agencies to improve delivery through the new performance frameworks LAA/MAAs and CAA. They provide support through direct, on-site and face-to-face advice, their primary role being to help with improvement and efficiency activities. They can help to strengthen capacity and effectiveness, develop new areas of work and identify and advise on good practice solutions based on approaches that have worked well elsewhere.
Examples
Emma has conducted four LIA assignments to-date, involving:
- The facilitation of a stakeholder workshop to inform the development of the Forward East Midlands Climate Change Programme.
- The development of a template training toolkit for local authorities on climate change mitigation and adaptation.
- Providing support to the Cambridgeshire Climate Change Partnership in the development of its strategic framework.
- Providing support to the Wakefield Strategic Partnership in the development of its climate change strategy.
How do I get LIA support?
LIA assignments are agreed in collaboration with Regional Improvement and Efficiency Partnerships. In the first instance you need to contact your RIEP (see below) and tell them you’d like to request LIA support. Either go through the main switchboard or contact the officer covering your area or theme (i.e. climate change). You will then propose and agree a short assignment brief which is then circulated to all the LIAs who specialise in the area you are requesting support in. Interested LIAs will then forward their profiles and, after reviewing these (and perhaps having a brief chat over the phone), you select the LIA you would like to work with.
Contacting your RIEP
LIA support is coordinated through the West Midlands RIEP so if you can’t find the right person to talk to, you can contact: adasilva@westmidlandsiep.gov.uk
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