Description of the goods or services required
1.0 Project Summary
The project is setting up ‘maker spaces’ in towns in Gwynedd in order to demonstrate the technology and develop a community of makers across the county. It will be delivered in partnership between Gwynedd Council and Menter Môn with funding via Arfor and the Gwynedd LEADER project (Arloesi Gwynedd Wledig).
To deliver the project we wish to appoint specialists to
a. Provide ongoing technical support
b. Work with groups and individuals to develop basic skills and increase awareness of the technology.
2.0 Overview of LEADER
LEADER is the term used to describe a local development approach for rural areas. The name comes from the French abbreviation for ‘Liaison Entre Actions pour le Development de L’Economie Rurale’ which roughly translates to ‘links between actions for developing the rural economy’
It is an EU and Welsh Government funded project that will support activities in Gwynedd between 2015 and 2022 across five themes. More information is available on the Arloesi Gwynedd Wledig website.
The current LEADER programme is being delivered in Gwynedd by Menter Môn. They are accountable to the Local Action Groups (LAG) which gives strategic direction and experienced input into projects. The LAG for Gwynedd is Arloesi Gwynedd Wledig.
The Gwynedd team are based in Porthmadog and with responsibility of working with various groups and communities of interest, to develop and administer projects.
3.0 Overview of Arfor
Ceredigion, Gwynedd, Carmarthenshire and Anglesey are the counties with the highest percentage of Welsh speakers, but the number has been falling for a long time. Increasing the number of Welsh speakers is a key aim for Welsh Government through the Million Welsh Speakers programme.
The counties of Ceredigion, Gwynedd, Carmarthenshire and Anglesey have also, for a long time, been facing economic challenges. They are rural counties with low salaries due to a lack of well-paid jobs.
The Welsh Government Strategy, 'Prosperity for All' (2017), outlines regional structures for future economic development in Wales. This means that the four counties form part of economic regions where English is more prominent, and where the emphasis in the regions are on their urban centres.
However, there is support and desire across the four local authorities to work in partnership to consider how the economy within these counties could be developed, and through this, to increase the sustainability of the Welsh language strongholds.
Welsh Government earmarked £2 million for the 2019/20 to 2020/21 period to allow the four counties to collaborate to prepare a Strategic Plan that would ensure the prosperity of the economy in the west of Wales and to experiment and trial plans to that end. This is the ARFOR programmme (see www.rhaglenarfor.cymru for further information).
4.0 The Ffiws Project
A makerspace is a collaborative workspace for making, learning, exploring and sharing that uses high tech to no tech tools. The type of technology available in a maker space includes 3D printers, laser cutters and CNC routers. A full list of the equipment has been provided in an attachment.
This project is seeking to create a ‘pop up’ maker space that will be located in empty shops, community spaces and business parks. The project will come to an end in January
Along with the equipment, the project will provide facilitation support to raise awareness and develop a community of makers that will support ongoing activity. The type of activities will include (but not limited to) the following:
• Induction sessions on the equipment for individuals and small groups
• Workshops / inductions for craftworkers / artists
• Workshops / inductions for young people / students
• Workshops / inductions for businesses
• Talks and demonstrations for community groups e.e. Merched y Wawr, Rugby Club, Urdd, Business Clubs, Mens Shed
• Train the trainer sessions
• Collaboration events with other projects e.g. Hwb Menter, Be the Spark and Business Wales
• Maker Days to encourage the public to engage with Ffiws e.e. Christmas Decoration days, Haloween masks
Gwynedd Council have received funds through the Arfor project to purchase fabrication equipment and Menter Môn (via Arloesi Gwynedd Wledig) will coordinate the project and provide funding for the specialist support.
A lease has been agreed on an empty shop in Porthmadog to allow Arloesi staff to support the project closely.
Please note that the Ffiws building will be unmanned by Menter Mon staff, and therefore lone working will be a necessity. Applicants will be required to provide a lone working risk assessment or method statement with their tender.
5.0 Support Required
The Arloesi Gwynedd Wledig staff will manage Ffiws and be responsible for coordinating the activities. However, we will require suitably qualified individuals to:
a. Provide ongoing technical support
b. Deliver a range of activities as detailed above
NOTE: To register your interest in this notice and obtain any additional information please visit the Sell2Wales Web Site at https://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=116045.
The buyer has indicated that it will accept electronic responses to this notice via the Postbox facility. A user guide is available at https://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/sitehelp/help_guides.aspx.
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