CoastNet Professional Services

 Capacity-building services

The coast is a complex place having a mix of land-based and marine influences which make planning and decision-making more difficult than elsewhere. Understanding these influences better and being equipped with the skills and tools to help address them is vital to effective decision-making and management. Consequently we provide:

• Training for coastal professionals
• Training and advice for community groups
• Fundraising support for community groups and for other organisations. We have particular expertise in Lottery Funds, European Interreg Funds and the new Coastal Communities Fund.

 Mediation services

The complex mix of uses and users on the coast are a recipe for conflict. CoastNet, as an independent not-for-profit organisation and with our expert knowledge of coastal issues, is ideally placed to mediate between groups to improve understanding and to help resolve conflict.

Contact us now If you have a problem to discuss how we might be able to help.

 Community planning service

Two pieces of new legislation will prove vitally important to the future of coastal communities throughout the UK. The Marine and Coastal Access Act put in place a new process of planning for activities at sea, not just way offshore but right up to the beach and in estuaries. The Localism Bill, currently being considered by Parliament will enable communities, at Town and Parish Council level or at neighbourhood level, to make statutory Neighbourhood Development Plans.

CoastNet provides a menu of support to community groups to prepare for Neighbourhood and Marine Planning and to make Neighbourhood Plans:

• Community needs assessments
• Fundraising support
• Community engagement and mediation
• Coastal Neighbourhood Planning Guide – a collection of resources to take you through the Neighbourhood Planning process, backed up with expert advice and support where required
• Regeneration planning – support for identifying, planning and implementing community regeneration activities, including capital projects.

Contact us now for a free assessment of your readiness for marine planning and for neighbourhood planning.

 Formal and informal education services

We provide educational activities for children and young people, both in and out of school, making use of the coast as a source of inspiration. We prefer to deliver six or twelve week educational programmes, built around using film-making and other digital media, and arts activities.

We are particularly keen to work with young people not in employment education or training, difficult to engage students, and youth groups in disadvantaged areas.

Click here to see some examples of our work

 Communications services

Understanding the coast can be complicated and confusing: lots of organisations, plans and initiatives; complex regulations and decision-making processes; difficult to find out who does what and why. This is not only a problem for the end user – organisations too have to clearly communicate their role within this mix and to effectively engage with their stakeholders.

CoastNet has 15 years experience in communicating with coastal stakeholders about coastal issues, having produced our own magazine for many years and developed a range of websites. We can help you with:

• Website design and building
• Copywriting for jargon-free leaflets, newsletters and websites
• Conferences and facilitated workshops
• Event organisation

 Policy research and development services

CoastNet staff have many years experience of coastal policy and we have a huge network of coastal academics, professionals and lay people to draw upon. Thus we are able to tackle a wide range of coastal and maritime policy topics.

• Conferences and facilitated workshops
• Research and analysis, all aspects of coastal and maritime policy. Including: urban regeneration, coastal flood and erosion risk management, rural development, marine planning and inshore fisheries.