[PDF] Community Development Toolkit - CommDev

Mining and community developmentcontinuedThe sum of these factors is that, with thebest of intentions, the projects were “donated”to local communities and they therefore didnot feel any particular ownership of themnor did they have the needed capabilities tosustain them, resulting in a progressive, andoften speedy, decline once external supportwas withdrawn.Further, if local communities andgovernment agencies become accustomedto mining companies taking charge of theprovision of essential infrastructure andservices, an unhealthy dependencyrelationship can evolve, working againstsustainability.Mining and metals companies should take astrategic perspective and focus upon theirown areas of expertise to determine wherethose intersect with community needs.In that way, there is a reduced chance ofcompanies filling roles that should be theresponsibility of others. For example, schoolsand clinics are the areas of expertise ofeducational and health experts and theresponsibility of governments, not corebusiness skills for mining companies.Certainly, companies have building expertise,but the buildings are only the skeleton ofthe health and education systems, and notmuch use without teachers, nurses, coursematerials and medicines. Even where miningcompanies are willing and able to put inplace such health and education services,there remains the inherent risk, ifimplemented solely by a company, that whenthe mining company ceases its activities anddeparts, these services will collapse.By contrast, mining and metals operationsdo have skills to share with communitiesin a range of trades, administration,management, finance, operating andmaintaining mobile and fixed machinery,improving local supplier and contractorcapability, and so on. Partnership programsfor local apprentices in these areas ofcapacity building will be more beneficial inthe long term than the traditional list ofinfrastructure projects.The challenge, however, is to not onlybuild the skills but also facilitate the growthof other activities in parallel to mining.For example, the Lac La Ronge Indian Bandinitially developed trucking and cateringskills, with support from the local uraniummines in northern Canada, as part of aprogram of localizing the miner’sprocurement needs. Over time, theyexpanded their business away from themines and increasing annual turnover toCan$65 million by supplying servicesin the surrounding region. In addition tohelping train local community members toprovide goods and services, companies canalso consider supporting microcredit andother entrepreneurial schemes to helpencourage small business.MINING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENTCommunity Development Toolkit19