Place-Sensitive Economic Development

Here’s a term I’ve recently encountered during an IWA/WCPP webinar: place-sensitive economic development. It’s a simple phrase, but an important one. The underlying insight was that economic policy works best when it reflects how local economies actually function – shaped by people, relationships, skills, assets and history – rather than being designed in silos or applied uniformly from the centre. Across the discussion there was a clear recognition that delivering a just transition, reducing inequality and unlocking long-term economic opportunity all depend on stronger, place-based ways of working.

It’s Time for a Different Way of Working

Economic development is often talked about in abstract terms – growth, productivity, investment. But on the ground, in real places, it’s much messier than that. Local economies don’t operate in neat sectors. They are made up of people, relationships, skills, businesses, public services and community activity, all intersecting in ways that policy rarely reflects.  This is where place-sensitive economic development matters.

At 4theRegion, our role is to help make those connections visible and workable. We bring together businesses, community groups, public bodies and anchor institutions across South West Wales, not to deliver one-off projects, but to create the conditions for better decisions to be made locally. We work across themes because that’s how places actually function – energy affects jobs, transport affects opportunity, food affects health, skills affect everything.

Place-sensitive development relies on local knowledge flowing into decision-making. Too often, insight from communities, businesses and practitioners never reaches the systems shaping policy and investment. Our work helps surface that knowledge, connect it across sectors and feed it back in a way that reflects lived experience, not just data points.

We also know that economic opportunity only sticks if value stays local. That means thinking carefully about who benefits from investment, how skills are developed alongside real opportunities, and how long-term wealth is built rather than extracted. This is as true for net zero and infrastructure as it is for town centres, food systems or the future of work.

What we offer is not a single solution, but a way of working. A place-first approach that values collaboration, trust and continuity. A space where complex challenges can be held together rather than pulled apart. And a growing network of people who care deeply about the future of this region and want to shape it together.

If Wales is serious about delivering economic development that works for people and places, then organisations rooted in place – able to connect, convene and translate – are not optional. They are part of the infrastructure that makes progress possible.

Can We Collaborate?

If you’re reading this, and you happen to work in Welsh Government, the CJC, the local authority – perhaps there is an opportunity to invest in facilitation and capacity-building through 4theRegion, as part of your objectives around place-based development, engagement and community-empowerment?  We are always keen to hear from organisations that see the value of our work, please reach out to me: dawn@4theRegion.org.uk 

One of the most powerful things about 4theRegion is the people and organisations who make it what it is. We’re not a single organisation delivering a top-down programme. We’re a network – a regional alliance – made up of individuals, businesses, and groups who care about South West Wales and want to be part of creating a better future.

So, who is involved?

A Rich Mix of Sectors and Stories

Our members and supporters come from all walks of life. From creative agencies and universities, to small farms, manufacturers, housing associations and community groups – all united by a shared belief in collaboration, place-based action, and long-term thinking.

Here are just some of the people and organisations involved:

Bevan Buckland LLP – the region’s largest independent accountancy firm

Branding by Becca – local branding and design specialist, helping businesses tell their stories with clarity and style.

University of Wales Trinity Saint David – with campuses across Carmarthenshire and Swansea

Swansea University – a key regional anchor and strategic partner

Bluestone National Park Resort – leading in sustainability and local supply chains

Swansea Community Farm – a well-loved urban farm doing vital community work

Zombie Plastics CIC – transforming plastic waste into new products and solutions, putting circular economy into action.

Cwm Arian Renewable Energy – community-led renewable energy and projects in West Wales

The CAE – formerly known as the Centre for African Entrepreneurship, helping people pursue their Welsh Dream

Carl Gough – a storyteller and change agent now working to conserve sea grass

Gower College Swansea – supporting young people and regional skills development

JCP Solicitors – legal experts with offices across our region

Vicky Moller (Grwp Resilience) – long-standing advocate for local empowerment

Ben Reynolds (Urban Foundry) – urban regeneration, creative economy and meaningful placemaking.

Castell Howell Foods – a regional food distribution business committed to local farming

Waters Creative – a design and marketing agency, building a regional creative network

Circular Economy Innovation Communities – focused on systems innovation and circularity

Arvato CRM Solutions – providing customer services and jobs in the region

Gitti Coats (Haverhub) – championing place-based regeneration in Haverfordwest

James Dovey (Blueprint) – an innovative place-base changemaker working with young people in Llanelli

Phil McDonnell – Founder of Swansea Environment Forum and now driving the local food agenda in Neath Port Talbot

Mary Duckett (Bwyd Abertawe) – food systems change in Swansea

Swansea Building Society – embedded in our region and committed to supporting local businesses

This is just a snapshot – our network includes over 200 organisations and individuals, and it’s growing all the time.

A Shared Commitment to the Region

What connects all these diverse people and organisations is not a sector or size – but a shared commitment to South West Wales. A belief that we’re stronger when we work together. A willingness to collaborate, to share ideas, to show up and support one another.

Some are working in business. Others in education, health, farming, energy, the arts, or the public sector. Some lead big organisations; others are just getting started. Many are quietly doing good work behind the scenes.

Together, they form the beating heart of 4theRegion.

If you’re working on something that aims to contribute to the wellbeing and prosperity of this region – whether it’s a business, a social enterprise, a campaign, or a community group – there’s a place for you here too.

A Culture of Connection

At 4theRegion, we’re often asked what it is we actually do. And to be honest, it’s not always easy to explain.

We’ve never wanted to build a traditional organisation. We’re trying to model a different way of working – one that values people, relationships, and shared purpose above all else.

We’re not here to run services or deliver projects for the sake of it. What we do is bring people together, hold space for conversation, and support collaboration – because we believe that’s where real, long-term change begins.

Positivity is a Strategy

One of our guiding principles is that positivity matters. In a world full of bad news and competing demands, it’s easy to feel disheartened. But when people hear what’s already happening – the good work, the local projects, the individuals making a difference – it shifts something.

It creates energy. It encourages hope. And it helps people see that change is not only possible, but already underway.

A big part of what we do is amplify that – sharing stories, celebrating local initiatives, helping people feel connected to something bigger. That positive sense of identity – of belonging to a place that’s full of potential – is not superficial. It’s empowering. It helps people act.

Helping the System See Itself

We’re inspired by systems thinkers like Donella Meadows, who wrote that “a sustainable system must be able to see itself.”

In fragmented systems, people don’t know what others are doing. They can’t see the patterns or possibilities. Everyone’s working hard, but often in isolation.

We try to shine a light on the system – not by analysing it from above, but by building shared awareness from within. Through conversations, events, newsletters and meetups, we help people see that they’re not alone – that their work is connected to a much wider movement for change.

That’s what we mean by “joining the dots”.

The Five Ways of Working

We align closely with the five ways of working in the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act:

• Long-term – Thinking beyond the next funding cycle or political term

• Prevention – Tackling root causes, not just symptoms

• Integration – Seeing how things connect, not working in silos

• Collaboration – Building trust, relationships, and shared ownership

• Involvement – Including people’s voices, especially those often left out

These aren’t just policy terms – they’re ways of being. And we try to live them, every day, in how we work with people across South West Wales.

Co-Creation, Not Consultation

In 2025, we’re focusing more intentionally on five mission-led steering groups – each one bringing people together around a key regional theme:

• Local Supply Chains
• Community Changemakers
• Youth Empowerment
• Positive Regional Identity
• The Green Economy

These groups are not advisory boards or working groups in the traditional sense. They’re spaces for co-creation – where people can bring their own projects, shape shared ideas, and collaborate to make things happen.

We’re not waiting for funding to drop from above. We’re identifying what’s needed now, and then working together to find the energy, resources, or support to move forward.

How We Work

• We hold space for conversation and connection

• We listen deeply and without agenda

• We grow awareness of what’s already happening

• We help people see opportunities for collaboration

• We value trust, consistency, and relationships

• We support co-creation, not competition

This isn’t always easy – and it’s certainly not fast. But it’s how we believe change happens: when people see the system more clearly, feel proud of what’s possible, and choose to work together, rather than alone.

4theRegion is a small organisation – just the two of us full time, plus a few amazing team members and freelancers who support different parts of the work.

We’re not a big institution. We don’t have a huge board or lots of funding. We’re a partnership, a friendship, and a shared commitment to doing things differently.

People sometimes assume we’re much bigger than we are – and maybe that’s because the vision is big. But behind everything we do is a small team of people working hard, with care and purpose, to help make this region better connected, more hopeful, and more joined-up.

We’re not perfect. We don’t have all the skills or answers. But we’re good at listening, at drawing people together, at spotting opportunities for collaboration. And we care – deeply – about this place.

We care about fairness, kindness, integrity. We care about the people we work with. We try to be generous and supportive. And we try to do things with heart, not ego.

That doesn’t mean it’s easy. Like many people trying to create change, we often feel tired, overwhelmed, or unsure. This work can feel lonely sometimes. But what keeps us going is the community around us – the friends, allies, and changemakers who remind us why it matters.

Zoe Antrobus

Co-Founder & Managing Director

Zoe leads on member engagement, business development and events – and she’s the person who keeps everything moving forward. With a background in enterprise support and events, she has a real talent for bringing people together and creating momentum.

Zoe is full of perseverance and positivity. She’s not afraid to pick up the phone, reach out, and keep inviting people into the conversation. She’s constantly working to involve new voices and explain why collaboration matters – always looking for connections and shared purpose.

Zoe is strong and capable – whether that means fixing a broken gate, putting up a shelf, or holding a whole conference together. She’s also mum to one daughter and brings a practical, upbeat energy to everything she does – helping people feel welcome, encouraged and ready to get involved.

Dawn Lyle

Co-Founder & Strategic Lead

Dawn leads on strategy, vision and communications – holding the big picture and working to shift the narrative around what economic success looks like in South West Wales. With a background in business and regional development, she brings insight and clarity to complex systems and long-term challenges.

She came to Swansea as a student and never left, starting her first business here in 2003. Like many who move to the region, she sees its strengths and opportunities with fresh eyes – and has spent the last two decades supporting local businesses, promoting place-based enterprise, and advocating for positive change.

Dawn is a passionate voice for wellbeing economics, community collaboration and systems thinking. She’s also mum to three children, and brings care, conviction and a deep sense of purpose to everything she does – always asking what’s needed next, and how we can do things differently.

Just people who live here

At its core, 4theRegion is a human organisation. You won’t get slick corporate comms from us. You’ll get real people, trying to do something meaningful, and inviting others to be part of it.

This is the work of relationships, and we’re hoping to be here for the long haul.

We started 4theRegion because something was missing.  So many brilliant people, doing good work – but disconnected from each other. So many conversations happening in silos. So many decisions being made without the people they affect. And so much energy, wasted or ignored, when it could be shaping something better.

It felt like no one was joining the dots. No one was bringing people together across sectors, across counties, across roles – to work towards a shared vision for our region.  That’s what we wanted to do.

We Believe in South West Wales

We believe this region is full of potential. Not just economic potential – though there’s plenty of that – but human potential. Community potential. Creative, caring, committed people who want to build a better future where they live.

But the systems we live and work within often make that harder than it needs to be. Funding is short-term and competitive. Organisations are under pressure. Collaboration takes time. And everyone’s overstretched.

We don’t have all the answers – but we do think we need to work differently. More openly. More locally. More collaboratively. That’s what 4theRegion exists to support.

We’re Tired of Quick Fixes

So much of our economy is about short-term wins. Growth for its own sake. Big promises that don’t materialise. Communities left out or left behind.

We think it’s time to reimagine what the economy is for.  For us, the answer is wellbeing. The wellbeing of people, places, and the planet. That means supporting the things that really matter – care, connection, meaningful work, strong communities, nature, fairness. Things that don’t always get measured, but absolutely matter.

That’s what we mean by a wellbeing economy. Not a utopia – but a shift in priorities. A long-term direction of travel. And it starts here, in our region, with the work we’re already doing together.

It’s Hard, But It Matters

We won’t pretend this is easy. Collaboration is hard. Systems change is hard. Trying to do things differently is hard.

But it’s also worth it. And it’s already happening – in small ways, all over the region. People coming together, sharing ideas, supporting each other, and building something new.

That’s why we’re here. To hold space for that. To keep showing up. To say: you’re not on your own.