Empowering Local Communities
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Transcript of Empowering Local Communities
EMPOWERING LOCAL COMMUNITIESBreakout session
Connecting Policy with Practice
20 June 2013
Sophie Hostick-Boakye, Associate
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THE YOUNG FOUNDATION
• Social innovation and social change
• Work with individuals, communities and partners to find solutions
• Applied Innovation – grass roots, communities and agencies to deliver change
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THE YOUNG FOUNDATION AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT • Transforming Neighbourhoods,
Neighbourhood Action Network, Future Communities
• Led to question how digital tools can help community empowerment
• Local 2.0:• Tested with three local authorities how
hyper-local media/Web 2.0 can increase community voice
• Series of think-pieces
• Digital Activism:• Worked with six small community
organisations to explore how free and low-cost tools can help people campaign on local issues
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HOW TOOLS CAN BE USED
Councils engaging customers online:• Kirklees Council – Twitter for quick dialogue with residents about
local issues• Coventry City Council – Facebook (as Coventry) sharing council
information but linking people to the place rather than organisation• ASK Bristol – WordPress where Bristol City Council consults
residents on decision making
Campaigners engaging supporters and others online: • Hackney CAB Crowdmap – Twitter, Facebook, WordPress and
Crowdmap to highlight impact of housing benefit changes• Shelve It! – Twitter, Facebook, WordPress and Crowdmap to gather
stories and retailer ratings of lads’ mags displays• Mothers Against Gangs – WordPress to reach out to parents with
children at risk of joining gangs looking for support
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COUNCILS AND SOCIAL MEDIA A social media framework for local government:1. Listen to social media users and
conversations about local issues
2. Participate in conversations, building dialogue with citizens through social media – energise, provide spaces to support, empower through decision making
3. Transform service redesign, replacing or complimenting existing ways of working and adopting new models of working
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CAMPAIGNERS AND SOCIAL MEDIA1. Decide who to engage and
what you want them to do
2. Collaborate
3. Keep content accessible and up-to-date
4. Maintain momentum
5. Target influencers to amplify your message
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ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY USING WEB TOOLS What works well:• Can reach a wide range of
people• Allows people to take part as
much as they want and when it suits them
• Can help strengthen relationships and share information
• Issues that emerge on community sites are more likely to be raised in offline meetings or forums
• Can help to connect residents in need with active local residents willing and ready to help.
What works less well:• Not everyone is online• Not everyone is confident using
web tools• Not everyone wants to form
relationships with institutions or neighbours
• Requires time and dedication • Not a one size fits all• Web is not a silver bullet for
community engagement
• Community interaction online mirrored with community interaction offline
• Core group of people participate in online interaction
@_YF_Applied / @the_young_fdn