Community resources

"'Most people participate in their communities not as part of organised groups, but in doing acts of kindness' Professor Carolyn Kagan, Professor of Community Social Psychology at Manchester Metropolitan University. / Inspiring Quotes 13"

Action Ideas

 * Participatory journalism
 * Sustainability centres
 * Sustainability advice service
 * Skill share
 * Community shops and cafes
 * Internet cafes
 * Equipment sharing
 * Shared office space
 * Community websites
 * Young people involved as community centre inspectors, URBACT, May 2007

New Ideas

 * Project pages in this wiki
 * Sustainable (Your town) pages in this wiki
 * Local sustainability directories in this wiki
 * Local sustainabiity picture libraries (online); share your pictures in this wiki (you need to be logged in to upload files - see Community Portal)

Why it matters
Community resources matter for community empowerment. Although Community & voluntary action has a proud tradition of innovation and doing a lot with a little, it's much harder to do something with nothing. It may be that a community's greatest resource is its people, but community action can perhaps best flourish if backed up with at least some 'real' resources. In partnerships it's been observed that community and voluntary groups can, unfortunately, sometimes get ignored because they are perceived as not bringing any (what other partners percieve as 'real') resources to the table.


 * What resources are there in your local community for community groups?
 * Are there places for groups to meet (affordably)?
 * Is there access to Information Technology and enough support to use it?
 * How easy is it for new groups to form and sustain themselves?
 * Are there ways for local community groups to network and support themselves and each other?
 * Is there access to support for networks (looser groups, coalitions, etc.) and not just older more traditional forms of organisation?

Related topics

 * SCA's whole Resources section, or category
 * Local Sustainability Ideas Bank
 * Community involvement
 * Communities online
 * Community & voluntary action
 * Youth & sustainability

UK links

 * Can do Exchange Developed by The Scarman Trust to *help individuals and communities buy, sell, barter, hire, gift or use community currencies to exchange all kinds of resources.
 * Community Development Exchange
 * Community Development Foundation
 * Environmental Law Foundation
 * EarthRights Solicitors Public interest law firm & environmental rights charity
 * Community Media Association
 * Ethical Property Company
 * Community Matters, nationwide federation of community organisations
 * Peppercornrent.co.uk
 * Our partnership NCVO project
 * Open Knowledge Foundation - Protecting and Promoting Open Knowledge

undefined 07:06, 18 September 2006 (UTC)