Community development
All our work is underpinned by the community development principles of inclusion, equalities, empowerment, collaboration, and shared learning.
We have carried out several pieces of work for the Community Development Foundation and worked with numerous community groups and practitioners.
We have carried out several pieces of work for the Community Development Foundation and worked with numerous community groups and practitioners.
Current and recent community development work
Shipley Street reps
We have been working for several years with local volunteers and community development staff in Shipley, West Yorkshire, to help develop the team of ‘street reps’ who monitor conditions in their own neighbourhoods and liaise with neighbourhood wardens.
Martin Dudley is currently helping them to communicate more effectively and promote their work by developing a website.
Martin Dudley is currently helping them to communicate more effectively and promote their work by developing a website.
Dore village parking consultation
In January 2012 we facilitated a public consultation on parking options in the centre of Dore Village, Sheffield. We designed a participative, non-confrontational process that involved everyone who attended in developing and discussing the merits of seven different options. This was followed by a simple voting process so that it was clear which options were preferred.
Local online channels in low-income neighbourhoods
Working with Hugh Flouch for the Networked Neighbourhoods group, Kevin Harris has been supporting groups in four low income areas to develop community websites.
This work builds on more than two decades of pioneering work Kevin has carried out in exploring and demonstrating how digital technologies can be exploited by people who experience exclusion.
More here on the Networked Neighbourhoods site.
This work builds on more than two decades of pioneering work Kevin has carried out in exploring and demonstrating how digital technologies can be exploited by people who experience exclusion.
More here on the Networked Neighbourhoods site.
Citizen participation in Milton Keynes
In 2009 Bev Carter and Kevin Harris worked with various local groups in
Milton Keynes to prepare a report on social and civic participation in
the town, for Citizens:MK.
The project explored the perceived barriers to and benefits of participation, looking at a range of issues for specific groups including Somali, Bangladeshi, young people and older people.
Our report, Creating greater value, considers the impact of social exclusion, and the new town geography, on levels of participation.
The project explored the perceived barriers to and benefits of participation, looking at a range of issues for specific groups including Somali, Bangladeshi, young people and older people.
Our report, Creating greater value, considers the impact of social exclusion, and the new town geography, on levels of participation.
Previous community development work
Common knowledge
An essay by Kevin Harris about the Havelock estate in Southall, west London, was published here by Proboscis
in 2006, as part of their Cultural snapshots series. The essay offers a
snapshot of the physical conditions, low levels of social interaction,
and civic absence that characterised the neighbourhood. It was the result of several months of community development work with the residents' group.
It records the sense of weakening community presence in the face of unresponsive environmental services and a looming drugs threat. It attempts to explain why participation in community initiatives is sometimes very difficult to establish or sustain, and it contrasts this reactive, fragmentary style of urban life with the contemporary image of lively urban consumption.
It records the sense of weakening community presence in the face of unresponsive environmental services and a looming drugs threat. It attempts to explain why participation in community initiatives is sometimes very difficult to establish or sustain, and it contrasts this reactive, fragmentary style of urban life with the contemporary image of lively urban consumption.
