We’re starting a Chain Reaction
By Geraldine Blake | July 3, 2008
Yesterday I went to the 2gether Festival to talk about in public for the first time a new Community Links initiative called Chain Reaction. Chain Reaction is about connecting people together from around the world – both virtually and in real life - to work together on new ideas for social change.
The website www.chain-reaction.org went live yesterday. And then on 17-18 November this year we’re holding the first Chain Reaction event on London’s South Bank.
Both the website and the event are designed to bring together people from different worlds – community activists, policy makers, businesses leaders, geeks, young people, and anyone with an interest in building a better world. We believe that none of us on our own can change the world, not governments, not business, not communities. We succeed when we work together. And by the end of this year we aim to have at least 25 new practical ideas for social change which people have committed to taking forward together.
We began working on this idea about a year ago. Chain Reaction is now part of the programme of the Prime Minister’s Council on Social Action, and with the backing of four government departments and the support of many companies and partner organisations we can now make this a reality. Although it’s an ambitious project, it builds on principles embedded all Community Links’ work – local and national - in particular that those who experience a problem understand it best and that everyone has the potential to do great things.
Chain Reaction is about one talent, experience or idea unlocking another, creating massive energy in a chain. Our individual actions multiplied by millions of others are a driving force for change. If our individual actions are reflected by those of organisations and businesses, and supported by governments, then, together, we have the power to change the world – literally creating a chain reaction.
Will you join us? Here’s an easy first step – visit the website, or complete our sixty second survey online.
Topics: Communication, Community Engagement, Innovation, Inspiration, Leadership | 1 Comment »
At last a ‘Minimum Income Standard for Britain’
By Aaron Barbour | July 2, 2008
I went along to the original launch announcing this research nearly two years ago, so it’s great to see the final report from Joseph Rowntree Foundation, the Centre for Research in Social Policy at Loughborough University and the Family Budget Unit at York University.
Download the findings here
I’ve been really keen on this invaluable project because we now have a minimum baseline or benchmark to inform all future poverty debates and government policy making, including, for example, the setting of benefit payment rates.
The report defines a minimum income standard: “A minimum standard of living in Britain today includes, but is more than just, food, clothes and shelter. It is about having what you need in order to have the opportunities and choices necessary to participate in society.”
The findings have confirmed what we at Community Links have known for years that the current benefit system does not provide a sufficient income for people to live. In fact it pays people to stay in poverty. If a single working-age adult needs a budget of £158 per week before tax and housing costs. Then why does a single person on Jobseekers Allowance only get £60.50 a week? And why does a single adult, working full time, need to earn £6.88 an hour to reach this weekly standard, and yet the minimum wage is only £5.52 an hour? I would like to know what evidence are DWP and the Treasury using to set their rates.
Check out: www.minimumincomestandard.org
Topics: Benefits, Child Poverty, Welfare | No Comments »
‘One shirt at a time’*: Supply chains, BBC’s Panorama and Primark on the rack
By Aaron Barbour | June 24, 2008
photo credit: Gene Hunt
Over the years how many companies have been exposed for their immoral and illegal supply chain practices? Why do they continue to forget about investigative journalism, trade unions and human rights /campaigning organisations?
Supply chains are often key to the success of a business; and as they become longer, with more links in the chain, there is the danger of increased ‘informal’ working and practices, for example, from not paying the national minimum wage, to not providing fair and safe working conditions.
Last night’s BBC Panorama programme, ‘Primark: On the Rack’, was an interesting expose of the informal goings-on in the company’s supply chain in
Companies should engage with all their suppliers to develop much better working practices (a policy is not good enough if it isn’t being followed day to day). This was one of the recommendations made in the programme, one which we have also been pushing for (see our reports: ‘Need not Greed’ and ‘Journeys to Formalisation’). This view was shared by the Ethical Trading Initiative who featured in the programme.
Supply chains are going to be particularly important for east
The companies involved in the construction of the coming 2012 Olympics, as we covered in our ‘Fool’s Gold’ report, must adopt best practices, as well as meet the legal requirements, in procurement and (sub-) contracts. They have to recognise the potential for informal practices and ensure they don’t happen. This needs to be backed up with a well organised system of inspection, monitoring and enforcement so that thousands of workers are not exploited.
*The title was inspired by a working paper from Social Compact based in
Topics: Informal Economy | No Comments »
Ronan Point: 40 years after the collapse
By Richard McKeever | June 23, 2008
On May 16th 1968 Ivy Hodge went into the kitchen of her flat on the 17th floor of the Ronan Point tower block and struck a match to light the stove for her early morning cup of tea. The naked flame sparked a gas explosion, collapsing one whole corner of the building like a pack of cards.
To mark the 40th anniversary of the Ronan Point collapse last month, Frances Clarke of Community Links wrote an article for New Start Magazine about the community based campaign, developed by the tenants rehoused in Ronan Point which finally led to the demolition of the unsafe structures. The campaign had a lasting impact - a National Tower Blocks Network was established empowing tenants across the country to question their own safety which led to long lasting changes in tenant engagement and consultation.
We are grateful to NewStart Magazine for permission to reproduce the article here.
Topics: Communication, Community Engagement, Housing, Regeneration | No Comments »
Housing Benefit in 2008
By Aaron Barbour | June 19, 2008
“There are 66 words in the Lord’s Prayer; 42 laws of cricket; but housing benefit regulations runs to 967 pages, five parts, six schedules and 40 statutory instruments.”
(I Jones, 2005)
Housing benefit is the most complex benefit. There have been numerous amendments, resulting in the current system becoming extremely complicated. This makes its administration cumbersome, and it is therefore often poorly done.
Housing benefit in 2008 creates a huge amount of confusion amongst claimants, staff (across government departments and agencies) and landlords alike.
LinksUK is submitting an Evidence Paper to the Housing Benefit Review, which was announced in this year’s Budget page 62, section 4.14. Our Evidence Paper details some of the issues, problems and concerns that Community Links has with housing benefit; we illustrate the report with some examples and case studies taken from our Advice Team, staff and clients. The report offers a number of constructive solutions and recommendations.
Newham has the highest housing benefit claimant rate in London, so for our borough reform is urgently needed. Not more piecemeal reform, but progressive, joined up, big picture reform. This reform shouldn’t be done in isolation, but integrated into a wider context of national housing policy and benefit simplification. To this end we think that housing benefit reform should:
- Support people sufficiently, for a decent period of time, enabling them to find the right property which suits their needs
- Improve administrative costs / complexity, with a focus on improving customer service
- Improve work incentives
- Reduce official and customer error
Download a copy of the evidence paper ‘Housing Benefit Reform in 2008’ and let us know what you think.
Topics: Benefits, Housing, Regeneration, Welfare | No Comments »
Olympics 2012 ‘Fool’s Gold’: follow-up
By Aaron Barbour | June 18, 2008
We co-hosted a follow-up meeting last week about our recent ‘Fool’s Gold’ report, (see earlier blog post) which we co-authored with new economics foundation.
The next day I went up to the roof of Holden Point in Stratford to get a panoramic view of the Olympics ‘building’ site, with among others London Borough of Newham’s Workplace.
The follow-up meeting was with partners interested in taking forward the recommendations of “Fools Gold”, including the Big Opportunity, Social Enterprise London , East Potential , and Manor Gardens Allotment Gardens Society. I left heartened because I realised that there are a lot of good people and organisations working hard to ensure that the 2012 Olympics truly benefits the local communities of east London.
There were a couple of other opportunities worth noting from the meeting. Firstly, the economic downturn and a looming recession actually present an opportunity for increased negotiation with the ODA , LOCOG, LDA, and Bovis Lend Lease and all their sub-contractors. They were going to make their money back by selling-off the land after the Games, but how will that happen now? Their staggering projection of 16% year-on-year increase in the land value until 2016 now looks unrealiseable. Maybe the ODA and their contractors should look at other means to re-coup their finances, such as new forms of three sector partnership community interest companies, which could enable assets to pass to local people and communities.
There is a second opportunity, gained from the slow realisation by the powers that be, that the key to a successful legacy will be achieved by involving local people and communities. Who wants to see the £242m Aquatic Centre covered in graffiti or the Olympic park as a no-go zone? Imagine if this was the reality, who would want to buy a property in such an area? If local people feel that they ‘own’ and are part of the legacy process then we might see some meaningful and inventive results.
DCMS recently launched the Olympic Legacy Action Plan. Consultants Beyond Green are co-ordinating the legacy master plan consultation until July next year. So get organised, get involved and keep persisting to ensure that:
Legacy = Community Benefit for east London.
What do you think? Leave a comment.
Topics: Community Engagement, Regeneration | No Comments »
Refugee Week - “Experience Darfur”
By Richard McKeever | June 17, 2008
On my way to a meeting in Whitehall on Tuesday morning I was astounded to see a refugee encampment in Trafalgar Square.
On closer inspection I discovered a powerful exhibition of a burned out small house and several simple tents of plastic sheeting strecthed over a metal frame each designed to accomodate up to a dozen displaced individuals.
The exhibition “Experience Darfur,” timed to mark Refugee Week was part of a campaign to highlight the plight of hundreds of thousands of people displaced by conflict in Sudan’s Darfur region.
It was a moving and intellegently mounted representation of the horrors faced by individuals forced to flee their home at a momets notice - a school blackboard with the chalked message “One day we had to run” was a simple but poignant reminder of how normality can suddenly change.
We at LinksUK produced an Ideas Annual a couple of years ago featuring UK Community projects led by or working with Refugee and Asylum seeking communities - Small Places Close to Home - the range and impact was impressive. During the process of collecting ideas it was interesting to see how many projects were about retaining a link to language, music or culture important reminders of a home left behind.
The Trafalgar Square event left me with a much clearer understanding of the urgency of flight experienced by many refugees and the ongoing disconnection that must surely persist. ”Experience Darfur” was an impressive piece of campaigning / education that brought a small taste of the desperation of life as a refugee to the centre of the capital - a salient reminder as I continued on to my meeting.
See more pictures, and contact www.aiddarfur.org.uk for more information.
Topics: Communication, Inspiration | 1 Comment »
Welcome to the linksUK blog
By Richard McKeever | June 11, 2008
Welcome to everyone visiting the linksUK blog for the first time after recieving our e-newsletter.
Community Links pioneers new ideas and new ways of working locally, we go on to share the learning nationally; generating practical social action in other communities and influencing national policy. This blog will communicate the work of linksUK - the national team of Community Links. We share the learning from our local work through policy development, publications, public speaking, training, events and consultancy … from the ground up.
This blog will be a place to highlight new work, interesting partnerships and connected projects. We also hope to begin a conversation with colleagues, community practitioners and policymakers…. we’d love to hear from you.
Topics: Communication | No Comments »
Volunteering whilst on benefits
By Aaron Barbour | June 6, 2008
At Community Links we’ve always worked closely with volunteers since we started over 30 years ago.
This is still very much the case today. Volunteers are vital, without them we would not be able to continue our work.
This picture shows a group of volunteers from the Accenture resources team at who Worked on a garden project alongside the young people at our New Canteen youth centre.
We provide volunteers with the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the community while gaining practical experience, skills and insights for themselves, which is why hundreds of volunteers get involved in all areas of our work including Children and Youth, LinksUK, and our social enterprises, including Auction My Stuff. In the last financial year alone (2206/07) 1,108 volunteers contributed 18,709 hours of their time to join us in championing social change. If you want to get involved there are many opportunities to volunteer with Community Links.
However, there is a problem for those people on benefits. Some face difficulties when volunteering. The main reason is that everyone (Jobcentre staff, benefit claimants and voluntary organisations) is unclear and confused about the exact nature of what the rules and regulations are in relation to volunteering whilst in receipt of benefits. Department for Work and Pensions regulations clearly state that if you are in receipt of benefits (Incapacity Benefit, Job Seekers Allowance, Income Support and others) you can undertake as much voluntary work, for as long as you like, and be paid reasonable expenses. We have written a short evidence paper which aims to clarify the regulations, and address how existing policy on benefit claimants who volunteer can be better implemented at an operational level. It builds on earlier research on volunteering by Community Links’ Social Enterprise Zone, and more recently by the Council on Social Action, as well as recent work by the Commission on the Future of Volunteering and The Morgan Inquiry.
Please download our new report ‘Volunteering Whilst on Benefits’.
It would be great to hear from you with your stories of volunteering whilst on benefits - please add a comment.
Topics: Benefits, Voluntary Sector, Welfare | No Comments »
The rules of engagement
By Richard McKeever | May 30, 2008
Yesterday I attended the BURA _ British Urban Regeneration Organisation - “Rules of Engagement”event. I really liked the format - a half day “mini conference” with a diverse mix of short presentations and case studies. A fixed panel of three people from different sectors were present throughout and provided an intial response to each of the presentations to stimulate discussion from the floor.
A fascinating event, however there was never going to be enough time in half a day to answer questions posed by BURA’s Director of Research Dr. Gareth Potts in his opening remarks about the nature of “involving communities” A sliding scale from “Community Consultation”, “Community Engagement” and “Community Empowerment” provided a useful guide.
The presentations illustrated some of the constraints on genuine community engagement in complex developments. The recent new economics foundation report on the London 2012 Olympics “Fools Gold” produced in collaboration with LinksUK addresses some of these unresolved questions, and has been covered in an earlier post here.
It was also good to re-connect at the event with Kevin Harris of Local Level, author of the Neighbourhoods blog, who contributed to our recent collection of essays “Making Links“. Kevin’s chapter, on the community of dog walkers in his local park, continues to be one of the most commented upon chapters in the book!
Topics: Community Engagement, Everyday Innovators, Regeneration, Voluntary Sector | No Comments »
