I’m going to the London Community Media Summit later today, hoping to have some useful conversations about the role of local blogs, news sites, online communities and radio in Connecting Londoners and making London a more Networked City. It provides a good nudge for me to write some headlines summarising where we at, with reference links and notes.
In summary: Connecting Londoners developed from an exploration into how to make London a more Networked City. We are pitching ideas at London Funders, City Hall and others about how to introduce more network thinking and digital technology into current plans to reframe support for London civil society.
Our most recent piece: How to move TheWayAhead into the networked age by Connecting Londoners
In summary: Connecting Londoners developed from an exploration into how to make London a more Networked City. We are pitching ideas at London Funders, City Hall and others about how to introduce more network thinking and digital technology into current plans to reframe support for London civil society.
Our most recent piece: How to move TheWayAhead into the networked age by Connecting Londoners
Reporting on London civil society
- The Way Ahead initiative to reframe support for London civil society, led by London Funders and their partners, released working group reports, held a conference, and faced criticism about lack of communication and little community involvement.
- Community groups and networks decided to develop their own approach – Our Way Ahead – and run their own event on July 12 2017.
- London City Hall issued terms of reference for £15,000 of consultancy to support development of their own civil society strategy
Networked City and Connecting Londoners
- We demonstrated ideas for Connecting Londoners to the Deputy Mayor, following an earlier event with network learning specialist Harold Jarche, and launch of the Networked City exploration.
- Reported on ideas for a London Resource Hub and adopted the idea of Connecting Londoners.
- Developed ideas on how we could collaborate with RSA on their Networked Cities project.
- Suggested how The Way Ahead ideas for a resource hub could become more networky
- Listed some project ideas to move The Way Ahead into the networked age, and support the City Hall civil society strategy.
Recent blog posts
- How to move TheWayAhead into the networked age by Connecting Londoners
- City Hall is commissioning work to develop a London civil society strategy for TheWayAhead. Spread the word.
- How TheWayAhead for @LondonFunders is becoming OurWayAhead for Londoners
- Voices from the Tower may change tone of TheWayAhead for civil society, as well as much else
- Another hope for TheWayAhead at today’s event – a communication programme to inform and engage Londoners
- Here’s hoping TheWayAhead plans for a London resource hub become more networky
- Working groups publish reports on TheWayAhead for London’s Civil Society
- Exploring how we can contribute to @thersaorg Networked City – adding the citizen and community dimension RSACities
Main sites and briefing notes
- The Way Ahead official site
- Networked City wiki
- Connecting Londoners blog
- Networked City background
- ConnectingLondoners projects
- The Way Ahead background
- The Way Ahead reference
I’m sure the summit will offer a refreshing take on media, both community and mainstream. It’s now nearly 40 years since I was a planning reporter on the London Evening Standard, and 20 since I helped start UK Communities Online. I’ll be looking for new ideas and inspiration for a few more years.