Category: General

The ideas that a group of us have developed around Connecting Londoners and Networked City are bearing fruit, with a two-year Big Lottery-funded programme, models for creating local Commons, plus more games and an app designed to help community connectors. Below is an update that I’ve posted to the Networked City wiki. The big news is that … Continue reading “Networked City in practice: maps, apps, games and a model for Commons”

The launch of the Local Trust’s report on The Future of Communities this week produced a strong consensus on the challenges for towns and neighbourhoods, and broadly what’s needed to address them. It didn’t offer much practical guidance on where next – but that may come from another event in London next week. One of … Continue reading “Report on #FutureCommunities highlights building connections and social infrastructure”

The Inclusive Growth event I attended last week in Barking provided residents with much-needed updates on future development plans including 10,000 new homes. It also offered residents the opportunity to say what they think is needed right now – and what they can contribute. At the event I talked first to Matt Scott, who is … Continue reading “Residents share ideas on how they can contribute to Inclusive Growth in Barking”

Thames Ward Community Project in Barking is taking a lead in demonstrating how mapping local assets and networks for collaboration can empower residents faced with massive development – and hopefully help create places that work for everyone. Barbara Brayshay and I are today contributing to their Inclusive Growth Summit. A recent report for the Early … Continue reading “How maps and network building can contribute to Barking’s vision of inclusive growth”

Yesterday Tom Llewelyn came to London to launch Sharing Cities – Activitating the Urban Commons.  It is a wonderful compendium of people, projects and organisations working together in 80 cities to create community-based solutions to challenges from housing to mobility, energy to water and waste. The launch, appropriately enough, was in one of the centres in … Continue reading “How to make London a more Sharing City – find out who’s sharing already and fill the gaps”

London’s Deputy Mayor, Matthew Ryder QC, is hosting a public conversation at City Hall next month on ‘Social Isolation and Loneliness in London.’ There’s a great line up of speakers, and I hope there’s space for discussion about our interest in the role of technology and networks. Here’s news of the event, from the registration … Continue reading “Deputy Mayor opens discussion on social isolation and loneliness in London. The positive or negative role of tech deserves attention.”

The Hub for London, set up by Greater London Volunteering and London Funders to create new support systems for civil society, has appointed Margaret Cooney as its first chief executive. Margaret is currently Director of Development at vinspired the volunteering charity for 14-25 year olds, and has previously worked for Spacehive and the Big Lottery … Continue reading “Hub for London appoints CEO”

The Hub for London responsible for developing new systems to support charities, social action groups and community organisations has advertised a post to support and develop networks, and apply digital tech for communication and collaboration. I think it is fair to say that the responsibilities outlined in the recruitment pack reflect many of the ideas … Continue reading “New Hub for London role to develop civil society networks and civic tech”