Great job opportunity using digital and mapping to build grass-roots networks

Posted on by davidwilcox

HEAR Equality and Human Rights Network have now advertised the key post supporting an innovative London-based network-building programme that I reported earlier. The National Lottery Community Fund Reaching Communities are supporting two years of work with four networks that will involve using social network mapping, digital tools and other methods for collaboration. As HEAR announced: … Continue reading “Great job opportunity using digital and mapping to build grass-roots networks”

Networked City in practice: maps, apps, games and a model for Commons

Posted on by davidwilcox

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”

Networked City in practice: maps, apps, games and a model for Commons

Posted on by davidwilcox

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”

How a people-power grid could support civil society and rebuild our communities

Posted on by davidwilcox

The excellent Civil Society Futures report – which I re-read over the holiday break – provides policy, personal and organisational guidance on how to address key issues of Power, Accountability, Connection, and Trust. The inquiry also generated some specific ideas for action across those areas. One I particularly like is Steve Wyler’s proposal: Our next big infrastructure project: … Continue reading “How a people-power grid could support civil society and rebuild our communities”

Why Government and funders might give more support to community technology, social infrastructure and connecting citizens

Posted on by davidwilcox

This may be wishful thinking, but I sense that we could soon see a resurgence of interest in community technology, social infrastructure and connecting citizens among funders and policy people. That’s something we’ve explored over the past two years through Networked City and the Connecting Londoners group. If you want some earlier backstory community tech … Continue reading “Why Government and funders might give more support to community technology, social infrastructure and connecting citizens”

Network maps need conversations to be useful, and conversations benefit from mapping … the dynamics of civic operating systems

Posted on by davidwilcox

The latest interview by Christine Capra with Aldo de Moor suggests that a map with conversations is nothing … and without some form of mapping conversations are fragmented. Christine and Aldo talk through a process of participatory network mapping which I think brings life to the ideas for civic operating systems which I posted earlier. … Continue reading “Network maps need conversations to be useful, and conversations benefit from mapping … the dynamics of civic operating systems”

Stuff happens: could company operating systems for uncertain futures provide insights into what’s needed for civil society?

Posted on by davidwilcox

Lisa Gill headlines her excellent report from a two-day business forum with a quote from speaker Gary Hamel: “The future is surprisingly indifferent to our preferences” … which might by summarised as “stuff happens”. That’s as true for communities as it is for companies. Unfortunately communities have even less control over their futures. For example, … Continue reading “Stuff happens: could company operating systems for uncertain futures provide insights into what’s needed for civil society?”

How mapping visionaries for responsible tech could help develop a people-centred approach to Smarter London

Posted on by davidwilcox

Doteveryone is underpinning their mission to champion responsible technology for a fairer society by mapping who else shares that vision. I think there’s scope for linking up with our Networked City mapping on the same theme, and using that to organise a group promoting people-centred design for London’s smart city. Doteveryone have worked with the … Continue reading “How mapping visionaries for responsible tech could help develop a people-centred approach to Smarter London”

We need civic operating systems to manage the social fabric for healthy communities – plus a social app store of tools

Posted on by davidwilcox

The idea of civic operating systems , from the Local Trust, provides a model for thinking about how to conserve and develop the social fabric essential for healthy communities. I suggest that to make effective use of the model we need to map social fabric, create a social app store of tools, and develop a … Continue reading “We need civic operating systems to manage the social fabric for healthy communities – plus a social app store of tools”

Report on #FutureCommunities highlights building connections and social infrastructure

Posted on by davidwilcox

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”