Timeline of Our Society activities and Big Society events. For the BigCheck event on 31st March 2011
PRESS INVITATION
Our Society A timeline
There are a lot of networks, toolkits and people who want to
help build aBig Society. Many have very specific objectives or
advocate a particular meansof achieving community benefit.
Our Society is different
We formed Our Society in July 2010, not to duplicate existing
work, but to network the existing networks and signpost people to a
wide range of tools, options, resources and support. We aim to
maintain constructive relationships with all who are seeking to
promote social action. We work to connect people and organisations,
and help communities take real power over their lives. We are an
independent, voluntary network, with members from a wide range of
backgrounds and organisations across the UK and beyond.
Our Society grew out of Big Society in the North. We wanted to
acknowledge that, in our society, local social action is already
taking place in communities of place, cause, identity and interest
across the country. We wanted also to broaden the classification of
communities to include online or digital communities.
We are a network for honest exchange of resources and ideas,
grounded in and focused on real communities. We have acted as a
critical friend (or friendly critic) to those involved in promoting
the Big Society ideas, and provided a sounding board on much of the
associated activity.
We have also:
Run five of our own events -Big Society in the North in
Sheffield on 27 July 2010, attended by 100 people
21st Century Community Organisers on 21 September 2010, for 20
people in Sheffield
Big Society: Equalities & Social Justice Manchester, 8
December 2010, attended by 40 people (in association with CDX)
Co-design Our Society 20 January 2011 in Leeds, attended by 50
people
A Big Society Reality Check, held in London on 31 March for 40
people
Set-up an on-line Big Society ideas forum which generated 51
ideas for developing our societies
Established an open and inclusive Ning platform
www.oursociety.org.ukWith 467 members (as at 30/3/10)
25 discussion groups
85 forum topics
48 blog posts
A calendar listing 143 local Big Society related events
A national map of projects and local maps of projects in
Dudley
Spoken at numerous workshops and conferences
@oursocietyuk on Twitter has 491 followers
A presence on Facebook and media on YouTube and Flickr
Produced a book in eight minutes capturing the mood of the
Co-design our society eventwww.oursociety.org.uk
For more information contact Our Society which is co-ordinated
voluntarily by:
Sophie Ballinger 07970 154 810 [email protected]
@sospotEmma Lees 0114 241 2760 [email protected]
@ladylowe Julian Dobson 07545 874556 [email protected]
@juliandobsonJohn Popham 07802 781673 [email protected]
@johnpophamTanwir Rauf 07889 980554 [email protected]
Paul Webster 07876 743096 [email protected] @watfordgapDavid
Wilcox 07970 621696 [email protected] @davidwilcox
Big Society: some milestones
Over the last 12 months there have been a number of Big Society
related events, announcements, launches and re-launches. Here are a
few of the key dates and events:
201031 MarchBig Society launched by David Cameron as a flagship
coalition policy31 MarchBig Society Network launched by Paul Twivy,
Nat Wei and David CameronAprilTrials begin on models of
Participatory Budgeting9 JuneCommunities First fund launched, to
lead your charity through a time of changeJulyBig Society in the
North launched19 JulyBig Society bank announced, which will draw on
dormant bank accounts19 JulyFour vanguard communities are announced
to trial Big Society12 August Public Service Mutuals launched in 16
locations5 October After three events Big Society Network calls off
planned town hall tour series28 OctoberThe first 24 of the Local
Enterprise Partnerships announced3 DecemberBig Society Network
appoints Steve Moore as Director11 DecemberThe Localism Bill is
introduced in Parliament
20113 FebruaryLiverpool City Council pulls out of being a Big
Society vanguard community16 FebruaryNational Citizenship Service
announced to get 11,000 16yr olds volunteering19 FebruaryLocality
announced to lead the project to train 5000 Community Organisers25
MarchYour Square Mile, led by Paul Twivy, launched in 16 local
communities(after local workshops during February)
www.oursociety.org.uk
Social action. Honest exchange. Grounded learning.
Social action. Honest exchange. Grounded learning.
