Emma Lees & Sophie BallingerCommunity Empowerment in the South

West Taunton, 29 June 2011

Who are we?

Supported by

@juliandobson

@johnpopham

@sospot

@dosticen@davidwilcox

@LadyLowe

@watfordgap

@philralph

How did we start?• Day 1: 1 blog post• Day 2: 4 people in a café• Day 4: Online forum launched• Day 12: 100 people attend event

…all for free

From north focus to Our Society

• Interest from a wider audience• Step away from/challenge BS label

Is Big Society a “dead parrot”?

I’m not an ex parrot!

North focus to Our Society?• Interest from a wider audience• Step away from/challenge BS label• Co-design process for official launch• Gap in the market?

Big Society Network is not a network…

Successes• The online community:

500+ members, 20k web visits (70k views)

• Press interest from Channel 4, BBC Newsnight, BBC Radio, Guardian, Third Sector, Civil Society, and more

• Invitations to the table… Nat Wei (RIP)• Big Lottery challenge – Your Square Mile• 5 events, 250 people

Our Society Dudley

• Our Society in someone’s job description

• Our Society South-West?

Limited resources• Spend to date: approx £129 online

costs, travel, CDX support• Freebies: Venues & food, eventbrite,

logo/brand, goodwill…

Challenges• The debate• Diverse membership• Keeping it fresh• Online versus offline• Do actions speak louder than words?

Challenge: Identity v. ownership

• We are not an organisation• Individual opinion• Clear mission statement• Links to local networks• Save the baby!

What’s next?• Different approach to events• Continuing to do more for less• Honest, open debate…• Sharing & promoting stories• Supporting local action• Localism in practice/Our Society local

Ta!

@LadyLoweemma@cdx.org.uk07875 489 812

@sospotsophie@cdx.org.uk

07970 154 810

Join Our Society: www.oursociety.org.uk

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