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<div style="font-family:times new roman,new york,times,serif;font-size:12pt"><div style="font-family:times new roman,new york,times,serif;font-size:12pt"><div style="font-family:times new roman,new york,times,serif;font-size:12pt"><br>
<i>Please forward to all interested groups and individuals..<br>
<br>
</i><font size="6"><b>Community Action Gathering<br>
</b></font><b><font size="5">Saturday March 27th 2010<br>
</font><font size="4">11am - 5pm <br>
</font><font size="3">Sumac Centre, Nottingham<br>
</font></b><font size="3">245 Gladstone Street, Nottingham NG7 6HX<br>
<br>
<br>
</font><font size="5"><b>STANDING UP FOR OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND OUR
INTERESTS<br>
- how best to organise and take action?<br>
<br>
</b></font><b></b><font size="3">To all radical, community-orientated local groups
and individuals throughout the country
..<br>
<br>
<br>
Dear friends <br>
<br>
We are inviting you to a UK-wide Community Action gathering in Nottingham
on Saturday 27th March. The aim of the event is to share information and
experiences, and exchange our views as local activists. Obviously,
there's only so much that we can do at one event. But we hope to work out
how to promote the copncept of community action effectively, to establish
better links and communication channels among local groups, and encourage
new ones to flourish all over the UK. That way we will be more effective
and be able to make a real difference in our communities. <br>
<br>
- Which issues should be our main priorities? <br>
- How do immediate practical concerns link to the need for fundamental
social change?<br>
- What is our relationship with local residents groups and broad-based
campaigns? <br>
- Are we having the effect wed like? <br>
<br>
This event aims, through workshop discussions, to:<br>
<br>
· share information, local experiences and views about some of the key
issues affecting our communities<br>
· establish better links and communication channels among radical,
community-orientated local groups and individuals<br>
· promote collective and non-hierarchical, open and horizontal forms of
organisation<br>
· promote anti-authoritarian, anti-state, anti-capitalist and
pro-community, pro-working class grass-roots politics - that is, the
interests of people rather than of governments and corporations!<br>
<br>
The full Agenda and workshop themes are set out below. An informal social
event is also being planned for the Saturday evening at the Sumac Centre
(which in any case has a bar).<br>
<br>
Please fill in the questionnaire below so we know roughly how many people
to expect. You are invited to add the following details:<br>
<br>
· Would you like to help introduce one of the planned discussions (see
the list of workshops below)?<br>
· Do you need us to arrange accommodation?<br>
· Can you make a donation towards the costs? <br>
<br>
<br>
best wishes and solidarity <br>
<br>
- some members of the Community Action elist<br>
CAG 2010 c/o James
<<a rel="nofollow" href="mailto:communityactionnetworkuk@googlemail.com">communityactionnetworkuk@googlemail.com</a>>
<br>
<br>
<i><span>Note: Feel free to join the list!
<a href="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CommunityActionList">http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CommunityActionList</a> When doing so please
let us know your name and where you live.</span><br>
<br>
</i>* * * * * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * * * * * *
* <br>
<br>
</font><font size="5"><b>ATTENDANCE QUESTIONNAIRE <br>
<br>
</b></font><b></b><font size="3">Please fill in and return to CAG 2010 c/o James
<<a rel="nofollow" href="mailto:communityactionnetworkuk@googlemail.com">communityactionnetworkuk@googlemail.com</a>>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<b>Yes, I / we hope to attend
.. <br>
<br>
</b>Name of group [if applicable]
<br>
<br>
We expect around
.. of us to attend. <br>
<br>
Well need accommodation: Friday
.... Saturday ...... [number]<br>
<br>
Wed like to help kick off the discussion on [workshop theme]
....<br>
<br>
Contact: Name
.. <br>
<br>
Address
.<br>
<br>
Tel
.. Email
<br>
<br>
Donation ££ ___ (just bring along to the gathering)<br>
<br>
<br>
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br>
<br>
<br>
</font><font size="5"><b>PLANNED AGENDA<br>
<br>
</b></font><b></b><font size="3">11am <i>Arrival / refreshments.
Discussions about the agenda.<br>
</i>12 noon Introduction to the event. Brief introduction and
very brief reports from each group present.<br>
1pm First workshops/discussions session [See list
below]<br>
2.15pm <i>Break for refreshments<br>
</i>2..45pm Brief plenary<br>
3pm Second workshops/discussions session [See list
below]<br>
4.15pm Report backs from discussions. Plenary on how
activists can work together better to support our communities and local
struggles
How do we promote the concept of community action, and develop
and expand our network?<br>
5pm <i>End and clear up<br>
<br>
</i>Evening Informal social<br>
<br>
<i>Note: if requested, we might be able to organise an overflow
discussion on Sunday 28th, around midday
<br>
<br>
<br>
</i>* * * * * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * * * * * *
* <br>
<br>
</font><font size="5"><b>COMMUNITY ACTION - WORKSHOP DISCUSSIONS<br>
<br>
</b></font><b><font size="3">FIRST SESSION - issues<br>
1. Fighting for the local services and facilities we need<br>
2. Our neighbourhoods - improving our streets, our local environment and
community spirit<br>
3. Decent and affordable housing for all<br>
4. Regeneration, gentrification and planning<br>
5. Local workplace struggles and issues<br>
<br>
SECOND SESSION - strategies<br>
6. Community centres and social centres<br>
7. Interaction with residents and existing residents groups<br>
8. Councils - how should we relate to them?<br>
9. How to set up local groups<br>
10. Communication techniques and strategies (newsletters, mailing lists,
leaflets etc)<br>
<br>
<i>For all discussions
</i></font></b><dl>
<dd><b><font size="3"><i>- what are our long term aims and what can we do in the here and now
to work towards them?
</i></font></b></dd><dd><b><font size="3"><i>- What are the existing struggles, campaigns and grass-roots groups
which show the way forward?</i>
</font></b></dd></dl><b><font size="3">1. Fighting for the local services and facilities we need</font></b><font size="3">How do
we put pressure on those controlling community resources and services to
get the improvements we need - education, healthcare, leisure facilities,
parks, playcentres, community centres, council services etc? Should our
communities take them over? If so, how? What is the role for user groups?
Can people set up their own services? <br>
<br>
<b>2. Our neighbourhoods- improving our streets, our local environment
and community spirit<br>
</b>What kind of neighbourhoods do we want? How do we get safer, greener
and friendlier streets? How do we get rid of ugly and oppressive features
(billboards, speeding traffic, mobile phone masts, too much concrete
etc)? How can we build up community spirit and neighbourliness, and
'take ownership' of our areas? <br>
<br>
<b>3. Decent and affordable housing for all<br>
</b>How can we ensure decent housing for all. Can homelessness be
countered by occupations of empty homes and buildings? How can council
house residents defend public and 'social' housing against privatisation
and gentrification, and fight for more control over their homes? How can
private tenants and mortgage-payers stand up to landlords and
money-lending institutions etc. What are the pros and cons of housing
co-ops?<br>
<br>
<b>4. Regeneration, gentrification and planning<br>
</b>Can regeneration and 'urban development' benefit our communities? If
so, how can people ensure their real needs are addressed? Is regeneration
often a cover for gentrification and undermining working class areas and
facilities (threatening established housing, green spaces, pubs,
community centres, small shopping parades etc) - if so what can be done
about it? How are communities resisting private developers and unwanted
mega-projects?<br>
<br>
<b>5. Local workplace struggles and issues<br>
</b>How do workers and workplaces link into community issues and
struggles? How can communities directly link up with and support local
workers, and vice-versa (eg. community boycotts and industrial action
etc)? Should we work with trade unions or encourage independent workplace
self-organisation?<br>
<br>
<b>6. Community centres and social centres<br>
</b>What kind of meeting places do local communities need? What are the
pros and cons of existing community centres? Where else can people get
together (clubs, pubs, cafes, parks, playgroups, church halls etc)? How
can radical, self-organised social centres really make a difference in
local areas? <br>
<br>
<b>7. Interaction with residents and existing residents groups<br>
</b>How can activists communicate better with our neighbours and our
local communities? How do we interact with community-based groups of all
kinds (especially residents associations and others who are committed to
their communities)? What kind of activities can bring people together in
a positive way - eg. single issue campaigning, public meetings and
discussions, local festivals and street parties, informal sports,
picnics, pub quizzes etc? How can such activities help build up a culture
of local independence and resistance?<br>
<br>
<b>8. Councils - how should we relate to them?<br>
</b>What attitude should community activists have towards councils?
Councils exercise huge influence over how resources (etc) are allocated -
how do people work towards real local control and self-management over
all decision-making and resources? Is it possible to support local
pro-community and pro-working class election candidates and at the same
time emphasise the limits of municipal democracy? Or is it better to
lobby Council officers and councillors from the outside, or just
ignore/boycott them and rely on direct action? In the absence of
mass-participation how does a local group gauge its support in the
community? <br>
<br>
<b>9. How to set up local groups<br>
</b>Is there a fundamental difference between local 'political / radical'
groups and local 'community' groups, or are they complementary forms of
self-organisation? How can such groups spread to every locality,
especially in predominantly working class areas? Can community-based
single issue campaigns lead to permanent local organisations? How do we
ensure that such groups are independent, inclusive, accountable to their
communities, take up a wide range of relevant issues, and promote mutual
aid and solidarity?<br>
<br>
<b>10. Communication techniques and strategies (newsletters, mailing
lists, leaflets etc)<br>
</b>What practical methods are the best ways of spreading information,
building up communication channels, and encouraging and inspiring people
to get involved in the life of their community and to join in with local
groups and campaigns? What are the benefits of leaflets, public meetings,
newsletters, minutes, email lists, websites, door-to-door
visits/questionnaires, notice boards, posters, phone trees etc? <br>
</font></div></div>
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