[Campaignforrealdemocracy] CSC & CRD

[Matthew Scott]

Thanks Mark

Would be great to be part of the Meet Up as a CSC (Community Sector Coalition) thing

Just to explain a bit more about where I am coming from - the attached doc you sent covers this but to simplify and update it, I cross quite a few groupings - as director of the National Coalition for Independent Action - where we believe dissent protects democracy; as founder / organizer of the London Community Development Network - some 300 activists and workers; and my day job as director of the Community Sector Coalition, which has a wider membership of 70,000 groups from 25 national orgs

My concern is:


 *   To challenge and change the culture of the voluntary / community sector; i.e. that bit of society that is not the state or market.
 *   The bulk of the voluntary / community sector is a small group with little or no money but you'd never guess from how it is talked about by both government and related opinion formers who can only appeal for the sector to modernize, run cheaper formerly state services, help out with community cohesion etc etc.
 *   I am keen to look at how the bulk of the sector - small community groups are actually about a deeper democratic practice, beyond the ballot box, and that organizes, educates, at times agitates,
 *   The potential for the community sector / informal parts of civil society is to be leading in the setting a progressive agenda and not be seen as a poor relation of the state and more corporate parts of the voluntary sector.
 *   Because I've worked in the sector for 20 odd years I know what I mean about all of this but for many activists and progressively / radically minded people I think the community sector is often a bit unknown and not seen as the resource that it could be for social change - so making the connections amongst ourselves is key and I'm always keen to discuss with people - see some recent presentations I've done for a flavour

Matt

Matthew Scott

CSC Director

020 7336 9461

Work mobile: 07827 258411

Website: www.communitysectorcoalition.org.uk

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________________________________
From: Mark Barrett [mailto:marknbarrett at googlemail.com]
Sent: 09 September 2009 22:50
To: campaignforrealdemocracy at lists.aktivix.org; project2012 at googlegroups.com; 21st-century-network at googlegroups.com; peopleincommon at lists.riseup.net
Subject: [Campaignforrealdemocracy] CSC & CRD

I thought some might be interested in the CSC's Stragegy Doc, PDF attached.

One quote I found there stuck out:

"Today, many people feel that civil society and its' local associations aren't very important. Instead, they think what really matters are big institutions like corporations, health systems and governments. However, what makes a democracy isn't its institutions. Rather, it is citizens working in their clubs, groups, organizations and associations that make a democracy. The heart of democracy is the free space where people form their own associations to provide care, advocacy and community. Without this vital centre, democracies become hollow and institutions become oppressive and unresponsive. And people lose their citizenship by becoming nothing more than clients and consumers."
John McKnight of the Asset Based Development<http://processarts.wagn.org/wagn/Asset_Based_Community_Development> Institute, Chicago

My thanks to Matthew Scott of CRD Campaign for Real Democracy and CSC for sending me this. Maybe we can develop some good working ties with CSC in the coming years. I will ask Francis at 21st Century Network (21CN) if we can include CSC in a coming Meet Up.

More info on 21CN is at http://www.meetup.com/21stCenturyNetwork, for those who have not heard of it.

All the best
Mark

www.communitysectorcoalition.org.uk<http://www.communitysectorcoalition.org.uk/>

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