[Campaignforrealdemocracy] CSC & CRD

[Chris Kennett]

Hi All

Just wanted to ask if any of the groups/individuals on this list would like to give a presentation at the www.festivaloflife.net on the 26th of september in C london.

cheers

chris 

 



From: Matt at communitysectorcoalition.org.uk
To: marknbarrett at googlemail.com; campaignforrealdemocracy at lists.aktivix.org; project2012 at googlegroups.com; 21st-century-network at googlegroups.com; peopleincommon at lists.riseup.net
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 2009 11:21:08 +0100
Subject: Re: [Campaignforrealdemocracy] CSC & CRD






















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 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





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