<div>Dear Sally, James and the rest at Campaign for Real Democracy</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Did anyone read recently about Brown's commitment to 'compulsory volunteerism' or did I just imagine it?</div>
<div> </div>
<div>The attached and below is from a colleague at NCIA. Do you have any idea how we should respond, individually or as a group? Personally I think this is a great initiative, but wouldn't it be good to put the CRD angle in? </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Maybe with a call to the VCS in general to respond to the clampdown/co-option the NCIA identifies with an even greater commitment to inclusivity in decision making and action. And maybe for the coalition to consider if it can make its position on democracy more plain at some point? Independence is vitally important, but democracy doesn't get mentioned much, if at all in the leaflet or the list of target topics. Community development and / or the grassroots representation is quite close though, but shouldn't it go further?</div>
<div> </div>
<div>In addition, maybe another topic could be included, and to which we could contribute by way of a collation of our group discussions. What I have in mind is on political literacy. This relates in the NCIA context as a recogniton of the need for an enlargement, and not further eoncroachment on public space of (necessarily independent) contention, rather than spaces and groups becoming part of a process of co-option. And, linked to this, the nature of consensus decision making. I was reminded of the 'agonic' question (ie contention, 'agony' or passionate adversariality being the nature of 'the political' just last night, in a meeting with Teresa Hoskyns and discussion about the need for an 'agonic sphere' as part of the Right to the City movement. See, for example <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=wq1PpO-6dqQC&pg=RA1-PA116&lpg=RA1-PA116&dq=agonic+sphere+mouffe&source=bl&ots=mjh-B7kYU9&sig=WTixVzPArkpnAhFD8GRvMRp53Hg&hl=en&ei=byeESqjyKZS7jAfDz7iRCA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1#v=onepage&q=agonic%20sphere%20mouffe&f=false">http://books.google.com/books?id=wq1PpO-6dqQC&pg=RA1-PA116&lpg=RA1-PA116&dq=agonic+sphere+mouffe&source=bl&ots=mjh-B7kYU9&sig=WTixVzPArkpnAhFD8GRvMRp53Hg&hl=en&ei=byeESqjyKZS7jAfDz7iRCA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1#v=onepage&q=agonic%20sphere%20mouffe&f=false</a>) </div>
<div> </div>
<div>While I come to think of it I will cc this to Teresa.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>What do people think. Should / could CRD contribute? </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Let me know what you think, and thanks Penny, Andy and Co for the worthwhile initiative - have a good hol</div>
<div>:-)</div>
<div>Mark<br></div>
<div class="gmail_quote">---------- Forwarded message ----------<br>From: <b class="gmail_sendername">Andy Benson & Penny Waterhouse</b> <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:info@penandy.co.uk">info@penandy.co.uk</a>></span><br>
Date: 2009/8/11<br>Subject: A COALITION STAND - what do you think of this?<br>To: <a href="mailto:andyl@penandy.co.uk">andyl@penandy.co.uk</a><br><br><br></div>
<div class="gmail_quote" bgcolor="#ffffff">
<div><font face="Comic Sans MS">Hello Coalition Assembly,</font></div>
<div><font face="Comic Sans MS"></font> </div>
<div><font face="Comic Sans MS">You're bound to remember that we're embarking on work intended to make clear where the Coalition stands on a variety of the issues facing the sector. The starting point for this is to produce a leaflet that will set out our stall in broad terms - why is the Coalition needed, what are we doing, why people should join us. We intend that this leaflet should be available electronically and in printed form. We hope it can be used to send/give to people making enquiries, given out at meetings, used to start conversations about the issues and so on.</font></div>
<div><font face="Comic Sans MS"></font> </div>
<div><font face="Comic Sans MS">TWO THINGS TO ASK FROM YOU......</font></div>
<div><font face="Comic Sans MS"></font> </div>
<div><font face="Comic Sans MS">1. Attached is a first draft of this leaflet. It's a first stab at trying to compress what is very complicated into something of realistic length. The boxes, which are intended to includes case studies, are not yet filled in. We may also give the whole thing to a journalist or editor to work it over and make it as accessible as possible. But before doing anymore, it would be really useful to have some feedback from Assembly members about both content and form. Does this say the right things in the right way? <strong>Any comments you have will be welcome</strong> and please send them back to me at <a href="mailto:info@penandy.co.uk" target="_blank">info@penandy.co.uk</a>.</font></div>
<div><font face="Comic Sans MS"></font> </div>
<div><font face="Comic Sans MS">2. Secondly, beyond the leaflet, we want to work up a series of papers which address particular issues that affect the future of voluntary and community action and particular areas of work. <strong>We need some help with this, so are looking for people willing to lead and/or make a contribution to any of these papers. Can you help? </strong></font></div>
<div><font face="Comic Sans MS"></font> </div>
<div><font face="Comic Sans MS">Our initial 'hit list' for separate papers is that listed in the leaflet draft viz:</font></div>
<div><font face="Comic Sans MS"></font> </div>
<div><font face="Comic Sans MS">Topics:</font></div>
<div>
<p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 21.5pt; TEXT-INDENT: -18pt"><span lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-FAMILY: Wingdings"><span>§<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'">‘partnership working’;</span></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 21.5pt; TEXT-INDENT: -18pt"><span lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-FAMILY: Wingdings"><span>§<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'">funding regimes and the move to ‘procurement and commissioning’;</span></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 21.5pt; TEXT-INDENT: -18pt"><span lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-FAMILY: Wingdings"><span>§<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'">‘new managerialism’ ;</span></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 21.5pt; TEXT-INDENT: -18pt"><span lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-FAMILY: Wingdings"><span>§<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'">‘Quality assurance’ systems;</span></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 21.5pt; TEXT-INDENT: -18pt"><span lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-FAMILY: Wingdings"><span>§<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'">Use of jargon and language;</span></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 21.5pt; TEXT-INDENT: -18pt"><span lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-FAMILY: Wingdings"><span>§<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'">privatisation of public services and the complicity of parts of the voluntary sector in this;</span></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 21.5pt; TEXT-INDENT: -18pt"><span lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-FAMILY: Wingdings"><span>§<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'">How the sector is represented and by whom;</span></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 21.5pt; TEXT-INDENT: -18pt"><span lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-FAMILY: Wingdings"><span>§<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'">The loss of collective action and the need to get it back.</span></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><span lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'"> </span></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><span lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'">Areas of work:</span></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><span lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'"> </span></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 21.5pt; TEXT-INDENT: -18pt"><span lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-FAMILY: Wingdings"><span>§<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'">Arts and culture</span></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 21.5pt; TEXT-INDENT: -18pt"><span lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-FAMILY: Wingdings"><span>§<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'">Criminal justice</span></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 21.5pt; TEXT-INDENT: -18pt"><span lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-FAMILY: Wingdings"><span>§<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'">Economic and social justice for minority ethnic communities.</span></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 21.5pt; TEXT-INDENT: -18pt"><span lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-FAMILY: Wingdings"><span>§<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'">Environment and climate change</span></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 21.5pt; TEXT-INDENT: -18pt"><span lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-FAMILY: Wingdings"><span>§<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'">Legal advice and rights work</span></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 21.5pt; TEXT-INDENT: -18pt"><span lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-FAMILY: Wingdings"><span>§<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'">Health and social care</span></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 21.5pt; TEXT-INDENT: -18pt"><span lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-FAMILY: Wingdings"><span>§<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'">Refugees, asylum seekers and migrant workers</span></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 21.5pt; TEXT-INDENT: -18pt"><span lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-FAMILY: Wingdings"><span>§<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'">Housing and homelessmess</span></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 21.5pt; TEXT-INDENT: -18pt"><span lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-FAMILY: Wingdings"><span>§<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'">Community development</span></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 21.5pt; TEXT-INDENT: -18pt"><span lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-FAMILY: Wingdings"><span>§<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'">Representation and grassroots support</span></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 3.5pt"><span lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'"> </span></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 3.5pt"><span lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'">We hope that by addressing what it happening in these particular zones we will make it clearer to people just what it is we are banging on about. Much of this, we reckon, can be done electronically and much also, will be able to draw on material that some of you have already written. Looking at the list you may also think that we need to add other topics or areas of work - if so please tell us that. We're aware that the above is a bit of an assorted selection.</span></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 3.5pt"><span lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'"></span> </p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 3.5pt"><span lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'">Maybe you could have a think about this and <strong>let me know if you're able to contribute to this exercise? </strong>After this week, I'll be away for 3 weeks on holiday (back week starting 7th September).It would be lovely to have a deluge of positive responses waiting for me when I get back!!</span></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 3.5pt"><span lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'"></span> </p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 3.5pt"><span lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'">In the meantime, good wishes from,</span></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 3.5pt"><span lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'"></span> </p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 3.5pt"><span lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'">Andy Benson</span></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 3.5pt"><font face="Comic Sans MS"></font> </p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 3.5pt"><font face="Comic Sans MS">from NCIA<br>21 Yoakley Road<br>London N16 0BH<br>0208 800 7509<br>have a look at our new website - <a href="http://www.independentaction.net/" target="_blank">www.independentaction.net</a> </font></p>
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<div></div><br>-- <br>"We hear men speaking for us of new laws strong and sweet /Yet is there no man speaketh as we speak in the street.” <br>