Seminar 1 Wellbeing and belonging in new communities 1 October 2010 Designing in social sustainability New thinkpiece Practitioner toolkit New partnership with Malmö Sweden Exploring potential partnerships in China Thailand amp Australia ID: 617786
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Slide1
Future Communities
Seminar 1:
Wellbeing and belonging in new communities
1 October 2010Slide2Slide3
Designing in social sustainabilityNew
thinkpiece
Practitioner toolkitSlide4
New partnership with Malmö, Sweden
Exploring potential partnerships in China, Thailand & AustraliaSlide5
What makes new cities and communities socially sustainable?
SIX in the City, SingaporeSlide6
Today’s discussion
What do we mean by belonging and wellbeing?
Why do they matter in new communities?
What are the practical implications for our work?Slide7Slide8
Need for services and support, not just buildings
Early provision is crucial
Lack of social infrastructure affects community wellbeing
Identity and reputation
Social infrastructureSlide9
Voice & influence
Giving voice and influence at the planning stage
Shaping opportunities for influence
Maintaining structures and initiatives for the long termSlide10
Space to grow
New communities evolve slowly as social networks develop & populations age & shift
Master-planning needs to be flexible and adaptable
New communities need flexible use of land & buildings
Informal spaces & temporary uses should be encouraged
Local engagement & governance structures also need time to developSlide11
Community identity & belonging
Tolerance, respect, engagement
Pro-social behaviour
Good design supporting social life
Social and cultural lifeSlide12
What makes us feel we belong?
National
Governance of Britain
National identity and shared values – i.e. liberal, secular, democratic
Collective
Wider networks – ‘Familiar strangers’
Where you are versus
where you are from
Profession/ethnicity/ religion/social class/school/university
Individual
Family/ Friends
Hometown – where you’re fromSlide13
Feedback circuits
Family&friends
Power&politics
Economy
Religion and voluntary orgs
Home, neighbourhood & physical environmentSlide14
Contact between neighbours and neighbourhood empowerment has the potential to improve resident wellbeing
Wellbeing focus in community engagement policies, spatial planning and new housing developments, would place greater emphasis on social networks and belongingSlide15
The myth of
neighbourliness
?Slide16
Ideal neighbouring
has three common aspects
Awareness of situation of other residents
Respect for their privacy
Readiness to take action if help is needed
Modern-day neighbouringSlide17
Why belonging matters
Takes time for local social networks to evolve
Often tensions between newly arrived and established communities
Shapes experience of public realm, perceptions of safety and fear of crime
Issues for stability, housing management
People that can leave, will leaveSlide18
“… where these facilities were already in place when people began to arrive, the community came together and networks were formed more easily.”
CLG, New Towns Review, 2006Slide19
“ … planning for hard infrastructure alone would never build a community … it would only be done by a matrix of formal and informal opportunities or supported activities.”
Cambridgeshire PCT (2007)
Cambourne
, New Town BluesSlide20
Three factors necessary for sense of community:
Length of residence
Local character
A shared common history
Michael Young, New EarswickSlide21
Small things matter – so does timing
Making connections – “weak ties”
Greeters:
idea from the New Towns
Micro-grants:
help to get neighbourhood activities started – toddler groups, dog socialising, exercise classes, street parties
Places to meet: community houses, temporary spaces
Lots and lots of information sources … newsletters, coffee mornings, hyper-local websites
Early interventions
Start to establish normsSlide22
Strengthening networks
Timebanking
:
promoting mutual exchange and self sufficiency/sustainability
Community champions:
active residents who can advise and give out information to newcomers
Local engagement opportunities – connections to power:
community councils, residents associations, volunteering
Celebrating culture: “people like me” – festivals and events
Small things matter – so does timing
Community capacity
Building networks, local identity and opportunitiesSlide23
Feedback circuits
Family&friends
Power&politics
Economy
Religion and voluntary orgs
Home, neighbourhood & physical environmentSlide24
Afternoon workshop
How are these feedback circuits working locally?
Which are the most important in your area?
Which circuits can you influence? Slide25
Saffron Woodcraft
saffronwoodcraft@youngfoundation.org
www.futurecommunitiesneveragain.wordpress.com
www.futurecommunities.netSlide26
About the Young Foundation
The Young Foundation brings together insight, innovation and entrepreneurship to meet social needs.
We have a 55-year track record of success with ventures such as the Open University, Which?, the School for Social Entrepreneurs and
Healthline
(the precursor of NHS Direct). We work across the UK and internationally – carrying out research, influencing policy, creating new organisations and supporting others to do the same, often with imaginative uses of new technology.
www.youngfoundation.org