ChangeMakers

Information

ChangeMakers will map and mobilise individuals who can help address the social, economic and environmental challenges facing Peterborough, including public sector officials, elected representatives and community activists.

Website: http://www.thersa.org/projects/citizen-power/changemakers
Members: 13
Latest Activity: Feb 16

Getting started with the ChangeMakers project

Updates from February 2012...

Thanks to all of those ChangeMakers who made it to the first meet-up earlier this week.

Among other things, we used the ‘open space’ discussion to talk about:

The CSR Forum developing in the city and how this could link in with the existing efforts of businesses and volunteer groups, for instance the Rotary Club and Churches Together.

Peterborough in Transition, a new project being spearheaded by The Green Backyard and something that is part of the wider ‘Transition Towns’ movement helping towns find community-led responses to climate change. The conversation focused on how we might learn from past environmental campaigns that have now entered the mainstream, for example recycling efforts. It was also mentioned that we should try and ask ourselves the same questions that everyday Peterborough residents might ask about the project, for instance why is it being put into place now, why are we passionate about this, and why are those who are running the project involved in it? This might enable us to better articulate the work and get the message out more effectively.

Speak Up, the website supporting young people that is going to be developed by Kamal, Niamh and others. The conversation in this group centred on how the website might tie in with what local groups and neighbourhood associations are already doing with young people in Peterborough. This includes the work of MANERP, the project that Brian Gascoyne chairs, and also the efforts of Dominic’s neighbourhood policing teams. Speak Up was also offered some venue space, should they need it for a launch or other similar events.

The issue of how to encourage Peterborough’s ‘hard-to-reach’ groups to participate in and shape cultural activities in the city. The group identified two ways to do this: word-of-mouth (which works well but is prohibitively time-consuming) and marketing (which is difficult as there is no publication with a wide enough reach). Several organisations were suggested as models of how to approach engaging people who otherwise aren’t interested in the arts: the fire service, who do a great deal of outreach and education work; the Millfield Health centre; and Peterborough United Football Club. The most challenging constituency for arts provision are those who claim that ‘nothing ever happens in Peterborough’: in order to reach them there is a need for a way a publicise events that are taking place in the city. (See attached image for the full mindmap).

Following the open space discussion, we heard from John Turner, who talked about the work of Railworld; Richard Astle, who spoke about the Single Delivery Plan and its strategy and key priorities; and from Rod Allerton, who told us a bit more about how the Corporate Social Responsibility Forum is taking shape in the city.

If anybody has any thoughts on the topics discussed, please feel free to use this forum to air your opinions.

* * * * * * * * *

Updates from November 2011 ...

The ChangeMakers project identifies the key people in Peterborough who are driving positive change. These people, who we term "changemakers", work in a variety of sectors - public, private and third - and come from a range of different backgrounds. Examples of changemakers might include leading local entrepreneurs bringing business and growth to the city, or frontline public sector staff - teachers, nurses, job centre workers, council employees - who have their fingers on the pulse about what matters most to local people.

Despite the importance of these people to the city, many work under the radar and their crucial expertise, insights and connections are often bypassed. Through the use of "social network analysis" surveys we hope to be able to pinpoint these people. Once identified, these will form part of a "ChangeMakers Network" which local policymakers and service practitioners can draw upon to improve the city.

Having finished our surveying, we invited all of those who had been identified as ChangeMakers to a workshop at Peterborough Town Hall in early November. This was a chance for the ChangeMakers to hear more about the research findings, to learn about the importance and power of relationships in trying to improve the city, and to begin laying the foundations for an active and on-going ChangeMakers Network.

This Network will be a space for all of these influential people to come together to share ideas, to network and to offer advice on one another’s work.

The 25 or so ChangeMakers who attended the workshop put forward a number of ideas for how this group might operate in practice, some of which will be put into practice at our next gathering early in the new year.

Here are the slides that were presented at the workshop. These provide some more detail on the research findings:

To find out more, please get in touch with the ChangeMakers project lead, Ben (benedict.dellot@rsa.org.uk).

Discussion Forum

Invitations to 'Change Makers Network' 5 Replies

How did you fail to invite Gerry Warren of Eco Art Projects to your recent event? Is his award-winning work no longer considered acceptable by the RSA?Furthermore, how did the RSA decide on who it…Continue

Started by Wayne Laconic. Last reply by Wayne Laconic Feb 14.

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Comment by Wayne Laconic on October 25, 2011 at 9:09am: Ok Ben, no problem.

May I suggest you liaise with Jamie Young and co-ordinate diaries? He also intends to make a visit in the not-too-distant-future.

Cheers,

Wayne

Comment by Benedict Dellot on October 24, 2011 at 2:20pm: Hi Wayne,

Yes, apologies form not liaising with you on dates. I'll try and find a suitable time and get back to you shortly.

Thanks

Ben

Comment by Wayne Laconic on October 24, 2011 at 12:37pm: Ben,

As one of the early posts from you on this board shows, you offered to visit EAP on 22nd October last year but failed to follow up our offer.

It is still there if you wish to take it. Listening to the issues we at EAP have will help to clarify why some of us in this city have 'issues' with the suits.

Cheers,

Wayne

Comment by Wayne Laconic on October 24, 2011 at 12:33pm: Ben,

Nice to hear from you. You are still welcome to visit the EAP allotment as you promised some time ago.

If you want to see a 'change-making' project then it is time for you to visit us.

Comment by Benedict Dellot on October 24, 2011 at 10:25am: Hi Wayne,

Yes, thanks for the comments. And you're right that people should be able to air their grievances and freely raise issues that matter to them. I would agree with Georgina though that it would be great if we could keep the discussion in this group to the subject of ChangeMakers.

Will keep you posted on the project's developments.

Thanks again,

Ben

Comment by Wayne Laconic on October 24, 2011 at 9:38am: Georgina, Eco Art Projects has been at the forefront of making change happen in Peterborough for several years now. The trouble is that those, like us, who dare to question the suits get sidelined.

If we want real change then it is issues such as this that must be addressed.

I apologise for the clumsy way in which i have started this debate. But some 'change-makers' get labelled as 'trouble-makers' for speaking the truth.

Is that really healthy for our democracy?

Comment by Georgina Chatfield on October 24, 2011 at 9:32am: This is an open forum but let's keep it constructively to the subject in hand - ChangeMakers. Thanks.

Comment by Wayne Laconic on October 24, 2011 at 9:21am: Carol, as for the 'wrong vibe', I apologise but if one is unable to raise these issues in an open forum then the 'suits' reap what they sow.

Comment by Wayne Laconic on October 24, 2011 at 9:20am: well, at least i've got a debate going on what is a very quiet forum.

Christine, there are questions about PECT that must be answered. Their stonewalling is not acceptable. The trouble is that it is difficult to raise such issues without mentioning names.

And this is how they get away with it. If you want to talk about it then I am willing to do so. it is up to you.

Comment by Carol Parker on October 22, 2011 at 9:39am: have to agree with Christine but understand Laconic's bitterness...maybe just don't air it on here as it gives the wrong vibe to the whole thing

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