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Exploring EC1

Update: I’ve started a Connections blog about EC1 linked to articles in the EC1 Echo. Topics include plans for a Business Improvement District in the City Culture Mile, and proposals for a community forum.

After a few years focussed on networks and network mapping, through the Networked City initiative, I’m now complementing that with a deeper exploration of how we can use geographic maps and other digital tools to engage with our neighbourhoods.

I live just south of Smithfield, so I’m concentrating on Clerkenwell to the north and on Farringdon. There’s lots happening in the Clerkenwell community – well documented by our community newspaper the EC1 Echo.

The City of London has established Culture Mile – running east and west through Smithfield – as its cultural zone, and there’s plans to move the meat market to Dagenham Dock. That won’t happen for a few years, but in the derelict western end of the market the Museum of London has started work on a major project to move from its current site on the edge of the Barbican.

All that prompted me to think about how to map past, present and future of the area. You can see work so far at Exploring EC1. I’ll report developments here, and on a blog linked to that.

mapping Networked City

Networked City in practice: maps, apps, games and a model for Commons

The ideas that a group of us have developed around Connecting Londoners and Networked City are bearing fruit, with a two-year Big Lottery-funded programme, models for creating local Commons, plus more games and an app designed to help community connectors. Below is an update that I’ve posted to the Networked City wiki.

The big news is that Drew Mackie and I will be working with the HEAR Equality and Human Rights Network, plus three other networks, to help them map their membership and use digital tools to support campaigns. The innovation will lie in also supporting peer-to-peer connections between network members, so enabling grass-roots and user-led groups to self-organise.

Underpinning the work is a model that animates network maps with a communications platform, which can be co-design through workshop games.  We’ve been very fortunate  to benefit from pro bono support for a Commons co-design app  from Founders and Coders. More on that here.

When taken with local development work in Barking and Clerkenwell, and discussions on civil society infrastructure, what’s merging is a model that might offer some commons elements neighbourhoods, networks and national collaborations.

Update from Networked City

HEAR Mapping and Networks for Solidarity and Campaigning

We have a practical outcome from the Networked City exploration. Drew Mackie and David Wilcox are working with four equalities networks, on a two-year programme funded by Big Lottery.

As project leader Christine Goodall says, the aim is to “co-produce with small and user-led equality organisations in London a system that uses digital tools to build and strengthen their networks, enable better connections for collaboration, campaigning and solidarity, and enhance their voice and influence”.

“The project will also have a key aim of sharing learning throughout the project, building a repository of resources that will be made widely accessible”. More here.

Games, apps and maps for the Commons

We are developing the idea of “Commons” as environments for conversation and collaboration, with games to enable the design and development through the use of maps, apps, stories and self-organising. We are building on earlier Living Lab games, and now have a prototype app through pro bono support from Founders and Coders More here.

Mapping the Commons

In Islington we been working with The Peel Institute on their Connecting Clerkenwell programme, and then on various forms of mapping to display local heritage. You can see a Google Earth flyerover, Story Maps and a gallery, with 360 photos and video on this demonstration site.

Hub and platform model for the Commons

Our work in Clerkenwell, and before that with the Thames Ward Community Project in Barking, provided inspiration for for a model of mapping, communications and storytelling to support local action. The draft model is here.

People Power Platform

David Wilcox is a part of a group that has met twice to discuss models for civil society infrastructure, following the Civil Societies Future report. As I blogged here in January Steve Wyler proposed the idea of a People Power Grid, which chimes with our Networked City ideas. In subsequent discussion Platform was favoured more than grid. There’s scope for joining these ideas up with last year’s Social Power Report from the Sheila McKecknie Foundation, and the Compass 45°change pamphlet.

 

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Latest posts from Networked City

Here’s the latest posts from the Networked City blog. See earlier posts for more about our development – or the Networked City wiki.

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Networked City development

I’m currently writing for a new Networked City blog which complements our NWC wiki and NWC forum

Networked City is a loose framework within which people, projects and organisations can learn how to use mapping, network building, data and technology for community and social benefit. We are developing a network and communities of practice.

Recent posts at Networked City

Smarter London Together starts on the road to people-first design. Can it also lead to strong civil society?
The Mayor of London, and chief digital officer Theo Blackwell, launched the Smarter London Together roadmap after a listening exercise, with more emphasis on the “people first, technology second” philosophy urged earlier by organisations including Doteveryone. Could this extend to support for civil society organisations?

Hub for London appoints CEO
The Hub for London, set up by Greater London Volunteering and London Funders to create new support systems for civil society, has appointed Margaret Cooney as its first chief executive.
Margaret is currently Director of Development at vinspired the volunteering charity for 14-25 year olds, and has previously worked for Spacehive and the Big Lottery Fund.

New Hub for London role to develop civil society networks and civic tech
The Hub for London responsible for developing new systems to support charities, social action groups and community organisations has advertised a post to support and develop networks, and apply digital tech for communication and collaboration. I think it is fair to say that the responsibilities outlined in the recruitment pack reflect many of the ideas developed during the Networked City exploration, in discussion with the Hub Advisory group. That opens up opportunities for collaboration with a range of people and organisations involved in recent events and discussions about mapping and network building.

More posts on the blog

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Our first year exploring how to make London a more Networked City

Over the past year I’ve worked with Drew Mackie, Matt Scott and a host of other people on an exploration into how we can use network thinking, digital tech and self-organising to support London civil society.

Our aim is to help introduce innovative ideas and practice into The Way Ahead official plans for the new Hub for London, following closure of the umbrella body for some 120,000 groups, networks and charities.

We have set up the Connecting Londoners group, and collaborated with Our Way Ahead, a network of London networks and community groups promoting community-based approaches to support systems.

Our biggest event recently was a simulation game workshop at London Metropolitan University where we heard about current plans for support systems focussed on the Hub; adopted roles from concerned citizen to network leader and council officer; reviewed challenges and ideas from a consultant’s report; developed further ideas, and then chose methods and actions to carry them out.

The main idea to emerge from the workshop was developing a Community of Practice for people who want to take forward our ideas. We’ve combined that idea with others from The Way Ahead, and we are now discussing where next with the advisory group for the Hub, of which I’m a member.

I’ll continue blogging about Networked City at Connecting Londoners.

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Explaining to London's Deputy Mayor how mapping can help connect Londoners and #reclaimourspaces

As I reported earlier in the this update, I’ve been working with community groups and networks to develop ideas for a more networked approach to support for London’s civil society.
Last week I was able to pitch some of those ideas, developed with Drew Mackie,  to Deputy Mayor Matthew Ryder QC. There’s a full report here on the Connecting Londoners blog, together with background on the Reclaim Our Spaces campaign who organised the event.
We produced a poster summarising why we believe network connections are needed at different levels.

This week I and others will be pitching at an RSA Ideas event. There we’ll explain further how we’ve been working with the Our Way Ahead initiative to map London networks.
Our idea is that we should run a participatory process to co-design the way in which different levels of networks can join up with the proposed London hub. Background here and more in a further post.

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Explaining to London’s Deputy Mayor how mapping can help connect Londoners and #reclaimourspaces

As I reported earlier in the this update, I’ve been working with community groups and networks to develop ideas for a more networked approach to support for London’s civil society.

Last week I was able to pitch some of those ideas, developed with Drew Mackie,  to Deputy Mayor Matthew Ryder QC. There’s a full report here on the Connecting Londoners blog, together with background on the Reclaim Our Spaces campaign who organised the event.

We produced a poster summarising why we believe network connections are needed at different levels.

This week I and others will be pitching at an RSA Ideas event. There we’ll explain further how we’ve been working with the Our Way Ahead initiative to map London networks.

Our idea is that we should run a participatory process to co-design the way in which different levels of networks can join up with the proposed London hub. Background here and more in a further post.

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Looking for ideas at @LDNCommMedia summit on how community media can help in Connecting Londoners. Here's our headlines.

Originally posted on Connecting Londoners
I’m going to the London Community Media Summit later today, hoping to have some useful conversations about the role of local blogs, news sites, online communities and radio in Connecting Londoners and making London a more Networked City. It provides a good nudge for me to write some headlines summarising where we at, with reference links and notes.
In summaryConnecting Londoners developed from an exploration into how to make London a more Networked City. We are pitching ideas at London Funders, City Hall and others about how to introduce more network thinking and digital technology into current plans to reframe support for London civil society.
Our most recent piece: How to move TheWayAhead into the networked age by Connecting Londoners

Reporting on London civil society

Networked City and Connecting Londoners

Recent blog posts

Main sites and briefing notes

I’m sure the summit will offer a refreshing take on media, both community and mainstream. It’s now nearly 40 years since I was a planning reporter on the London Evening Standard, and 20 since I helped start UK Communities Online. I’ll be looking for new ideas and inspiration for a few more years.

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Looking for ideas at @LDNCommMedia summit on how community media can help in Connecting Londoners. Here’s our headlines.

Originally posted on Connecting Londoners

I’m going to the London Community Media Summit later today, hoping to have some useful conversations about the role of local blogs, news sites, online communities and radio in Connecting Londoners and making London a more Networked City. It provides a good nudge for me to write some headlines summarising where we at, with reference links and notes.

In summaryConnecting Londoners developed from an exploration into how to make London a more Networked City. We are pitching ideas at London Funders, City Hall and others about how to introduce more network thinking and digital technology into current plans to reframe support for London civil society.

Our most recent piece: How to move TheWayAhead into the networked age by Connecting Londoners

Reporting on London civil society

Networked City and Connecting Londoners

Recent blog posts

Main sites and briefing notes

I’m sure the summit will offer a refreshing take on media, both community and mainstream. It’s now nearly 40 years since I was a planning reporter on the London Evening Standard, and 20 since I helped start UK Communities Online. I’ll be looking for new ideas and inspiration for a few more years.

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Updates on Networked City – and the RSA

I’m currently blogging over here about the London Networked City exploration, and also about the RSA’s own Networked Cities initiative.

In addition, I’m  helping start a Fellows’ Forum for the RSA, and have put together some history of past RSA online initiatives on a wiki about OpenRSA.