Sharing and building power: community power
This event, which took place on 29 March 2022, is one of a series under the theme of sharing and building power. It considered the question: what is community power and how can we make it happen? The main opening speaker was Hugh Rolo, from Locality, the national membership network supporting local community organisations. There were also some opening from Steve Wyler, our co-convenor, based on his research on community power in the past. Our thought leaders for the cell, Sue Tibballs and Sarah Thomas from the Sheila McKechnie Foundation, also reminded us of SMK’s practical guide to power, It’s All About Power, reflecting learning from their Power Project.
Key points made by speakers and participants included:
Community power happens at all levels, is not finite and has driven social change for centuries. It can be expressed through individuals, for example Marcus Rashford on free school meals, or groups. Sometimes it is directed at seeking national change, sometimes local. Sometimes it is targeted around a single idea or sometimes it about place or focused on specific resources, such as community buildings, land or energy. It happens in every community.
‘Community power is a dandelion that grows in the cracks of other power structures’ though sometimes it is co-opted by by charities. It is incredibly difficult not to corrupt the ‘dandelion’ when this happens and charities need to work in a different way to avoid this.
Public bodies and voluntary organisations need to be enablers of community power, not blockers, acting as facilitators and servant-leaders.
Community power often comes alive in crises, most recently during the Covid pandemic but it has also been important in previous pandemics. History shows it is almost always suppressed because of wariness about community attempts at self-organisation.
Community shares are a really good way to invest in social causes, and community ownership of assets including land is valuable too.
Participatory grant-making is being used creatively to develop and harness community power.
Sharing power is very difficult, it takes time and patience and investment in capacity building and developing leadership. Relationships are important.
We shouldn’t lose sight of the national dimension of community power. Governments are far more interested in harnessing local community power while nationally it is closing down opportunities for campaigning and dialogue.
There’s a need for a deep reimagining of community power and of charity.