Summary
Power to Change is looking to collaborate with other funders on increasing community power and participation in the economy, through growing support for democratic, shared and community ownership
Aims and activities
Aims and questions
Aims and activities
I’m looking to collaborate with other funders interested in alternative ownership (as an aspect of economic justice) to see what we might be able to achieve together over the next few years. I’m particularly keen to examine ways to support grassroots networks, community practitioners, coaches and local authority staff to skill up on community and cooperative business models and leadership/organising, to build collaboration, economic power and democratic participation in their places whilst tackling local issues. I’m hoping to do something that will leave a legacy of support in this area rather than just helping one or two places but understand a lot can be learnt by working on demonstrators.
How can we provide more appropriate support to community practitioners (community organisers, community development workers, community coaches, local area network coordinators) and more diverse communities to ensure they aren't missing out on skills and knowledge that might support local people to tackle issues through community or cooperatively owned business?
How can we identify and tackle obstacles that exist for more people and communities to engage in building a new economy through using alternative ownership models?
How can we engage better with social enterprise advisors and local VCSE infrastructure bodies to broaden their understanding of cooperative business models?
How can we build demand for a more democratic wellbeing economy from the grassroots by helping communities to understand their economic power?
How to get involved
If you are a funder with interests that relate to this work, contact Bonnie Hewson at Power to Change to have a chat about what you are working on. Maybe we can set up a working group to design something together with others?
Who's involved
Who was involved
Power to Change is developing a strand of work around Alternative Ownership that engages with organisations across the spectrum (including Co-operatives UK, Employee Ownership Association, CLES, Common Wealth, NEF and many others) to develop programmes of work in this area. We have taken on the Open Society Foundation grant portfolio in the UK.
We are seeking a broad spectrum of allies who are also interested in awareness raising, capacity building and pipeline development for alternative business ownership, and helping to shift our current system towards a more democratic, wellbeing-focused economy.
