The Power of Local Networks

Local people have the most powerful networks. They have the local knowledge and the local relationships to build alliances and make things happen on the ground. But often they do not recognise how much these networks are worth.

In a local community there is often only 2-degrees of separation between everyone. It is possible for the service user to know the local politician or the local business owner either directly or through one other contact.

How can local people use their networks to take control of their lives and promote their voices?

Public action is most effective when local people organise together. And when they use the diverse talents and skills that exist within their networks. The example of Menqual which I blogged about recently shows what people in Middlesbrough have been able to do together.

I get frustrated when I see powerful outside organisations harvest or benefit from these local networks without giving anything back. They rely on the introductions and the trust established within local networks to be able to meet and research with local people. Their products are then sold or promoted for their own benefit but would have been impossible to produce without the openness and willingness of people to engage.

How can local people own their networks? How can we ensure that powerful outside agencies respect and value these networks?

I have found that bringing local people together to map and share their local networks together is a powerful way to capture the breadth of their connections. Mapping is a very visible tool and can represent a network in a direct way.

Below is a presentation I gave about using mapping to capture and promote local networks. It comes from part of a wider public action programme I was part of.

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Menqual - My Admiration for the Mental Health Service Users of Middlesbrough

I had the pleasure of returning to Middlesbrough in early May to see the mental health service user led forum called Menqual.

The group have been running for over 2 years now and are making sure that the service user voice is heard within the wider policy context. One great thing they have achieved is a service users charter for employment. It tells the story of what service users need and want from employers and shows that people with mental health problems can be great employees.

The charter took a lot of work and preparation. There were many different perspectives and lots of debate about the best way to produce it. But they had the support of some powerful stakeholders including the mayor. Now published, the charter is being promoted and shared with employers, employment agencies and local people.

Menqual say that work is one of the most important things for service users. It helps lift people out of poverty and supports recovery. It is also important for identity and self-esteem.

Reflecting on the journey of Menqual is interesting for me. I worked with local people to start the group back in 2006 with a series of workshops and open events. Since then the group has had active and quieter periods. But despite this it has continued to operate and make a difference. I have learned a lot of valuable lessons from the group and it has given me a chance to be involved in some very direct, local public action.

Participatory forums often have their own rhythms and life cycles. Reflection can be balanced with public action, as can activities such as campaigning with periods of learning.

I always enjoy visiting Menqual in Middlesbrough. They are a great example of what local people can do with few financial resources. The journey for social change is not a sprint - and Menqual are in it for the long term.

Definition of a Blogger

I just have to share this wonderful definition of a blogger. I found it in a book I was glancing through the other day with the rather pompous title of ‘Be Your Own Spin Doctor’. And to be honest it is not a very good book and not one I would recommend - it is quite simplistic and ironically I did not find it that well written.

Anyway, at the end of the book there is as usual a glossary. Some of it is quite helpful with definitions of terms used by journalists and PR professionals. But hidden in this list there is one reference (and only one reference) to new media - a definition of the word ‘blog’. I will reproduce the definition from the book in full because it made me laugh out loud:

Blog: a ‘weblog’. An online diary or running commentary, often written by cranks, egotists or obsessives, with some notable exceptions. (Page 175, Richards 2005)

Wow - my first reaction was I wonder which of these am I? I am sure I would not come under the list of notable exceptions. My second reaction was how dated this definition is and how far we have moved in how we understand the internet and social media. The book was originally published in 1998 but the text I was reading from was an updated 2005 edition.

I don’t want to leave you without a positive alternative to this. So I will recommend Chris Rose’s How to Win Campaigns as a good book on communications. On the internet, the blogs CopyBlogger and ProBlogger are good places to get up-to-date advice and inspiration for blogging.

But a word of warning - reading these and other blogs can become quite addictive. Much like checking your email every 30 seconds. So maybe Richards’ label of ‘obessive’ is not too far from the truth.