Social Media

As I have been running a Ning site for Community Land Trusts, I have become interested in the possibilities of social media. However, the more I find out, the more I realise how much time needs to be dedicated to constant monitoring and nurturing of networking sites such as Ning. Almost like having a baby! I realised i had a lot to learn, so put myself on a workshop run by David Wilcox of Social Reporter.




Here you can see a photo of me at the workshop (I am looking at the floor, concentrating deeply!). I can see there is lots to learn, but I can also see there are entries points for almost everyone here. There is so much potential here for local social activisim to be played out online, especially when there is a need to communicate amongst a wide network of people. The good news is a lot of it is free, open access, and could provide a voice for the excluded. The bad news is that… you guessed it, the socially excluded are also the same people who are digitally excluded! ie - no access to computers, or training.

I believe anyone could easily learn and benefit from engaging in these new ’social technologies’ – they just need a little support and encouragement. (as in look, it’s quite easy really!) That’s why I hope to run a workshop soon for the people who are using the Ning site for Community Land Trusts to show how they can get engaged. The first barrier will be persuading them to show up!
David Wilcox has made his book, Social by Social, available for free online. Next thing will be to have a look at that.

My first ever blog post!

Community Land Trusts are a way of taking land out of the open market and using it to benefit people rather than make profit. This is useful for preserving farmland, providing housing to meet local needs, providing allotments, etc. The land is an asset which can benefit, and create wealth, for the community – eg. through rental incomes, providing livelihoods, and creating a means of accessing credit. This wealth can be reinvested in local schools, community centres or regeneration programmes.

For the past two and a half years I have been learning about Community Land Trusts. It has brought me in touch with many other movements and forces for social change. It has opened my eyes to a whole new fascinating world of committed and determined people that say ‘I am going to change things, right here, right now’. These are people using their imagination and creativity to achieve things where time and again government and local agencies equipped with oodles of time and money have failed. They are implementing solutions while the rest of us continue worrying about the problem. The journey that started with Community Land Trusts I'm sure will branch off and lead me to encounter other types of heroic community action. Here, as I embark on the next phase of my journey, I will share my path and the ideas, stories, thoughts, and ideas I encounter. Anything that should give us all cause for optimism.