The Curious Contradictions of Community Organizing and the United Kingdom – Part III

Community Organizing International

New Orleans Without having read the final paperwork on Locality’s winning proposal to train 500 community organizers and the final contract terms agreed to by the British government, it can be impossible to be sure how far afield the eventual program will evolve from the initial advocacy and intentions of Citizens UK.  It is clear …

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The Curious Contradictions of Community Organizing and the United Kingdom – Part II

Community Organizing International

New Orleans Nothing about the Cameron government “Big Society” initiative to insert community organizers into poor areas around the United Kingdom seemed very organic or likely to succeed once the real deal started to crystallize.  Going from a 5000 organizer initiative over four years would mean producing an average of only 125 per year.  Ostensibly, …

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When Hope is not Enough, Riots Eventually Follow

Community Organizing International

New Orleans Headlines blaring that Britain’s leaders were “caught unprepared” at the outbreak of riots throughout metropolitan London and now spreading to Birmingham were surprising to me.  Persistent, structural unemployment, marginalized housing and living conditions, no prospects for the future, severe and draconian austerity cutbacks in social services and family support, are all coming together …

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