Network Logic - Index of

Developing the well-connected community
joint ventures between organisations or staying in touch through
informal conversation.
Ideally, effort and resources should be used to create the conditions
where communities can grow and maintain their own networks,
recognising that extra guidance and assistance may be needed to
ensure that these are inclusive, diverse and extrovert. This means
helping with the boundary-spanning connections and addressing
power differentials and obstacles to effective cooperation. There are
many ways in which community development activities can
encourage and enhance networking. Indeed this is a core purpose for
community development. 7 Community workers provide contact
details and information for the communities they work with and
other practitioners. They direct people to appropriate agencies or
funding bodies. Community workers work with communities to
arrange activities such as street festivals or meetings, where
networking happens fairly naturally, though they may have a role in
ensuring that such events are fully accessible to all members of the
relevant communities. Communal buildings such as community
centres or village halls provide space for casual interaction as well as
more purposeful joint working. These need to be safe, welcoming and
affordable, so the décor, location and publicity may need careful
consideration to avoid the space being dominated by certain groups.
Experience suggests that this will require continuous monitoring and
occasional interventions to deal with inevitable conflicts and
misunderstandings.
Conclusion
The idea of the well-connected community should not be seen as a
nostalgic, communitarian model of urban neighbourhoods or village
life. It is a radical approach that celebrates the dynamic and multifaceted
nature of our lives while asserting the value of social
connectivity. Community development strategies that strengthen and
extend informal networks are essential to tackling social exclusion
and building community cohesion. They improve and sustain
partnership working by building trust between partners and ensuring
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