I met on Tuesday with Al and Sarah from Hodge Hill. We got together to talk
about research, but we talked about many things: community, timebanking,
well-being, relationships, open doors, social prescription... We met in the
context of Asset-Based Community Development, with the intention of thinking
about what works well in bringing about worthwhile change within communities!
It was a huge pleasure to hear what can be done when people purposefully put
time, energy and effort behind local action! We met at The Hub, in Bromford,
where @HHOpenDoor welcomes local people with tea, coffee and so much more… (http://hodgehillopendoor.wordpress.com)
One part of the conversation made me think, and I was grateful for time to
reflect on my way home. Essentially we were talking about developing people’s
strength in the context of community development. In an inescapable
materialistic culture, where consumerism has taken an overbearing importance in
our minds strength is often viewed as professional power. Therefore it was good
to speak about other ideas – restoring balance in what matters in our lives. We acknowledged how important empowerment was
to achieving success: being able to do the things we love, for ourselves or
with others, for the pleasure of the act and the meaning in participation. I
couldn’t help thinking therefore, that in terms of community organising any
type of directive approach would ultimately rob people of their self-respect.
Replacing the power of a health professional
with that of a paid community worker doesn’t alter the control / needs balance.
Furthermore, in many funded activities imposed outcomes and indicators can become
oppressive and distract from the life affirming stuff going on. In other words,
perpetuating a needs based transaction offers no alternative to the attention
given to individualism in our culture. It may even come at the expense of the
freely given, yet reciprocal, loving care and mutual gain derived from
connection and exchanges in our daily lives. This got me thinking, how could we
stoke the fire to grow ember to flame in our lives?
If association is more clearly defined as the other, yet equally important, way of being a
community member or citizen. Then the first step is to name it, in order to use
it and strengthen its relevance in our lives. This could also provide a counterbalance
to the belief in the power paid professionals have in our well-being. If what
happens within chosen relationships in our day to day lives is critical to
well-being, then the way we talk about this capacity needs as much refinement
and insight as the way we talk about professionalism in a work context. In
other words, describing what makes us whole and giving as associational
members, or citizens, requires mindful explanation. A vocabulary that does not
just get relegated under a what-you-do-when-you're-not-working tag. These are a
few of my thoughts:
We need to strengthen our hearts: the passion we gain together needs to be
nurtured, developed and secured. Our moral grounding adds to our strength, so
that we are increasingly able to talk about what we would like to achieve – and
why. Through faith, religion, and/or spiritual mindfulness we need to
understand what we believe and why we believe it. A deep-rooted inner code
allows us to accept others better. A rich inner life may allow us to act with
minimum judgement, to seek explanations beyond prescriptive rules and obvious
behaviour.
We need to use our heads more: the development of knowledge is key to
choice and control, the understanding we put to paid work is also important
within relationships. What I know allows me to act in ways that make sense to
me and others
We need to join hands: nothing happens without action, as we put head and
heart into practice we can at least change our world - and often the world of
others. To feed others, to mend clothes, to make music, plant vegetables...
While these tasks are so often bought in, they are often exchanged without
care. Today I was given food so obviously prepared with love, and the thanks I
am able to gift back made the meal more significant and life
affirming than a burger caught on the run!
Feet: I sincerely believe the connection I feel to the ground you walk on
connects us. A bit hippy, possibly, however in times of austerity I would like
to think we have at least rediscovered a little meaning in our lives, things
that are important to ourselves and others - other than money...
Well none of these ideas are new or original, but together I think they
offer a better articulation of our community selves.
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