Business in the Community

Jan van der Bij

Let’s have a look at…

•People power and financial sustainability•What is a community business•Impact of community business in UK and Holland•Examples•Community business and ageing•Conclusion

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Het hart van de samenlevingHet hart van de samenleving

People Power

•Is not: informing the public of a govt agenda•Is not: engaging the public in govt decision making

•Is not: public participation•Is: taking your life in your own hands•Is: making people power sustainable•Is: govt facilitates people/community initiatives

•Is: govt participation

Oxford Cycle Workshop

What is a Community Business

•Economic, physical, social development of an area

•Owned and managed by the community •Self-supporting business•Co-operation between residents(organisations), local authority, amenities and businesses

•Succesful, profitable, viable, profits ploughed back into the community

Impact of the Community Business movement in the UK

•National movement

•Specific legal structure: community interest company

•Sustainable solution: example – 97% of the 274 community owned shops ticks

•A variety of options a.o. emission of shares

•Common: running local amenities

Brixton Green development by the community of a large neglected site

on Somerleyton Road in Brixton, South London

•Spatial planning •Creative businesses

•Public amenities•Family housing

Cybermoor

community owned and built network of fibre optic cable for fast broadband internet in remote and rural Cumbria

(Alston Moor)

Tutbury Eco Power a group of local residents in Tutbury, Staffordshire (between Birmingham and Nottingham) aiming to

install a hydro-electric plant on a weir

The Hudswell Pub Hudswell, North Yorkshire, community shares to buy

and re-open the local pub (bankrupt and for sale),

The George and Dragon

Natural Food Store Headingly, Leeds, owner of popular and pivotal shop

wants to retire and close up, with 200 shares the community took over the shop

Community Business in The Netherlands

•People power and models of financial sustainability

•Manifesto of active residents (2011)

•Govt: Development Trust also in the Netherlands

•Pilot with the Dept. of Internal Affairs

•And this is only the beginning…!

Swimming pool De Zwaoi, Community Business

Care Co-operative Hoogeloon residents of the village of Hoogeloon (Netherlands,

Brabant) founded their own care company, making it possible for people who need care to remain in the community and breeding and strengthening social

cohesion and solidarity

Where do ageing and Community Business meet?

Elderly people living on their own need:•Good infrastructure, roads, transport, fast internet•People power and networks•Community businesses like: a communal vegetable

garden, a swimming pool, a care co-operative•…to be in control, to be needed, e.g. in the board of a

community business or people power initiative

So…..

We have seen:

•The might of people power•The new role of govt and authorities: govt participation

•Financial sustainability of people power•The viability of community businesses•Elderly people profit from community enterprise

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People Power and Community Business:

there is a world to win

jbij@stamm.nl