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Author Archives: jesssteele
Speech at the launch of Jericho Road Solutions, 15th May 2013
Welcome, and thank you for coming to wet the baby’s head. I’m going to revisit a speech I first gave in November 2010 which was the first time I used the Jericho Road quote. Goes to show you never know … Continue reading
Is this real? The evil of targets
I was forwarded this by one of our community organisers. As I read it I kept thinking this cannot be true. I hope it is fake but I have a horrible feeling that it’s a true reflection of JobCentre/DWP culture … Continue reading
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Welfare reform & communities
Today’s second speech was at Respublica’s event to launch Julian Dobson’s excellent report “Responsible Recovery: A social contract for local growth”. Welfare reform and communities Jess Steele, Locality Innovation Director & Chair of CREATE Consortium I’ve worked for the past … Continue reading
Posted in Community Allowance, Self-renovating neighbourhoods
Tagged government, poor neighbourhoods
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East London – 10 years of regeneration
I gave two speeches today. The first was at an event organised by Community Links in Canning Town. REGENERATION OF EAST LONDON [I’m going to see if you can multi-task! While I’m talking, sketch a little map of a bit … Continue reading
Ba-Ba-Boom! Huzzah! Wow! OMG! Thank the Gods!
Sometimes when things work out well we can hardly believe it’s because of us. We want to feel the thunderbolt and praise Thor! I’m really pleased that tonight Hastings Pier was saved. This is how I felt when I knew: … Continue reading
Posted in Hastings Pier, Seaside
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Self-renovating neighbourhoods
The old regeneration is dead, or should be. New regeneration will be driven by local people as agents of neighbourhood change, connected through solidarity networks, with the state and markets as enablers. It will focus on the fine grain of the lived neighbourhood, abjuring all silos and proactively weaving new fabrics of ownership and responsibility for the built and social environment. Inspired by stories of ‘accidental’ renewal arising from the clear self-interest of groups of local people, this paper introduces the self-renovating neighbourhood. It defines regeneration as the unleashing of trapped resources to nurture transformational local change, and makes a call to action to unlock people, land and buildings, and common bond equity capital to rebuild Britain from the ground up. Continue reading
Posted in Self-renovating neighbourhoods, Thinking
Tagged neighbourhoods, regeneration
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Ministerial list, 5 Sept 12
It’s been annoying me so much not to be able to get a full list of government ministers anywhere on the net that I decided to nick this one from Conservative Home as soon as I found it! Cabinet Office … Continue reading
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Scattering virtual ashes
I am at home in Hastings while the ashes of an old friend are being scattered from a bridge we helped to build. In memory of Pete Pope and in recompense for not being there today, I want to get … Continue reading
Posted in Just Me
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Last day in Chicago
I can hardly believe it’s taken me so long to write this. I suppose it’s cos I didn’t want my trip to the US to be truly over. But until it’s finished I can’t write anything else so… That last … Continue reading
Posted in Community Organisers, US trip
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Chicago 5: Generations of organizers
Friday 18th November 2011 Jim Field (left), Director of Organizing at the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, says he’s from the Alinsky generation and gives me a copy of the 1972 Playboy interview. He says lots of the first wave … Continue reading
Posted in Community Organisers, Locality, US trip
Tagged chicago coalition for the homeless
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Chicago 4: Grounded Theory
This is my public apology for not yet having emailed to thank all the wonderful people I met in Chicago (I’ve started it on the train home tonight). The last two days of my trip (18/19th Nov) involved even more … Continue reading
Posted in Community Organisers, US trip
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Chicago 3: All kinds of walking
I’m back in the UK now but determined to finish this blog account of my trip to the US to explore community organising. I ran 3.5k on a treadmill today and all the way I was thinking about my much … Continue reading
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Chicago 2: Oodles of inspiration
Weds 16th November 2011 After a misleadingly warm day yesterday, now it’s sunny but cold like Chicago’s meant to be. Today’s dollops of inspiration come from Jeff Pinzino at National People’s Action (NPA) Joanna Brown, Logan Square Neighbourhood Association Malcolm … Continue reading
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Chicago 1: The South Side & Regina
Tues 15th November 2011 A beautiful sunny, warm day in ultra-civilised Chicago began with a wander in Grant Park. Everything takes just a bit longer than you expect because of waiting to cross the enormous roads. So then I hurried … Continue reading
Posted in Community Allowance, Community Organisers, US trip
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Detroit 3: The Funders
On my last day in Detroit I spent the morning exploring the regenerated riverfront. A lot of effort, good intentions and money has gone in and there are some lovely touches – the framed artworks, the bird-filled wetland area and … Continue reading
Posted in Community Organisers, US trip
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Detroit 2: Grace Lee Boggs & the Angels
Sunday, 13th November 2011 I was so delighted to get a call on Sunday morning from Rich Feldman of the Boggs Centre for Nurturing Community Leadership. He had received last night’s email and could meet me today and hoped … Continue reading
Detroit 1: Motown
10pm, Sat 12th November 2011 Never let taxi drivers influence your view of a place! Their livelihood depends on scaring you out of your wits. I already knew Detroit was a strange place but I was determined to give it … Continue reading
Posted in Just Me, US trip
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NYC 3: Training Day
Friday 11th November 2011, Veterans’ Day Up early to make my way to East Harlem where the Center for Neighborhood Leadership/Public Allies training would take place at the sparkly new Hunter School of Social Work building. The bright white … Continue reading
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NYC 2 – Occupied Wall Street, Good Old Lower East Side & University Settlement
On Thursday I went to see whether the original #Occupy is as well organised as Occupy London Stock Exchange, which I visited just before coming away on this US trip. I was much reassured by the similarities. Apart from the … Continue reading
Posted in Community Organisers, Locality, US trip
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New York City 1: Queens Community House
[From La Guardia airport on the way to Detroit, 12 Nov 2011] I have spent the last 4 days visiting a community organizing development programme in New York City which has striking similarities to our emerging home-grown Community Organisers programme … Continue reading
Posted in Community Organisers, Locality, US trip
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