Celebrating Community Power: Elaine Represents The Phoenix Cultural Centre at 10 Downing Street in Honour of Co-ops and Local Leadership.
Our Co-Founder, Elaine, was invited to 10 Downing Street yesterday representing us for the celebration of Co-ops & Mutuals & the role of community led organisations in local growth & empowerment.
She spoke with Jonathan Reynolds, Secretary of State for Business & Trade who hosted the event, recognising the UK’s cooperative sector as a key contributor to national growth & social change & comes as part of the UN International Year of Cooperatives.
Phoenix Cultural Centre CIC struggled to gain & retain just a single asset amongst a vast regeneration, to be a place for & owned by, everyone, supporting social opportunities, vital drivers of local economic growth. With democratic ownership embedded into communities it will create community wealth & equally shared civic power, addressing inequality in decision making & local priorities. With our work on Social Leadership, mentoring & advocacy, we support others to navigate issues we have faced as we have grown & assist them to get the security we have been unable to.
To grow the co-operative, mutual & community sector, including experience to inform policy, is key. The chances to meet these ambitions of growth, strengthens social infrastructure, empowers communities to confidently share expertise & start new grassroots initiatives responding to needs & anticipating them.
The Plan for Neighbourhoods will invest £1.5bn in 75 places over 10 years. Communities can sustain & grow to meet ‘7 generation ahead’ planning. How do we ensure not just money but power is equally distributed?
Phoenix Cultural Centre CIC were proud to be asked to share our experience & knowledge, working with organisations & training we are part of to secure a space for our community, contribute to increasing community ownership & agency in shaping local economies where we live, bringing people together. Everyone should be part of design, & leadership for change that affects us.