In theory the Net should be a good way for like-minded people to connect and develop ideas, or solve problems, to benefit their local community. But who is doing that - or facilitating it - effectively? Jonathan Briggs, who runs the Reengage blog commented on my speed networking post, saying "I'm really up for some further discussions about how we use technology to link people to other people to solve small problems. Dating sites for problem solving? ;-)"
Jonathan's query promoted me to look again at the 'Who's who in community technology' pages I started a few years ago.
I found quite a few promising projects of the late 1990's hadn't survived, so I did a cull and check the URLs of others. I've commented before that UK government civil renewal plans don't seem to have any place for local community (electronic) networking, and get the sense that locality-based community tech projects aren't faring as well as those serving communities of interest. It has proved difficult to keep community web sites and forums going in most places, because volunteers burn out, funding runs out, and there aren't easy business models. (Though while writing that I remembered coming upon Sheffield Forum that still seems to be doing well. Simple and effective.)
Perhaps we don't need local DIY projects now that the BBC has developed the impressive iCan site with an extraordinary range of ideas and guidance on how to make a difference - and find others who want to do so too. Maybe - but I think the problem for local issues will be that it is so big and comprehensive it may be difficult get a local feel, and set of contacts. There's plenty of scope for searches, but it is going to be difficult to make it 'our' place. iCAN is till in beta, so open for ideas.
Common Purpose used to run a Citizens Connection site, but I see this is now Just Do Something mainly aimed at 'graduates' who have been on Common Purpose programmes. A lot of generally useful content including inspirational stories, 'how society works' and guidance on becoming a Board member on a nonprofit.
I've listed more sites on the who's who pages, including Beehive sites offered to local groups by papers in the Northcliffe Newspaper Group. If you know of more national - or local - sites, please add a comment.
In the US, the programme for the fifth annual conference on Grassroots use of technology gives the flavour of current applications including "Cyber-campaiging: Blogs, Meetups, Evites" and "Devil in the Details: Improving Data Quality from the Streets to the Database". But then they don't have the BBC...Hope we still do in a few years time.
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