Just think what coverage they could give to the Big Society?

We are ready and waiting for the call.

Launches are dangerous things, with unintended consequences and sub-texts. The organisers think they’ve covered everything, but only once the launch is out in the glare of the public spot-light do they realise they are wearing no clothes to cloak their prejudices, assumptions and limited worldviews. That’s not say the organisers are bad people, just limited and human like those they seek to represent. I’m sure they mean well and will provide lots of schemes to help the poor, the marginalised, the disaffected, those living in the shadows. But none of them were round the table to give their views, so we’ll have to wait and see, won’t we.

The statistics are a bit of a give away as to the unintended assumptions, which will almost certainly guide how The Big Society will be: round the table there were 22 people: 90% white, 73% male. Hmm. There were a lot of Chief Executives and Directors, too, but I gave up counting. There didn’t seem to be any young people there either.

I can think of several women who would have had the rest really sitting up and taking notice. Women who have set up small organisations to help women and children in their community, having learnt English themselves as a second or third language and having come to this country with nothing. Or who act as unofficial mediators on housing estates, diffusing trouble and supporting people who might otherwise sink.

I’m not saying anything against those who were there at the launch – good luck to you and I hope you get lots of budget which you can channel in the direction of people already supporting their small communities. But two things make me suspect that you won’t.

One is a comment which I’ve read or heard from someone (maybe even David Cameron himself) saying: ‘now the work begins’. Well, sorry, but the work has been going on for years and years, in small ways around the country, by people who operate in smallscale practical ways. If The Big Society ignores, overlooks or denigrates what they are already doing, then it is doomed to failure.

The other is the structure and composition of that launch.

Details of attendees:

left side of table:
Neil Jameson – London Citizens
William Perrin – Talk About Local
(Lord) Nat Wei – The Big Society Network
Francis Maude – minister for the Cabinet Office
Martha Lane Fox – Antigone
David Cameron – Prime Minister
Camila Batmanghelidjh – Kids Company
Geoff Mulgan – Young Foundation
Dawn Austwick – Esmee Fairbairn Foundation
Ally (Alastair) Tibbitt – Greener Leith
Rob Owen – St Giles Trust

right side of table:
Paul Twivy – Chief Executive, The Big Society Network
David Robinson – Community Links
Lord Victor Adebowale – Turning Point
Adele Blakeborough – CAN Breakthrough
Dick Atkinson – Balsall Heath Forum
Nick Clegg – Deputy Prime Minister
Hilary Cottam – Participle
Nick Hurd – Minister for Civil Society
Ray Mallon – Mayor of Middlesborough
Rolande Anderson – director of what was formerly The Office of the Third Sector
Stephen Howard – Business in the Community

http://bit.ly/dgjuth

Thanks
Rob

Thanks
Rob