Beth reflects on the power of peer learning and connection in the Community-led Development and Stewardship movement – sharing how increased participation in CLT activity builds credibility, creates long term survival, and supports local communities to improve their physical and mental health.
Feature image: Work exhibited in The Margate We’re Dreaming Of exhibition at Margate Creative Land Trust
Two heads are better than one… Many hands make light work… Teamwork makes the dream work… Strength in numbers… You get the gist.
Take a moment to think back to a moment, or moments, when being with someone or a group to discuss a topic led to a positive feeling or outcome, be that clarity, inspiration, motivation or perhaps acceptance, compassion, relief.
I’ve felt this strongly over the past few years: through work here at the CLT Network and my board positions at the European CLT Network and Hastings Commons. The connections I have made within the CLT movement and the wider ecosystem have led to thousands of discussions in meetings, at events, over dinner, on trains, in the street, and much inspiration, learning and reflection. And unsurprisingly, those conversations have also shown that CLTs and the wider community-led development world, whether based in Hastings, Glasgow, Cork, Brussels, or Barcelona, face the same challenges.
I’m sure many of us are used to the benefits of working with others to work through something too. The evidence shows that when we collaborate to solve problems, we learn more. And it’s clear that members know this – we’re seeing it on our online member platform, Circle, every week. Members are coordinating visits, proposing working groups to tackle issues around pre-development finance, working on collective consultation responses or even just sharing accountancy tools.
But there is clearly a desire for more. At the member gatherings we held up and down the country last year, and at our AGM, we heard repeatedly from CLTs the desire for more peer learning opportunities, especially around governance, participation and legacy.
Increased participation in CLT activity not only builds credibility and opens up funding opportunities, it’s crucial to long-term survival. It’s heartbreaking when we hear that a CLT has had to fold because board positions can’t be filled. But it’s more than that – when citizens are active in local life then benefits are significant – not just to the community, but to an individual’s physical and mental health. The more people involved in the movement, the more people experiencing the benefits.
So thank you so much for your feedback. We’ve listened and are so excited to be launching a new peer-learning group to explore and come up with practical solutions.
If you want to get involved in peer learning, please email [email protected]. Let’s deepen our connections, be there for one another and work together to strengthen the movement we’re all so committed to – not just for now, but for future generations too.
We are hugely grateful to the Oak Foundation for awarding us funding for this programme and giving us the opportunity to change how CLTs can drive inclusive change in their neighbourhoods. See more about the programme here. Read our full EDI Action Plan here.