Bigger Society, Better Society

Big Society Online: How community websites support neighbourhoods and smart e-government solutions in Lewisham

Workshop for community engagement officers, ICT managers, heads of service and service commissioners on 9 December 2010 in London:

This joint event with Networked Neighbourhoods will combine first-hand experience of working with citizen-led neighbourhood websites, with hot-off-the-press research findings.

Liz Dart, Head of Community and Neighbourhood Development, and Helen Hilton, Online Engagement Officer, LB of Lewisham, together with Hugh Flouch and Kevin Harris from Networked Neighbourhoods will share first hand experiences of how online neighbourhood communities are supporting neighbourhood working and strengthening local communities. The session will also consider how local online networks provide an effective tool to maintain levels of service delivery in times of cost constraint by helping to activate co-production and deliver more services online.

Networked Neighbourhoods have been carrying out a groundbreaking study of the impact of London neighbourhood websites and the implications for local authorities in mobilising the Big Society. The lessons from this study will be published as a guide for councils and councillors on 30 November. South London in general, and Lewisham in particular, are recognised as pioneering areas for local e-government, with a rich variety of neighbourhood websites. You will hear that, though the path to putting these resources in place has been rocky at times, they are now bringing real benefits to the neighbourhoods that have taken part.

For further information and online registration please check our training page