Archive for March, 2009
Who’s Who behind the Tweets
Tuesday, March 31st, 2009For those of you who aren’t aware, Twitter is a social network, a micro-blog, and an instant messaging service which allows users to communicate with friends, colleagues and anyone else you find interesting in ‘real time’.
We use Twitter to share information information about Chain Reaction and Community Links, and as a way to connect with the Chain Reaction [...]
Support the P20 as well as the G20 says End Child Poverty
Tuesday, March 31st, 2009At Community Links much of our work over thirty years has been tackling the causes and consequences of poverty. We work not only to tackle the day-to-day impact of poverty, but to campaign for long term change to prevent the next generation of local children growing up in poverty. Our research and ongoing work on child poverty was recently [...]
Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill
Thursday, March 26th, 2009I just wanted to flag up the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill currently going through the committee stage in the House at the moment. This bill comes out of the Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) ‘Review of Sub-National Economic Development and Regeneration’, which included a proposal that a statutory duty [...]
LSC ‘proof of income’ eligibility criteria needs revising
Wednesday, March 25th, 2009We offer an advice service at Community Links, where last year we saw over 17,000 people to sort out welfare benefits, debt and housing issues. One of our principle funders is the Legal Service Commission who requires us to assess the eligibility of those seeking advice: i.e. their income has to be below a certain amount.
People [...]
Community finance could help kickstart lending
Wednesday, March 25th, 2009Today the Guardian carries a great column from our friend, Faisel Rahman at Fair Finance (which we helped establish), about the lack of affordable and accessible credit for people and businesses in poor communities, and how the USA’s Community Reinvestment Act from 1977 has been so effective by investing (profitably by banks) nearly $5tn (£3.45tn) into poor communities via [...]
Community Inspired Regeneration: BURA awards.
Friday, March 20th, 2009Today I attended the British Urban Regeneration Association (BURA) Awards for Community Inspired Regeneration which were presented in the impressive setting of the House of Lords. I was delighted to have been asked to be on the judging panel and in the process visited some truly inspiring projects.
Regeneration, along with many sections of the UK economy, is struggling through the [...]
New Community Pride and Oxfam ‘Informal Economy’ report
Thursday, March 19th, 2009Maeve and I were up in Salford / Manchester recently for the launch of ‘Invisible Workers: The Informal Economy Report’ jointly produced by Community Pride and Oxfam. The report is available for free download and referenced on the Oxfam UK Poverty blog.
It was great to hear the authentic voices of local people who have had to turn to [...]
Unemployment figures, welfare reform and ending child poverty
Tuesday, March 17th, 2009It’s the tenth anniversary of the Labour Government’s pledge to end child poverty in a generation. Community Links are proud members of the Campaign to End Child Poverty: three young people, Courtney, David and Daniel from our Arc in the Park open access childcare project went to Downing Street to ask the Prime Minster: “Will you keep your promise Gordon, [...]
Prowess Annual Conference
Tuesday, March 17th, 2009I was up in Blackpool recently, speaking at the Prowess Annual Conference. Our workshop was on worklessness and enterprise. We heard from local colleagues about their efforts, with the help of LEGI funding, to develop the area.
As I walked from Blackpool’s Imperial Hotel, along the North Promenade, by the sea front and into the centre by [...]
Downing Street listen up! Keep the Promise petition and End Child Poverty
Monday, March 16th, 2009We at Community Links, are members of the End Child Poverty coalition. Tomorrow we are are putting forward three of our finest to meet with government at 10 Downing Street. The coalition is calling government to step up the pace and keep to their promise to end child poverty. Three children from Community Links’ Arc in [...]
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We spent a week debating the way poverty is portrayed in the media, generating over 20 fascinating posts from a wide range of authors. 