Business
in the
Community
Jan van der Bij
Let’s have a look at…
•People power and financial sustainability
•What is a community business
•Impact of community business in UK and Holland
•Examples
•Community business and ageing
•Conclusion
Het hart van de samenleving
3
People Power
•Is not: informing the public of a govt agenda
•Is not: engaging the public in govt decision
making
•Is not: public participation
•Is: taking your life in your own hands
•Is: making people power sustainable
•Is: govt facilitates people/community
initiatives
•Is: govt participation
Oxford Cycle Workshop
What is a Community
Business
•Economic, physical, social development of
an area
•Owned and managed by the community
•Self-supporting business
•Co-operation between
residents(organisations), local authority,
amenities and businesses
•Succesful, profitable, viable, profits
ploughed back into the community
Impact of the Community
Business movement in the UK
•National movement
•Specific legal structure: community interest
company
•Sustainable solution: example – 97% of the
274 community owned shops ticks
•A variety of options a.o. emission of shares
•Common: running local amenities
Brixton Green
development by the community of a large neglected site on
Somerleyton Road in Brixton, South London
•Spatial planning
•Creative businesses
•Public amenities
•Family housing
Cybermoor
community owned and built network of fibre optic cable for fast
broadband internet in remote and rural Cumbria
(Alston Moor)
Tutbury Eco Power
a group of local residents in Tutbury, Staffordshire (between
Birmingham and Nottingham) aiming to install a hydro-electric
plant on a weir
The Hudswell Pub
Hudswell, North Yorkshire, community shares to buy and
re-open the local pub (bankrupt and for sale),
The George and Dragon
Natural Food Store
Headingly, Leeds, owner of popular and pivotal shop wants to
retire and close up, with 200 shares the community took over
the shop
Community Business in
The Netherlands
•People power and models of financial
sustainability
•Manifesto of active residents (2011)
•Govt: Development Trust also in the
Netherlands
•Pilot with the Dept. of Internal Affairs
•And this is only the beginning…!
Swimming pool De Zwaoi,
Community Business
Care Co-operative Hoogeloon
residents of the village of Hoogeloon (Netherlands, Brabant)
founded their own care company, making it possible for people
who need care to remain in the community and breeding and
strengthening social cohesion and solidarity
Where do ageing and
Community Business meet?
Elderly people living on their own need:
• Good infrastructure, roads, transport, fast internet
• People power and networks
• Community businesses like: a communal vegetable
garden, a swimming pool, a care co-operative
• …to be in control, to be needed, e.g. in the board of a
community business or people power initiative
So…..
We have seen:
•The might of people power
•The new role of govt and authorities: govt
participation
•Financial sustainability of people power
•The viability of community businesses
•Elderly people profit from community enterprise
People Power and Community
Business:
there is a world to win
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jbij@stamm.nl