In this workshop you will be taken through the five pillars of community wealth building, what they are, what they mean in practice and what it looks like when action is taken on each pillar in a place. The session will invite participants to explore community wealth building in the current UK context and evaluate its key role in developing an inclusive economy. By the end of the workshop you will have had a comprehensive introduction to community wealth building theory and practice.
Who’s it for?
The introductory workshop is for anyone who recognises that the economy is failing to work for everyone and is looking for a new approach to local economic development. CLES particularly encourage elected representatives, policy makers, and members of co-operatives, social enterprises, and the voluntary and community sector to attend.
Why attend?
Community wealth building has been proven to bring real benefits to local people and places, as exemplified by the success of the Preston Model. A growing number of towns and cities across the UK are adopting this new approach, and this workshop provides an introduction for those looking to do the same.
As you may have experienced, traditional economic development strategies, such as those aimed at attracting inward investment, rarely bring the economic, social and environmental benefits anticipated.
This workshop will demonstrate how places can harness existing wealth to strengthen local economies and will explore the roles of anchor institutions; complementary currencies; banking practices; and community businesses.
Attend this workshop if you want to find out more about joining a growing movement of community wealth builders who are succeeding in finding new ways to realise economic, social, and environmental benefits in their local communities.
Facilitators
The workshop will be led by one of the following CLES team members, who each bring first hand knowledge and experience of developing and implementing community wealth building Strategies in UK towns and cities:
- Sarah Evans, Associate Director (Regional Economies) (Wales Lead)
- Oliver Chan, Senior Analyst