A decline of community
A major theme that emerged from the consultation was a decline of community and weakened local neighbourhoods.
Participants felt that neighbours no longer know or look out for one another, which leaves people feeling isolated, lonely and fearful – particularly the elderly and those who live alone.
People also spoke of a decline of community in a more abstract sense, in terms of a lack of public spiritedness or social responsibility. Older people spoke about how different things used to be:
…the community spirit, is broken down terribly over the last 20 or 30 years. I am nearly 50 years old. I can remember before. Society has changed, it is a lot more selfish and ‘me, myself and I’.
While it was recognised that new kinds of communities were emerging (such as virtual or online communities) people felt these were an inadequate substitute for the face-to-face interactions of more traditional local communities.
Some comments from the consultation
“Community breakdown - society has become very insular and people quite often don’t know any of their neighbours or who lives on their street with the ramifications of no community spirit with everyone looking out for each other and helping each other out.”
“It seems that people no longer care about others or the community area they live in. People are too busy making sure that they have whatever it is that makes their life easier, happier, etc. Regardless of the cost to others.”
“People don’t care for others, in fact it is safer to walk by on the other side of the street, people don’t come into contact with each other, they are isolated by their cars and their televisions.”
on April 20th, 2008 at 5:34 am
So what’s new?
Peter Pan springs to mind. Wouldn’t it be delightful to live your entire life in some kind of childlike dream world, safe from all threats and evils? Curse Darwin, or was it Wallace? Meanwhile, some people expose themselves to the rigours of living, and a few even stand back to try to make sense of it all.
Of course, I can only judge from personal experience and by sorting through written evidence, but as far as I can tell, the only difference between the world today and Athens in 430 BC, is technology. Nothing much else has changed. Upon investigation, you will be amazed at how much ancient Greece was like our society.
Surveys like this surely please philanthropists, as they see there is a great need for them in the world. I am also convinced politicians value this sort of survey, as it helps them form policies that will put them in power. Some unfortunate people will wring their hands, thankful that somebody is thinking of them. However, what we need are more great statesmen, and I doubt such people are swayed much by surveys of popular opinion. No, statesmen read more substantial stuff such as
• Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War
• Abraham Maslow, Toward a Psychology of Being.
• W MacNeile Dixon, The Human Situation, Edward Anold & Co, London 1937
And from the latter let me quote a Victorian verse about change (to be read slowly, almost in a whisper):
“The shores of Styx are lone for evermore,
And not one shadowy form upon the steep
Looms through the dusk, far as the eye can sweep,
To call the ferry over as of yore;
But tintless rushes all about the shore
Have hemmed the old boat in, where, locked in sleep,
Hoar-bearded Charon lies, while pale weeds creep
With tightening grasp all around the unused oar.
For in the world of Life strange rumours run
That now the soul departs not with the breath,
But that the Body and the Soul are one;
And in the loved one’s mouth now, after death,
The widow puts no obol, nor the son,
To pay the ferry in the world beneath
Eugene Lee Hamilton
Yours sincerely
A lad from a deprived Yorkshire childhood who stood on his own two feet, served his country, earned letters after his name, and who opposes best he can the world’s iniquity.
Abusive? Inappropriate? Report this comment.on April 20th, 2008 at 7:28 am
I grew up in the years before the social revolution of the sixties; before so many people got freedom confused with abdication of responsibility. The last thing we need is another ‘great statesman’ to put the clock back to the days when men were men and women and children knew their place, thank you. I hope we will soon have community councils or associations like they do in Canada, residents who take responsibility for their neighbourhood, work together to improve it whilst being supported by local government. Think of all the energy we could muster that is currently allocated to the blame game.
Abusive? Inappropriate? Report this comment.on April 20th, 2008 at 10:16 am
I am a baby boomer born just after the war. I have benefitted from the welfare state in terms of free orange juice and virol,(anybody remember that?)a flattening of the class system, acceptance of northern accents, and a grammar school education followed by university.Mine has been an upward trajectory in terms of social mobility as a result of luck, intelligence and hard work. How lucky has my generation been? Isn’t it time that I and this generation of mine took responsibility for helping those younger than us who are starting to take charge of the world? Surely we have enough experience and good will to do more than winge about the so called ‘Good old days’ get off our ***** and do something for younger people? How about National Service for the over 60’s where we volunteer to coach or mentor people younger than us? How about us using our free bus passes to watch for antisocial behaviour in public places and being prepared to speak up and show we care instead of looking the other way? How about the vast numbers of us becoming a great example to the young by remembering and practising those good manners we were taught as children. Do you remember holding doors open for people or saying “THANK YOU” WHEN SOMEONE LET YOU THROUGH? Do you remember when people used to queue up and wait their turn at bus stops? Do you remember being told how to behave in public places and not just crashing into people and expecting them to step into the road to let you by?
Abusive? Inappropriate? Report this comment.Sense of community is made up of lots of little acts of kindness and it starts with me and hopefully you. You may not be able to do everything now but you can do something now.I suspect you’ll be amazed at how much better the world suddenly feels when you start doing it yourself and not worrying about how awful everyone else is. Just imagine if we all decided to start our own kindness revolution today how we could transform our communities. There is no get out, it’s our responsibility, lets do it.
on April 20th, 2008 at 10:51 am
I agree with Alan Robinson that little has changed in terms of human relationships since the times of the Greeks, except of course technology. And when I started researching the effects of technology on childhood about ten years ago, I was hooribly conscious that people like him would consider me a grumpy old woman, harking back to my own joyful childhood consuming cod liver oil and virol.
Abusive? Inappropriate? Report this comment.But our technological culture HAS had two huge effects on children’s lives: first, they don’t go out to play anywhere near as much as they used to; second, they spend a lot of time cooped up in front of electronic entertainment absorbing consumerist messages from marketers.
Although it surprises adults like Mr Robinson, children’s play is one of the most important forces shaping human personality and interaction. So as they grow up it impacts on the adult world too. If they don’t get frequent first hand experience of the real world, and opportunities to develop social skills by playing (away from the adults) with other children, they’re likely to grow up socially, emotionally, physically and cognitively stunted. And if instead they just sit absorbing messages about self-indulgence through consumption, they’ll be even less mentally and emotionally healthy.
I think we’re already beginning to see this change in a terrifying number of our chidlren, which is why we recently made the front page of Time magazine, as a country terrified of its youth.
And that’s why people are feeling uneasy — deep inside all of us, there’s a feeling that something is wrong with our families and communities, and this ’something’ is affecting our young people.
One of the major factors in any healthy community is an adult alliance, based on trust, which means children can play out freely in their neighbourhood. In other European countries, this still exists, and sensible traffic regulations mean residential areas are safe from accidents too. I’m sure this was the case for the Ancient Greeks.
This is not a rant about technology, which I personally love. It’s a reflection on unintended consequences, and a Cassandra-like scream that we’ve got to look at the overall ‘toxicity’ of childhood today, and work like maniacs to restore children’s unstructured, loosely supervised, outdoor play.
You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone.
Sue Palmer
PS And getting TVs and other electronic paraphernalia out of kids’ bedrooms would help too.
on April 20th, 2008 at 12:28 pm
I definately agree with Sue Palmer about the value of playing outside as a child. The only problem with that most of the time is that there are just too many cars around. Also the minute a group of children or young people meet together in any public place they are immediately seen as a threat.
Abusive? Inappropriate? Report this comment.Our society segregates children and young people in almost every respect and then expects them to behave, learn, turn out right, play well, contribute, respect but they aren’t treat as equals or given the opportunities they deserve. The power is unfortunately in the hands of the adults and people forget that.
on April 20th, 2008 at 2:41 pm
I agree with everyone so far. The car/combustion engine is another ‘mixed blessing’ - I wouldnt necessarily have it on the social evil list, but its not on the solution list.
Abusive? Inappropriate? Report this comment.We’ve been asked for solutions - and the humble bicyle is one old technology that is a modern solution too. It’s an efficient means of transport, affordable, keeps you fit (and may lessen obesity & depression) and provides a way of seeing and living in the community and talking to fellow cyclists. A congestion charge in every innner city might be a start: London is (slowly) transforming, though the streets do not yet feel completely safe as they are not filled with 50% male and female cyclists, and not filled with over-60yr olds (as in Europe) yet. We have to redesign transport (and many other systems) so that we get our priorities right. In this case planners need to have a hierarchy of consideration for the vulnerable and sustainable first (not the road lobby groups). Access needs to be designed for the disabled in front of pedestrians, then cyclists and lastly drivers. Part of the “AFTER YOU” culture we need to develop - of recognising the vulnerable need to be put first.
on April 20th, 2008 at 8:15 pm
Every technological and cultural shift is a mixed blessing - and history demonstrates the huge potential of people to change and adapt. That is our success as a species. I sense two things happening: the growth of online communities (like this one) and the revitalising of neighbourhood (schemes like Britain in Bloom, Neighbourhood Watch etc. If anything, the role of government, church, traditional authority seems to weaken as their structures appear to be incapable of adapting fast enough. As a society we have great freedom to choose, to influence and to engage in a variety of ways. Observing, criticising and commenting are the first steps, doing and standing for what we believe is the catalyst for change.
Abusive? Inappropriate? Report this comment.on April 20th, 2008 at 9:45 pm
1) Move to a completely comprehensive education system, getting rid of church, private and grammar schools - this will be an important move against segregation and social inequality and help to bring opportunities to all.
Abusive? Inappropriate? Report this comment.2) Make serious attempts to reduce car use, raise the price of car fuel and promote cycling and walking. Promote urban development that sees working and living happening within walkable and cyclable distances of each other.
3) Think about how some of the good aspects of churches (cross-generational community interaction)could be brought back for a secular society with some sort of regular community events open to all, with singing, possibly hosted in schools?
on April 21st, 2008 at 9:13 am
There is a tremendous undercurrent of interest in bringing new life into communities around the country, as for example in the community project ‘food up front’ which began in 2007. Only last week the Independent featured a two- page article on the project. This project like other such projects has made enormous steps forward over a very short time. However, there are other projects, which are equally community based, as in the case of the attempt by the Blue Flash Music Trust to open up the underused Town Hall in Horsham as a community centre, which has encountered tremendous resistance. We have found there are other such projects, going through the same kind of difficulties, as in Andover, where a group is endeavouring to open up the Lower Guildhall for the community. In each case the council involved sees things differently. The drive by councils to keep down council tax has meant that, as in the business world, the aim is to realise assets. So while communities are realising a need for community centres, there are other forces at work to sell them off or rent them out for business ventures. The need at this present time is for communities to speak up and do all they can to open up such community facilities once again, rather than let them dwindle and disappear. The challenges are out there, and they have to be faced before communities have lost all those valuable assets, which, if allowed to develop would answer the communities’ needs both in financial and neighbourly terms.
Abusive? Inappropriate? Report this comment.on April 21st, 2008 at 11:59 am
Though every generation will tend towards “change and decay in all around I see”, many of the points made here indicate aspects of a substantive shift, and in some sense a decline.
Abusive? Inappropriate? Report this comment.Robert Mayfield’s point about community spaces is one such. There are many aspects to this - councils wanting to realise assets, decline of town centre shopping, closure of post offices, the privatisation of public spaces and consequent exclusion of young people, in contrast to the increasing accessibility of online spaces. Even the smoking ban is said to be having a negative effect.
However, it would be naive to suggest that we can simply resurrect the kind of community which existed before, or even that many people would entirely approve of doing so. Instead we must look forward and imagine new dimensions of community. In this respect the innovators on the web are leading the way. Rather than seeing online interaction as separate or alternative, let us consider how to grow it back out into the real world. There are already sites which make this happen (e.g. Freecycle): surely more are around the virtual corner. “Myspace” might spawn “ourstreet” - perhaps it already has. Young people are creating new and interesting communities which fuse real and virtual worlds. In them lies our hope.
But in relation to young people there does need to be one big step back to the past, namely playing fields. It is enough just to mention this - the logic doesn’t need to be spelt out. The cost would be high, but the benefits great.
on April 21st, 2008 at 12:28 pm
I do agree with Robert Mayfield about the difficulties facing those who wish to take action to develop new community and neighbourhood initiatives. There is a high level of associational activity in the UK, but many smaller organisations (both registered charities and more informal groups) are facing major challenges in continuing with their work. There are many causes for this - from people having less time for volunteering to the problems of raising funds to continue with activities. In many areas, councils are indeed identifying assets that can be sold off to meet the cash challenges that they face. Grants schemes, which once assisted small local groups and organisations, have been cut and funding for the voluntary sector is now heavily skewed towards contracts, which are for the delivery of specific services. The essential connection between the delivery of local services and the local community is being lost as contracts are placed with larger organisations, often located at a distance from the community. Additionally, the accountability of local government for services to the community is being lost, as those providing services on contracts are accountable to the local authority for a contract, and the direct delivery of services by local authorities, with accountability via locally elected representatives, is being eroded.
All of these factors (as well as others) erode the connectivity of local communities to services, organisations, and also the opportunities for individuals in local communities to come together to take part in associational activity. The loss of community assets also means less facilities available where such activities can take place. We need a new social and economic paradigm, which values communities, and also sees the organisations that serve communities as a social “good” in its own right, and not just as a business, where the bottom line is the financial profit.
Abusive? Inappropriate? Report this comment.on April 21st, 2008 at 1:21 pm
Re: Madeleine Stevens on car use
I think the problem we have now is that in most families both parents have to work in order to make ends meet. Worker mobility is low, especially as both workers have to move if one moves, and job security is low. It becomes too easy to reach a situation where the family home can’t be close to both partner’s places of work. With poor public transport that leaves little alternative.
What about community? My village community when I was a child was centred around families. Nowadays with both parents working there is little time for community time. Our rushed and hectic lives prevent it. I have to admit to being maybe part of it though, as my activities - St John Ambulance and karate - take me away from my immediate neighbours for a lot of my remaining non-work time and into friendship circles that, while generally people living within a few miles, are not my immediate neighbours.
Fixing that would mean slowing down and doing less, maybe a good thing, and having the facilities and enough potential users of those facilities close by. Maybe if we did that we’d find quite a few people in our areas with similar interests.
Abusive? Inappropriate? Report this comment.on April 21st, 2008 at 1:35 pm
Of course the major problem is ‘what we/one does about the social ‘evils’ listed but it seems to me worrying that the ‘Challenging Community Development Report’ published two years ago by central govt. seems to have sunk without trace. This was a report where many practitioners brought together collectively in a national document, arguably for the first time, the values, strategies and grass-roots upwards experiences on which change could, achievably, take place. But when, as a retired person for example, I try and contact local and other authorities and even volorgs my, and other people’s experience, in thinking about how one builds and works together, in a cooperative way, around these ideas there is never any response. We can offer, for example, in the eastern region, a free credit union/neighbourhood bank franchise, which seems to me after years in local authority development work, tailor-made for the new Children’s and Families depts to build on and diversify through a range of social and community enterprises. Remember Seebohm and the minority report and surely if we cannot take advantage of people offering their life skills and experience to work together, virtually free, on a range of pluralistic, but connected and proven strategies, there seems little hope of anything but non-effective top-down reforms…..
Abusive? Inappropriate? Report this comment.on April 22nd, 2008 at 1:36 pm
I live in a prosperous area of North East England - yes, there are a few if you look carefully! In this particular area there is little sense of commitment to the well being of others in the area as a whole. There is animosity towards young people and little experience of welcoming people who are of a different ethnic origin. Within this area is Elm Ridge Methodist Church, a lively congregation of all ages with activities for all ages seven days a week as diverse as support for prisoners, shopping for the elderly, youth club, music groups, parent and toddler play and praise…… People often come to us having visited the web site www.elmridgemethodist.co.uk and so many people have found here a sense of community, welcome and acceptance they have experienced nowhere else. It’s a reminder that community has a spiritual dimension and that things work better when we follow the Maker’s instructions.
Abusive? Inappropriate? Report this comment.Phil Clarke
on April 23rd, 2008 at 12:11 pm
As a child of the 50’s, I remember being told that we were the worst set of young people ever and I believed it.I have two teenage daughters and believe they are the best kids ever and ther friends are pretty darn nice too.
WE need to do more to appreciate the great things our kids do, the fabulous people they are and encourage what they have to offer.If we see them negatively its not difficult for them to deliver to stereotype. Its our (parents, schools, communities, public services etc) job to guide them in the right way and give them a positive sense of who they are and what they can become.
My kids and their friends have organised regular charity events, perform in plays, help their elderly grandparents, do fantastic art, volunteer at the local after school club, teach at religion school (yes - actively participating in a religious community is great for their sense of community, sense of purpose and self esteem) do dance, play piano, sing, have fun and do well at school.
In addition to a supportive stable family, some of things they have valued have been:
Abusive? Inappropriate? Report this comment.- local state primary school where the head teacher knew all the children by name, was always at the front door to meet them in the morning, has an ethos of respect and a great appreciation for all the children’s abilities and contributions and did not over focus on tests
- friendly neighbours who they go to for keys etc and involve them in street parties, sports facilities etc
- local church to which we don’t belong but nonetheless we participate in many of its activities and those it hosts through its facilities (nursery, clubs, after school, guides etc)
- local brownies/guides/scouts groups run by volunteers and giving opportunities to participate, make local friends and develop a sense of doing good things
- good reasonably local state secondary school with a positive ethos and non disruptive education
- accessible transport and cinemas/shops/facilities in reasonably easy reach
- parents of their friends who, like us, welcome them into their homes and encourage positive friendships and access to supportive adults (and share information about issues such as drink..)
Growing up aint easy but lots of kids and their parents do get it right. Lets do more to celebrate that, see the positive and less of the depressing negative and use the positive knowledge of what works to help those kids who don’t have supportive families, good schools, helpful neighbours etc.
on April 23rd, 2008 at 2:28 pm
I have to agree with much of what Phil Clarke has had to say. Here in my home city of Sheffield there are a vast number of ethnic people ranging from pakistan,somalia,polish,bangladesh,refugees from rumania,bosnia,croatia,serbia, caribean and african people. But you will mainly find that the majority live in their own small ethnic groups. They cling to their own culture and tend not to integrate into the British way of life. I have to ask the question Why did these people come here if they don’t want to integrate with the people of Britain. If we emigrated to another country we would be expected to abide by the rules of that country and yet some of these groups come here and try to change the law to suit them. I feel Britain has becme to much of a soft touch as far as the immigration issue is concerned. Communities have to be an integrated mix, where all creeds and cultures work alongside each other, but in Sheffield there are definite boundaries for communities where different groups of the above mentioned ethnic peoples live from one to another.
Abusive? Inappropriate? Report this comment.on April 27th, 2008 at 1:07 pm
All chidren are different some are acedemic others are inclined to the manual skills of artisans and engineers.Some are early developers others come along more slowly a minority are simply disruptive often the result of disfunctional families. To lump all together in comprensive schools serves the best interests of none of them. The closure of grammer schools is a mistake they did what they were supposed to do! fast track the brightest and motivated.The biggest falure in education was to ignore the needs of children who developed later. The falure to provide a safe environment is another factor my generation was free to play and exercise our imganation today they not safe in their homes. The necesity for both parents to work long hours to support the family curtails the time they have to spend with children to motivate support and encourage them. The problems are obvious the solutions a matter of plain common sense.The refusel of those who control our destinies to admit to their mistakes, consider they are wrong or got their priorities wrong is the major hurdle. The needs of young people are fairly simple they need nourishment stability love and guidence and dare I say it disipline too often one or all is missing.
Abusive? Inappropriate? Report this comment.on April 30th, 2008 at 3:23 pm
We have to find new ways for residents to connect in neighbourhoods, and we think we have found one. Street parties are part of British culture and we have found across the country that, when asked if people want a street party to meet their neighbours for the day, most people say yes, and they often get on with it, if given a few tips. The traffic-free part of it is critical too as we all know that cars, parked and moving, get in the way. See our guide at www.streetparty.org.uk
Abusive? Inappropriate? Report this comment.on May 6th, 2008 at 10:41 am
JOSEPH ROWNTREE – ERIC BERNE
Joseph Rowntree called upon us all to seek out the fundamental causes of weakness and evil in society.
Eric Berne gave us a succinct view of self-and-others; the tool required to achieve the above aim.
I would assert that (whether evil comes from social incompetence or – if such is your view - from letting the Devil in) its root cause IS weakness; the weakness of the individual.
In Berne’s terms, weakness amounts to an under-developed Adult ego state* in the psyche; a condition I see as pertaining all over the planet. The two terrible truths of society, are: (1) individual weakness is increasing, and (2) the overcompensating-weak, rise to positions of power. Consequently, any corrective effort must reach out directly to the very young as the Powers That Be are, instinctively, fearful of general empowerment.
I have synthesised an approach. It can be found www.barriesingleton.co.uk as outlined in 1995 to Rowntree. Click on “Visionary Stuff”.
Only wisdom empowers; cleverness is inclined to enslave. Development of a strong Adult ego state engenders wisdom and is vital to individual, family, group, state and world stability. Adult strength is the ultimate answer to every weakness and evil.
* Transactional Analysis http://changingminds.org/explanations/behaviors/ta.htm
Abusive? Inappropriate? Report this comment.on May 6th, 2008 at 1:32 pm
When we think of the word ‘community’, an ideal may be conjured in our minds. Where did that ideal come from? Personally, I have a somewhat Amer/Cana 1950’s idea of community and team-spirit, that has morphed itself into this new age.
Do rural communities sense the same feelings of detachment as urban ones? If not, maybe we are trying to apply a mental-model of community into an urban system and it doesn’t fit properly. Perhaps we can somehow re-define, (loosely), the notion of urban community, so that urbanites have a better and updated sense of ‘how-to-be’. Urban systems were never designed with the quality of community-life as a primary mandate. Then, add the technology that we now use to communicate with each other, and we have a recipe of greater detachment. Fundamentally, I think the spaces we live in help shape how we feel about each other, for better or for worse.
Can civil-engineers, anthropologists, etc. look at models for new cities? Can we get beyond the pavement, the square blocks, the lack of visible horizon, the sense of ‘containerization’ that cities tend to purport?
The solutions are there, we just have to find them.
Abusive? Inappropriate? Report this comment.on May 7th, 2008 at 9:16 am
I am an old fashioned liberal who is astonished to find himself increasingly agreeing with (some) aspects of conservative [small ‘c’] diagnoses of our current problems. Maybe it’s age.
Where the left, including left liberals like me, have erred is in creating new identities of ’social victim’ which are applied regardless of motive, values or beliefs. Let me illustrate what I mean.
The left-liberal diagnosis of the decline of community is that poverty, educational/’opportunity’ inequality and the exercise of political power by a minority middle class fuels alienation, rootlessness and anti-social behaviour. In the best left-liberal tradition the decline of community ‘happens to’ (or is the inevitable consequence for) communities.
Now where I am beginning to part company with my liberalism is this notion that communities are bound to endure alienation, anti-social elements, disaffection, and social isolation. I am not certain that any of this is a given.
I think communities can choose to be different. They can choose to ostracise the anti-social; they can choose to turn their back on elements in the community that make life less pleasant for the rest, and we need laws to help them do that; they can (and should) use their influence and political clout to demand the funding to invest in community development. Moreover that funding should not be given on the basis of some fixed socialist notion of ‘whose victimhood is greatest’ but on the basis of how much effort communities themselves put into to wresting back their social lives.
I want to see a new politics of community develop in which we empower those who choose a way out of social sclerosis and back to community integration. That means no longer believing that ‘bad things happen to good people’ but that ‘good people can stop bad things happening’. We have to find community champions, support them, build them up and encourage them. We need to do this on the ground, not in Whitehall. Moreover we need to ensure that the rest of our policy development supports them too (there is no point encouraging communities to challenge isolation, for example, only to find government reducing the number of post offices - vital rural centres - or ’slimming down’ transport networks to a few big ‘hubs’).
I’m still enough of a liberal to want to mend what is broken, ameliorate poverty and inequality, and fight against overweaning, unfair power. Unlike the current government or all but the right of the Lib Dems, I don’t think that those things ‘lead to’ a decline of community. Communities can choose to be different - but, like the old joke about how many psychologists it takes to change a light bulb, the light bulb itself must want to change.
Abusive? Inappropriate? Report this comment.on May 9th, 2008 at 9:15 am
I represent the Disabled Persons Housing Service (Fife) and can comment on one scheme which can make a difference - in Fife the Community Safety Partnership have a scheme called Nominated Neighbour Scheme - it assists elderly people or disabled people who may be vulnerable (or feel vulnerable) in opening their door to someone. By agreement, one of your neighbours will “field” your door callers - ask for id etc before introducing them at the door - this can work well in practice and also simply in the approach of getting to know each other better! What a shame that such “assistance” has to happen by a government scheme! Now, about “communities” - can governments and organisations really enforce a sense of community on us all? On a personal scale we can all tackle this kind of thing one by one - take personal responsibility to say hello to someone each day…know who your neighbour is. Introduce yourself to a new neighbour - I have a new neighbour this week and I will make a point of going over to their gate to tell them something simple like which day the refuse collection is done - where the recycling is - anything in order to introduce myself. There is no good moaning about people not speaking or not being friendly and being unwilling to take the chance yourself. For many of the people I work with, a friendly “hello” in passing can make their day. If frightened of crime then get together with your neighbours to set up a neighbour watch scheme - get involved in a community event to organise at your local community centre or park so you can get to know about different cultures - ensure your locality has opportunities for sport and arts. Each year there are events in our local parks - last year the Polish Club arranged a Polish day with food, music and expected around 300 people to attend - they got 2,500 people attending - and most of them weren’t Polish, we just all wanted to go along and find out more and enjoy it! Unfortunately these things don’t just happen - they need all of us to participate. How many of us moan about the decline of communities and then do nothing about it? Just a thought - smile and speak to a neighbour today! ANd let’s please not demonise all teenagers! I have 2 teenagers and I would be very worried about them walking out alone in an evening - I am quite glad if they are out as a group of 4. However, they are then instantly viewed as a threat! What nonsense! My local minister leaving the church one evening had to walk through a large gang of “hoodies” and was petrified but lifted his head to say hello and one of the youngsters said “oh you’re the minister who used to come to the primary school to tell us stories!” The minister asked how the lad was doing and found out he was just finishing up at secondary with several good grades. A kind exchange that cost nothing but nearly didn’t happen out of unfounded fear! I would point out that that particular exchange was not prompted by fear, aggrevation or anything like that…it was young lads walking down the road. I’m not trying to say that crime isn’t out there - I have been a victim of crime myself, but I would not let it stop me being a concerned and willing citizen. We can only do it ourselves…noone else will do it for us, not governments, not media propoganda….only us, one by one or by getting together in our local communities and setting up events, etc. Have a good weekend….hope the sun shines….and, invite a neighbour to your barbecue!!!!!!! x x
Abusive? Inappropriate? Report this comment.on May 14th, 2008 at 8:40 am
A decline in community is not only the decline of neighbourliness, friendship and support offered by people living there. The managed decline by local authorities breaking up long standing communities and separating them out to ‘new’ places. One result of this is a false housing market economy in areas of deprivation and significantly contributing to decline in communities.
Evidence can be seen in the towns of South Bank and Grangetown, where families were intially offered a princely sum of £1,000 to sell their homes or face compuslory purchase. This is after £10’s of millions had previously been invested in the areas, specifically housing from SRB and other budgets.
Community decline is much broader than the impact of the people who live within the area.
Abusive? Inappropriate? Report this comment.on May 22nd, 2008 at 8:05 pm
I have been looking at the issues of community and people with a long term health disability for a few years now. I have been writing about this with the help of volunteers who have been checking my work and ensuring what I write is understood across the various peer groups.
The difference between my research and university research is that I have been asking open ended questions that could take ten hours of serious thought to answer. This questions are being asked of people in my local community.
What I find is coming to light is frightening. There are many people who have spoken the truth as they see it about a particular issue only to find that people in local councils, large voluntary organisation, statuary bodies and some members of parliament alter what they say to mean something else. Their response is:if I try to do something I will become a victim. So the safest obtion is not to care.
This situation affects people with the lower educational achievements more than those with higher educational achievements.
What is the answer to this? I do not know at this stage. All I can do is to keep bringing this to the attention of the local health departments. The local health departments have been pared down to the bone so there is no spare capacity to seriously look at community mental health issues.
I will stop at this point and I await people’s responses to what I have said
Abusive? Inappropriate? Report this comment.on May 23rd, 2008 at 3:35 pm
Living in the East End and being elderly Im am seeing a gang culture forming. Young people aspecialy. They are getting the family and attention and the closeness form the other Gang members.They are forming there own culture and needs that they should have at home. I feel that respect in there eyes means one must give all or nothing and is a distructive force.I see more young people will die before we find the salution.
Abusive? Inappropriate? Report this comment.on June 16th, 2008 at 12:51 pm
THIS IS VERY GOOD TOPPIC AND A GOOD THEME ALSO
Abusive? Inappropriate? Report this comment.on August 31st, 2008 at 7:53 pm
I very much agree with some of the comments here about cars destroying communities. One man mentioned that he would like to see a return of playing fields - and I agree - but it is no good having any of these kinds of play facilities for children if they can’t reach them independently.
Abusive? Inappropriate? Report this comment.The street used to be a place of play and socialisation for all ages, but particularly of benefit to children. If you could let your children play out (and my 4 year old already wants to go out and play on the road with her bike) then life would be much less stressful for the carers of children too. I am sure that if child care was less stressful, if children could be allowed out to be free-range, as nature intended, then more women would choose to stay at home than work. As it is, the streets are totally uninhabitable for people.
The solution to this problem is Home Zones. Here people have priority over motor vehicles. The roads are completely redesigned with benches and trees for example in the middle of the roads. Home Zones re-instate communities, facilitating the casual day-to-day interaction which has been shot apart by speeding motorists. Alternatively car free streets, as are common in Scandinavia work well.