Co-hosted with Paul Crozier, Holborn Community Association
We are all connected to the places around us, and through place, share common experiences, ambitions and concerns. It is natural therefore that place can be a useful starting point for conversations about all sorts of things, including our physical environments, health and wellbeing, local activities and services, employability, arts and culture and belonging. We are all experts on the places around us, and a local network that brings together local people, groups and organisations can help support vital dialogue and collaborative action to improve our neighbourhoods, villages, towns and cities.
This month, we are joined by co-host Paul Crozier, of the Holborn Community Association, to explore Designing Place-based Networks. Together we’ll talk about the potential for such networks, as well as the considerations for convening and supporting such a group. Who is best positioned to organise place-based networks, and how might we shape them so that they feel accessible, welcoming and productive to the people and organisations involved? What might be achieved by a network that no organisation might achieve on its own? Join us for what promises to be a fascinating conversation about the power of the collective.
About Glass-House Chats
Glass-House Chats are monthly hour-long online spaces for conversation and connection, to ask questions and explore ideas, approaches and methods, share learning and meet others.
Once again, Series 7 sees us collaborating with a range of inspiring people and organisations who will co-host sessions with us. Each guest co-host will help us bring focus, expertise and experience to conversations about different aspects of the design of places. This year we’ll be looking at design in a range of contexts, including community farms, urban rooms, place-based networks, higher education and development. We’ll explore the role of enabling, engagement, third spaces, making, policy and community panels.
About our Co-host
Paul Crozier has led Holborn Community Association for 10 years – creating community spaces, delivering hyper local support for individuals and cultivating a stronger community. Their work has moved beyond the walls of our centres, building networks focused on health, housing and built environment that put community voices at the centre of change.
How to Take Part
Glass-House Chats are open to anyone with an interest in the event topic. No specific experience or expertise is required to join the conversation. We believe that our Chats only benefit from a wide mix of voices, interests and experiences.
These free online events are kept intentionally small so that everyone taking part can jump in and join the conversation. Where possible, we encourage participants to keep their cameras and microphones on, to pose questions and ideas, and to share stories and links.
To create a safe space for open discussion, Chatham House Rules are applied. Key discussion points are collated, anonymised and shared on The Glass-House Blog after each session.
How to Book
Glass-House Chats are free events, but places are limited, so please register only if you plan to attend.
Book your place here.
Useful Links
You may like to read a blog written by Paul about a 2023 cross-pollination workshop at Holborn Community Association, supported by The Glass-House and The Open University. This is just one of the many ways HCA is trying to help build local networks.