Dilia Swart talks about her work in building strong safe communities to protect people from identity-based violence in London and elsewhere.The latest Village In The City podcast welcomes Dilia Swart of Protection Approaches to talk about their work in building communities as a means of working to prevent identity-based violence. Protection Approaches was established as a UK charity in 2014 working to end all forms of identity-based violence motivated by the perpetrator's conceptualisation of their victim's identity, for example their race, gender, sexuality, religion or political affiliation. It encompasses hate crime, violent extremism, and genocide and affects individuals as well as entire groups or communities all around the world.A key part of this work is helping to build active, safe and strong communities where marginalised communities and voices are included. They work to broker new and sustainable community relationships that will facilitate community-led change in some of London’s most disadvantaged boroughs, and also run (very good) community development programmes supported by the Mayor of London and the Home Office. These programme aim to encouraging community-led responses to hate crime and the prejudice and marginalisation that can lead to such crimes.Dilia Swart is Senior Education Officer at Protection Approaches, and leads the delivery of their education programme working with schools to promote positive school cultures that foster tolerance and build resilience to divisive narratives. She was the co-founder of the Mostar Summer Youth Programme, an educational project in Bosnia-Herzegovina, and has degrees from Harvard and SOAS. Dilia and her colleagues share how the particularly tough issues of identity based violence can be tackled from a community perspective and share her experiences of working in London and elsewhere. The call was recorded in March 2021. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Building participation in urban development and village-building is key... what are the keys to engaging with people?Laura Puttkamer runs the ParCityPatory website and blog, where she is building ideas, stories and methods for making cities more participatory. Laura also hosts the Urbanism Book Club, an Instagram-based discussion group which tackles a new book about urban development every month.Laura talks about ParCityPatory, some of the basics of building participation and engagement, answers questions and inspires us all to think about different ways to engage participation in our projects and village-building activities. Her slides have many useful links - download them here in pdf. There are also questions and reactions from around the world. More about Village In The City (including many free resources and our online community) at http://villageinthecity.net. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Loneliness is a problem facing many people around the world. Particularly in cities and urban contexts, it's so easy to be surrounded by people and yet feel unconnected and peripheral.This month on Village In The City our guest is Jenny Bimpson, one of the key organisers behind the Chatty Cafe Scheme. It's so simple - cafe and pub owners are invited to designate a 'Chatter & Natter' table where folk are invited to sit if they want to talk. From small beginnings in the UK the scheme has gone international! It is also running online chatty tables during the pandemic.We talk to Jenny about how it all started, their experience of getting people engaged, both as hosts and as natterers, and how it can help in the development of micro-local community and connection. Our members also contribute their own experiences of different ways to encourage people to talk to each other from around the world.LinksVillage In The City http://villageinthecity.net The Chatty Cafe Scheme http://thechattycafescheme.co.ukTransition Streets https://www.transitionstreets.org.uk/ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Cormac Russell is a passionate advocate for bottom-up community development, carried out BY citizens for their own communities. He is a long-term expert in Asset Based Community Development (ABCD), and says that finding and building 'what's strong' is vital in dealing with 'what's wrong'. Who gets to decide what the priorities are? What is the role of outside professionals and experts? And how can this make communities which are not only stronger but also more democratic and empowered?We are thrilled that Cormac has agreed to join us at Village In The City this month. He is a genuine international star, and his new book Rekindling Democracy has been making waves around the world. This promises to be an exceptional call, with Cormac's passion for asset-based action meeting Village In The City's Mark McKergow's three decades in Solution-Focused change and host leadership.Cormac speaks about the importance of bottom-up community building, relationships with institutions and professionals, and answers questions from participants. The call was recorded in December 2020. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Churches have long held a role in building community - but what kind of role can they play in an inclusive and broadly secular world? Village In The City is all about building micro-local communities to enhance the lives of everyone in the neighbourhood, which may include one or more churches. Village In The City values inclusivity - so how are we to think about, and work with, churches which may appear to be there mostly for their congregations and followers? Village In The City founder Mark McKergow is joined by Rev Nick Bowry, rector of St James the Less Episcopal Church in Penicuik and St Mungo West Linton near Edinburgh in Scotland. Nick has been a supporter of our project since its inception and is actively engaged in community building in the town of Penicuik. We will be discussing how village-builders might engage with churches and ministers, what they are interested in, and how they might be invited to help in a more general effort at creating micro-local communities and connection. It can seem a little daunting, what with the robes, collars and so on. Nick has an interest in asset-based community development and strength-based approaches to change, in social justice, peace and creation. He was ordained in 2016, and is a member of the Iona community. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Village In The City is all about building micro-local communities to enhance the lives of everyone in the neighbourhood. So what ARE the benefits of connection and community? Join us to explore the research, the experience and the joy of connection with Sanderson Jones! Sanderson was a stand-up comedian who founded the Sunday Assembly movement of 'secular congregations', to bring the benefits of church-going to a much wider audience. He is now the founder of The Lifefulness Project, an even bigger endeavour which is 'dedicated to tackling the crisis in meaning and belonging, by adapting the spiritual community in a way that everyone can take part'. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

On this episode Dr Mark McKergow, founder of the Village In The City initiative, is joined by social entrepreneur Richard Lucas. Richard is a serial connector and idea-builder and also leads TEDx Kazimierz in Krakow, Poland. Richard and Mark talk about the initiative, and ways you can get started to connect with people and build inclusivity for your Village In The City. How do you get your village started? How can you engage everyone, not just 'people like us'? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

On this podcast Dr Mark McKergow, founder of the Village In The City initiative, is joined by Lara Celini of Willowbrae, Edinburgh in Scotland. Lara is an experienced village builder and has done a great deal to build community and connection in her neighbourhood, and will share her learnings and experience. Mark and Lara talked about the initiative, the latest developments and practical next steps you can take right now to build your own Village In The City. Mark also showed how to use the On this one hour call Dr Mark McKergow, creator of the Village In The City initiative, is joined by Lara Celini of Willowbrae, Edinburgh in Scotland. Lara is an experienced village builder and has done a great deal to build community and connection in her neighbourhood, and will share her learnings and experience. Mark and Lara talked about the initiative, the latest developments and practical next steps you can take right now to build your own Village In The City. Mark also showed how to use the six elements of the Village In The City manifesto to look for next steps, and uses a Solution Focused approach to offer Lara a little coaching and thinking about her possible next steps in Willowbrae. Recorded in July 2020. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Village In The City founder Dr Mark McKergow welcomes Flourish project CEO Dr Wendy Ellyat and urban development consultant Adrian Hodgson to introduce the Village In The City project. Mark shares the manifesto and six key elements of a Village In The City, and Wendy and Adrian give their perspectives on why this kind of micro-local community building has become particularly important right now. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.