The Big Society: Using Online Communities to fix a "Broken Britain"
David Cameron has set himself a mission to create 'The Big Society' - a society where the residents are given the power to make their neighbourhoods a great place to live. His goal is to get people to come together, to solve problems and build a better Britain. Part of the Prime Ministers address spoke about social recovery, healing the parts of society that are broken, allowing individuals to "take more responsibility and act more responsible".
The idea of giving neighbourhoods the autonomy to make decisions on a local scale appears liberating, and on paper seems extremely constructive; however already days after the announcement critics are rearing their heads implying that this is just another way to disguise the public sector cuts by getting the private sector to pick up the slack that is left hanging.
Amid the criticism though there is an element of hope that this approach could draw on the skills and expertise of people across the country and respond to the social, political and economic challenges that Britain faces today.
It would be great to create old fashion neighborhoods of the past where people interact face to face on a regular basis; however sadly in today's time poor society this isn't always possible. A great way to aid interaction in a more convenient way is through the means of technology - namely online communities. With many companies using this form of media to conduct market research and interact with their customers daily, it is a tried and tested way to get people talking openly and freely.
Market research online communities provide a sounding board for ideas to be shared and discussed. It can never be predicted where discussions will go and consequently this can result in unexpected result leading to new opportunities to explore. Features such as discussion forums, bulletin boards, online polls, online surveys, online focus groups and blogs provide an abundance of avenues for people to express their opinions and share their beliefs at any time of the day.
By allowing residents to have a 'voice' it presents them with more powers to improve their neighbourhoods. If local facilities or services are threatened with closure, it can give them the ability to appeal and try to save them. If contract opportunities are available in the area to build a new community centre, it gives local business the opportunity to apply. This sort of platform can give a stage to help encourage volunteering and charitable giving - all needed to create a "bigger society". By taking this online approach it can bring many advantages. It can give more reserved residents, who perhaps would usually shy away from a face to face approach the chance to express their opinions without the risk of being intimidated by more vocal people. Residents also don't have to contribute to the community until they have thought about their opinions and feel that they are ready to contribute - something that could not be done if a meeting was held in a room. With 24 hour access to such platforms findings and results can be made readily available so that quick action can be taken as and when necessary.
Amongst the negativity around this subject, there does appear to be a glimpse of hope that this could be for the better. If the Prime Minister and his Government want to encourage complete engagement with 'The Big Society' then they need to ensure that it is executed in the right manner. For this approach to work and to achieve fairness and opportunity to all, it would be vital for computer access in public areas, such as community centres, libraries and other public places. By giving people a platform to share their ideas and thoughts it enables them to shape the place in which they live, creating a generation that is more proactive than reactive and ultimately creating the "Big Society" that it being talked about.
David Cameron has set himself a mission to create 'The Big Society' - a society where the residents are given the power to make their neighbourhoods a great place to live. His goal is to get people to come together, to solve problems and build a better Britain. Part of the Prime Ministers address spoke about social recovery, healing the parts of society that are broken, allowing individuals to "take more responsibility and act more responsible".
The idea of giving neighbourhoods the autonomy to make decisions on a local scale appears liberating, and on paper seems extremely constructive; however already days after the announcement critics are rearing their heads implying that this is just another way to disguise the public sector cuts by getting the private sector to pick up the slack that is left hanging.
Amid the criticism though there is an element of hope that this approach could draw on the skills and expertise of people across the country and respond to the social, political and economic challenges that Britain faces today.
It would be great to create old fashion neighborhoods of the past where people interact face to face on a regular basis; however sadly in today's time poor society this isn't always possible. A great way to aid interaction in a more convenient way is through the means of technology - namely online communities. With many companies using this form of media to conduct market research and interact with their customers daily, it is a tried and tested way to get people talking openly and freely.
Market research online communities provide a sounding board for ideas to be shared and discussed. It can never be predicted where discussions will go and consequently this can result in unexpected result leading to new opportunities to explore. Features such as discussion forums, bulletin boards, online polls, online surveys, online focus groups and blogs provide an abundance of avenues for people to express their opinions and share their beliefs at any time of the day.
By allowing residents to have a 'voice' it presents them with more powers to improve their neighbourhoods. If local facilities or services are threatened with closure, it can give them the ability to appeal and try to save them. If contract opportunities are available in the area to build a new community centre, it gives local business the opportunity to apply. This sort of platform can give a stage to help encourage volunteering and charitable giving - all needed to create a "bigger society". By taking this online approach it can bring many advantages. It can give more reserved residents, who perhaps would usually shy away from a face to face approach the chance to express their opinions without the risk of being intimidated by more vocal people. Residents also don't have to contribute to the community until they have thought about their opinions and feel that they are ready to contribute - something that could not be done if a meeting was held in a room. With 24 hour access to such platforms findings and results can be made readily available so that quick action can be taken as and when necessary.
Amongst the negativity around this subject, there does appear to be a glimpse of hope that this could be for the better. If the Prime Minister and his Government want to encourage complete engagement with 'The Big Society' then they need to ensure that it is executed in the right manner. For this approach to work and to achieve fairness and opportunity to all, it would be vital for computer access in public areas, such as community centres, libraries and other public places. By giving people a platform to share their ideas and thoughts it enables them to shape the place in which they live, creating a generation that is more proactive than reactive and ultimately creating the "Big Society" that it being talked about.
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About CommCulture: CommCulture specializes in online market research. We provide bespoke creative online surveys and innovative communities for marketing and research purposes.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Richard_Southern twitter @CommCulture
theteam@CommCulture.com
About CommCulture: CommCulture specializes in online market research. We provide bespoke creative online surveys and innovative communities for marketing and research purposes.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5982469
