Community organising is the work of bringing people together around their common concerns to take action on the things they care about most and overcome social injustice. Community organisers reach out and listen, connect and motivate people to build their collective power. For more information visit Community Organising Ltd.’s website.
NottsWatch were introduced to this organisation initially when Community Organiser, Steve Smith (also a Neighbourhood Coordinator for Notts County Council) contacted Sue Sambells, the Chair of NottsWatch, to ask her to give a short presentation at a local networking event called Natter Patter.
In June 2017, Lianne Taylor from our national team, organised for Sue to attend CO17 – the national conference for Community Organisers where Sue learned more about their ethos and positivity.
Sue quickly became a member and got more involved by contributing to regular meet ups. Following an open space brainstorming session about communication, she set up the website for Nottinghamshire Community Organisers.
John Lennard, a seasoned member of the NottsWatch board, also became a member after attending his first CO meet up July 2018.
Steve organised for a CO Listening Skills training session for neighbourhood watch coordinators in October 2018 where delegates were shown how to identify what people care strongly about in their communities through 1-2-1 conversations. By building relationships and networks that are strong enough to support a long struggle for change, developing community leaders and mobilising people, this collective action achieves a shift of power and significant social change.
One of the ‘principals of practice’ followed by community organisers is to “build on what already exists – if that’s what the community want”. With this in mind we will reach out to Neighbourhood Watch Schemes across the City/County as they are already at the heart of many communities. By offering community organising training to NHW coordinators they will begin to gain the confidence to listen to their communities to understand local needs and to mobilise social activists.
