The Enabling Municipality

What will I tell? Short background about me Why the Enabling Society Theory and Practice Guidance in developing an Enabling environment

Bert-Ola Bergstrand  Company analysis  Social Capital Forum  CSR Västsverige  Living Bridges Planet  Social Capital Markets  People and Planet Holding  All Win  Helsinki Sustainability Center

Why the Enabling municipality?

Great challenges that only could be solved together....

Why these changes? Health, Environment,Work, Education.. Social Tech Financial system Trust in institutions …Edelman Trust Barometer, World Value Survey

A new operating logic – The unlinear networked Society From an operating mode based on ”closed, selective and controlling mechanisms, to an open random and supportive mode” (T, Powers, Alan Moore, Marina Gorbis, John Hagel, Leif Edvinsson) Ex: - Risk is lower in distributed networks - Valuchain ”Prosument” - Transaction costs are lower Opens up for new business opportunities…

What is “Enabling” really about? “Your corn is ripe today; mine will be so tomorrow. This is profitable for us both, that I should labour with you today, and that you should aid me tomorrow” (David Hume, A Treatsie of Human Nature, 1740 )

Social Capital Social capital is the glue that holds societies together and without which there can be no economic growth or human wellbeing. Christiaan Grootaert Social Capital, The missing link, 1998, World Bank

A common definition of social capital Networks together with shared norms, values and understanding that facilitate co-operation within or among groups of people (Office for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)

Trust – The fabric of social capital Trust between individuals becomes trust between strangers and trust of a broad fabric of social institutions; ultimately, it becomes a shared set of values, virtues, and expectations within society as a whole. Without this interaction trust decays; this decay begins to manifest itself in serious social problems… (‘The Necessity of Politics’ Beem 1999: 20)

Elements of Networks Bonding – within groups or communities, characterised by strong connections (families, ethnic groups, clubs, etc.) Bridging – horizontally across boundaries, characterised by weak links (interreligious, interracial, intergenerational, across wider social networks) Linking – weak links made vertically between relationships of power (e.g. class structure)

Why work with Social Capital? Compensate for low levels of other capital (human, physical, financial) Reduce conflict between different communities (excess bonding social capital will achieve the opposite increasing the cost of regulation and control across community boundaries) Reduce crime Increase educational achievement Higher economic performance Higher levels of happiness Better health

Social Capital Thrives on Ownership, equality & collective identity Transparency & information exchange Collaboration on common goals & participation Mutual trust and reciprocity Informal interaction Openness to new ideas Access to positions of power and influence

Social Capital in Practice

Västra Götalandsregionen –(Region West Sweden) Facts Largest region in Sweden 4 subregions – Responsible for Economic growth programs App people live in West Sweden Gothenburg main town – App people 49 Municpalities, out of 290 in Sweden (local governance)

Organised work devoted to the social economy started in 2001 According to the regional guidelines the significance of the social economy and its protagonists must be brought out clearly in all strategic development work and in the implementation of Vision Västra Götaland 14) Joint action with universities and schools..”The concept of social capital and the knowledge around its significance for development and growth should continue to be highlighted by means of concrete studies and development projects in the collaboartion between, for example, municipalities and the higher education sector.”

Dynamic Growth Capital Aims 1)To increase the knowledge about social capital 2) Create a modell to be used in the rest of west Sweden for work with related issues and in similar organisation form (From analysis to implementation )

View of process Nov 2006 – 2010 Seminar 1: March 2007 (research oriented) Seminar 2: Sep. 07 ”Social capital in four municipalities” – Resulted in suggestions on ”microprojects” among the actors Decison on ”microprojects” among actors Example: Social networks and its influence on business climate +4 other... Seminar 3: June 08 Seminar on business climate 2 School, Health, and EU, Seminar 4: March 09 ”Entrepreneurship and Tourism” Project in practice Seminar 5: May ”Groups outside the power of networks” Conference - Urban Policies & Social Capital - September 24-26

Micro projekt as method Center of Innovation – Business network Civic Sector as resource – 12 workshops Social Sustainability in School Development of Tourism network Public Health Project Ethnic minorities as resource

A future model Municipality of Vårgårda – Based on diagnosis Local Authorities Resources are build and enhanced through co-operation Civic sector Business Resources In civic sector Basic Knowledge in School Competence in Business

Here We Are

The Issues Facing Cairndow in 1998 Lack of housing Insufficient workers to fill jobs No opportunities for further education Lack of centre to encourage tourists to stop and learn about Cairndow Lack of knowledge of local history No awareness to alternatives (e.g. renewable energy sources)

Here We Are Set up in 1998 to CONNECT Cairndow’s past, present and future and share it with the community and the incomers Inter connected activities, for and by community, land, homes, history, local resources Built a community centre beside the famous Loch Fyne Oyster Bar to act as a focal point of activity. Launched Scotland’s first community owned biomass plant, opened by Minister for Energy Jim Mather Created 14 jobs and sustained a further

Other good examples… Langenegg Ottawa Tasmanien Baskien Voullerim

Reflections - How do you build social capital We have to act? It`s about eating ice-cream You must be concrete? I do not feel comfortable with this concept? Difficult to ”invest” in people and knowledge

Steps in working with social capital 1 ) Establish Favourable Conditions (maximising local, resources) = Support opportunities for social interaction 2) Tap into Existing Networks (to deliver information via Community) = Value mutual friendship. Provide access to information and opportunites to influence decision making 3) Extend existing, and build new networks for all communities, = construct shared future visions, form new networks through collective action

Business Value - Income Value of: Identity Happiness Inspiration Ethics Community Value - Communication

To measure and to make social capital concrete ‘What a community chooses to measure has a tremendous impact on the quality of life of its members” (North West Policy Center, Seattle, USA)

Changing Community Landscapes … Matrix showing social capital (3 elements) against ACTIVITIES… Stakeholder map - RELATIONSHIPS… Social capital questionnaires before and after CCL…completed by community Post-CCL project look at changes in norms/values; trust/reciprocity; networks… Report… Case study…

ACTION POINTDATE ACHIEVED (to be completed by NIDOS) OUTCOMESRESPONSIBILITY Develop a Network Handbook, to be updated every 3-5 years. [Info on Committee’s roles and external networks. Info on conflict resolution (case studies of mutual support, achievements of working groups, members, etc)] Extending knowledge of Norms & values. Connecting past and present to proactively allow growth in norms & values enabling opportunities to remain flexible and learn. NIDOS staff and temporary working group. Introduce options for Network to be involved in decision making process [Transparency of process, how decision was arrived at, possibly using ICT.] Increasing opportunities for equity and collective ownership, maximising social network development opportunities of ICT (bridging, bonding, can be extended once initial face-to-face contact is made). NIDOS staff with support from ICT specialist (from Network if possible). Encourage members to support each other [Collective / joint activities e.g. a common resource library (photos, videos, news articles, information on members awards); campaigns like Make Poverty History] Increased reciprocity can lead to increased levels of trust. Target of 5% per year increase in levels of trust for next 3 years. NIDOS staff and working group. Provide access to strategic stakeholders [Increase links to external agencies by increasing Associate Membership] Increasing opportunities for linking to take placeManagement Committee & staff. Investigate the possibility for more sub-groups and more sub-group activity Increasing opportunities for bridging to take place and informal information transfer NIDOS staff Develop or revisit marketing strategy for external (public) and internal (Network) audience. [Use information from resource library to reinforce Network Handbook messages, promote collective identity]. Increasing collective understanding and ownership of aims & objectives via knowledge. Highlight opportunities for reciprocity via partnership working. Working Group

Where are we going? ”Mission drift into the future”

Final Thoughts Social Capital brings a new way of looking at the challenges that communities face and provides a lens which values human relationships and makes currently invisible resources visible It provides a common language to explain why we are doing what we are doing Helps put numbers to soft outcomes Can provide a framework to help replicate successes – Look to introduce activities which help make community boundaries porous and allow access to new resources (bridging & linking) – Indirect and informal activities are excellent ways to build reciprocal interaction and trust

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