Tag: Community-led

Categories
Europe

Community Power Stations Provide Youth Training and Clean Energy

Community Power Stations Provide Youth Training and Clean Energy in London, UK

CROSS-CUTTING SECTORS

Renewable Energy, Community-Led, Youth, Financing

ORGANISATION(S)

Repowering

PROJECT OVERVIEW 

Repowering helps communities fund, install and manage renewable power stations on social housing blocks and community buildings. Solar energy systems on social housing estates in London are generating valuable community funds, and the organisation’s holistic approach tackles fuel poverty while providing employment and mentoring opportunities for young people and local residents.

Started by a group of volunteers, Repowering London is now a Community Benefit Society with a very powerful vision, working in partnership with Local Authorities and community groups to deliver local solutions to local energy problems. A collaborative approach ensures that the interests of the community are at the heart of any project, and its residents are included in every step of the way.

Through Repowering’s projects, communities have raised more than £150,000 to improve their neighbourhoods – while more than 100 young people have benefited from paid internships.

Click here to find out more.

RELEVANCE TO THE CALL TO ACTION ON SUSTAINABLE URBANISATION ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH

These examples have been chosen because of their relevance to the Call to Action, as shown by the direct quotes provided below. To view the Call to Action click here.

  • “Cities are a major source of greenhouse gas emissions and where the impacts of climate change are experienced acutely.”
  • “Well managed cities and human settlements are drivers of economic development, centres of innovation and entrepreneurship, and sources of trade and employment that are vital for the livelihoods of their citizens, 60% of whom are under 30.”
  • “Sustainable urbanisation requires a commitment to good governance, integrated planning, effective service delivery together with fiscal and political empowerment.”
  • “Universities, research, technology, innovation, and knowledge sharing will be at the heart of ensuring sustainable cities of the future.”

THIS EXAMPLE HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY

Repowering: https://www.repowering.org.uk/

Categories
Africa

Access to Secure Land for Housing in Freetown, Sierra Leone

Access to Secure Land for Housing in Freetown, Sierra Leone 

CROSS-CUTTING SECTORS

Urban planning, land tenure, governance, housing, health, WASH, climate, resilience, community-led 

ORGANISATION(S)

Sierra Leone Urban Research Centre (SLURC) in partnership with Federation of Urban and Rural Poor – Sierra Leone (FEDURP) with the support of Architecture Sans Frontières – UK and The Bartlett Development Planning Unit of University College London.

PROJECT OVERVIEW 

Unplanned growth and the lack of adequate access to secure land for housing are among the main challenges faced in Freetown. More than 30% of Freetown’s population live in informal settlements, and local or national governments do not have any specific policy focused on informal settlement upgrading. There is no coordinated effort to secure tenure for those living in informal settlements or to improve their living conditions. This challenge is being addressed through the development of the Community Action Area Planning methodology (CAAP). CAAP aims to identify key development principles and potential actions for the upgrading of informal settlements in Freetown. Cockle Bay and Dwarzack were the first informal settlements to engage in this process, and its development aimed to recognise and enhance the capacity of local residents to respond to the settlement’s development challenges, support efforts to avoid evictions, and promote community-led in-situ upgrading initiatives. A governance structure to the implementation of the CAAPs was set up, which aimed to build community ownership of the process, as well as institutional avenues to ensure that the outputs would be endorsed by Freetown City Council and relevant national ministries. This resulted in the setting up of a community learning platform (involving key representatives from the settlement) and a city learning platform (composed by key urban stakeholders). Click here and here for more information.

RELEVANCE TO THE CALL TO ACTION ON SUSTAINABLE URBANISATION ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH

These examples have been chosen because of their relevance to the Call to Action, as shown by the direct quotes provided below. To view the Call to Action click here.

  • “Cities and human settlements are responsible for ensuring delivery of essential services including water, sanitation, healthcare, education, public transport, and housing, upon which their citizens depend.” 
  • “Sustainable urbanisation requires a commitment to good governance, integrated planning, effective service delivery together with fiscal and political empowerment.” 
  • “Sustainable urbanisation demands collective action – genuine multi-level governance – to empower, enable and support cities and their citizens.”  

THIS EXAMPLE HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY

International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED): https://www.iied.org/

Categories
Europe

One City Plan in Bristol UK

One City Plan in Bristol UK

CROSS-CUTTING SECTORS

Governance, SDGs, Public service delivery, Urban Planning, Youth, Housing, Climate, Financing, Transport, Health, Capacity Building, Community-led

ORGANISATION(S)

Bristol City Council

PROJECT OVERVIEW 

Launched in January 2019, the One City Plan describes where Bristol wants to be by 2050, and how city partners will work together to create a fairer, healthy and sustainable city. The One City Approach brings together a wide range of public, private, and third sector partners within Bristol. They share an aim to make Bristol a fair, healthy and sustainable city. A city of hope and aspiration, where everyone can share in its success. One of the key messages to the city is that no single organisation can solve the interconnected challenges facing Bristol alone. The One City Approach reconstitutes the City Council as a convening space for the energy and expertise of the city’s businesses, universities, public services, sports clubs, international communities and the voluntary and community sector. By bringing together partners from across the city they can deliver sustainable inclusive development that is integrated and improves connection with communities by including under-represented groups, and allowing them to shape the plans. The One City Plan is structured around six themes; Connectivity, Economy, Environment, Health and Wellbeing, Homes and Communities, and Learning and Skills. All the initiatives within the One City Plan are underpinned by the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, which provide an internationally recognised framework to benchmark the city’s aspirations and progress. Click here to view the One City Plan dashboard.

RELEVANCE TO THE CALL TO ACTION ON SUSTAINABLE URBANISATION ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH 

These examples have been chosen because of their relevance to the Call to Action, as shown by the direct quotes provided below. To view the Call to Action click here.

  • “Cities and human settlements are responsible for ensuring delivery of essential services including water, sanitation, healthcare, education, public transport, and housing”
  • “Cities are a major source of greenhouse gas emissions and where the impacts of climate change are experienced acutely.”
  • “Sustainable urbanisation demands collective action – genuine multi-level governance – to empower, enable and support cities and their citizens.”
  • “Sustainable urbanisation requires a commitment to good governance, integrated planning, effective service delivery together with fiscal and political empowerment.”
  • “The Commonwealth has the potential to transform the way in which it does business to achieve a uniquely Commonwealth response to the challenges and opportunities of urbanisation.”

THIS EXAMPLE HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY

Bristol City Council

Categories
Americas & The Caribbean

Indigenous Cultural Centre Feasibility Study in Lethbridge, Canada

Indigenous Cultural Centre Feasibility Study in Lethbridge, Canada

CROSS-CUTTING SECTORS

Good Governance, Inclusion, Community-Led

ORGANISATION(S)

City of Lethbridge including urban Indigenous Communities and the public. 

PROJECT OVERVIEW 

Lethbridge is located within the heart of Siksikaitsitapi (Blackfoot) Territory and the Métis Nation of Alberta, Region 3. Indigenous partners in the city have long articulated the need for an Indigenous Cultural Centre (ICC), including its ability to contribute to positive health and wellness, education, economic and cultural outcomes, as well as advancing reconciliation between indigenous and non-indigenous peoples. In 2019, the City and its partners undertook a Feasibility Study to understand the business case for an ICC. The study sought to harness the power of meaningful, user-driven engagement to generate shared understanding of the needs, benefits and opportunities of an ICC, including its purpose, function and governance. The projects approach to engagement challenged paradigms, whereby the Project Team transformed from leader to listener and Indigenous partners, from audience to narrator in so doing, Indigenous voices were empowered, and a legacy was created project and community. Click here to find out more. 

RELEVANCE TO THE CALL TO ACTION ON SUSTAINABLE URBANISATION ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH 

These examples have been chosen because of their relevance to the Call to Action, as shown by the direct quotes provided below. To view the Call to Action click here.

  • “Sustainable urbanisation demands collective action – genuine multi-level governance – to empower, enable and support cities and their citizens.”
  • “Cities and human settlements are responsible for ensuring delivery of essential services including water, sanitation, healthcare, education, public transport, and housing, upon which their citizens depend.”
  • “Sustainable urbanisation requires a commitment to good governance, integrated planning, effective service delivery together with fiscal and political empowerment.”

THIS EXAMPLE HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY

Commonwealth Association of Planners (CAP) Awards: https://www.commonwealth-planners.org/

Categories
Africa

Participatory, Scaled-up Informal Settlement Upgrading in Nairobi, Kenya

Informal Settlement Redevelopment in Nairobi, Kenya  

CROSS-CUTTING SECTORS

Urban planning, land tenure, housing, governance, resilience, community-led 

ORGANISATION(S)

To develop holistic interventions, the partners launched eight consortia with 46 partner organisations, who range from academics and civil society groups to government officials, utilities agencies, and private firms. Each consortium was led by a corresponding department from Nairobi’s County Government. Additionally, Muungano and its partner NGOs SDI-Kenya and Akiba Mashinani Trust (known as the ‘Muungano Alliance’) worked closely with the consortia. 

PROJECT OVERVIEW 

Mukuru is a large informal settlement located in Nairobi’s industrial area, with about 300,000 residents. Mukuru residents face several risks simultaneously linked to low-quality shelter, infrastructure, and services, as well as the settlement’s insecure tenure and flood-prone location. About 95% of residents are tenants who rent rooms in shacks, typically built of mud and/or galvanised iron sheets. Residents usually have very limited access to water, sanitation, and hygiene; there is also elevated of tenure insecurity due to Mukuru’s prime location on contested private lands. Residents also face social and political exclusion, as in Nairobi’s other informal settlements. After years of advocacy by Kenya’s slum-dweller federation Muungano wa Wanavijiji and related action-research, Nairobi’s County Government declared Mukuru a Special Planning Area (SPA) in 2017. This SPA has developed an innovative combination of 1) large-scale, multi-sectoral upgrading, 2) strong community participation, 3) minimal displacement, 4) interdisciplinary consortia, and 5) partnerships between government, civil society, residents, and other stakeholders. The partners also 6) transformed conventional planning standards, while also seeking to enhance physical and social infrastructure. Consortia members found ways to keep nearly all households in place: for Mukuru’s new transport network, the widest road will be just 12m rather than the conventional 48m. The SPA will prioritise improved non-motorised transport and support the construction of narrower roads/paths. Implementation of this multi-sectoral intervention is already underway with various official agencies. Click here for more information.  

RELEVANCE TO THE CALL TO ACTION ON SUSTAINABLE URBANISATION ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH

These examples have been chosen because of their relevance to the Call to Action, as shown by the direct quotes provided below. To view the Call to Action click here.

  • “Cities and human settlements are responsible for ensuring delivery of essential services including water, sanitation, healthcare, education, public transport, and housing, upon which their citizens depend.” 
  • “Sustainable urbanisation requires a commitment to good governance, integrated planning, effective service delivery together with fiscal and political empowerment.” 
  • “Sustainable urbanisation demands collective action – genuine multi-level governance – to empower, enable and support cities and their citizens.”  

THIS EXAMPLE HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY

International Institution for Environment and Development (IIED): https://www.iied.org/

Categories
Americas & The Caribbean

Pioneering Initiatives for Sustainable Cities in Antigua and Barbuda

Pioneering Initiatives for Sustainable Cities in Antigua and Barbuda 

CROSS-CUTTING SECTORS

Community-led, Housing, Urban poor, Resilience, Renewable energy, Gender 

ORGANISATION(S)

Led by local community groups in partnership with the Department of the Environment and the Organisation of American States (OAS), and involvement of the Association of Persons with Disabilities 

PROJECT OVERVIEW 

The Caribbean island of Antigua is extremely vulnerable to the threat of climate change and severe weather conditions, with areas of poorly constructed housing and little in infrastructure and climate defences. Within the community, Ruth Spencer has been organising a programme of educating the public on solar power technology and its potential to lower their cost of electricy. Partnering with local community groups, churches and local suppliers, they have been able to provide materials and training to be able to install solar panels and carry out building upgrades. With funding from national organisations, they are working to mitigate against flooding and building sustainable agricultural practices to improve food security. These initiatives have been locally driven, with engagement from wide sectors of the community. Click here for more information. 

RELEVANCE TO THE CALL TO ACTION ON SUSTAINABLE URBANISATION ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH

These examples have been chosen because of their relevance to the Call to Action, as shown by the direct quotes provided below. To view the Call to Action click here.

  • “Many Commonwealth cities and human settlements are grappling with poverty, informality, food security and migration.” 
  • “Cities are a major source of greenhouse gas emissions and where the impacts of climate change are experienced acutely.”
  • “Cities and human settlements are responsible for ensuring delivery of essential services including water, sanitation, healthcare, education, public transport, and housing, upon which their citizens depend.’
  • “Sustainable urbanisation demands collective action – genuine multi-level governance – to empower, enable and support cities and their citizens.”

THIS EXAMPLE HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY

UN-Habitat: https://unhabitat.org/

Categories
Africa

Community Managed Funds to uplift Local Economic Activities in Ga Mashie, Accra, Ghana

Community Managed Funds to uplift Local Economic Activities in Ga Mashie, Accra, Ghana

CROSS-CUTTING SECTORS

Financing, Urban Poor, Youth, Gender, Community-Led, Public service delivery

ORGANISATION(S)

Participatory Slum Upgrading Programme (PSUP), UN-Habitat

PROJECT OVERVIEW 

Ga Mashie initiative involved slum upgrading and poverty allevistion that was built around strong community participation and empowerment through integration of a community fund to support economic activites for youth and women. As part of activities under the PSUP project implemented within the Ga mashie community, a community fund has been established to assist with the development and upgrading of the community. The Ga Mashie Development Committee (CDC) have introduced a microfinance to support the teaming traders within the community. The microfinance aims at providing formal financial services to poor and lower-income businesses as well as others who are systematically excluded from the financial system. The support to local businesses is to ensure that there is financial inclusion of all working age adults having access to credit, savings and insurance from formal financial services. Community Managed Funds (CMF) was initiated to enable community groups apply for grants to implement projects in the settlements and setting up of micro-finance guarantee facility with local bank for affordable business loans to benefit youth and women. This has grown to Micro-credit with more than 5,000 members Over 5KM of alleys paved with blocks (locally made with local labour) resulting in improved public space, safety and flooding for over 100, 000 residents 7 CMF projects implemented by more than 300 youth and women resulting improved garbage collection, water access and public spaces Community and AMA partnership improved with devolution of upgrading activities to neighbourhoods. Find out more here.

RELEVANCE TO THE CALL TO ACTION ON SUSTAINABLE URBANISATION ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH

These examples have been chosen because of their relevance to the Call to Action, as shown by the direct quotes provided below. To view the Call to Action click here.

  • “Sustainable urbanisation demands collective action – genuine multi-level governance – to empower, enable and support cities and their citizens.” 
  • “Sustainable urbanisation requires a commitment to good governance, integrated planning, effective service delivery together with fiscal and political empowerment.” 

THIS EXAMPLE HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY

UN-Habitat: https://unhabitat.org