The London Digital Neighbourhoods study explores the ways in which people communicate online using locally-based websites, whether that communication has an impact and the implications for local service providers.
Local digital communities are attracting increasing levels of interest as they develop in scale and scope and their apparent achievements accumulate.
Claims have been made that they could play a role in transforming local democracy as well as building community cohesion, enhancing community safety, improving wellbeing and encouraging the co-delivery of local services.
In this project, the Neighbourhood Networks organisation is working with London Councils to investigate London's online neighbourhood spaces and understand the true extent of their impact and the implications for local service providers.
The study will provide insights on how the local citizen websites:
- contribute to citizen empowerment and engagement
- help strengthen sense of belonging
- build citizens' capacity to work alongside services
- hold public services to account.
The study will also identify other relevant issues such as:
- implications for local enterprise and local economic development
- implications for local media
- extent of the untapped potential of the networks.
The project will make an initial report in the Autumn of 2010. The publication will be accompanied by a conference for local service providers, giving an opportunity to reflect on the findings and deliberate on the implications.
Benefits to you
This project will provide stakeholders with a focused insight into local citizen-run neighbourhood networks. The information will enable consideration of:
- the potential of the sites to support the work of local service provision, including through co-delivery
- the potential of the sites to support work against key NI Indicators relating to cohesion, belonging, participation and empowerment
- how to identify the qualities of local sites
- the sort of formal or informal links that councils should make with local sites, if any
- the degree to which it is appropriate and beneficial for councils to support or nurture neighbourhood sites.
Project id: CA214
Theme: Connected London
Status: Active
Project Manager: Hugh Flouch
Contact: hugh.flouch@networkedneighbourhoods.com
