[Dialogue] Alinsky & Freire and ICA's approach

[elliestock at aol.com]

Martin, thanks for the compilation.
Ellie Stock






-----Original Message-----
From: Martin Gilbraith (ICA:UK) <martin at ica-uk.org.uk>
To: Colleague Dialogue <dialogue at wedgeblade.net>; ICAUKStaff <ICAUKStaff at yahoogroups.com>; ICAUKBoard <ICAUKBoard at yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Tue, Jan 18, 2011 10:53 am
Subject: Re: [Dialogue] Alinsky & Freire and ICA's approach


many thanks all, this has been very insightful.  I attach a compilation of your responses in Word, with bold added by me to highlight some key themes.  I'd welcome any further thoughts, recollections or references.

In the meantime I hope contributors are happy for me to share this with ICA:UK colleagues here.  best wishes,
Martin



On 11/01/2011 15:46, Martin Gilbraith (ICA:UK) wrote: 
Hi everyone, I am hoping that colleagues with longer memories might be able to help me with some history please...

The 'big idea' of the UK's new coalition government is Big Society - variously, applauded as empowering the people, and/or derided as a cynical cover for devastating public spending cuts - see http://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/policy-campaigns-research/big-society/big-society

A major initiative within this agenda is a forthcoming Government-funded programme to train and support a cadre of 5,000 Community Organisers, explicitly based on the principles of Saul Alinsky and Paulo Friere - see http://www.urbanforum.org.uk/briefings/community-organisers-briefing

I beleive that Friere was an influence on the early development of EI/ICA's methods and approach, and I understand that Alinsky was developing Community Organising in Chicago around the same time as EI/ICA was in Fifth City.  

What I would really like to learn more about is to what extent and how did Friere and/or Alinsky influence the develpment of EI/ICA and our methods and approach; and to what extent and how might our methods and approach have influenced the development of Community Organising?

My partner Derek put this same question, more or less, to George Packard several years ago when he was here in the UK just after Derek had taken a course in Faith-based Community Organising through his local Unitarian church - but I don't much remember what he said, and I'd love to have any more specific recollections and (better still) any documents that might be relevant.

I am hoping this might inform how we seek to position ICA:UK in relation to this emerging new agenda, and that I might draft an article (for ICA:UK Network News if not also elsewhere) based on what I receive.

many thanks for any recollections or insights you can offer, best wishes,
Martin



-- 

Martin Gilbraith <martin at ica-uk.org.uk>
connect with me at http://uk.linkedin.com/in/martingilbraith 
Chief Executive, ICA:UK
registered charity #1090745 & company limited by guarantee #3970365
registered in England & Wales, at 41 Old Birley Street, Manchester M15 5RF
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The Institute of Cultural Affairs (ICA) - a global network of autonomous not-for-profit organisations in 30 countries
"concerned with  the  human  factor  in  world development"
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The International Association of Facilitators – www.iaf-world.org



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-- 

Martin Gilbraith <martin at ica-uk.org.uk>
connect with me at http://uk.linkedin.com/in/martingilbraith 
mobile: +44 (0)7876 722712
Chief Executive, ICA:UK
registered charity #1090745 & company limited by guarantee #3970365
registered in England & Wales, at 41 Old Birley Street, Manchester M15 5RF
tel/fax: +44 (0)845 450 0305 or +44 (0)161 232 8444 - www.ica-uk.org.uk
The Institute of Cultural Affairs (ICA) - a global network of autonomous not-for-profit organisations in 30 countries
"concerned with  the  human  factor  in  world development"
IAF Certified Professional Facilitator & Chair
The International Association of Facilitators – www.iaf-world.org


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