Local changemakers seek new ideas
Be a Disruptive Explorer Over the last three years, a small group of dedicated local organisations have been meeting regularly to discuss how to change the who and how of decision-making in Barking and Dagenham. Now you can join them! Calling ourselves the Disruptive Explorers, we want to make sure everyone has a say in […]
Join us on a journey of disruptive exploration
Who are the Disruptive Explorers? The work started three years ago, as part of a learning journey started by the BD_Collective. Over the course of 18 months, organisations from across Barking and Dagenham met regularly to share their experiences of living and working in the borough. One of the things that we recognised was that […]
BD Giving Notes #53 – What Does Participation Look Like?
Participation is a word that we often hear in various contexts, such as education, work, politics, sports, and social activities. But what does it mean to participate? And who gets to decide how we participate? Our Head of Learning and Participation, Cameron Bray, looks to their past for an example of why we do not […]
BD Giving Notes #47 – ‘’History is happening all the time‘’
Though our fund could only support eight businesses, the other ninety-something predominantly black-led businesses made us think deeply about our role in decolonising funding and the meaning of “purpose” in business. Kate Harmatz It’s really exciting when lots of things you’ve been working on over many years start to join up and tell a great […]
BD Giving Notes #44 – ‘’All Good Things Come To An End (when to step away and how to do it well)‘’
As I dive into other projects, I will think about everything I have learnt with the Working Group – the bestowed wisdom I have from being a part of the process but more importantly from the powerful connections I have forged with some of the Barking and Dagenham community. Jack Webb In this Note our […]
Barrow Cadbury Trust and Access Foundation invest in Barking and Dagenham’s Transformational Community-led Funding Model
BD Giving is delighted to announce that the Connect Fund by Barrow Cadbury Trust and Access Foundation will fund FundA way for people to combine their money and invest together. the next phase of our transformational approach to community-led investment. BD Giving’s approach to investment is designed to give local people control over how money […]
BD Giving Notes #40 – “My weapon of choice‘’
A few weeks ago, our Head of Learning & Participation finally finished their Level 4 training in Lewis Deep Democracy (LDD), marking the culmination of a development process that started in September 2020. Here, Cameron, reflects on what they’ve learned and what this means for their work.
BD Giving Notes #35 – ‘’Putting Power Down‘’
It’s important that power is seen as something that ought to be stepped away from, in all walks of life. Getting there won’t be easy though as it’s both a cultural and a systemic shift that is needed. Cameron Bray In this Note, Cameron Bray offers up their thoughts on a very recent example of […]
BD Giving Notes #33 – ‘The trouble with funding (Part 3)’
The joy of making something collaborative and participatory is that you never have to be ‘done’ because you’re always open to the possibility of someone new making improvements and changes that are literally beyond the system’s current ability to make. Cameron Bray This is the third of a three-part series of blogs in reaction to […]
BD Giving Notes #32 – ‘Learning the Art of Facilitation’
I think what a community looks like is contingent on space, place and context. It can be different from person to person and neighbourhood to neighbourhood. But in light of this training, I think having a sense of belonging is an important part. Jack Webb This Note is by our Programme Officer, Jack Webb. In […]
