It’s Time for Us to Unleash the Hidden Power in Communities
Hear hear Paul! A terrific argument for revisioning how services and service providers see and define people in our communities.
The deficit model is particularly pernicious for young people who are stigmatised, even demonised, by a range of sectors, not least the media. Therefore it was refreshing immediately prior to reading this to read an update on Cardiff University’s Community Journalism project which aims “to develop understanding, engagement and participation [so] that citizens get news and information about their own communities and are able to play a part in creating and influencing content and comment.” I am interested in the potential for hyper-local journalism to help residents re-interpret and re-present their communities by reclaiming the means of production of narratives, thereby not relying on external, unaccountable means.
