If you ever want to know what those a***holes have been doing with your cash …

… for the last ten years, don’t ask Gordon Brown – he’s just in charge of stealing it. Read this utter garbage. But after doing so, why not ask yourself a few questions, like:

Is this not just a giant public wank at our expense? Should people who can’t even explain in decent English what they do or why it matters be given a penny of your money? Do you think they’re anything but a bunch of grasping time-servers? What the hell is an “expert in empowerment?” Would such drones not be better employed cleaning pub lavatories after a good Saturday night’s piss-up? Will you contribute to a fund to pour a bucket of shit over Hazel Blears?

Expert partnership on empowerment launched to support participation agenda
Release date: 18 Sep 2007

A body of experts in empowerment have developed a partnership to support the Government’s mission to increase levels of participation at local, regional and national levels.

The National Empowerment Partnership (NEP) which aims to improve the quality, co-ordination and evidence of empowerment across England was announced today in a speech by Hazel Blears MP, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, at the DTA conference.

Currently there are a number of community empowerment activities and projects taking place, across England, but they are often scattered, have unstable funding and are of variable quality. Some are brought forwards by communities themselves and others stimulated by government. However, there is little central information about what works in practice at a local, regional or even national level, or co-ordinated action to stimulate and support activity where it is absent or weak.

The National Empowerment Partnership seeks to address these problems and support existing projects by improving the quality of practice through exchange of information and good practice, quality assure processes which aim to achieve empowered communities and citizens and centrally gather information about community empowerment. By doing so, the partnership intends to increase the numbers and capacity of people able to influence the decisions that affect their lives and improve the quality and function of relationships between citizens and government.

The Community Development Foundation facilitated the development of the partnership which brings together representatives from the Community Sector Coalition, Urban Forum, Community Alliance, I&DeA, the Young Foundation, Federation for Community Development Learning, Community Development Exchange, the Take Part Network, ‘V’ youth volunteering, Academy for Sustainable Communities, and Involve.

Alison Seabrooke, Chief Executive of the Community Development Foundation said: “The Community Development Foundation welcomes the government’s support of the development of the National Empowerment Partnership. Empowering communities is an essential starting point for encouraging engagement and participation. Therefore, the National Empowerment Partnership is pleased that the government has recognised its important role in achieving their vision of a strengthened participatory democracy for all. The National Empowerment Partnership very much looks forward to supporting the government in implementing its vision.”

Tom Levitt MP, Chair of the Community Development Foundation said: “The National Empowerment Partnership will provide vital evidence and promote good practice which is an essential component to achieving the Government’s aim of a strengthened participatory democracy for all. I am delighted that the Community Development Foundation was instrumental in the development of the National Empowerment Partnership and look forward to working with the partnership and government to improve the levels of participation in England.”

For further information about the NEP, email Alison.Seabrooke@cdf.org.uk
Release date:
18 Sep 2007
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