What does the future look like for people who develop collaborative networks?

In my previous post, I talked about what the future looks like for people excluded from the economy and who weren’t able to influence change. In this post, I will focus on another group who are are benefiting from economic growth and are able to help themselves and/or each other.

They have got the entrepreneurial skills & networks to identify the resources they can use to make a living, or who earn sufficiently that they feel they don’t need services to help them.

Due to the focus on skills, they don’t always have the confidence or networks don’t feel part of the community. They own one or more vehicles/regularly uses public transport for work and pleasure. They view gentrification as positive and improving their economic status. They are likely to say:

“I can find the resources & people I need to make a living”

How do they look after themselves?

People cope with their changing lifestyles through digital support networks & services as well as local groups, which can fail people when those aren’t available.

What do they want?

They want to be able to use their knowledge, skills & networks to find their own way through life, in many cases collaborating with others to do that and often without the need for support by traditional services or businesses.

What do they consume?

They develop their knowledge & skill in renting out/sharing assets and even develop products & services with others that can be reused.

OR

They provide data about themselves and interact with brands to ensure they get personalised products, services & experiences.

What motivates people to engage in public services?

People who want basic services and infrastructure to enable them to live their lives freely and to collaborate with others.

How people get along with each other?

People are tolerant towards each other, including new immigrants, and keen to be part of networks which help them shape or influence where they live.

Due to the high proportion of opportunities aimed at young people, older people and even families don’t feel so valued.

How do they view technology?

People who are highly technically adept and equipped to not only develop their own neighbourhoods and run their own lives, but will also be enabled to contribute on a global scale. Can afford the initial outlay (be it intellectual curiosity or financial resource) to access technology to make their own lives (as well as those in their loose local co-operatives), easier, more sustainable and hyper local. Examples might include small combined heat & power networks, user defined community solar panels, as well as technologically enabled hyper local barter/swap economies.

What are the challenges for councils?

How do we cope with a very mobile and changing population?

How do we encourage people to look after themselves and each other and support them when they need it?

How do we enable people to influence how revenue from growth benefits their local area?

How do we engage people digitally and make it easy for them to find out when & where activities are?

How do we enable people to shape activities and the use of space? How do we give people an activity where they can provide a contribution / micro-volunteering and collaborate with people from other backgrounds?