A report highlighting the importance of civic activity to tackle international issues was launched in Cardiff yesterday.
The report Making Good Society advocates tapping into the potential of the internet to make change, and encourages the public to grasp this opportune time for action.
The report is the final in series from the Commission of Inquiry into the future of Civil Society in UK and Ireland. The Commission was set up by the Carnegie UK trust to explore how civil society could be strengthened and supported.
The report argues expanding role of the citizen in society can help tackle large scale international issues like climate change, reforming politics and the economy.
At the launch event yesterday those from the voluntary sector, faith, business, and trade unions come together at Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA) in Baltic House in Cardiff Bay to hear from leading figures from the Commission.
What is civil society?
The Inquiry's definition of civil society is people coming together to do voluntary action based on grounded values to find solutions to problems. Commission Chair Geoff Mulgan said:
"Take a few streets in a typical town in Donegal or Denbighshire, Devon or Dumfriesshire and you don't need to look far to find civil society. Whether it's visible on the streets or behind closed doors, every community hosts an extraordinary array of civil society activity including sports clubs, care for family members or local residents, homework clubs and support networks. As individuals, many of us are active in local groups, charities, in churches, mosques and temples or trade unions.
"The good news is that right across the UK and Ireland the daily life of civil society activity is thriving – with no signs of long-term decline and decay, or for that matter any rise in selfishness and other ills, despite the pressures of recession."
The report – a summary
The report argues now is prime opportunity for promoting civic activity – since the recession, climate change, and the crisis in political confidence – new ideas from the community upwards have become prevalent and more important.
The commission identified four key areas where a strengthened civil society could make a difference:
*growing a civil economy
*low carbon economy
*democratising media ownership and content
*delivering a more participatory democracy
Key findings in the report show increased transparency, plurality and accountability can make a difference in these areas. Concerning the media the report advocates the growth of local and community news, as well as the increase in the number online outlets, citing Talk About Local as a prime example of increasing civic engagement online.
Civic society and the internet
The report in particular focuses on the need to harness the potential of the internet to back innovation by supporting and investing in organisations like My Society. The report reads:
"The internet has created an extraordinary new medium for organisation and expression, from initiatives to connect with power such as theyworkforyou, to sites like freecycle that help people exchange unwanted goods."
"Millions of bloggers have countered the concentrated power of traditional media and, at its best, the internet has promoted greater global consciousness, easier access to accurate data and greater diversity."
A call to arms
The conclusion of the report calls for a number of actions. A reaffirmation of the values of civil society – justice, equality, mutuality and a hunger for freedom. The commission calls on politicians to protect civil liberties and freedom of expression and open democracy to more engagement. To the public the commission calls on ambition and action to make change.
You can read a summary of the report here, or the report in full here.
