Big Society's Big Mouth Powered by v

A big society? You running the library, your mum and dad organising the local post office and auntie and uncle mowing the lawn in the parks near your house, doesn’t sound to fair to me...
The Coalition Government in July 2010 launched the ‘Big Society’, to “empower local people and take power away from the politicians.” This plan has three key aims, to reduce regulation on social enterprise, charities and voluntary organisations. Also, to train 5000 community organisers who become a local taskforce facilitating local action, and finally the National Citizens Service. The NCS, was portrayed as “...to instil a culture of active citizenship in our young people”. This almost tarnishes everyone with the same brush, I wouldn’t consider myself as needing this, and in fact I’m far more socially active than anyone I know. Neither, I expect would the thousands of young careers, sports volunteers, after-school helpers, community activists and millions of others who already give up their time. The people have an incredibly positive impact on the communities they live in, ask voluntary organisations, schools, sports clubs, universities, religious organisations and charities if they could survive without them.
So, how have these young people already got to this position? How do things currently happen in our local communities and where does tax payer’s money go? Ask the people, a common response is a teacher or a family member acting as inspiration to make a difference. The money is spent at the grassroots level and it makes a phenomenal difference to their own and the people around them’s lives. No politician looking at facts and figures can ever work that out from their computer screen.
We already have an army of community activists; we already have an active understanding and scheme of how to get young people involved in our communities. Reducing the red tape will be highly beneficial, but apart from that what difference will this scheme make? It will give David Cameron and the Government credit for something that other individuals and organisations have been doing for years, empowering, inspiring, motivating and undertaking change. This policy is a direct fall out from the budget cuts, one which to the unknowing eye seems all well and good. Deep down though we all know we have a personal responsibility to our neighbourhoods, were all in it together and have been for some time, some areas act upon this and others don’t. If this ‘Big Society’ is to truly work we need to engage the people that have already done so much to spearhead are campaigns, not utilise funding and resources based on these facts and figures.
I agree change is necessary, I don’t however agree in revolution, rather evolution, an evolving, dynamic and proactive approach to issues rather than a negative reactive outlook on life. I live in a Big Society already, why don’t you join me?
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