#History of Community of Practice development

//David Wilcox//

We aim to build a network and to support Communities of Practice for people interested in maps, apps and storytelling. 

* [[cop:copindex|More about network development]]. 

## Context for a network and Communities of Practice
The context for these proposals for a network and one or more Communities of Practice is threefold:
  * plans by London Funders and Greater London Volunteering to develop a [Hub for London](http://www.connectinglondoners.blog/2017/new-hub-for-london-gets-350000-to-support-civil-society) as a resource centre for London civil society. This was the key recommendation from a report on The Way Ahead
  * [the exploration](http://www.connectinglondoners.blog/2018/our-first-year-exploring-how-to-make-london-a-more) by Connecting Londoners and Our Way Ahead which concluded that a networked approach is needed, complementing or extending the work of the Hub.
  * Plans for [London as a Smart City](http://www.connectinglondoners.blog/2018/why-smart-city-london-should-be-a-networkedcity-participatory-sharing) 

As a member of the advisory group for the Hub for London, representing Our Way Ahead until February 2018, I prepared a paper that aimed to draw together all recommendations and find common ground between The Way Ahead initiative, Connecting Londoners and Our Way Ahead.

* [Extending the Hub for London](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FttgXEze5TQgRnBejzhhAFaVHw4_3bRuAL47OvhkOW4/edit#) - commentable version online.
* [Extending the Hub for London](http://socialreporter.co.uk.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/ExtendingtheHub.pdf) - download pdf

I presented the final proposals for a CoP  - 4 below - at a meeting of the advisory group on February 1. The group agreed to consider them further. I retired from the group because I want to promote the idea of the CoP independently, and as a freelance feel there could be conflict of interest in seeking funding.

Many of these ideas for network building are now recognised in the role of [[hub:networkspartner|Networks Partner]] advertised by the Hub. 

Supporting these ideas can be one of the areas of development for a network embracing one or more Communities of Practice: [[cop:copindex|more here]]

###1. Initial model for a Community of practice October 2017

In summary: bring together a group of people interested in how to build networks and support network-based action. Develop both a learning network and practical activities that can attract clients and funding. Use the network tools to learn how to build networks in practice. 

{{:cop:cop.jpeg|}}

* [[cop:cop1|More here about the model]]

###2. CoP discussion after the Hub game in November 2017
A workshop on November 16 2017 at London Metropolitan University took the key elements from official reports on the Hub - the challenges, ideas and methods to develop solutions - and turned these into props for a role-playing game. Discussion at the end centred around developing a platform for change agents, or Community of Practice. We followed up with a meeting of people interested, in December.

* [Blog post on Why we need a Community of Practice for networking London civil society](http://www.connectinglondoners.blog/2017/why-we-need-a-community-of-practice-for-networking-london)
* [[hubgame:overview|Report of the workshop]]
* [[hubgame:nextsteps|CoP discussion after the Hub game in November 2017]]

###3. Proposals for a Community of Practice to Hub for London
I prepared these more detailed proposals in November 2017, on behalf of Connecting Londoners and Our Way Ahead, for the advisory group on the Hub for London, of which I was a member at the time.

* [CoP proposals prepared for Hub for London advisory group - long version pdf](http://socialreporter.co.uk.s3.amazonaws.com/hubgame/Networksproposal.pdf)
* [CoP proposals prepared for Hub for London advisory group - short version pdf](http://socialreporter.co.uk.s3.amazonaws.com/hubgame/NetworkedHub2.pdf)
* [Background on the Hub for London](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fyrH1WVieVc7aysmlP2uE62v62SzUJR8WLS54X-uTIc/edit#heading=h.mj7pu8jftcoi)

###4. Summary of CoP proposals for advisory group to the Hub for London
I presented these proposals to the Hub for London advisory group on February 1 2018

{{:cop:cop3diag.jpg|}}

The diagram builds on proposals in the documents Extending the Hub and a Community of Practice for networking London civil society, referenced above. In summary what’s needed is a community of people keen to learn how to build networks bottom-up and bottom-across in local communities and pan-London, together with support, service providers, and advisers. Activities would include meet-ups, an online platform, and on-the-ground activities to map and build networks. 

* [[cop:cop4|More on CoP ideas prepared for Hub for London advisory group January 2018]]
* [Download pdf](http://socialreporter.co.uk.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/CoP3.pdf)

###5. Setting up an RSA network

One of the options I'm exploring is setting up a Community of Practice/network with support from the RSA, because at least six of us involved in Connecting Londoners and Our Way Ahead are RSA Fellows.

* [[cop:cop5|More about setting up an RSA network]]

**More about Networked City, Connecting Londoners and Our Way Ahead**

* [[:start|Networked City and Connecting Londoners exploration - overview]]
* [[london:updates|Blog posts and reports]]
* [[hubgame:overview|The Hub game - November workshop]]
* [[london:connectinglondoners|About Connecting Londoners]]