There are many ways interactive mapping, provided to Centres for Pride of Place when given access to Community Passport, can be used.  One of those is for mapping assets with community. With reference to a particular area of Birmingham, let's show you how it works and how it can add value for shaping places, promoting places and connecting community and business.

 

The journey we are about to take will show how, with and within community, Community Passport now available to Centres for Pride of Place (CPoPs) from Values Shared is being used for mapping assets and for engaging community and business in growing pride in the places people live in and work in.

 

Here is our map of Birmingham shared and made available license free to Values Shared.  

All layers on the view of the map shown below are turned off so it has no real value until data and content is added.

 

 

So, first .....

Let's zoom in to a particular area on the map. 

In the image shown below we've zoomed in to the area around the Edgbaston Reservoir, a lovely spot with neighbourhoods such as Edgbaston, Ladywood all close by. 

Edgbaston Reservoir is only a couple of miles from the centre of Birmingham.

 

 

Still we can't really do anything of real value with this map till content is added.

 

So next .....

Let's take a look at the layers of data and content which our community at Birmingham We Are has been loading and adding to interactive maps over the past 3 years and which is now regularly updated.

Here are the layers we have available to us.  We can select any of the layers and it will start to build our map. 

 

Note:  The map created for Birmingham has already been viewed over 2 million times with 100,000 views every month.

 

In this instance we want to use it for looking at assets around our Centres for Pride of Place.

 

 

So next .....

Let's turn on our mapped Centres for Pride of Place (CPoPs) and we can immediately see our first CPoP being run out of Birmingham Settlement's Nature and Wellbeing Centre which we can see pinned and located right next to Edgbaston Reservoir.

 

 

By selecting this pin, we can go and find out more about the work being planned that will be carried out at this particular CPoP.  

 

 

 

Within the feature (as shown above) are links, posts, maps and content that the community can engage with. 

 

 

People and businesses can connect with the Centre, register on to events, apply to go on courses and learn new digital skills.  Most importantly, they can get involved in promoting "Pride of Place" and together grow Shared Prosperity for their community and neighbourhood.  

 

Next .....

Let's go back to the map and start opening up other layers on the map to see what is close to our CPoP.

Below we've selected the layer of lakes and reservoirs and these are then immediately added to the map.  We can now see Edgbaston Reservoir highlighted.

 

 

We can now select the Edgbaston Reservoir and this will take us to another feature created and maintained with the help of community.  This time, our feature is all about the great things happening at Edgbaston Reservoir, again with links, posts, maps and content to explore.

 

 

 

Next .....

Let's go back to the map and select the layers of parks and open spaces, canals and rivers.  Let's also add our historic builds and places of historical interest.

Here is the result as mapped below.

 

 

Not only are we now starting to map our local assets, we are also creating a wonderful digital space of places for people new to the community or for those residents that have lived here for ages to explore.

This interactive map will be made available at our CPoP run out of the Nature and Wellbeing Centre for people to go and use so they can find out what is close by. 

People will also be invited to participate in this themselves by adding content and creating posts.  

 

 

Imagine the impact on the social economy if similar Centres were set up in every ward or district of Birmingham and then rolled out across the region. 

CPoPs could be hosted anywhere, with digital maps and features accessed via a simple QR code. 

CPoPs can be located in libraries, in community centres, in schools, in centres of faith, at developments across the city, in pubs, in fact anywhere convenient for the local community.   People don't have to visit the CPoP if they don't want to, they can connect online.

 

But for the purpose of showing a place mapped .....

Let's go back to the map we are building of the area around Edgbaston Reservoir. 

Here, we can select a layer called "construction" and take a look at work that is in progress.

Note:  All developments, from pre-approval through to construction is now mapped on the Birmingham developments map.  Connect to this map HERE. 

Developments are shaded in yellow on the map.

Select any of these shaded areas and you can find out what's going on.  

Here we can see that on one side of the reservoir, work continues at the Nature and Wellbeing Centre of Birmingham Settlement.  

 

 

On the other side of the reservoir is a new boating complex being built which we now know is for the new home for the young Sea Cadets.  

 

 

There are some great community assets being developed and added to the area around the Edgbaston Reservoir and by regularly updating the map and platform, community can be kept informed and involved. 

 

Next ..... 

Let's return to the map and we can zoom further out to see just what is on the doorstep of the area we have just been looking at.  The full scale of the physical and structural assets offered in Birmingham is now available for people to explore.

 

 

People in our community (our greatest local asset)

What about the people who live in this area and what about the groups that are formed by those people.  People will always be our greatest asset.

How can CPoPs help promote the wonderful work groups in community undertake and how can we connect more residents with these groups. 

Let's show you just a little of the work we've started with huge community input. 

As you can see below, on our Values Shared map we've added a "Friends of" layer for mapping all the great work being done by volunteers, social enterprises and people who are passionate about their places and their community.

 

 

So first .....

Let's see what this layer, when selected, brings up at Edgbaston Reservoir.  Here's a "Friends of" pin over the actual reservoir itself.

 

 

Next .....

Let's now take a closer look at what this "Friends of" group is and what they are up to.

Here is the Friends of Edgbaston Reservoir feature opened up.

 

 

As more people contribute, the number of community groups and networds such as "Friends of" groups mapped will continue to grow for the benefit of everyone. 

 

What next for our mapping assets with community?

Using the mapping tool, community can explore all the assets in and around their neighbourhood.

Most importantly, they can engage with their neighbourhood and add content themselves.  At the CPoP, they can access the tools needed to do this, or alternatively connect to the digital space via their own phone, tablet or laptop while they are in and around places they enjoy visiting.

We can also involve schools that are on the map and train young people in digital skills that have real practical value and benefit to the place and community in which the school is located.

 

 

We can get GPS and health centres involved so they can engage patients in exploring the wonderful places close by.  This will all have major health and wellness benefits.

 

 

We can get businesses involved, and create, using the map, greater links with the local community.  Let's pin on our map, and feature on our platform, those businesses with CSR budgets and those running social value projects.

Let's, together with these businesses, grow the social economy.

 

 

Let's get local traders and social enterprises mapped and involved. 

 

In conclusion 

Places and organisations that take on the status of a Centre for Pride of Place (CPoP), and are given access to Community Passport and Community Workspace, will become a magnet for their local community. 

People new to the area can be introduced to places and local groups.  We can even do this with moderators for people where English is not their main language using the chat module in Community Workspace. 

Community can increasingly help with mapping the assets in their area.

Community, businesses, schools, colleges and universities can all get involved in mapping their local area. 

And most importantly, community, will together, promote "Pride of Place" and opportunity for all.

 

Further details available from:

Jonathan.Bostock@YourPlaceYourSpace.com 

07432 637322