Missing SCIP Practititoners

So where are all the SCIP Practitioners with experiences to share and comments to make.  You are not out in the field.  It is too wet for that and from what I hear very little is happening even in Govt quarters other than speeches and brave promises.  So what have you got to say?

SCIP Workshop

Thank you to all who attended yesterday's workshop.  It was rewarding to see the passion and concern with which you are addressing the difficulties and challenges of community economic development.  We certainly enjoyed your questions and comments, because it kept us trying to stay fresh and innovative - trying to think our way through the difficulties you encounter in the field and how we can be more helpful and relevant.

Hope to hear from you all.  As there is a lot on information to share around and a lot of work to do yet

SCIP WORKSHOP 26/27 May 2009

The Gauteng Natural Step Network
 invites you to our special event 2-day workshop

focusing on
SCIP

Sustainable Local Development:  it CAN work!

led by

The Peoples’ Agenda faculty

based upon the pioneering work of Dr Norman Reynolds

Tues/Wed May 26/7

The Cottages, 30 Gill Street, Observatory

Following the huge popularity of Norman Reynolds’ series of workshops, here is an opportunity to explore the foundation and workings of Norman’s Sustainable Community Investment Programme (SCIP).  This approach has now been accepted by government.  Its purpose is to make empowerment real and local. 

This is the future of development in our country.  It is a radical departure from the top-down model that has so spectacularly failed to deliver.  Anyone concerned about service provision and empowerment needs to grasp these ideas.  Government has adopted SCIP as its new citizen-led development paradigm:  communities will be organised, resourced and registered as full partners in the delivery of Local Economic Development (LED).  This new strategy was designed by Norman and is now housed in the Department of Provincial and Local Government (dplg).

The Peoples’ Agenda faculty, under the direction of co-founder Edward Nicholson will:

o         Explain SCIP and its applications

o         How to set up a SCIP Programme

o         Some of the lessons learned

o         Some likely problems to be encountered

o         Work with us through some case study applications, and

o         How to use the start-up materials.

More on SCIP at www.thepeoplesagenda.co.za/

08h00 for 08h30 start;  16h30 finish

Price R1600 (NGO’s R1100)

REGISTRATION:  Please complete attached form and return to naturalstep@pes.org.za together with reference to payment 

For overnight accommodation rates visit www.thecottages.org.za - please book early as places are limited!

Sadly, Norman died in December 2007.  His friends and colleagues have carried his ideas forward through The Peoples’ Agenda, which he founded with Edward Nicholson.   The Peoples’ Agenda is now taking forward this pioneering work, together with other leadership organisations, especially Broederlijk Delen and the dplg.

SCIP begins with an accurate analysis of the ‘dual economy’. This leads into particular localisation policies and programmes that will enable the majority of citizens, now economic prisoners of the marginalised Second Economy, to begin to live and to take control of their lives within ‘working local economies’.

This dramatic shift, away from delivery to partnership, heralds the long sought after ‘economic democracy’. It promises to remove the social, economic and governance burdens of poverty, of crime, of dependence and of anger and suspicion. It foresees capable, competent citizens able to be responsible parents, proud community members and massive joint investors in their local production bases.  

SCIP is now being developed as a fully operational programme with the start of a few pilots. The UNDP, Broederlijk Delen and dplg are supporting it. The aim is to place it progressively ‘on offer’ to all citizens within a couple of years. It re-directs Government’s vast expenditure in poor areas, that at present generates little local economic activity, into ways that mobilise and reward local actions and produc­tion and gain notable improvements in the local income multiplier.  

It builds upon the African tradition of joint ownership of the productive base, modernising the institution of community into a resource management, investment and productive schema. It has close parallels with the ‘democratic’ employee ownership model that has taken AXIZ to such heights in South Africa. It completes the goal to build an ‘Ownership Society’.

SCIP is driven by rights programmes: Child, Health and Investment Rights, Working Local Economies, Local Trading Systems and Community Banks.  It opens up considerable possibilities for more effective SMME, co-operative and other forms of local economic activity, and for dynamic ECD, school and other service funding.

Step Network 
011 274 6807  -  naturalstep@pes.org.za

Welcome to Michael Middernacht

The Peoples' Agenda welcomes Michael from Belgium who has joined us as a volunteer for the next 5 months.  Michael will be running the office and assisting in the updating of our contact list.  If you wish to contact Michael for any news, drop him a line and say "Hello" at info@thepeoplesagenda.co.za

1st Annivesary Of Norman's Death

Can you believe it nearly a year has passed since Norman died?

Without him around, sometimes this year has passed slowly, such was the gap he left behind. Other times, the year has passed too quickly for we have still got so much to do. But he did leave behind such dedicated and brave group of people and the ladies in our midst at The Peoples Agenda have shown what stalwarts they can be.

How would he feel about what we have managed this year? Mixed feelings I should think, because for him no matter what has happened it would never be enough. At another level, I think he would be pleased to know that he left such dedicated and brave soldiers and disciples behind and we did manage to move forward into a future without him. While we could never fill his shoes we have manage to jerk ourselves into the future and formed a new direction, found new friends and partners and whilst the wheels have groned slowly, a future and hope of a revision for the future for the poor and blighted economies is possible because of Norman's ideas and visions.

As I look at the dismal progress and health disaster emerging in Zimbabwe and the collapse of the international banking system, then so many of his words ring in my ears about how local communities would have been immune to these disasters and with 80% unemployed in Zimbabwe, only CIP and local economies are going to get people food for this coming winter. Unfortunately, all this current charitable form of aid is going to reduce too many to survival mode and dishearten spirits, as necessary as it is.  So I hope those planning for the new dawn in Zimbabwe won't forget him and his hope for a country he thought so much of.

 I look at all these problems and try to remember his words, trying to hear some voice of his giving direction for the forthcoming year and only hear my own thoughts about his ideas realising how mechanical I make them sound and so lacking in wisdom and insight.

If ever Norman's voice was needed it is now. Do you think he will be pleased by the emerging spirit of autonomy that is emerging from the people of Pondoland and their fight back against the mineral sands exploitation? I can hear Norman saying, "see if you give people a cricket bat they can go out and play" and playing they are. He would say, CIP is one of the keys to community healing and can give communities a chance to get their dignity back. So my friends, 2009 is the year for building a community development fund so we all can take SCIP to scale. The communities and the moment needs our strength and insight and we must take Norman's voice and urging forward.

Rest in peace my friend you are not forgotten and your ideas still echo strongly!

The Peoples' Agenda Blog Launched

Hello All

We have finally launched our own blog where we can keep you posted of all the developments in the world of the Sustainable Cummunity Investment Programme, better known as SCIP.

A lot has been happening and there are many new things on the horizon, so stay tuned, visit and leave your contributions and valuable advice to those trying to make a difference to the poor and struggling communities in South Africa and out blighted region.

The spirit of Dr Norman Reynolds who had the great vision and did all the foundation writing that gave initially the Community Investedment Programme (CIP) its head under the direction of The Peoples Agenda. (http://www.thepeoplesagenda.co.za)  The Peolples Agenda has now picked up many partners and been joined by many dediacted and innovated  practitioners and organisations.  So it is with great joy that we start this blog for a community that is growing and will do more so in the coming years as we contribute tto building the Economic Democracy that our country so desparately needs, even more so as the World spirals in its credit crunch as the solution now lies in being local.

As Norman used to say the way forward for the 21st Century is "to think gobally, but act locally".  So start acting locally