Tuesday 2 May 2017

The Link4Growth Association

You may be forgiven for not noticing but yesterday was not only a bank holiday but it was the day that Link4Growth officially became an Association.

Key Reasons for the Transition

  • Matches the objectives of the organisation. If we rebuild community collectively it should belong to us
  • Sustainability. As an association we now take responsibility it is not reliant on any one individual or small group
  • Self funding. No external controls or obligations, and low dependency on money
  • Infrastructure now in place. The tools to deliver now ready
  • Experience of 5 years. Now time to share and expand what’s possible 

For what is seemingly such a small thing; a change in an organisations structure from a limited company to an Association why has it taken so long? It appears on the face of it something of little import so why 18 months? … and why was it necessary in the first place?

So let’s start with the purpose and the intent behind Link4Growth. The organisation has a mission to assist in re-establishing community as the very core of our society. People and relationships are crucial to our wellbeing and the slow disintegration of our communities over the decades is one of the contributing factors to some of the challenges we face today.

Link4Growth is now not a new idea. It has been an evolving one though. We’ve done the apprenticeship working on this since 2012. Over that time we have created a set of 5 tools that enable those who are passionate about community development to be able to make a real difference, faster and more effectively. Link4Growth doesn’t claim to have all the answers and it’s certainly not the only way, but it is a way, and has now come of age and proven itself to work.

Who ought to own an organisation like this? As a rule of thumb whoever does the work should reap the greatest rewards. This is a co-creation, collaboration project of immense proportions. All of us are alive, breathing and in our communities, and able to make a contribution. Therefore it makes perfect sense that we, collectively, own it.

Hugely important within Link4Growth are the underpinning structural criteria. 


The most salient of these are the following


Lean cost base


Link4Growth has been built on a very ‘lean’ model. Minimising costs means that the whole thing is affordable, it is open to all and therefore available to each of us to participate and play our part.

Self Funded


Crucially Link4Growth isn’t funded by the Government nor is it funded by big business. Governments have a track record of closing things down even if good work is being done and often increases costs and bureaucracy exponentially.

Big businesses are always looking for a profit motive and similarly have more allegiance to shareholders (and money) than the community.

Sustainable


The move to an Association transfers ownership to the Subscriber members of Link4Growth. With a cost base that is serviceable, no external controls to threaten its continuity and ownership by ‘us the people’ we are truly rebuilding community for ourselves.

Devolved


There is no one size fits all. What works in one part of the country will be different from elsewhere. Link4Growth provides a framework that empowers us to take responsibility and begin the process of rebuilding our communities where we are but also not in isolation. Sharing great ideas and co-creating a flexible and adaptable future is at the heart of it.

Transparent


Link4Growth being an association is not for profit by default and reporting totally transparent. The organisation is here to serve and to provide us with tools to deliver in our communities. Surplus income and donations will be made available in the future to enhance and support community related projects.


In the unpredictable and uncertain world of the 21st century resilience and resourcefulness are becoming increasingly important as the structures and institutions of the 20th century begin to fade away. Governments are struggling, banks have failed once, no guarantees that won’t happen again or what will survive the coming years. Health, Education, Business and commerce all facing increasing pressure...

Going forward as an Association Link4Growth has resilience in that we the people own it, and it is outside these controlling institutions, but not only that… it is not over reliant on Money (it does need some to operate), it is focused on people and time. People, we have plenty of, and available time (out of work) is likely to increase for us all. 

The most important part


We have the opportunity to take responsibility and get on with the task in hand. We don’t need to wait for permission to improve our communities. We don’t need to wait for money or someone to tell us what we can do.

We just need to innovate and create. To seek alternative ways to get things done in our local communities based on the local people, resources and skills that we have. We have tools to come together… to talk… discuss… have conversations and then… to take action.

97% of what goes on in our communities is good news… so now we have a way to embrace it… share it… replicate it… and help others.

Final words…


When we do this… When we take responsibility… When we rebuild our communities, our towns, cities, villages and our country… We will have done it… we will have returned power back to ourselves and created the society we want to live in.

That’s worth working for… welcome to Link4Growth the Association

Contact Details : enquiries@uk.link4growth.org


The 7 Principles of Link4Growth upon which the organisation operates

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