Creating Community

Time for a bit of honesty people! 

I started my current job as leader of City Lights, the ChaplaincyPlus group for the under 30s almost a year ago.  ChaplaincyPlus is a Christian charity which provides personal support and encouragement to people working in the professional and commercial sectors in Birmingham City Centre.  For me this new job, which is part time working flexible hours, marks a total change in career and lifestyle.  I had spent the previous 20 years practising law, for the first 6 years as a Barrister and for the other 14 years as a Solicitor.

So this is something new, an opportunity to follow my passion and desire to encourage and support people in the workplace.  It has been a joy to listen and journey and where appropriate share faith, hopes and dreams.  But,  - here is the honesty bit - I have not actually managed to do what I was recruited to do.  The City Lights group that I inherited from my predeceasssor has reduced in size beyond all recognition.  The events and gatherings that I have arranged have been poorly attended.  I have met lots of new people and the one to one work has thrived but I am not creating community or a network of young adults who will provide one another with friendship, support and encouragement.

There are a number of reasons for this.  There has been significant upheaval in the workplace over the last 18 months or so and this continues.  Those who are more junior in organisations are being asked to work long hours, take up secondments, work out of other regional offices etc.  The workplace for the under 30s is a place of fluidity, uncertainty and long working hours. 

Arguably the changes in the workplace lead to many feeling ever more isolated and without the time to connect in any meaningful way with others.  So here is the challenge, how do I create community amongst these young adults. 

I am inspired and impressed by the effective use of social media by many independent small  businesses which are building relationships with customers, suppliers and competitors.  They are creating a sense of relationship, belonging, loyalty and community.  Let me give you two examples,  a couple of weeks ago I bought some delicious goats' cheese and by the end of the day I was tweeting Gary (@AndersonandHill) who sold me the cheese and Sarah (@brockhallfarm) whose goats produced the cheese.  This week, I tweeted about eating delicious cake in Six Eight Kafe (@SixEightKafe) and by the evening I received a tweet from Gavin (@tobizzy2bake) who made the Guinness cake. What fun!

So begins the second year of this new career. I need to embrace and explore more widely the use social media and think creatively about how to create safe and interesting spaces of connection and community for those who have little time or who may not be physically present. Thoughts, ideas, experiences and inspiration are most welcome if you have any you would like to share!