Prototype projects

We have been providing partnership funding for prototype projects which focus on innovative ways of shifting local power, in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The field we work in is a complex ecosystem, with work required everywhere. There are many ways of working to achieve our aims. Projects may be challenging the old system, for instance through campaigning. Or building the new system, for instance by expanding the commons.

We chose projects with high power shifting potential, for instance because of their disruptiveness, the power structures engaged, or the number of organisations and networks involved. These cover a specific community of place, are community led, connecting with and amplifying what is already happening. They also promote equity and inclusion in their communities. 

See below a list of the projects supported.

Project name, year	Place, organisations	Who and how
Power Up the Social Economy in Manchester 2024	Manchester Shared Future CIC Jez Hall	In association with Manchester Social Economy Alliance (MSEA), launching in spring 2024, with support from Manchester City’s leading voluntary sector support organization (MACC), Shared Future CIC (SFCIC) will host a range of workshops, events and network building activities with and for the diverse, community based organisations that join the alliance during 2024 and into 2025. Their work will focus around promoting and implementing democratic grassroots Participatory Budgeting (PB). PB is a global participatory democracy practice, rooted in progressive global south workers movements, that has been proven to inform, engage and empower citizens. Most importantly PB benefits those who do not normally trust or participate within traditional forms of representative democracy. PB brings opportunities for citizens to engage in their communities and decide how to shape them for the better, without needing to wait for usual democratic practices (e.g. voting in elections).
Sheffield neighbourhood prototype 2024	Sheffield Citizen Network Simon. J. Duffy	This project will create a community care related action in one of the Sheffield self defined neighbourhoods. They have previously mapped the whole Sheffield anew with Maptionnaire technology and created events where people have envisioned new futures for their self-defined neighborhoods. They want to focus on creating an understanding of the future models of care. They have created a new hybrid model of technology and social work where people are defining their own authentic neighbourhoods in a new way. This authenticity will help people to create a community they believe in and allow people to find the keys to citizenship. This new approach in being and living allows people to start designing care models that are relevant and fitting to their community and based on realities of their neighbourhoods. They will choose and test one idea from the start to model and create data and understanding that can be shared not only in the UK, but through our networks worldwide.
We’re Right Here Campaign – Community Covenant in Shropshire  2024	Shropshire Fordhall Community Land Initiative Charlotte Hollins	In alliance with the We’re Right Here national campaign for a Community Power act (that will bring in legislation to provide legal rights to buy, manage investment and manage services in a community locality) this community land initiative is engaging Shropshire Council about how the Act can be implemented locally, who are keen to be early adopters. They will set up a Community Covenant, a group of community organisations that would work with the County Council to inform and make decisions on services and plans for those living in Shropshire. This will be a real life working example of how this Act will work in practice, demonstrating to government, that not only is it wanted, but it is possible and the outcomes far outweigh those of the conventional top-down system.
Claiming our promise of a Fair Chance: The Derby Socio-economic Duty 2023	Derby Energise Vanessa Boon	Strengthening the network of grassroots groups and building their capacity to engage the Derby City Council, through power mapping and other workshops to co-design a campaign to enact the Social Economic Duty, and involving the council’s workers who want to see change in those activities. Planning workshops which deliberately disarm and reduce barriers between those in authority, their staff and campaigners. Will also use creative and disarming campaign tools, such as craftivism.Bring together an extensive (16+) and diverse range of community groups with lived experience of poverty from racially marginalised groups, women’s groups, older groups/pension poverty groups, young people, disability groups and other under-served communities, and representatives, together with ‘change makers’ from within the Derby County Council, both policy makers and frontline service delivery workers.
The Stoke Model (beginning in Burslem) 2023	Stoke on Trent & North Staffs with a focus on Burslem Mike Riddell  The Stoke Model	Building on the work of their social entrepreneur network, a multi sector hackathon event focussed on designing action around the themes of poverty, homelessness, debt, living in a run down but beautiful town, was held. Following this, a coordinator will ensure the actions are implemented in Burslem, a challenged place, but with much self-organising, including an existing network project being piloted (The Stoke Pound) and an anchor institution. The coordinator will also continue to build on the existing network.Envisaged by the North Staffordshire ‘Resilient Communities’ group of Social Entrepreneurs, the event brings together local activists and organisations who work with volunteers, academics, the social and third sector, local businesses, investors and organisations that are already collaborating (the Youth Collective, Stoke Creates and heritage building orgs). Hackathon delegates have been targeted because they are leaders, decision makers, budget holders business leaders and academics.
Collaboratories for building community agency networks (CANs) 2023	Wandsworth borough Alternative UK Indra Adnan, Maria Dorthea Skov	Container for various forms of community agency, for bonding, learning, fun and imagineering (what could be possible?). Created by inviting into an attractive, friendly + fun event, for heart connection, followed by an inquiry into who they are, what their vision is / what they want, and organising to act together. Supports participants in defining their own agendas.If the CTRL shift members are characterised as orgs addressing power and environment problems, the other forms of community agency also invited include (not limited to) those with different priorities & values:Individuals as themselves, whether involved in organising or notNon-political, ethnic & religious groupsCommunities of a place (neighbourhoods etc)Groups that are not “problem solving”, but come together for fun – arts, sports, music, etcOrgs with other problem solving priorities – e.g. future of tech, personal developmentSocial enterprises
CTRL Shift Hull alliance 2022	Hull Timebanking Hull and East Riding Kate Macdonald	No-agenda ‘other space’ container, where people meet as themselves not job roles, to develop genuine heart connection to overcome barriers – fear, distrust – to work together. Experience together builds relational glue, form is emergent. Supporting system to develop transcontextual intelligence. Valuing curiosity, compassion, lived and learnt experience. State actors (prison, mental health) and their ‘clients’, community organisations, community development professionals, academics.
NeighbourUp Bristol 2022	Bristol SONEC UK Caroline Jeffery, Nathaniel Whitestone	Understanding the needs of neighbourhood groups, connecting them with CTRL Shift partner resources to meet these, including sociocracy training, funding, and other local allies. Providing microgrants for neighbour projects. Linking these into neighbourhood networks, and connecting them to allied businesses, community orgs, funders. Focus on neighbourhood based community organisations e.g. community gardens, food, environment and housing coops. Connecting these to other neighbourhood projects, and allied community orgs, supporters, businesses.