Exploring Community Ownership Workshop

What would a community-owned future look like in Sheffield? And what resources, experiences and people will help get us there? Hosted by Sheffield Community Land Trust (SCLT), this workshop will explore what needs community ownership can meet and look at local perspectives and questions around its benefits and challenges. We will ask how we can collectively create new affordable spaces to live and work that facilitate local wealth-building and long-term placemaking

Community ownership places land and buildings under the long-term stewardship of local people, meaning that power in decision-making and value is retained in the interests and benefit of their communities. Community Land Trusts (CLTs) are one model of community ownership, which has been successfully adopted by people and communities across the UK to provide and protect spaces including affordable homes, renewable energy, workspaces for local groups, community centres and gardens. 

In this workshop, we want to consider how we could scale up community ownership in Sheffield to collectively tackle the challenges of affordability, tenure and poor building quality. What needs and experiences should underpin this? What skills and knowledge do we need to get there? And finally what role could CLTs play in this?

The event will include a brief presentation from SCLT on our work, followed by breakout group sessions to discuss key challenges, ideas and opportunities, as well as plenty of time to meet and informally chat with like-minded people and members of SCLT. 

Event Format & Information

• 5:30pm: Doors Open
• 5:30pm-6pm: People arrive and refreshments will be provided. Allow for people to get comfortable and find their seats.
• 6:00pm-6:05pm: Introduction talk, introducing the CLT, structure of worksop and the venue. Seating will be provided for the introduction, talk and questions.
• 6:05pm-6:30pm: Presentation on community ownership and the work of both Sheffield Community Land Trust and other CLTs in the U.K.
• 6:30pm-6:45pm: Time for questions. 
• 6:45pm-7:00pm: Comfort break, people can get refreshments and mingle, and then reconvene into groups for 7pm start of workshop activity. 
• 7:00pm-7:50pm: Activity centred around Sheffield City Goals and how community ownership and CLT’s can help achieve these. People are welcome to sit or stand around tables with workshop materials on.
• 7:50pm-8:00pm: Feedback and review of key points in the workshop, what do people want to take forward and what do they want to see happen with community ownership in Sheffield.
• 8:00pm: People start to leave the venue.

Accessibility: 

Soft Ground is on the first floor of a building on The Moor in Sheffield city centre. It has lift access and an accessible all gender toilet. It has windows that open to the outside.

• Seating: Unreserved seating is available at this event, but if you’d like us to reserve a seat for you or you have specific requirements please get in touch.
• Masks: FFP2 masks will be available for free.
• Audio: Microphones will be used at this event.
• Quiet space: A dedicated quiet space is not available at this event. There is a separate seating area that is 5-10 meters away from the workshop space but in the same room. 

To reserve seats or if you have any other questions about the accessibility of this event or venue, please email us at [email protected]

 If you have any questions regarding accessibility for this event, please feel free to contact us at [email protected]