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. Doors 5:30pm.

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