What is it?
As public funds dwindle, communities are finding innovative ways to create local wealth. ‘Community economic development’ or ‘CED’ describes the process of economic development within a specific area to benefit the local community. The process is led by people living, working and running businesses in that area.
CED tackles the interconnected environmental, social and economic issues and recognises the importance of connections between the local, regional and national layers of the economy. Building on the knowledge, experience and resources in that community, it identifies and maximises the local economic opportunities available.
To learn more about the concept of ‘community economic development and what it may mean for your community’, read an introductory guide here.
Who’s doing it?
Collyhurst, Manchester: Rebuilding identity and local enterprise
Collyhurst is an inner-city area north of Manchester city centre. In 2013, Collyhurst became a Big Local area, a partnership of tenants, businesses, schools and agencies, with a vision to improve the quality of life in Collyhurst.
Collyhurst Big Local participated in the first year of the Community Economic Development (CED) programme in order to rebuild the identity of the area and explore the area’s economic strengths.
Collyhurst Big Local’s CED plan is rooted in a holistic and participative approach to economic change and brings together local centres/facilities, local entrepreneurship, employment support, connection to the city centre’s expansion, young people’s role in economic development and financial inclusion.
Residents from the Collyhurst Big Local community in Manchester have been involved in growing vegetables locally and running food workshops with help from Groundwork, an environmental regeneration charity. They are developing the idea of setting up a community shop to sell locally grown produce.
Collyhurst resident Erica Walsh said: We’re helping vulnerable people to grow food in the gardens next to the Church of the Saviour. It helps them to get out, be active, eat more healthily and they feel more positive and confident. We also recognised that we had lost many local shops and there was an opportunity to sell our local produce.’
- Read the full case study here.
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