The Soho Foundation website took a big step towards raising its profile with the local community at a recent event at Soho House. Arranged by Colin Hanno, the Neighbourhood Manager for Soho Finger and Gib Heath, the lunchtime launch of the site on 28th July was attended by invited guests from the surrounding community who were given an overview of the project by Geoff Henderson of Digital Native Academy, one of the Soho Foundation project team.
Geoff emphasised that the primary role of the site was in becoming a bridge between new regeneration projects in the area and the communities such projects are looking to serve. He emphasised the importance of the two-way communication approach the site offered ensuring that regeneration professionals had a much clearer insight into local communities thus helping them formulate more meaningful and relevant solutions. Of equal importance was the use of the site to better inform local people of new developments and assist them to express their views.
The presentation stimulated some lively debate and there was a degree of agreement that they wanted far greater input to projects of this kind rather than being on the receiving end of ‘things being done to them’.
Geoff stressed that the site had been designed always with a view that it would become a community resource and one which would be shaped and implemented by them and to help achieve this the new Digital Toolkit Project Manager, Nosheen Kosar, also in attendance at the event was now making extensive contact with a wide range of local people and organisations in the area.
Many thanks to Colin for arranging the event and the excellent catering and to the Soho House staff for providing the venue and for making everyone feel welcome.
The project is funded and initiated by Urban Living.
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