Some years ago the Lib Dems created Community Funds for each of Southwark’s 21 political wards to spend locally, £100-£1000 on local groups running local projects and events. It turns out we were onto something bigger and more meaningful than we ever imagined.

Various research projects of traumatic events have discovered that communities with more robust social networks coped much better with earthquakes, heat waves, etc than those without.  Even the day to day issues and problems are ameliorated by strong social networks. Importantly stornger social networks have a large impact on things like child health, school grades, teen births, adult mortality, social disorders and even amazingly IQ scores. Some have dubbed this the “enduring neighbourhood effect”.

The more community groups the great the “enduring neighbourhood effect” – lowers crime rates, less violence as well as the other benefits mentioned earlier. You name a parameter and its improved.

How to foster more community groups and networks?