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Using patients’ rights activist Judi Chamberlin’s co-developed working definition of empowerment (1997)<\/a> as a starting point, I would like to present an edited version here to help highlight the complex and multidimensional nature of empowerment. As Chamberlin notes, empowerment is best discussed and described ‘a process rather than an event’ and that individuals don’t need to display every quality on this list to be considered as ’empowered’.<\/p>\n These qualities demonstrate that empowerment is built on a series of feelings and experiential senses that are precursors to action. For people who find themselves in marginalised positions, these qualities represent vital achievements in the process of obtaining basic opportunities. These qualities can be achieved by people or communities in self-directed ways, or through the involvement of non-marginalised others who share their existing access to these opportunities – eg an experienced project manager sharing the knowledge, expertise and professional or social contacts needed to organise an event, fundraise or build strategic partnerships.<\/p>\n Questions around how to articulate strategies that don’t entrench social exclusion are vital to the discussion of genuine empowerment, and were raised by a number of speakers. At times, non-marginalised groups can be unaware of the disempowering effects of the language used and approaches developed in the pursuit of empowerment. For example, if empowerment is viewed or defined as ‘the giving over of power’ to a group or community, this carries with it an assumption that this power did not already reside within the community. However, Kelechi Nnoham expressed a useful reminder that social capital must be harnessed – its use, transfer and application does not happen on its own or ‘naturally’.<\/p>\n Speakers offered a range of potential approaches:<\/p>\n Artists and organisations who are working in embedded ways (within a particular geographical area) need to realise that the community they are working in \/ with is not simply ‘a community’ or ‘the community’ but instead a complex community of communities. This could also be related to Situations’ New Rules Of Public Art <\/a>Rule #4: DON\u2019T MAKE IT FOR A COMMUNITY. CREATE A COMMUNITY.\u00a0Take care not to create or generate group names that assume a ‘them’ mentality, or assume that a certain identified group has a homogenous nature. Embrace collegiality (see “Methods For Mammals”<\/a>) and get to know people who want to be involved in the project as individuals.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Those in non-marginalised positions can support and attempt to accelerate the process of empowerment through increasing availability and accessibility of information and resources; the development of (and increased access to) bespoke community training or other events that relate to the realisation of the empowerment qualities listed above; and support the production of ‘toolkits’ around skills that marginalised individuals or groups identify as important. Researchers could address their part in the availability of research and its dissemination – published reports \/ journal articles may be available to all but less accessible to those who need them \/ would benefit from them most. Artists can work to develop creative methods for knowledge mobilisation and encourage moments of self-actualisation for individuals.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Darren O’Donnell (Mammalian Diving Reflex) discussed the role of artists as observers or those framing moments and activities that were already occurring – not censoring activity, but instead re-framing it for another audience. This was also echoed in Assemble’s approach to working in Croydon (in terms of events) & Liverpool (in terms of raw materials). The point was raised that re-development projects often fail to value what residents value in an area. Artists could work in ways that draw out, make visible and celebrate these qualities – being resourceful with the ‘material’ they find, offering an outside eye on the possibilities of a place, working with what is there already.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Michael Bridgewater (Efford community organiser) stated “We discovered who we were, what we needed and what we were capable of”. Socially engaged projects can contribute towards providing a sense of purpose, and setting up sustainable community activity – steps need to be taken throughout the project to avoid ‘learned helplessness’ and ensure genuine succession, skills development and sharing \/ transfer of social capital.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Rory Shand (Manchester Met) and Sam Jones (Homebaked) both referenced the potential for projects and communities to involve themselves in generating the branding messages around an area. This strategy touches on a high number of the qualities of empowerment listed above – including around positive self-image, changing the perception of others, feeling part of a group, having decision-making power and redefining our relationships to institutionalised power. These messages also have the potential to seep out of arts projects and infiltrate a wider public consciousness.<\/p>\n For examples see:<\/p>\n Going to @lightnightlpool<\/a> on Fri, drop by @blackburnehouse<\/a> as they will be serving our pies all night #buysocial<\/a> #morethanapie<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Homebaked (@HomebakedA) May 12, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n
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Re-phrasing our thinking around the word ‘community’<\/b><\/h1>\n
Re-phrasing knowledge transfer as knowledge mobilisation<\/b><\/h1>\n
Artists as observers or those framing moments and activities that are already occurring<\/b><\/h1>\n
Self-realisation occurs through taking part in projects and ‘doing’ it<\/b><\/h1>\n
Branding (or re-branding) as a form of ownership<\/b><\/h1>\n
#MoreThanAPie<\/h2>\n
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