Dr Dick Atkinson – the chief executive of the Balsall Heath Forum – has caught the imagination of many politicians from many different backgrounds. The forum covers Balsall Heath, the priority neighbourhood which is ahead of the Birmingham city average in terms of:
- NI1 – community cohesion
- NI4 – community empowerment
- NI5 – neighbourhood satisfaction.
When Home Secretary, Labour’s David Blunkett was looking for good examples of how communities can tackle poverty and dissent he quoted Balsall Heath Forum as an positive example:
…the Forum shows what can be done when the drive and initiative of local people is harnessed to a vision for their own community. They recognised that each of us is dependent for our prosperity and fulfilment on the wider community of which we are a part.
Before he became leader of the Conservative Party, David Cameron visited Balsall Heath to learn from Dick Atkinson. One of his predecessors, Iain Duncan Smith, gave a Chamberlain Lecture in 2006, saying:
Government needs to ask itself whether some of the enormous sums it spends in local neighbourhoods on public services and welfare could be more effectively channeled through proven community organisations like Balsall Heath Forum.
If you want to understand why Dick Atkinson’s views are so sought after please come to the Chamberlain Lecture at 4pm Friday afternoon (October 16th 2009) at The Council House in Victoria Square, Birmingham. He will share the stage with Melissa Shervington of First Class Youth Network, an organisation which engages young people who wouldn’t normally talk to mainstream public agencies and develops young leaders with the aim of transforming public services.
- Constituency: City Wide
- When: Friday, Oct 16th 2009, 16:00 to 18:00
- Where: Chamberlain Room, The Council House, Victoria Square, Birmingham B1 1BB
- Open to the general public: Yes – all welcome.
- Contact: info@chamberlainforum.org
