THE PROFESSIONALIZATION OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZING IN THE UK, FROM LONDON CITIZENS TO THE BIG SOCIETY

• Main Author: Balazard, Hélène
• Other Authors: Environnement, Ville, Société (EVS), École normale supérieure de Lyon (ENS de Lyon)-École des Mines de Saint-Étienne (Mines Saint-Étienne MSE), Institut Mines-Télécom Paris (IMT)-Institut Mines-Télécom Paris (IMT)-Université Lumière - Lyon 2 (UL2)-Université Jean Moulin - Lyon 3 (UJML), Université de Lyon-Université de Lyon-Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon (INSA Lyon), Université de Lyon-Institut National des Sciences Appliquées (INSA)-Institut National des Sciences Appliquées (INSA)-Université Jean Monnet - Saint-Étienne (UJM)-École Nationale des Travaux Publics de l'État (ENTPE)-École nationale supérieure d'architecture de Lyon (ENSAL)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
• Format: Conference Object
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2011
• Subjects: [SHS]Humanities and Social Sciences; Iceland
• Online Access: https://shs.hal.science/halshs-03350536; https://shs.hal.science/halshs-03350536/document; https://shs.hal.science/halshs-03350536/file/BALAZARD%20The%20professionalization%20of%20community%20organizing.pdf

International audience London Citizens is a "Broad Based Community Organization" allying member institutions representing faith institutions, universities, schools, trade unions and community groups across London. Since 1996 it runs campaigns in different fields such as housing, jobs, poverty, safety, environment and immigration. London Citizens is recognized as a countervailing force in the city's and country's governance. The organization tries to professionalize its activity while staying grass root. But since the election of Obama, who famously started his political career as a community organizer in Chicago, the brand "community organizing" is highly fought for. In 2010, a key part of the Coalition's vision for the Big Society is the training of community organizers. This paper will analyze the mechanism of this professionalization and its stakes. It will study the interaction between Citizens UK and the Big Society program. It will argue that not only the origin of community organizing as a profession but also the passion fueled toward it, have made it an ambiguous term.