Community organising has provided
an important development model
for over 50 years. From its early
years in Chicago it has spread across
North America. Initially this was through
the Industrial Areas Foundation created
by Saul Alinsky. However, a range of
variations on the original model quickly
developed, the most famous of these
being ACORN (Association of Community
Organisations for Reform Now) founded
by Wade Rathke. Variations on community
organising are now found in India, South
Africa, Australia and the UK, where it has
influenced policy discussions around the
idea of the Big Society and is leading to
the recruitment of 5000 new ‘community
organisers’.