Bishop John was one of the key speakers at a real show of people power and community led change at St Georges Hall this week. He said that citizens organizing is about releasing the ‘power with’ and ‘power within’. The bishop set out his belief there is power in working with those who hold leadership roles in the society but ultimate power lies within every citizen.
Liverpool Citizens is a broad-based civil society alliance of faith, educational, health, housing and third sector organisations within Liverpool. As part of Citizens UK, Liverpool Citizens works to make change for the common good through the method of community organising. This involves building relationships across difference, listening to people in communities about the issues they are facing, taking action and building relationships with decision makers to make change.
The Founding Assembly was attended by 600 people, along with key decision makers from Liverpool and the Liverpool City Region. These included Mayor Steve Rotheram and leader of Liverpool City Council, Liam Robinson, Graham Urwin, Chief Executive of the NHS Merseyside and Cheshire integrated Care Board, and Richard Hoare, Area Director of the bus company Arriva.
These decision makers were addressed by local people who told them directly how their lives are impacted by issues including the cost of living, inadequate public transport, poor access to health services, and neighbourhood issues. Speakers included children and young people making direct asks for change on specific issues. The decision makers made commitments to work together with Liverpool Citizens, including in making Liverpool a real living wage region, working to ensure all school children have access to mental health support in schools if they need it, and improving bus services for particular communities affected by inadequate bus services during peak times.
In speaking about the ‘power with’ and the ‘power within’, Bishop John spoke of the importance of organising citizens as God wants every human to flourish. He also took the text of Jeremiah 29:7 reminding people that God calls us to seek the welfare of the city where God places us. God works for his creation in partnership with humans to bring the new world order that is his Kingdom. Jesus, he said, sets an example for community organizing, gathering people and building a people’s movement for change.
You can find out more about Citizens UK here https://www.citizensuk.org/ and if you are interested in getting involved with Liverpool Citizens then contact Senior Organiser, Catherine McCarron catherine.mccarron@citizensuk.org
