Putting differences aside to improve local democracy

<p>Local activism and community engagement can lead to significant changes in local politics, but such change doesn’t come easy. A paucity of community engagement, a serious lack of trust, the need for diversity – these and many other issues can become barriers to change.</p><p><br>But this week’s guest, Peter Macfadyen, has proven that with perseverance, open communication, and a clear vision for positive change, these challenges can be overcome to create a more effective, participatory and community-driven local government.</p><p><br><strong>Three reasons to listen</strong></p><ul> <li>To gain insights into the power of local activism and community engagement in driving political change.</li> <li>To discover the significance of grassroots movements, citizen empowerment, and challenging traditional political structures.</li> <li>To learn about the transformative potential of creating a more democratic and effective local governance system.</li> </ul><p><strong>Episode highlights</strong></p><ul> <li>[00:07:41] British attitudes to death</li> <li>[00:13:58] The story of Flatpack Democracy</li> <li>[00:27:12] Mistakes made early on in the transition</li> <li>[00:31:19] Establishing a lasting change</li> <li>[00:37:10] Finding hope amid political division</li> <li>[00:43:43] Bringing people together</li> <li>[00:48:57] Don't improve the system - build a new one</li> <li>[00:50:40] Takeaways from Dan and Pia</li> </ul><p><strong>Links</strong></p><ul> <li> <a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/flatpack-democracy-a-diy-guide-to-creating-independent-politics-peter-macfadyen/633870?ean=9781899233229">Flatpack Democracy: A DIY Guide to Creating Independent Politics</a> – Peter’s book</li> <li><a href="https://wiki.communitiesforfuture.org/wiki/Flatpack_democracy">The Flatpack Democracy movement</a></li> <li><a href="https://add.org.uk/">Action on Disability and Development</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.thehumanityproject.com/">The Humanity Project</a></li> <li><a href="https://podinbox.com/wenotme">Leave