From 2015 to 2017,  Shared Assets worked with groups of community enterprises within a number of local areas to support them to develop local economic development plans. The Community Economic Development Programme was funded by DCLG, the Department for Communities and Local Government, and led by Cooperatives UK and the New Economics Foundation to support an asset based approach to local economic development. 

In 2015, we worked with three community organisations in London: Somers Town Community Association, Forest Recycling, and My Complete Focus CIC. Our team helped them identify the things they wanted to change about the local economy, and develop plans for actions and projects that might make those changes happen.

In 2016/7, we worked with Vassall and Coldharbour Forum, a partnership of different organisations in south London, who aim to create a more prosperous community. The forum was particularly interested in how they could support people with good ideas in the community to set up projects and businesses, bringing people together to radically improve their neighbourhood as a place to live, play and work.

Shared Assets delivered the Community Economic Development Programme by delivering training, tools and resources to support local economies. Through the programme, we identified short and medium-term projects that built the power of community groups, as well as identifying longer-term changes and interventions that could create more fundamental and sustainable change in the community. Our strategic experience allowed us to host mobilisation and organisational workshops, and develop implementation plans that promoted the long-term sustainability of the projects we supported.