Resilient, Mutual self-help in cities of growing diversity

In cities of growing diversity a complex and dynamic set of variables have led to new patterns of settlement and community dynamics that pose challenges to civic engagement and call into the question the feasibility of models of participation based on representation. Mutual self-help models based on membership offer a different lens to understand participation. Whilst self-help activities clearly promote active citizenship and sit well with the Coalition Government's "Big Society? agenda, with its emphasis on volunteering, they pose questions in terms of their role and ability to enhance community resilience and mitigate against some of the risks associated with the co-existence of groups from different vantage points. To date the "Big Society? agenda has tended to present an unproblematic account of participation and empowerment of communities and fails to give consideration to existing inequalities of power, economic, social and cultural capitals which can mediate and determine levels of self help activities as well as wider civic engagement. It is important to think about the starting points of different communities and ways to engage disempowered and under the radar groups if the "Big Society? is to move from concept to reality without further marginalising disenfranchised members of society which could only serve to undermine rather than strengthen community resilience.