The Centre for Society Building was established in 2010 to assist communities become self-sufficient, publicly engaged, more resilient, cohesive and sustainable.
The Centre was formed in response to a number of developments that include:
- Communities facing enormous challenges as a result of the national deficit and cuts in funding
- Government promoting "Big Society " approaches driven from within communities including developing social enterprise solutions
- Local authorities wishing to continue to play a role in shaping and supporting their communities
- A wish to build strong societies using new competence powers and developing the Total Place Agenda
- The charitable & voluntary sector facing unprecedented challenges & change
- Recognition that "one model fits all" approaches are inappropriate to meet future community needs
The Centre's activities include providing forums and events to exchange ideas and to develop new ways of supporting communities and grass root activities. It also provides facilitation of change both corporately within the public & third sectors and at a local street and neighbourhood level within individual communities.