■ Master Class 1:

Engaging Communities to Drive City-Wide Change

Communities collaborating with local government, practitioners, and academics can drive city-wide change — upgrading communities with a people-centered, sustainable urban development approach. Boonyabancha shares her philosophy, proven strategies, practices, and case studies for engaging community members as active actors in neighborhood upgrading.

Somsook Boonyabancha is Chairperson of the Asian Coalition for Housing Rights (ACHR), Former Director of the Community Organization Development Institute (CODI), and Chairperson of the Baan Mankong Program Committee. Based in Bangkok, Thailand.

5 video(s) found

4:00

Collective Planning: Putting People At The Center

Summary

Boonyabancha describes the process for engaging stakeholders developed by her team in Thailand, and how collaboration between local government, residents and other community stakeholders has lead to more successful, equitable and sustainable urban development in cities throughout Thailand.

Discussion questions

In what ways is the approach described similar or different from approaches you / your org/ your city have taken in the past?

Is there a current neighborhood, community, or project where you could envision trying this?

What would be potential challenges of this approach in general, or specific to your city?

What would be potential benefits of an approach like this in general, or specific to your city?

Bio

Somsook Boonyabancha, is Chairperson, Asian Coalition for Housing Rights (ACHR), a regional network of grassroots community organizations, NGO’s and professionals actively involved with urban poor development processes in Asian cities; former Director of the Community Organization Development Institute (CODI); Chairperson, of the Baan Mankong Program Committee.

Boonyabancha has been working and facilitating sustainable, equitable collective housing development and slum upgrading in Thailand and other Asian countries for 30 years – specializing in community-led initiatives. As director of CODI, she fostered a “city-wide” approach to community upgrading that has been replicated in cities across Thailand. She is based in Bangkok, Thailand.

4:15

Going to Scale 1: The Power of Community Networks

Summary

Cities in Thailand have fostered collaboration between community members, civil society, government, and academia for greater success in sustainable, equitable development. Community groups mentor and support one another, building a powerful network of learning and empowerment between communities that improves the city overall.

Discussion questions

Are there places in your city /your region/ your work where you use Big Sister communities to guide Little Sister communities about particular issues or practices?

Is there a particular subject area in your city/ your work where you think it would be useful for communities to advise one another?

What are existing barriers to connecting communities, civil society, government and academia? How could those barriers be addressed?

Bio

1:50

Going to Scale 2 : One Project to Change A City

Summary

When community members, local government, practitioners and academics collaborate on one urban development project, they build relationships and a knowledge base that can inform and energize numerous other projects throughout the city. In this way, one project can change the city.

Discussion questions

In what ways does your local government function in the same way as national government? In what ways does it not? What are the pros and cons of each?

What could it mean for local government to "lead city development working with the people?"

Why invite representatives from many neighborhoods, and local academics, to perform a citywide survey of possible locations for a project, when you only have money for one project?

What is the downside of having more people involved in planning one project, and what could be the upside long term? Do you agree that it may increase the chances that one project is the beginning of a larger set of projects and not a stand alone, one-off?

Bio

Somsook Boonyabancha, is Chairperson, Asian Coalition for Housing Rights (ACHR), a regional network of grassroots community organizations, NGO’s and professionals actively involved with urban poor development processes in Asian cities; former Director of the Community Organization Development Institute (CODI); Chairperson, of the Baan Mankong Program Committee.

Boonyabancha has been working and facilitating sustainable, equitable collective housing development and slum upgrading in Thailand and other Asian countries for 30 years – specializing in community-led initiatives. As director of CODI, she fostered a “city-wide” approach to community upgrading that has been replicated in cities across Thailand. She is based in Bangkok, Thailand.