The Burnley Community Data Co-op has been working with Active Burnley, Burnley Youth Theatre, and The Participation Works meeting thousands of residents across parks and leisure centres in southwest Burnley and Padiham this summer, to ask their opinions on what can be done to get more people outside to enjoy the fabulous outdoor spaces in and around Burnley.
The response has been brilliant, and their ideas and feedback are now going towards shaping an exciting new project for Burnley in 2023, called The Burnley Outdoor Project.
Over 800 people have shared their views, with over 600 joining the Burnley Community Data Cooperative. That’s around 3% of South West Burnley and Padiham's 16+ population. All in less than 10 weeks.
We think this is the 1st research project in the UK where the profits have been given back to the communities who participated in the research, as voted for by members of a co-op! And the Burnley Community Data Co-op members have demonstrated that it is possible to own and monetise their data for community benefit.
In November The Burnley Community Data Co-op asked their new members which community project they would like all the profits from this project to go towards. Five were shortlisted from twenty-one put forward – using the criteria that to go forward they had to have 3 or more proposers.
The shortlist was Burnley Community Grocery, Gannow Community Centre, Outdoors 4 all Together, The hub at Padiham and West End Community Centre.
The winner? It was a tie between Burnley Community Grocery and Outdoors 4 All Together!
Both will now receive £750 each before Xmas!
HOW CAN MORE PEOPLE GET INVOLVED IN THE BURNLEY COMMUNITY DATA CO-OP? To join up as a member of the Co-op just click here:
If you are a commercial or public sector organisation and want to commission a new research project and support the people who live and work in Burnley, or anywhere else in the country, give Quentin a call on 07970458436 or drop him a line on quentin@communitydatacoop.co.uk
Remember the Co-op is a not-for-profit research organisation, owned by its members (i.e., the residents of Burnley) and shares all its profits back into community projects as chosen by the members.