These 9 groups have been selected with the support of our Local Insights Group. In each case they're responding to a local challenge and acting to shape their local environment. This might mean community ownership or use of buildings, greening and growing on land, transforming streets, retrofitting, facilities and hubs, advocacy for housing and greener neighbourhoods, or other types of community asset development.
A programme for community innovators who are transforming Camden’s neighbourhoods by bringing buildings and spaces to life.
%20with%20line.png)
In collaboration with Camden Council, Footwork is running a 12-month support programme for community innovators to turn bold ideas into projects that deliver long-term change for their neighbourhoods.
Over the course of 2026 they will come together in a supportive network, with expert mentorship, a grant of £5,000, peer-learning opportunities, workshops, and the chance to connect with a national movement of inspirational community innovators across England.
Part-funded by the Mayor of London and UK government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
Meet the cohort!
What will 2026 look like?
Over the course of the programme, the cohort will be strengthening their ideas and strategies, deepening their skills and confidence as community innovators and asset developers, and building lasting peer networks in Camden and beyond.
Together with their peers, and with support from Footwork, they will experience:
One-to-one support
Working with a carefully-matched mentor, from a pool of inspiring people and organisations across the country.
Mentors bring their specific expertise and experience to focus on areas in which innovators most need support. Together they will tackle knotty problems, such as: working on strategy; helping with storytelling; developing a funding pitch; or finding ways to measure the difference their project is making in their neighbourhood.
Innovators will also be able to draw on ad hoc support from peer mentors and a wider ‘community of industry’ (e.g. architects, engineers, finance experts).
Being together
Connecting with peers tackling similar challenges - sharing experiences, swapping tips, and building confidence together.
Every few months, innovators come together to celebrate, reflect and learn from peers and practitioners; from Field Trips to inspiring community projects across the country, to taking part in online huddles, and sharing their stories on national platforms.
Read about our January dinner here
Connecting with council partners
Building trust and partnerships with people in Camden Council through ‘buddy’ matches, workshops and peer-led events – to explore ways to unlock their ideas and convene local stakeholders like developers and residents longer term.
Just having someone there saying we believe in you, and you can do it, makes such a huge difference when you are tackling challenging and seemingly impossible situations in your place.
These 10 groups have ideas that take many forms, but in each case they are acting to shape their local environment. This might mean community ownership or use of buildings, greening and growing on land, transforming streets, retrofitting, generating community energy, or other types of community asset development.
You'll likely be meeting challenges in one or more of these areas,
to ensure:
Illustrations by Amy Browne
In collaboration with, and part-funded by, Camden Council:
With additional part-funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund:
Join future People and Place cohorts
Our annual national programme, People and Place, will return in 2027, bolder and better than before, after a short pause to take stock of learnings, impact and ideas from the last 3 years, together with our insights group and previous People and Place innovators.
Want to be notified when applications open? Sign up to our newsletter below.
Interested in supporting or collaborating on this work? Get in touch.
You’ll be aiming to build community power for the long term —
so local people are able to live affordably, sustainably and together.