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Began an active engagement with the civic sector in 1991 after pursuing a career in the computer and communications industry. The purpose of Democracy Project, began in 1991, was to encorage people can gain control over their lives in the face of the runaway forces of dysfunctional political systems and global capitalism.
Currently chair of the trustees (and an initial founder in 1991) of the Scarman Trust a major charity in the UK concerned with rolling out practical programmes in the field of active citizenship. Learning by doing is the philosophy and to date the Scarman Trust has awarded grants and more importantly, brokered support to some 700 citizens in cities across the UK to tackle issues in their communities and to engage with the local authority in attempting to forge a new partnership of government and people. In partnership with a new Millenium Commission initiative, this programme will be accelerated in the next 3 years with 1500 new citizens each year joining the programme.
A director of Charter 88 from 1991-1996, this campaign had a major influence on the Labour Party in incorporating (in part) the constitutional reform agenda into their policy. Whilst there is still a long way to go, the campaign can be regarded as one of the most successful in the political domain in playing a part in the establishment of a parliament for Scotland and an assembly for Wales as well as the incorporation of the European charter of human rights.
A trustee of Scott Bader 1996-2001 and Chair of Trustees 1999-2001, this £100 million chemical company was established as a commonwealth by its founders in 1951. Its role is as a prototype and model of trusteeship in industry in which the power of shareholders has been removed and all concepts of ownership vanquished so that the focus can be on the well being and development of its members and the provision of goods and services for the well being of society in a socially responsible way.
A director of UK Citizens On Line Democracy, a charity researching the ways in which new media technologies can be integrated in the mechanisms and processes of representative democracy.
GlobalNet Trust - Chair of Trustees (1998-1999)
The trust aims to further the education of
young people in all aspects of journalism and the media, including
new media, with a view of fostering a new ethic in these fields
of "public" journalism" that will contribute to
a more balanced and positive media throughout the globe.
Scott Bader Commonwealth - Chair of Trustees (1996 - )
Scott Bader is a £100 million multi-national
company in the chemical industry specialising in high performance
adhesives and coatings. It has a unique structure in that it
has, since 1951, been held in trust collectively by the employees
for the time being whose democratic powers are defined by a written
constitution. The Bader family is world renowned for having covenanted
the business in the Scott Bader Commonwealth in 1951. The constitution
lays down that the goals of Scott Bader are to demonstrate that
human dignity and social justice and successful business are
not in conflict and actually support and empower each other.
The concept of trusteeship is designed to facilitate this. Social
goals include developing new participative and co-operative ways
of working in the business and a commitment to stakeholders and
the wider community. A commitment to respect the earth's resources
is explicit in the constitution. As trustee and chair of the
trustees, introduced 4 initiatives to engender engagement with
the social purposes written in the covenant. The latest involves
bringing in the Charity Commission to update the constitution
and promote the Commonwealth to its leadership position in the
world.
UK Citizens on Line Democracy - Company Director (1996
- )
The strategy is to establish this organisation
as the first point of contact for any UK citizen interested in
the relationship between electronic communication and democracy.
The first Internet seminar was held on the subject of the European
Monetary Union and an Internet site has been established for
the 1997 general election.
The Scarman Trust -Chair of Trustees (1991 - ) & The
Charter 88 Trust (1991-1995)
The trust objects are to further political
& constitutional education generally with a specific remit
on citizenship and the relationship between and mutual responsibilities
of the citizen and government both local and national. The Trust
had a number of eminent founding trustees including Lord Scarman,
Lord Lester and Helena Kennedy QC as well as people holding chairs
at British universities. I was acting as Director in 1995 with
a brief to establish a mission for the Trust for the next 5 years.
I initiated a specific programme "Learning Democracy by
Practising Democracy" and recruited a Director to take this
forward. The trust's main programme in 1998-2000 is "Can
Do Democracy" - which harnesses the experience, expertise
and enthusiasm of communities and moving spirits in those communities
to work with local government in creating local solutions to
local problems. The trust was awarded £1.2 million by the
Millennium Commission to run this programme. The Trust's constitution
was broadened to incorporate new objects. The Trust has now awarded
grants and more importantly, brokered support to some 700 citizens
in cities across the UK to tackle issues in their communities
and to engage with the local authority in attempting to forge
a new partnership of government and people. In partnership with
a new Millenium Commission initiative, this programme
will be accelerated in the next 3 years with 1500 new citizens
each year joining the programme.
Charter 88 - Company Director 1991-1996 (continuing on
council 1997-99)
Charter 88 campaigns for reform of our political
and governmental structures and is non-party political. It has
been very successful as can be seen by the present government's
legislative programme. As a Non-Executive Director in 1991, I
helped Charter 88 to establish a professional and legal infrastructure
including a charitable arm - The Charter 88 Trust. In 1992, as
a full time executive director, I proceeded to develop the financial
and organisational structures. In 1993 and 1994 as a non-executive,
I have contributed to the development of strategy and set up
(and chaired) the Finance and Fund Raising committee. In mid-1994,
returning as a full time executive director, I led the fund raising
and worked with the Chairman of the Charter 88 board, David Currie
(Deputy Principal at the London Business School), on evolving
the governance of Charter 88 to develop a more effective organisation.
I contributed to the development of Business 88 - a marketing
campaign to leaders in industry. I have also represented Charter
88 on radio and television.
World Voices an
organisation of young students and graduates challenging their
peers to re-think their careers and lifestyles
Radical Consultation an informal
organisation and conference campaigning to bring organisations
in society back to "Human Scale" so that moral relationships
can be resumed
Brainwaves a private company applying
sophisticated attitudinal research techniques to a range of issues
in commercial enterprises to provide management with a view of
the diversity of their employees and to use that diversity to
achieve some collective goal.
Thirdsectorbarter a new organisation
in the domain of alternative currency systems offering internet
barter exchange between businesses and third sector organisations
and assisting in the packaging of products and services to be
bartered.
Tel: 01793 77 22 14 Fax: 01793 77 25 21
e-mail: john.papworth@btinternet.com
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