Interactive assets map
The project created an online visualised interactive map which details the assets of the community through the eyes of the people who have experience of, and who live within, the community.
www.iriss.org.uk/kirkintilloch
The people involved in the project categorised assets using their own language. The following categories were identified:
- Food
- Health and wellbeing
- Organisation
- Outdoor space
- Physical exercise
- Religion/spiritual
- Shopping
- Social Space
- Volunteering
Rather than being static moments in time it is important that the map changes to reflect the group of people who are using it. This map can be explored, added to and rearranged by people in the community. In addition, the assets defined by the people involved in the project have been tagged according to categories that they came up with and are therefore more meaningful to them.
The interface allows individuals to add assets as they go, comment on other assets (through a moderator) and also upload pictures (especially useful when people are new to an area). We have also linked the map so that there is a mobile application, which is freely downloadable to all smart phones. This means that people can view and add to the map when they are out and about in the community.
The map itself will continue to be a work in progress, with more and more people adding to it and changing the shape of what it looks like.ย By doing this, we can gather insights into how things are changing over time and hopefully keep the energy and enthusiasm of the project alive.
Beyond developing a map, the process was designed to promote connections or relationships between individuals, between individuals and organisations and between organisations. Commonly people (practitioners and people who use services) talked about being inspired to try out new things and of being inspired by listening and working together with others.