For the last couple of months, we’ve been sketching, researching, and co-designing with community leaders and members across the country as we begin to imagine what better online spaces for local communities might look like.

While we’re still early in the process, New_ Public’s @samliebeskind shares some of our working hypotheses.

https://newpublic.substack.com/p/exploring-a-new-social-product-for

New_ Public Co-Director Deepti Doshi writes in Stanford Social Innovation Review about how flourishing local digital spaces could be the next major cornerstone of civic infrastructure.

Empowering local community stewards and finding new business models are important steps along the way.

https://ssir.org/articles/entry/investing-in-digital-civic-infrastructure

So with Cohost shutting down in about 24 hours, a note to every remaining social media site: You should totally rip off the "Following" pane.

Cohost had a view where (as alternative to the normal linear feed), it showed everyone you follow, sorted by last post, and you could click to see recent posts. A problem with social media is the more you post, the more space you take up. Cohost "Following" made everyone take up the same amount of space, while still prioritizing recency. A nice compromise

Does your town or neighborhood have an active local digital space?

If there’s a Facebook group or forum where you live, please share New_ Public’s new guide with the moderators. It’s full of fresh ideas for strengthening your community. Thanks in advance!

https://newpublic.substack.com/p/just-launched-your-essential-guide

We’re piloting something new 👀

The Neighborhood Steward Fellowship — an 8-week program bringing together leaders of local-oriented online spaces (e.g. facebook groups, discord servers) to share best practices and explore fun new ideas that might improve social trust and community connection.

If you’re interested, or know someone who might be, apply here by May 20:

https://newpublic.org/fellowship

Are you the creator, admin, or moderator of an online space for people in your local community? Do you strive to make it inclusive, uplifting, and public-spirited?

Introducing our Neighborhood Steward Fellowship!

Deadline: May 20 🗓️

https://newpublic.org/fellowship

We’re seeking admins or mods of online groups for local neighborhoods, towns, and cities. Think: Facebook groups, Subreddits, email lists, and forums.

We want to learn more about these roles, and we’re looking to chat with people in the US who do this work, in exchange for a small stipend.

Please help us spread the word by passing this along 🙏

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdWqGUCz6Jy_2YwYfXtHfjIbt1xCWCsH-l2Uh_QkOXUR5qH8Q/viewform