At People Powered Homes, we’re developing a new community‑led housing pathway to give groups a clearer, faster and more supported route into creating their own homes. The Pathway includes a Foundations stage – a number of workshops which gets a group incorporated and ready to build out a site.
To help us test and refine the early stages, we invited two senior cohousing groups to pilot our Dream Workshop – the first of the Pathway sessions. The objective of the session is to help groups develop a clear vision statement which will become their long term aspiration of building community housing.
For the first activity, the groups stepped boldly into the future, imagining what life could look like in 2031. What emerged was a vivid, heartfelt picture of aging well – not in isolation, but in a community shaped by shared values, humour and mutual care.
The conversation opened with “the why”: worries about loneliness, unaffordable housing and the sense that conventional later‑life options simply don’t fit. One participant captured it perfectly: they didn’t want to end up “the only weird oldie” in a place that didn’t reflect who they are. Instead, they pictured a community of older people living sustainably, supporting one another and enjoying the freedom to be themselves.
The groups also mapped out their “must haves and no ways!” — low‑rise properties, well‑insulated homes, communal meals, shared workshops, pet‑friendly spaces and green space nearby. They were equally clear about what they didn’t want: high‑rise blocks, exclusive environments or anything resembling a “concrete jungle.” Leeds and West Yorkshire felt right — practical, connected and familiar.
We closed the workshop by inviting participants to revisit their “why, who, where, when, what” and begin shaping a vision statement that will act as their touchstone as they work toward creating a cohousing community. A vision that is aspirational yet achievable — a compass for the journey ahead.
We’re grateful for their thoughtful feedback, which will help us improve and develop the Pathway sessions. If you’d like to learn more about community‑led housing in West Yorkshire, we’d love to hear from you.
Contact us info@peoplepoweredhomes.org.uk
