If you looked only at the headline numbers, you might think 2025 was a straightforward year of growth for communities using Made Open platforms.
It was messier than that. Some communities struggled to find their footing. Others encountered unexpected barriers. A few found their rhythm and built steady momentum across the year.
Looking back, 2025 reads less like a smooth success story and more like a journey.
Growth in the over-65 population is expected to place significant additional pressure on local public services with projections suggesting demand could rise by as much as 20% over the coming years. So what are the choices?
It’s a question many public health and community leaders are starting to ask and, with public finances under intense pressure, neighbourhood platforms are looking for new paths to financial stability.
But prevention doesn’t work from top-down, it needs to be community-driven. With peer support, neighbourly action and accessible services designed with people, prevention sticks.
June 2025
In a world where many volunteering platforms are racing to scale nationally, Devon Connect tells a different story — one rooted in staying small, listening closely and staying true to the unique needs of local communities.
We all feel lonely sometimes but prolonged or intense loneliness can harm our long-term health and wellbeing. At Made Open, we're taking steps to reduce loneliness, foster social connections and nurture wellbeing in communities.
Generating income is crucial to cover costs like software, administration and promotion. A steady revenue stream lets you invest in your team and enhance user experience. This blog shares ten strategies to monetise your platform while staying true to your values.
Whether you want to revitalise a struggling community or help a new one get started, good leadership is crucial for success.
In this blog, we share essential skills and characteristics found in leaders of our most successful community platforms.
Why do some online communities thrive while others fail? While technology matters, success relies more on how well you understand and can engage your community.
This blog focuses on the importance of understanding your target audience before you get started.
Community platforms bring people together around common interests and goals. A strong brand builds a sense of unity among community members, making them feel like they are part of something bigger than themselves.
In this blog we talk about the importance of brand building and share tips for choosing the perfect name for your community platform.
There is no one size fits all approach to increasing levels of participation. We help our customers develop a process and an engagement plan to that is tailored to the needs of their community.
Here are 10 points for consideration when developing your community engagement plan.
