In 2013 Isandla Institute started an initiative to conceptualise a civic academy, as mooted in the draft National Development Plan. The idea behind the civic academy is that through direct community involvement in neighbourhood planning and city planning, neighbourhoods and cities become more inclusive, liveable and sustainable. The civic academy seeks to develop structured learning opportunities to strengthen community activism and leadership in the interest of achieving better spatial outcomes in poor urban settlements; it also seeks to facilitate learning between representatives of municipalities and communities. Isandla Institute has engaged in iterative processes of research, consultation and proposition development to develop the concept and build broad-based support. This is an ongoing initiative.