UKriders

Well, after a bizarre day of floods, snowdrifts and storms right over Ottery St Mary now is a good time for staff at COSMIC to be reviewing our emergency procedures and flexible working. Our offices were unaffected by the flooding, but we escaped the water literally by feet - the pub next door was flooded and has a massive clean-up job on its hands. 

I had already made a commitment to others to write a feature on disaster recovery, back-up procedures and how flexible working arrangements can help with business continuity … well today I have more to offer in developing that feature and its certainly risen up the ‘to do’ list!

For more news on the weather and conditions in East Devon yesterday take a look here

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/7701372.stm

      

The Government has just released an action plan for consultation about how to bridge the digital divide.

You can access the document online at - http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/communities/deliveringdigitalinclusion

The consultation period runs from now until 19th January 2009 and so its important to make sure you get your responses back to CLG in time for them to consider them fully. 

The main issues covered in the paper are: 

• 17 million people in the UK are not using the Internet 
• there are strong links between social and digital exclusion – 75 per cent of socially excluded people are also digitally excluded 
• there are opportunities to provide more effective and better targeted services to excluded groups and communities using technology 
• considerable work is being done by government, public, private and third sectors to promote digital inclusion, but there are still gaps and opportunities 

One of the opportunities is for government leadership which provides a clear set of principles and a framework for action to ensure that all sectors are clear about their roles and how they can contribute to strategic goals. 

But what should any such principles and framework for action focus on and how should they be carried forward? 

There are proposals to 

•  introduce a Charter for Digital Inclusion creating a framework that will facilitate conversation and understanding between the various players and encourage positive cross-sector engagement on this agenda; 
• appoint a Digital Inclusion Champion who will develop, embed and promote the Charter, support the digital inclusion needs of the most disadvantaged citizens and communities, maintain a strategic oversight of the issues from the point of view of the excluded citizen and work with all sectors to identify the evidence of emerging issues and options for actions to address those issues; 
• establish an expert taskforce with representation from all sectors to support the role of the Champion; and, maintain a cross-government coordination team, to complement the work of the Champion and support the valuable and ongoing role of the Cabinet Committee 

      

There’s some great work coming out of Knowle West Media Centre in Bristol who are working on their Carbon Makeover programme. Here are a couple of the projects already underway and creating lots of interest - 

www.green-footprints.org.uk 

Working with local resident Mil Lusk, KWMC have co-conceived and created 
this website which allows local residents to order vegetable seed 
plugs (germinated seeds) online, view latest stock, learn more about 
seasonality and get active themselves by joining a ‘my back garden’ 
scheme. 

They have also created an administrative GUI (graphical user interface) 
where Mil can grow vegetable seeds on demand, dynamically monitor and 
maintain her business online; including order summaries, payment 
tracking, seasonality info and compost quantities. 

—————–

www.green-medicine.org.uk

Working with another local resident Akilah Nuru, they have created a 
website where local residents and the wider community can understand 
the medicinal qualities of plants in direct correlation to common 
ailments, share advice and narrative with each other via an 
interactive (web 2.0) forum and buy plants from Green Medicine 
(allowing Akilah to build up a small business from sale of products). 

Both of these projects have scalable elements – which can be used in 
other neighbourhoods and regions should anyone be interested? 

—————

Green Homes 

KWMC are creating a website called Green Homes where local 
residents can sign up for a free* Energy Performance Certificate 
(subject to funding), understand the connection between being more 
energy efficient and saving money lowering environmental impacts. gather information on 
potential savings, grants and other home improvements. They hope to report 
something on this project soon.

For further information from KWMC and for contact details please visit -www.kwmc.org.uk

      

Yesterday I went along to the meeting of the Funders Forum hosted by the Funding South West group meeting and presented to those present a paper outlining how funders can improve their investment in ICT for organisations including ideas about how they could adopt good practice in supporting organisations prior to bids being submitted. 

As a result of the meeting I am now working on a factsheet which can be circulated around by funders (and infrastructure organisations) about the good practices for developing ICT budgets and what to include in your bids. I will post a copy here once its ready too. 

Also at this meeting was a demonstration of the new resources being promoted by CIB South West (Charities Information Bureau) - its funding database and an associated bulletin (George) which organisations in the South West can subscribe to for regular and updated information about sources of funding. I will be regularly providing them with information about ICT funding.

      

Your Regional Champion is working with a number of lead organisations in the area to develop and run a number of workshops which aim to provide extra training and support for development workers and their understanding of ICT. The workshop will include information and activities about using the internet effectively with groups, fundraising online, web 2.0, training needs, and ICT Health Checks. 

If you are a development worker or you employ someone in this role for your organisation then please get in touch to find out more about these workshops and when they are running. 

Call on 01404 813226

or email julie@cosmic.org.uk

      

Well, here’s the view from the BBC on how things are developing at the moment - interested in views from elsewhere….

www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/technology/2008/10/is_blogging_dead.html

      

A new draft version of the Regional ICT Strategy has now been developed and is currently in circulation with the lead organisations at sub-regional level so that they can review the document and its strategic objectives, ahead of full consideration by the regional partnership later this year and early in 2009. Anyone with a key interest in the strategy and its development please do get in touch!

      

Government has pledged a new £300m scheme to help the poorest families make more of the internet - Broadband for All. Each family which qualifies will receive between £100 and £700 to help fund their connections. 

For more news on the plans for a national programme to support low income families in their use of the internet - see here

http://www.ispreview.co.uk/news/EkkuVAkZluRiYpjFDa.html 

      

info 2.0

NCVO’s flagship information management conference

24 November 2008

 

Are you up to date with the latest developments in social media and web 2.0 functionality?  What are the best ways your organisation can connect, both internally and externally?  How can your organisation ensure you are making best use of new media to better serve your beneficiaries?

 

We have recently seen a huge change in the way in which we connect with our audiences.  The rise in new media, new ideas, new networks and new technologies has led to techniques such as blogging, podcasting, wikis and twittering.  Harnessing the potential of web 2.0 can seem daunting at first, but embracing new media can improve the way voluntary and community organisations communicate, advocate, campaign and provide services to their beneficiaries.

 

This is the second one-day Information Conference from NCVO and will look at how organisations can make best use of recent developments in social media to meet the changing needs and expectations of their audiences.

 

With the first-ever NCVO presentation delivered live from the US via skype, alongside inspiring, energetic plenary speakers, break-out sessions, and experts in their field, delegates will get the information and advice they need to make sure that they are able to fully exploit all these opportunities for their organisations.  This conference is aimed at all those working within an information role in the voluntary and community sector.

 

For more information or to book a place, please visit www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/infoconf08.

      

At this week’s Enterprising Solutions Awards, which look to identify the best in social enterprise in UK, the overall winners were the Phone Co-op which is based in Oxford but very well represented here in the South West. 

The UK’s only telecommunications co-operative has been named the country’s best social enterprise. The Phone Co-op saw off tough competition to be judged the overall winner of the Enterprising Solutions Awards and claim a £10,000 cash prize. Now in their tenth year, the Awards are provided by the Social Enterprise Coalition in partnership with the Office for the Third Sector and aim to celebrate the UK’s most successful social and community enterprises. The Phone Co-op won this year’s contest after impressing the judges in combining continued growth over ten years in a notoriously competitive sector with ethical and environmental policies. The Phone Co-op has been hugely successful in a competitive market, and has enjoyed a steady growth over the past ten years - it now has 15,000 customers, a share capital of £2 million and a turnover of £7.5 million.

Their main office is in a converted pig farm in Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, and they also have an office in Manchester. They apply ethical and environmental policies to all aspects of the business, including operating a transparent pricing policy and promoting greener travel. 

The Phone Co-op is keen to spread their success around and set up two separate funds to support the growth of new and developing social enterprises.

Vivian Woodell, CEO of The Phone Co-op, said “We are truly honoured to receive this award. The Phone Co-op set out to prove that the co-operative model could be applied in an industry which is now a fundamental part of modern society. Our success and continued growth demonstrate that consumers and businesses alike are increasingly interested in using suppliers with a fair and sustainable approach to business.”

      

On 25 and 26 November, the Digital Challenge winner, the city of Sunderland, will invite audiences from across the UK to attend the National IT in the Community Conference. Staged in the city’s Stadium of Light, this national conference will demonstrate the use of digital technology and innovation to promote social inclusion. The conference will also show the importance of the integration of technology, community engagement, empowerment and capacity building programmes.

 

Delegates will be shown examples of innovative community development approaches, and hear evidence of how putting local people and the community and voluntary sector at the heart of the decision-making process is a key factor in building cohesive and empowered communities.

Delegates will have the opportunity to view social and digital inclusion programmes from the public, private and third sector perspectives. They will hear of the radical interventions for digital equality currently championed by DC10plus and there will be plenty of opportunities to engage, debate and network with like minded practitioners, and subject leaders in the form of workshops.

More information

www.itinthecommunity.com

There are some free places available for delegates from the voluntary and community sector.

      

Lead DC10plus member, Manchester, will play host to an audience of senior strategists and decision makers across all sectors at the Next Gen 08 conference on November 4th.

 

Next Generation Broadband

Next Generation Broadband Access (NGA) is a hotly debated topic featuring widely in the media and the conference - backed by the Community Broadband Network in partnership with DC10plus and the Connected Neighbourhoods Forum plans to give a comprehensive review of the NGA debate - from politicians to broadband providers and community groups.

The Independent Review of Next Generation Broadband - the Caio Report will also be presented, the Digital Charter will be launched and guest speaker Huw Irranca-Davies, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State - Minister for Digital Inclusion will be delivering a speech on the digital equality action plan.

More Information

For more information about the conference, visit:
www.broadband.coop/Next-Gen-08-Conference/

      

DC10plus is a collaborative network of local authorities and partners dedicated to creating partnerships, sharing best practice and developing new initiatives. It was initially formed from the finalists of the Digital Challenge competition.

 

Aim

It aims to promote social inclusion through the use of technology. The DC10plus vision is to be a network for change; helping local authorities and their service delivery partners to empower people and connect through technology and innovation.

Activities

It has identified seven key activities which underpin itsvision and ongoing strategy:

• Next generation connectivity
• Independent living
• Flexible Working
• Digital environment
• Digital switchover
• Communities building capacity
• Regional Engagement

To coincide with their second year of activity,they have introduced a new and improved website: www.dc10plus.net

To encourage interaction and contributions from visitors, the web site is based on a content management system (CMS) and has been designed to allow plenty of scope for visitors to contribute to the digital inclusion debate through the blog and also by submitting content.

      

A renewed call for everyone to make use of the great resource developed and supported by our friends over at LASA - the ICT Knowledgebase. 

On the system you will find a really excellent resource for information, advice, features and articles on just about everything ICT.  In fact according to the wonderful Miles there are over 300 useful articles to search and benefit from. So if you haven’t been lately (or at all!) then make your way over to the Knowledgebase today and learn something new.

      

Effective Assessment of Problems at Computer Workstations

An AbilityNet Workshop

Employers are required to have a process of workstation assessment for all employees who use computers. When this process identifies a problem, or the employee reports a difficulty, the employer must further assess the situation in order to recommend and implement any necessary changes. This course aims to help those involved in workstation assessments respond effectively to reports of a problem and develop suitable solutions.

“This course provided me with so many new ideas and also gave me more confidence in my ability to carry out assessments.” Occupational Health Nurse 

Dates coming up for this course are -

Monday 13th October 2008 – City University, London

Tuesday 14th October 2008 – Hewlett Packard, Bristol

For more information about the content of this course download Effective Assessment of Problems at Computer Workstations course information (PDF 491KB).

To book a place on this course please email courses@abilitynet.org.uk or call 01926 464095

Switched on Communities

Our Switched on Communities Project are also running the following course

“I.T. & Learning Difficulties”

Supporting individuals with a learning difficulty in the voluntary sector  

Computers can help an individual and tutors get the most out of their abilities whether they want to manage their work and communicate more effectively or explore their interests.  This course is aimed at voluntary sector workers on a budget wishing to equip themselves with information on software and solutions that can help those who have alearning difficulty. At the end of the course, you will have a greater awareness and practical knowledge of how the computer can be used to help address and support individuals. 

Friday 14th November

The course will take place at the following location –

Swansea Discover IT Centre (Leonard Cheshire)

Swansea Vale Resource Centre 
Ffordd Tregof 
Swansea Vale 
Swansea 
SA7 0AL 

Please call 01792 791920 for more information or to book a place 

Helen Liptrot
Administrator

Tel: +44 (0)800 269 545

Fax:  +44 (0)1926 407 425

Web: http://www.abilitynet.org.uk

      

The September issue of the NCVO ICT Development Services (ICTDS) newsletter can now be found online -

http://www.icthub.org.uk/newsletter/September_08_Newsletter.html

As you’ll see, there’s lots of information about social media in action and how its impact is being recognised at a national level.

If you would like to subscribe then email ictresources@ncvo-vol.org.uk.

DC10plus reports that two new projects have been launched in Sunderland, which offer communities virtual networking.

 

FlashMeeting allows people in any location with access to the internet to hold a virtual meeting. Users receive a link to the web address and a password then simply click on the link to enter into the meeting at the arranged time. While waiting for their time to speak users can contribute by using text chat, the whiteboard or emoticons and vote on issues raised in the meeting. Replays are instantly available.

Hexagon uses the same base technology as FlashMeeting but meetings are not scheduled or recorded and sessions can be left open.

More information

http://www.sunderland.gov.uk/wherepeoplematter/

To support better joining up and coordination of the National Support Services, a new training and events calendar is now available on the Improving Support website.

Easily searchable by region, topic and date, this online calendar holds details of training and events being run by the nine National Support Service workstreams and SKiLD.

Courses range from bringing human rights to life and bite-sized workshops for leaders, through to training in marketing, PR and data protection.  To find out more about this, please visit the Improving Support website today.

If you haven’t already been for a visit or subscribed to the top quailty newsletter then please take a look at the work being done by SustainIT on ICT and sustainability. An excellent resources of news and inspiration -

http://www.sustainit.org

Heres the link straight to this month’s newsletter

http://www.sustainit.org/sustainit-newsletter/newsletter.html

 

Lasa has announced that version 1.0 of the ICT standards and skills guide has been released. Titled “Improving Circuit Rider Service To Voluntary And Community Organisations ~ Tools To Build Circuit Rider Competencies” it was authored by Marc Osten and informed by UKRiders, the advisory group, conference attendees and a host of others. It’s available to download over at

 

http://www.ukriders.info/training-and-standards/icthub

Following a section on the rationale behind the Guides there are 5 VCO ICT standards:* ICT Planning
* ICT Infrastructure
* ICT Implementation and Maintenance
* Staff and other Internal Stakeholder Communications
* External Constituent Communications

Each standard is described and competencies which Riders require to assist the VCO to achieve those standards are listed. The guide can be used by Riders engaged on a skills development programme (formal or otherwise) to assess their needs and then use the Personal Learning Plan. We’ll be piloting the Guide as part of the London Region ICT Infrastructure Project (see

 

http://www.ukriders.info/training-and-standards/lriip ) but they’re also hoping that it will be valuable to other Riders around the country. As mentioned this is version 1 - please let them know any feedback on the content or structure.

For more information please contact -

Ian Runeckles, Circuit Rider, Information Systems Team, LASA
www.lasa.org.uk
020 7426 4473
Skype ian.runeckles