Yesterday I went along to a meeting of the Space Makers network, which (read more...)

Last Saturday’s Localgovcamp in Birmingham provided me with a blindingly-obvious insight. If we want to use social media to improve public services and local democracy, build social capital, and tackle every other known social ill, innovatively (of course) in the face of spending cuts (inevitably) then there isn’t one big idea and intervention that will work. It’s about cultivating the whole of the digital British garden.
We need community websites and blogs, lots of work inside councils, mashing up of data, research, better connections, and all the other things that were talked about on the day.
Totally obvious … and in the world of physical renewal we’ve got used to say environmental AND economic AND social AND working with a mix of interests. (read more...)

I’m currently working for an enlightened public sector client in London who wants to help local people use social technology to help maintain and extend improvements to their neighbourhood made in recent years. That could involve building on existing networks, promoting local activities and organisations, supporting collaborations … even pushing for more localised services.

Not surprisingly one of the ideas is for a community web site, supported by social/community reporters. It’s just the sort of thing that Will Perrin is promoting through Talk About Local - to be based in Birmingham - and Gary Copitch through People Voice’s Media, currently in the North West.

As a first step I said I would provide a list of key points for officers to discuss with potential community website developers and reporters. I wanted something that would cover the ground, but not be too off-putting. We could add in more detail once we saw where the main issues would be. This isn’t a “how to” guide for community activists … or (I hope) an over-cautious approach for a local council. It’s a set of conversation-starters. (read more...)