Archive for the 'Youth Engagement' Category

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MF&RS on Facebook

Published on 19 January 2010 in Facebook, Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service, Social Media and Youth Engagement. 0 Comments

Following the meeting with Steve Haw from Formby, I met with the Publicity Officer, Communications Officer, New Media Manager and ICT Infrastructure Manager about using Facebook within MF&RS.

Straight away we were informed that allowing every station access to Facebook regularly would not be possible at this time, this is due to the large amount of bandwidth Facebook takes up due to the media content (videos / photos / applications, etc), this may have a detrimental effect on other core functions that requires bandwidth. This however is subject to change in the future, opening up new opportunities.

For the time being, we discussed opening up a Facebook Page for Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service. The page would inform the public about news and events, as well as issue safety advice and useful contact details. It would also enable the public to ask the questions directly and receive a personal response.

Before setting up the group, a Social Media Policy must be in place to safeguard and inform staff on the correct procedures.

CYP Online Advisory Board

Published on 7 January 2010 in Youth Engagement. 0 Comments

An idea which I find extremely appealing is the launch of a Children and Young Persons Advisory Board. This board would be made of selected current and past participants on the Youth Engagement Programmes run by MF&RS, such as Prince’s Trust and Beacon). They would not only moderate and advise on the content of our online space (i.e. Facebook) but would also offer advice, information and answer queries that are sent in.

Having been through or currently completing the program, it is their point of view that is most valuable, knowing what will appeal to other people in a similar situations to them and to highlight how the programmes have effected them personally.

This is something I would like to look into in more detail and speak one to one with the young people about what they think.

Using SmartBoards

Published on 16 December 2009 in Youth Engagement. 0 Comments

I attended a one-to-one session yesterday with Nancy Waine from Knowsley City Learning Centre. We looked at various ways the SmartBoard can be used for education and professional use. I was extremely impressed at the endless capabilities and the various scenarios in which it could be used effectively.

I now want to look at how the SmartBoards that we have can be used to engage with C&YP and assist their learning and also how they can be used in presentations and training.

Project Plan

Published on 14 December 2009 in E-Safety, Emerging Technology, Facebook, Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service, Projects, Social Media, Topics and Youth Engagement. 0 Comments

Video Diary / Podcast

Programme – Huyton Prince’s Trust

Team – Richie Evered, Jade Cotter

 Giving students the facility to create video diaries / enhanced podcasts:

  • Track progress throughout the 12 week course
  • Provide evidence of activity for log book
  • Creating an online ‘e-portfolio’
  • Ability to evidence work placement activity
  • For use in the final presentation evening
  • Reflective log

Continue reading ‘Project Plan’

Google Doc’s

Published on 7 December 2009 in Information Management, Links, Projects and Youth Engagement. 0 Comments
As I have wrote about it an earlier blog, I have investigated setting up an email account for each Prince’s Trust student as part of the program. This is so they can use the e-mail account for applying for jobs , training or education as the accounts that some of the students are using now may not be suitable for professional use. I looked at Google Mail and decided it was the most suitable due to the ease of setting up an account and also so that the students can continue using the account after the course has finished.
Building upon this I have looked into the other applications that Google offers. One in particular is ‘Google Doc’s’. This offers users various software to create documents, spreadsheets and presentations free of charge as well as an online storage space.

 

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I want to start looking into utilising these applications so that when the young people need to ammend or send their CV’s to someone, the CV is easily accessible and editing it is simple, espeically from access points other than home, such as libraries.

Positive news about technology!

Published on 3 December 2009 in Emerging Technology, Facebook, Social Media, Topics and Youth Engagement. 0 Comments

The BBC must have seen my post yesterday about Facebook receiving bad press… Today there is an article about how technology such as social media, blogs and text messaging is giving young people improved writing skills.

Johnathan Douglas from the National Literary Trust said “Engagement with online technology drives their enthusiasm for writing short stories, letters, song lyrics or diaries.” (BBC)

Typing on a laptop

 

By building up young peoples confidence using social networking, blogging and video diaries, it will then enable the young people to approach potential employers and trainers whether it be by phone call, letter, email or in person.  Every-time a person writes a comment on somebodies Facebook wall, sends them an email or even a text, they are practising their communication and writing skills with out even knowing it.

Wiggly Wigglers: A Success Story

Published on 2 December 2009 in Emerging Technology, Facebook, Information Management, Knowledge Management, Reference, Social Inclusion, Social Media, Topics and Youth Engagement. 0 Comments

 

Wiggly Wigglers is a company that cropped up more than once at the Digital Britain briefing. Heather Gorringe founded the sustainable gardening business in 1990. Based on a farm in rural Herefordshire, she started selling worms for compost bins and now has a turnover of £2.5m offering everything from goats’ hair socks to plants and bird food.

Using online technology, Heather made her business a success. Being based on a farm, she had no passing trade therefore relied on the internet. She states ‘To us, there’s no difference between DM, email, web, blogs, podcasts, videos and Facebook – they all bring us feedback and sales’.

Another key move in her path to success was letting customers being a part of the idea generation process. They built their catalogue within a private wiki web page where customers request what they want, for example one customer requested a push lawnmower which Heather had not thought of, but it ended up being an excellent addition to the range. Having communication and engagement with the customers allowed the business to grow, using simple online social networking. Keeping up interest with blogs and podcasts, Wiggly Wigglers is still growing.

The speakers at the briefing used this success story to highlight how big a part broadband played in this story, and without it rural areas, small business such as farms, are getting left behind and being put at a disadvantage.

Along with this I see this story as an excellent example of what can be achieved using social media. The use of blogs, podcasts and social networking on Facebook and Twitter creates interest, engagement and communities. By combining the use of all these resources one person can tell a message to a million people, the opportunities are endless and there isn’t a better time to get on board than now!

Website – http://www.wigglywigglers.co.uk/

Blog – http://wigglywigglers.blogspot.com/

Podcast – http://www.wigglywigglers.co.uk/podcasts/

Twitter – http://twitter.com/wiggled

People’s Voice Media

Published on 1 December 2009 in Emerging Technology, Social Inclusion, Social Media, Topics and Youth Engagement. 0 Comments

Gary Coptitch, Chief Exec of ‘Peoples Voice Media: Connecting Communities’ gave a presentation at the Westminster Briefing.

 Who are they…..?

  • PVM are a ‘not for profit’ community development organisation that uses social media to support digital inclusion and online social networking.

 What do they do….?

  • They support individuals and communities to have a voice, and to create relationships and dialogue, forge new relationships and develop their own solutions
  • Aim for individuals to become the ‘Reuters of the Community’ enabling communities to create content for themselves and for a wider audience

 Objectives….?

  • to provide opportunities for people to develop ICT skills, access information, contribute to their communities and participate in society
  • to highlight community activity, bring people together and support community regeneration through the use of Social Media
  • to build the capacity of the community and voluntary sector, providing information and promoting services utilizing current and emerging technologies

 Gary stated that technology does not just mean computers, he talked about ‘technology on the pocket’; mobile phones, cameras, audio and video recorders. He stressed that anyone can create content whether it be a video clip with no audio, just an audio clip, just text and picture or all these things together. Each person is different and so is the content they create.

He works with individuals and other organisations to create audio application forms and video CV’s and working together to make them widely accepted. There are many jobs where the candidate does not need to be able to read or write, see or hear, and therefore there should be an application process which matches this.

 PVM also have Social Media Centres that run Drop-in sessions, accredited and informal learning and training, ability to access and create a social space and have peer support. They have community reporters who create the content, dialogue and discussion for community websites, community newspapers, e-newsletters, Internet TV and Internet Radio Stations.

 In particular I found Gary’s summary very useful and believe it is in such a format that I can apply to the work that I am doing:

 Involve:

As many people as possible

Create:

Content that is relevant, user generated and multiplatform

Discuss:

Create dialogue and discussion online and offline

Promote:

Distribution channels up, down and sideways

Measure:

Through qualitative and quantitative evaluation

 To find out more go to the website http://peoplesvoicemedia.co.uk/ or the Twitter http://twitter.com/peoplesvoice

‘Why do we need a Digital Britain?’

Published on 1 December 2009 in Emerging Technology, Information Management, Knowledge Management, Social Inclusion, Social Media, Topics and Youth Engagement. 0 Comments

I attended a briefing called “A Digital Britain for Everyone: Innovating Public Service and New Business Opportunities through Access and Skills for All” last week in London.  The briefing was about having broadband and computers in every home across Britain to help families, communities and small businesses take advantage of modern infrastructure.

Something which has stayed with me from the briefing was one of the first questions that was asked: ‘Why do we need a Digital Britain?’. In response to this the speaker showed this quote by Charles Darwin;

“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.”

This idea of adapting to change stands out to me, I am frequently questioned upon the need for internet and emerging technologies in education and it is often those who are resisting change that ask. However those who are adaptable to change are the ones who are benefiting the most.
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This is something that I will keep in mind when presenting new ideas to others, and ask them to also consider this.

 Further details on the speakers will follow

What are ‘Emerging Technologies’?

Published on 25 November 2009 in Emerging Technology, Facebook, Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service, Projects, Social Media and Youth Engagement. 0 Comments

With regards to MSF&R Youth Engagement I consider the use of Web 2.0 technologies such as blogs, podcasts and social networking to be ‘emerging technologies’.

Although these ideas have now been around for the last couple of years and have been embraced by some, it is only recently that these technologies have been recognised as potential tools for educators and implemented into the educational system. Therefore I strongly believe that despite these technologies being well established in our lives, the inclusion of them in education is still emerging.