In September we trained a group of citizens to use Flip cameras, so that they would be able to record events as part of Birmingham Local Democracy Week website. We documented this over at the Local Democracy Week website, and last week we sat down with some of them for a chat about how it all went and what they were able to capture.
One of the most striking things which came out of the conversation was how many of the active citizens interviewed think that what they do is unremarkable. But some of the stories which came out of this, like Claire Spencer’s interview with Local Hearts Award winner Luke McClean, show how dedicated so many people are to improving their communities. Read more
All are based in the former North East Coventry NDC area – which is now served by a social eneterpride thre Moathouse Community Trust. The passion of the people we worked with is what always draws me to working directly in neighbourhoods with active citizens.
For example, we have been working Tracey Thorne, the neighbourhood manager in Handsworth, to help her blog about her neighbourhood. We built this site for her and gave her training and support. In less than a year she’s posted more than 100 posts and there have been nearly 70 comments. Tracey’s site has been visited by nearly 5000 different people this year, with them looking at around 32,000 pages. Two thirds of those visits are from the Uk – and of those more than half are people in Birmingham.
This is testament net to Tracey’s determination make her site work ann to the benefits of thinking long term – Sites like hers are a journery – sometimes you can do that on your onw – sometiems you need the support and encouragement of others.
plus a couple more that are coming on soon. As Tracey puts it:
I really wish them luck with these blogs and encourage them to blog as much as they can about Handsworth…the more we all blog about it the more we raise the profile and allow the rest of the world to see the wonderful spirit of people in Handsworth
Keep these sites going will take commitment and I suspect some extra support. But I love helping people head down this path. If you think we can help get your community groups online then contact us.
An intelligent community is not about size or wealth or the super speed of your internet connection. Not about hi tech companies or research institutes, twitterati. Read more
I’ve just started a blog for the BBC on hyperlocal websites. It emerged from a meeting which Will Perrin organised between local Birmingham bloggers, the BBC’s Head of English Regions David Holdsworth and Laura Ellis – both of whom had been my bosses when I was at the Beeb.
We were discussing the best way for the BBC to connect with an understand the growing movement of very local, or hyperlocal, blogs. I suggested at the time the BBC started blogging about these sites. The why is pretty straightforward.
Something I had learnt back in 2005 when I started the Grassroots Channel Podcast (which told the stories of active citizens in Birmingham) is how making media about people is a great way to establish relationships. Through interviewing people for a podcast two things happened, I established stronger relationships with them, but they also started connecting with each other. The simple idea of understanding each other better and, to a degree, sharing a platform.
It was the case I was making last week at the new currency event. Storytelling is about connecting people and we hope to help do that through this blog. We will concentrate on the wider West Midlands region and the sort of blogs that interest me are outlined in the first post here. Besides taking an interest in the bloggers, what they write and why they do it, I’ll also be talking to a number of BBC newsrooms and production teams and introducing people.
I’m really looking forward to this. I have a passion for both the BBC and for people who use various forms of social media for civic good. I think they’re natural bedfellows. We shall see.
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