Later this month we are running another social reporter training programme, building on the work we have done for Birmingham Local Democracy Week and the Black Country Take Part Pathfinder.
This time our work is funded through the support Birmingham City Council gives to Neighbourhood Forums in the city . The details are below and you can download them here. If you want to come contact: Read more
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
If you have a stinking brook in your front yard what do you do? Margaret Bannon of the Bordesley Green North Neighbourhood Forum took advantage of the Neighbourhood Performance Reward Grant (NPRG) – a £10,000 pilot programme – to allow residents groups more control over money. This youtube video shows you briefly what happened in Margaret’s neighbourhood and the audio podcast expands on what was done and what was learnt.
The NPRG was created by the Birmingham Community Safety Partnership and is currently being evaluated by the Digbeth Trust.
As 2006 ends & 2007 begins the Grassroots Channel offers up some shorts. Six pithy episodes which simply outline the different passions of people involved with the Birmingham Community Empowerment Network.
Birmingham Passions three: Varleen McFarlanne Banf, Valentine Sakala Jubilee Debt Campaign, Jean Glenn Selly Park South Neighbourhood Forum.