It is a big couple of weeks for the LifeSwap project. What started as a small project to help Councillors understand a little more about the lives of the more vulnerable young people in their care is about to get a lot bigger. Yesterday we saw copies of an excellent Read more…
The Edge, "the newspaper on youth work and youth affairs for local authority elected members from The National Youth Agency", have published a very nice article (page 7) about LifeSwap. One correction is needed from the article – the next LifeSwap won’t be Mids-Beds at the end of June. It Read more…
The Russell Commission is moving on. Yesterday, the vwell funded charity recommended by Russell was launched. It is called v and their website is at www.wearev.com. It is a vnice website and vwell branded. At the moment the site is about providing information about the organisation and I’m sure over Read more…
Congratulations to Stephen Hilton from Bristol City Council consultation team who won BT Innovator of the Year in the Government Computing Awards. A Gallomanor project, CampaignCreator, seemed to feature as part of the reason for winning, but overall I imagine it’s Stephen’s attitude of "Do it until someone tells you Read more…
Last week I was invited to speak to a Citizenship Co-ordinators Network event in Bristol. It was held at a City Learning Centre at Brislington College and the facilities were superb and, judging by the number of students who tried to get into the computer room where we were meeting, Read more…
The Audit Commission announced last week a new toolkit designed to help councils benchmark their success in engaging their community. The press release is a little short on the detail of what the toolkit consists of but the aims are clear and worthy.
This poster stopped me in my tracks as I left Westminster Tube stations a few weeks ago. The design was striking and the copy was spot on. They are simple and strong and, I think, they convey the frustration many young people have with the way they are perceived by Read more…
Gillian Simmons, from England’s most northerly council, Berwick-upon-Tweed, was telling me about their youth engagement plans for this year. The council is supporting a venture between Berwick High School and a local music company PFL Studios. The venture Berwick Music is setting up a music festival in July. Students at Read more…
A cracking idea from the Conservative Party. Supporters (or not) can send in their 30 sec clip about how they would improve their local environment and the best will feature in one of the Conservative Party election broadcasts. Excellent way of involving people. For it to truly work though they Read more…
As part of the launch of The Electoral Commission and Hansard Society’s Audit of Political Engagement 3 there was an event at Portcullis House last night. A full house got to hear the offerings from: Sam Younger (Chair) – Chairman of the Electoral Commission Dr. Philip Parvin – Hansard Society Read more…