Oursociety on UserVoice

Create local maps of existing activity [updated]

2011-05-21T07:20:44-07:00

Simple, Our Society already exists! We aren't building something new. Voluntary and community groups, CVS', CABx, Volunter Centres, Community Development Workers and more have been building Our Society for decades. Bring together and work with exisitng local support providers to map what activity and coverage already exisits in a geographical area.

Louise Francis said:

We (http://www.mappingforchange.org.uk) have been working in the area of mapping, public participation and Geographical Information Systems ( GIS) for over 10 years. We have done much of the hard work involved in developing the necessary tools that are accessible and user-friendly to support the kind of needs expressed in some of these posts.

Mapping is a powerful way to engage local communities as well as visually represent their information, helping to draw new links and ideas. An on-line map and directory provides an effective alternative to the static directories of old and offers a new way to highlight local facilities and resources. The ability to access an interactive map that provides information on anything from health services to education, support organisations to transport, provides a way in which people interested in their community can find out what is going on and those operating within the community can promote their services and activities is very valuable.

Furthermore, mapping provides a mechanism to communicate community-gathered (‘local’) information to highlight social and environmental issues and priorities.

We have developed a web based mapping platform based on the Google Maps Application Programmers Interface as well as a process of engagement which enables communities and organisations to visually represent their information, helping to gather and exchange knowledge, create an evidence base for local needs and provide evidence on the local impact of a range of interventions.

As a social enterprise we work with communities, third sector organisations and the public sector to map out what's really happening at the local level. We already have a number of Community Maps (see: http://www.communitymaps.org.uk) with a variety of different focuses. We would be happy to discuss/collaborate/assist anyone interested in using our Community Maps platform to highlight and bring together existing local support providers, projects, groups and activities.

l.francis@mappingforchange.org.uk

Create local maps of existing activity [updated]

2011-04-10T03:31:40-07:00

Jeff Mowatt said:

The technology is there - the hard part is collaboration

http://code.google.com/apis/maps/

Create local maps of existing activity [updated]

2011-04-09T23:33:05-07:00

Jeff Mowatt said:

@AnneMarie, I've got a featured project on ThePlaceStation but many report difficulties in logging on to support. They may not be arriving from Facebook

http://www.theplacestation.org.uk/proposal/23001-1001-parkend-community-hub

Associated with this is a hyperlocal site focussed on community development:

http://forestofdean.socialgo.com/

There's a site where hyperlocal community sites are listed but having submitted two, after several weeks they are still not visible and I suspect the site is defunct..

http://openlylocal.com/hyperlocal_sites

Build real-time ‘Living Community Maps’ of community experience – so we can see where action is need

2011-03-30T06:30:06-07:00

Matthew Kalman suggested:
London’s new ‘Waterway Treasure Map’ http://www.thames21.org.uk/treasure/default.php – though quite basic – has recently shown the feasibility of people marking problem issues – and much else – on a map, followed up by local activity (in their case, regeneration of the banks of various waterways in London). Though the most advanced such maps – using ‘softGIS’ technology, and high response rates – seem to be getting done in Finland (eg Helsinki Happiness Map etc). I outline the ‘Living Community Maps’ idea here: http://bit.ly/geXBTR – and talk about some of the similar ideas that are out there. I'd appreciate your feedback :-)

Create a Pledge Pot [updated]

2011-03-10T22:01:47-08:00

Many of us have issues within our communities which are un(der)funded, and yet we are passionate about them and can see the socio-economic benefits they would bring if money was available. My issue is broadband. As a business, it is costing me money to not have it. Alone, I can not invest enough to make it happen but with my neighbours, potentially we can raise money to matchfund, borrow etc. My idea would be a website with a simple backend database to harvest data such as name, address, amount, Parish, email. Front end would show a map of each parish in the UK, with a running total for that specific issue that has been pledged within the Parish. District and county councils totals could be shown too. The private data behind the site - names and contact - should only be shared with the Parish Council. The amount pledged can be kept confidential as it should not be considered a commitment per se.

GuyJ said:

Great idea!

Those communities who are prepared to step up and put their own money forwards rather than just sit back and whinge must be applauded and supported.

It might be a good idea to differentiate between pledges of grant and pledges of loan - i.e. in many communities folks are looking for a way to get a return on savings as an alternative to banks, buy to let etc.

Create a Pledge Pot [updated]

2011-03-10T07:39:25-08:00

PhilT said:

"t was told it is illegal to take money for something that isn't built" - they were having you on. Think of collections for village hall rebuilds, church spires, etc - they're all collecting for a future activity. A fund with some sort of trust requiring the money to be returned if it doesn't go ahead would cover it.

Create a Pledge Pot [updated]

2011-03-09T13:47:42-08:00

Lindsey Annison said:

You aren't taking money. It's a pledge to allow people to indicate how much they would be willing to invest should a project go ahead.

Create a Pledge Pot [updated]

2011-03-09T10:39:57-08:00

cyberdoyle said:

great idea. I raised something like this at a recent community meeting but was told it is illegal to take money for something that isn't built. If this is a way round it then it is most welcome. We are gonna have to JFDI ourselves, otherwise we will be on the digital scrap heap along with all the other countries clinging to copper phone networks.

Create a Pledge Pot [updated]

2011-03-09T08:38:41-08:00

Lindsey Annison said:

There can be an explanation of the different models which would give a return eg investment, co-op, shares etc. As a business, I can write off a pledge that becomes a solid investment against tax, and presumably with the right instrument, contributors could use Gift Aid to extend the contribution.

It is time councils etc realised that we want to take control and do not necessarily believe that large corporations are the right vehicle to deliver services to communities. Nor are they the most cost-effective, short or long term.

Create a Pledge Pot

2011-03-09T08:33:43-08:00

Lindsey Annison suggested:
Many of us have issues within our communities which are un(der)funded, and yet we are passionate about them and can see the socio-economic benefits they would bring if money was available. My issue is broadband. As a business, it is costing me money to not have it. Alone, I can not invest enough to make it happen but with my neighbours, potentially we can raise money to matchfund, borrow etc. My idea would be a website with a simple backend database to harvest data such as name, address, amount, Parish, email. Front end would show a map of each parish in the UK, with a running total for that specific issue that has been pledged within the Parish. District and county councils totals could be shown too. The private data behind the site - names and contact - should only be shared with the Parish Council. The amount pledged can be kept confidential as it should not be considered a commitment per se.

Create online noticeboards as hubs for community ideas [updated]

2011-03-02T13:48:20-08:00

Show community groups, networks, individuals how to use a service like wallwisher to make a free online open-access pin-board for their area. This is a great way to publicise what you are doing/thinking/planning, and for others to see at a glance everything that's happening around them.

John Popham said:

There are a number of ideas in this sphere which we could do with aggregating, including http://johnpopham.wordpress.com/2010/08/15/big-society-community-noticeboards-part-4/

Help groups and individuals break into London-based decision-making processes [updated]

2011-03-02T11:40:11-08:00

Not all decisions need to be made in London, but those which are should be open to public scrutiny via live streaming, blogging & tweeting, and expenses need to be paid to allow those not based in London to get to meetings there. More at http://ning.it/fcwI1q

David Wilcox said:

A someone based in London I'm privileged by easy access - but constantly struck by the relatively narrow range of people and perspectives in events. The Big Society and social media circuits are good places to meet up with friends, but not challenging enough in terms of what really works on the ground.
I'll commit to exploring ways of addressing this through nudges to organisers, reporting, and any other ways we can think of. Anyone else interested?

Create online noticeboards as hubs for community ideas [updated]

2011-03-02T03:05:19-08:00

Graham said:

Interested in this, although here in brighton the amount of activity already around is fairly overwhelming - would be nice to have a searchable/filterable "portal" that aggregates all the feeds available. Would anyone be interested in taking this as a "starting point", or even just kicking some ideas around?

co-produce public services

2011-03-01T08:47:05-08:00

Catriona Robertson suggested:
Combine expertise of local community with that of public sector orgs to co-produce better quality public services. Results in systemic learning by public sector (less silo-y, more 'whole systems') and increased capacity of local people to determine what happens locally, to be part of the solution, rather than a problem to be fixed.

Speak truth to power - challenge actions that diminish society [updated]

2011-03-01T04:37:48-08:00

Jeff Mowatt said:

I know it's going to be difficult to illustrate this impact of speaking truth to power when we do most of our impact creation overseas but as you may read from my article comment today on Social Enterprise magazine there are impacts now visible where speaking to power has resulted in change to government policy.

http://www.socialenterpriselive.com/section/news/money/20110301/obama-looks-uk-while-launching-1bn-impact-investment-fund

These are illustrations of impact in the context of your suggestion not meant as any blueprint for a way forward or any priority. I'm offering examples of how it's been able to lead to change.

What I can demonstrate are impacts which begin by pitching to or challenging those in power. Another example is the impact of persuading a government to adopt childcare policies which then lead to a 40% increase in domestic adoption,

These are all individual and quite complex stories which can be related in separate threads.

Help groups and individuals break into London-based decision-making processes

2011-03-01T03:22:08-08:00

John Popham suggested:
Not all decisions need to be made in London, but those which are should be open to public scrutiny via live streaming, blogging & tweeting, and expenses need to be paid to allow those not based in London to get to meetings there. More at http://ning.it/fcwI1q

Start mapping "Our square mile" [updated]

2011-03-01T03:14:47-08:00

A square mile is a familiar measurement and a popular concept. Currently, it's being used in a formal way by at least 2 projects (by the Big Society Network's Your square mile and by the arts project 1mile2). But everyone's square mile is different. Let's start mapping our own square miles in a flexible, overlapping and inclusive way.

Cathy Aitchison said:

You can also join the "Our square mile" group on Our Society.
http://oursociety.org.uk/group/oursquaremile

Links for the other projects mentioned:
http://thebigsociety.co.uk/big-society-in-action/ysm/ (Your Square Mile)
http://www.square-mile.net/ (1mile2, or one mile square)

Speak truth to power - challenge actions that diminish society [updated]

2011-03-01T03:14:20-08:00

AllanW said:

I’m uncomfortably aware that by taking the step of responding to your posts I may be helping to create some sort of mild conflict but as the only result will hopefully be that I’m perceived to be a little slow on the uptake I’ll take the risk. I don’t apologise for attempting to be clear about what is being said or what is being proposed as, in my experience, effort spent on these activities is almost never wasted.

Taking your second example first, is your phrase ‘tackling the obstacles’ intended to mean that your objective/idea for Our Society concerns affecting the desires, actions and possibly even structures of the whole of ‘business’ and ‘local government’? Do you really mean for me to interpret your post in this regard to encompass the wholesale change of these vast areas of society to more closely orient them to be positive levers in support of devolved power rather than being in your view those ‘who want least to share’? If so, you may need to give me a little more information before I’m in a position to support you wholeheartedly. Just a little; join the dots for me between your link on the one hand and the need to reform most of society on the other. Because you may think that the link you provided speaks for itself and in many ways it does but if I were being uncharitable I might construe it to reveal merely a ‘green ink’ letter inserted in a local newspaper concerning the provision of broadband services in the countryside. I’m in need of more guidance as to how this illustrates a breakthrough in ‘speaking truth to power’.

As for your first example, which part do you want us to address first? Putting how ‘capitalism can be deployed for social outcomes’ as the ‘core focus for a community development strategy plan’ because once again that needs just a teeny bit of unpacking in my opinion before it’s ready to be a systemic blueprint for the whole of society. Or taking back the initiative that in your view the British Council usurped in the Ukraine in order to reinstall ‘both us and the children identified as the greatest need’? Which do you think should be the highest priority?

Jeff, I may well have a good deal of sympathy for what might emerge from the fog generated so far but until I can clearly grasp what it is you mean, what genuine learning points they hold that are applicable more widely or more effectively in different contexts and how these advances can be applied by this group in brief or in concert, I’m at a loss as to what your points may mean for this group or how we might move forward on your undoubtedly passionate crusades.

Start mapping "Our square mile"

2011-03-01T03:11:51-08:00

Cathy Aitchison suggested:
A square mile is a familiar measurement and a popular concept. Currently, it's being used in a formal way by at least 2 projects (by the Big Society Network's Your square mile and by the arts project 1mile2). But everyone's square mile is different. Let's start mapping our own square miles in a flexible, overlapping and inclusive way.

let citizens assess public services - eBay style performance management [updated]

2011-03-01T01:51:30-08:00

we could design a system which lets people rate public services as is used on Amazon, eBay, TripAdvisor etc. This would be transparent and so everyone could see what others thought of a service. It could also be used to involve people in designing and improving services and holding local government (and others) to account.

tobyb said:

we've also been discussing this idea on the DotGovLab Innovation Hub (an online space for collaborative digital innovation in the public sector).
it would be great to tie these two strands together - to help bridge between civil society and the public sector to take this idea forward.
if you'd like an invite to join the Innovation Hub (it's open to anyone but you need an invite as it's still in a beta version) let me know and i'll send you one.
toby

Put the technology second and people first! [updated]

2011-02-28T07:54:00-08:00

I'm not saying we don't use technology as clearly it can make a difference. We should use and refine lisitening and recording methods that involve tea and cake and our ears! Once recorded a secondary task is to apply appropruate technology.

Jeff Mowatt said:

Coming back to this, it's the people and their needs first ideal which we're talking about with people-centered economic development as the name suggests itakes the bottom line one step further: to people, past numbers

Are we talking of the same thing?

Speak truth to power - challenge actions that diminish society [updated]

2011-02-28T07:49:00-08:00

Jeff Mowatt said:

Ok Allan, to take this a step further this issue becomes core focus for a community development strategy plan which relates how capiltalism can be deployed for social outcomes, which is the theme David Cameron picks up at Davos. The plan leverages support from USAID and that leads to a relationship with the British Council who determine to implement part of the plan, social enterprise development, under their own banner.. Which gives us something else to speak up about as it omits both us and the children identified as the greatest need.

http://www.britishcouncil.org/ukraine-projects-social-enterprise-development.htm .

In another example it's tackling the obstacles to devolved power which are big business and the people at the local government level who want least to share.

http://www.forest-and-wye-today.co.uk/Letters.cfm?id=5756&headline=Awkward%20questions

Speak truth to power - challenge actions that diminish society [updated]

2011-02-27T02:12:43-08:00

AllanW said:

Thanks for the information contained in the links, Jeff. I'm not at all sure now that this idea is what I initially thought it was; establishing and using a solid and reputable capability to highlight inequality, abuse of power or injustice in a factual manner in order to gain public support for the alternatives. I'm as affected by the orpahanages story as anyone else but you fail, Jeff, to draw the lines to our current situation at home and demonstrate how this example might be useful to us.

Speak truth to power - challenge actions that diminish society [updated]

2011-02-26T11:16:19-08:00

Jeff Mowatt said:

One of our own examples was a challenge and not the first, to organised crime feeding off institutional childcare neglect and speaking out was acknowledged as an Example of Excellence by BT Betterworld.

http://www.justmeans.com/reports/Ukraine--Death-Camps--For-Children/525.html

The same institution described in the article was the subject of a recent Sunday Times piece on the orphanage in Torez, Ukraine.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bp7t7SGPQ9M

Support community and social reporters

2011-02-26T03:26:47-08:00

David Wilcox suggested:
Community reporters use a mix of media to tell stories in a locality, and help others find their voice. Social reporters may do that and also work across networks to make sense, join up conversations, and help others use social media

Run a series of local polls to see what things are the priorities to sort out in each area [updated]

2011-02-25T04:34:30-08:00

Our Society needs to create solutions - and when people have consensus and are focused they'll have the energy to find them, whether it's through reskilling, hacking or convening

AllanW said:

I need more information about this idea before being able to form a judgement.

set up local resident scrutiny panels to agree, monitor and scrutinise performance standards [updated]

2011-02-25T04:33:12-08:00

AllanW said:

I need far more information about what this idea is before making some form of judgement about it.

Speak truth to power - challenge actions that diminish society [updated]

2011-02-25T04:21:37-08:00

AllanW said:

A fundamental part of getting worthwhile active support from people who are likely supporters for any activity you want to promote (voting, turning up to a meeting, clicking a button, carrying a placard, donating money or effort, changing the way they buy, work or play etc) is giving them clear, objective and verifiable information about the options and circumstances. This process is even more important to sway people who are not your natural supporters.

In my opinion, a necessary precursor to 'speaking truth to power' in order to change the course of policy and events is to learn the principles and skills of how to gather, organise, analyse and formulate information in helpful and decision able ways that leads to solidly informed courses of action. Without this foundation, well applied, you run the risk of wasting much of your energy and resources in ill-thought-out initiatives that ultimately detract from your larger objectives by dissipating focus and possibly muddying the waters.

By no means am I advocating wasting time in endless policy/strategy round tables and events and getting the road map in place before any worthwhile action is undertaken (very far from it), it is entirely appropriate to begin activity right now IF the essential work I described above has already been undertaken. And in many cases it already has been; there are no dissenters and the way forward is clear. Then get about the necessary activity.

But what I’m trying to highlight is the danger of going off half-cocked; of letting laudable zeal overcome our more rational minds; of allowing ourselves to be hasty at the expense of ultimate success in the things we want to change. There are plenty of circumstances that are not within our power to control but making amateurish mistakes or allowing avoidable calamities to befall our endeavours is well within our capability to control and we’d be foolish to fail to control those things that we can exercise control over.

Let’s speak truth to power by all means but let’s make sure it IS the truth and it IS spoken in a way that will change hearts and minds in our favour and it IS done from a solid basis not any arbitrary, ideological or overly emotional viewpoint. We owe it to ourselves to do the best job we can not just the one we want to do right this instant.

Develop the Gift Economy for Community Programmes [updated]

2011-02-25T03:36:30-08:00

Sounds strange? Not really. Volunteering is built on this. Read on!! Cash will be almost non-existent for the next five years or so. FreeCycle + TimeBank could be the basis: But trade time, skills, expertise, project outputs, office space and equipment. eBay style 'reputation' tells who 'gives' most so the more your give, you more people want to give to you. It's not taxable, keeps skills within communities and makes the money go furthest.

Peter Roberts said:

That's certainly a possibility. I run a time bank. That's not the same as the 'TimeBank' the BBC set up - which seems to me to be about conventional volunteering. Our national umbrella organisation is Timebanking UK.

There are 44 time banks in London (although who knows how many will be left after 31st March...) using time as a currency to facilitate skills and knowledge exchanges and build Human and Social Capital. Most of us have not gone down a physical alternative currency routes like the Brixton Pound but keep people's accounts in electronic form.

It's the equality of time that makes it untaxable. As an hour of ironing is of equal value to an hour running the country, the currency can't have a market value.

I go to a Greek island twice a year and my own view is that they don't need timebanking because they still have a strong gift culture and reciprocity is built into almost everything. They even have a word for hospitality to strangers. I'm not sure a gift economy would work too well in London. We aren't already all interrelated in some way, go to the same few schools, share the same religion, culture and language, etc.

If you Google Camden Shares you'll find a clever approach to organisation-to-organisation timebanking to share resources that we hope to spread across north London.

Create local maps of existing activity [updated]

2011-02-24T10:46:31-08:00

Rosemary Rodd said:

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&oe=UTF8&start=0&num=200&msa=0&msid=205736801968120429688.0004460c0a88be3ee5594&z=6

is a map showing most of the RSPCA facilities (animal centres, clinics, charity shops etc.) in England and Wales.

Speak truth to power - challenge actions that diminish society [updated]

2011-02-24T09:33:38-08:00

Andy Benson said:

gets my vote and is what we're trying to support and encourage over here at the Coalition for Independent Action - come and have a look: www.independentaction.net

Create local maps of existing activity [updated]

2011-02-24T05:50:16-08:00

ClareWhite said:

We use Google Maps to build up a free map of health, education and social opportunities in North Staffordshire. The map is here icanhaz.com/openlearningstaffs and we've developed some resources about how to create one here http://www.westmidlands.wea.org.uk/building-community-map

Thought this was worth adding as it is a free platform - the big consideration is time for someone to find and add all the points, this is done by a volunteer at our office without whom it would be impossible.

We've had great feedback on the map and it has had high use as we've found that very few people, including within the council, have easy access to this sort of information.

Join up Our Society with Local Gov [updated]

2011-02-24T01:04:27-08:00

Use the Knowledge Hub (www.local.gov.uk/knowledgehub) to bring together the work, ideas and initiatives of Open Society with conversations taking place across local government.

John Popham said:

I'd be interested in what people think about the role of local government in promoting local action given the Prime Minister's announcement this week about opening up all public services to competition. This could see local government reduced to a small, core contractiing agency. Of course, it is possible to argue that this is a great opportunity for local communities and social enterprises to take over the running of their services. And, while we're all thinking about how to make that happen, the big private sector service providers will be dusting down their track records, cutting and pasting from their old tender documents, and working out which office to run your local service out of.

Have a "I need" and "I Can Do" service to match-up capacity with needs. [updated]

2011-02-23T20:18:23-08:00

It should be made easy for people to match-up what they can give with what needs doing. Lets create a facility to make this happen.

jay tee gee said:

Here in my muncipality in Tasmania we are starting to get our heads around the bottom up approach as to the top down. The can do stuff is about not always sourcing the grants etc. BUT to just have the resilence,courage,passion to get on with it. The match-up idea was maybe what was the bit to keep it simple...thank you ! !

Join up Our Society with Local Gov [updated]

2011-02-23T19:32:05-08:00

Use the Knowledge Hub (www.local.gov.uk/knowledgehub) to bring together the work, ideas and initiatives of Open Society with conversations taking place across local government.

jay tee gee said:

I like the idea about the Hub..Some examples of how it worked could/would be hel.pful

Join up Our Society with Local Gov [updated]

2011-02-23T19:30:41-08:00

Use the Knowledge Hub (www.local.gov.uk/knowledgehub) to bring together the work, ideas and initiatives of Open Society with conversations taking place across local government.

jay tee gee said:

I like this idea about the HuB.. A couple of examples of how it has worked could/would be helpful...

Identify help in kind [non ££] within communities - local builders, accountants etc to do wk at cost [updated]

2011-02-23T10:23:41-08:00

James Derounian said:

Assets within communities.....can avoid cost etc. of bringing in outside help; would also foster self-relaince, networking etc....

Identify help in kind [non ££] within communities - local builders, accountants etc to do wk at cost

2011-02-23T10:22:30-08:00

campaign so Parish/town councils tax locally to support BigSoc ventures [updated]

2011-02-23T07:43:40-08:00

There are 8,000+ Parish & Town Councils across England, that can 'precept' (tax)....they should be encouraged to do so in order to 'trigger' Big Soc type ventures

James Derounian said:

I forgot to say that Parish & Town Councils exist in many URBAN (e.g. Birmingham) & rural areas of England.......

Offer "pledges" for small, socially useful tasks

2011-02-23T02:28:14-08:00

Graham suggested:
There are lots of little tasks that would benefit communities as a whole, but often the people with time to do them don't have the motivation, and vice versa. Suggest setting up some kind of service/mailing list similar to either Pledgebank, Mechanical Turk, or Freecycle, which lets citizens list small local tasks they'd like to see, and a small reward (possibly non-monetary?) for successful completion. For example: - Videoing a local council meeting - Transcribing a local council meeting - Creating a list of local facilities relating to something - Clearing up litter in a field - Painting a wall - etc etc The tricky part is probably how to reward people - maybe non-monetary rewards (local currency? reputation?) would avoid various troubles, but need more thought on that - discussion welcome!

Create local maps of existing activity [updated]

2011-02-22T04:14:51-08:00

caseymorrison said:

Hi all. i'm trying to do a quick and dirty GIS map snapshot of VCS activity in york (with help from the city council) mostly by using awards for all grant recipients and the charity commission website. We can do a similar thing with volunteers through the volunteer centre and then make this publically available. Not only would it help identifying gaps with voluntary activity, but would help people have a way into voluntary activity in their localities. I'll read the various blog posts, but anyone done this? got any tips? @yorkcvs

Start hyperlocal guerrilla newsletters [updated]

2011-02-22T04:08:21-08:00

I love those neighbourhood-specific leaflets/updates/small magazines you get through the door. Why not make something allowing people to easily submit to a paper-based, very localised newsletter? Content could include news, opinion, but also stories, poems, photos, etc. Kind of like a big "letters page", maybe, or the back pages of the Big Issue. To make it locally relevant, I'd do the following: 1. Require registration on a website, including the user's postcode (which wouldn't have to be their home postcode). 2. Let users submit content to the site by uploading or linking to existing content they have (i.e. integrate with Flickr, etc.) - suggest limiting this to, say, 3 pieces of content per week/issue, to get people to be selective. 3. Decide (or let people create) hyperlocal areas to cover - i.e. which postcodes/range to cover - for a single newsletter. Each newsletter could be assigned its own moderator(s)/organiser(s) at this point. 3. Moderators then choose a number of submitted work to go into the next issue. 4. Selected work could be assembled into a small newsletter (or a big one?) by hand, or just automatically (like Tumblr, perhaps, but for a document). 5. Print out newsletter cheaply, as many times as you want. 6. Find distribution point(s) relevant to selected area, e.g. library, coffee shop, laundrette, box outside someone's house. Leave newsletters there. 7. Possibly also distribute online. I've no idea what happens after that, but it sounded fun.

caseymorrison said:

Gets my vote! This can be done really cheaply by twitter hashtage/ facbook - and then prnted by a local anchor org (or CVS) and distributed by volunteers. We've had a stab at doing one here:http://streetlifeyork.wordpress.com and it's moving, but we'l see how it goes! The trick, for me, is how to link people with new ideas to existing support structures so that new ideas don't spend all their time setting up legal structures and committees.

let citizens assess public services - eBay style performance management [updated]

2011-02-21T23:04:22-08:00

tobyb said:

thanks for the comments...some thoughts in response from me:

@Andrew - i think this would have to focus (at least initially) on specific, individual services, so it wouldnt simply be a popularity contest (which ought to address your points about a vocal and intolerant majority).

@Annemarie - hmmmm, i dont know. i suspect it would (as above) need to start small and with simple/straightforward services...to get some 'quick wins' and prove value (generate some momentum). there's no doubt countless developments and spin offs from there!

@James - quite so (Urban Forum are about to publish some reserach we've just conducted on community groups' use of ICT & social media which looks at this). however, there are ways round this and just becuase people arent online doesnt mean we should avoid online stuff...it means we should offer more than one way of participating AND help people to get online. Both doable IMHO

:-)
toby

Have a peer mentoring / exchange visit scheme [updated]

2011-02-21T10:47:10-08:00

Its good to have case studies, better to have video case studies, but better still if you can visit a community already doing what you are planning to do so you can watch them and ask them questions. This would match and cover (basic) costs involved.

James Derounian said:

Agree with the 'show & tell' idea.....communities who have the knowledge/skills showing those at an earlier stage in a project what to do; neat & simple idea

campaign so Parish/town councils tax locally to support BigSoc ventures [updated]

2011-02-21T10:45:30-08:00

There are 8,000+ Parish & Town Councils across England, that can 'precept' (tax)....they should be encouraged to do so in order to 'trigger' Big Soc type ventures

James Derounian said:

Hi David -yes MANY parish & town councils already fund community development workers and a range of community projects...e.g. Calne in Wilts & Sutton in Cambs.

Regards
J

Build a humungous aggregator of all the positive good that millions of people have done today [updated]

2011-02-21T06:23:20-08:00

The tiny, but not so insignificant acts of kindness and philanthropy, which if joined together would add up to one heck of a powerful narrative for 'our society'. Bad news happens fast and travels fast, while a good story can take much longer to blossom and bear fruit. Where are the stories of the courageous people who through their own efforts, or with a little leg up, overcome what is holding them back to create a brighter tomorrow for themselves and their communities, one person at a time.

Anonymous said:

London Metro publishes a 'Good Deed Feed' of all the twitter stories people send

Speak truth to power - challenge actions that diminish society [updated]

2011-02-21T03:01:03-08:00

John Farrar said:

I think that this is a critical issue, people are forever being dummed down not to question what is going on, in a strong society we need many more people to develop a critical awareness of the world in which they live, how decisions are made and by whom.

Create 'doing better with less' methods/ideas through online & in-person service co-design/stories [updated]

2011-02-20T13:43:24-08:00

One side-effect of standardised procurement from local/national government is a focus on measurable deliverables and audit, which often create inefficiency and programmes delivering outcomes, not solving problems. We need a place where techniques like 'systems thinking' and movements like service co-design can be understood & used by local groups - then developed into stories and methods which both help others do more with less and also build evidence about what works. This would be more interactive than a library/resource centre, less pedagogic than e-learning.

Mark Barratt said:

Sort of: it sits mostly in the methods corner and is nearest to your vision of the knowledge hub, but with a focus on action. This is different (in my mind!) from the 'library of standard stuff' that Paul proposes at http://bit.ly/h1EEXG. That works well (see our wikiable How-tos at http://bit.ly/fqS4VZ for example) for stuff which is broadly procedural - you need to know how to do it efficiently and effectively. This doesn't help with working out which things you should be doing (because they help people get housed) and which are a waste or counterproductive (because they slow things up or add cost for no benefit). Methods used by business seem unlikely to work with community groups/networks so we need to invent and communicate new ones. Given that this 'thing' doesn't exist it's a little hard to describe...

Have a peer mentoring / exchange visit scheme [updated]

2011-02-20T11:36:39-08:00

watfordgap said:

Thanks Noel - I learn so much quicker by visiting someone, seeing the "case study" in action and thinking how I can apply it rather than just reading it in a book. Have run this sort of scheme for voluntary sector organisions with good feedback all round.

Build a library of standard stuff we all ask about and need to know [updated]

2011-02-20T11:33:51-08:00

We often get asked technical questions about how to use Twitter or set up a Facebook page. Communities may get asked about Volunteer Policies or need standard H&S training. Create a reference library and don't reinvent the wheel!

watfordgap said:

Stuart / Phil - Yes - The key to this is user generated and peer reviewed content. Big Society (and Big Org) can be seen as top down with ideas and toolkits being developed by a few for all. Whilst this *can* work if the material is right and *does* need a national body to disseminate what is better are resources developed by local community organisations and shared for all to access, download and commnet on if they find them useful. The "national org" or the single portal then becomes just the vehicle for serving the content not the reason to exisit itself.