YouthNet blogs are written by YouthNet staff and volunteers. We write about anything and everything related to our services and interests. We’re a varied bunch, so our blogs are too. Enjoy.

Do-it transfer documentation

Posted on May 7, 2013 by Olly Benson

In March YouthNet announced its intention to transfer Do-it to a new owner. Today, with the Office for Civil Society, we are publishing the specification for bidders, which includes selection criteria and funding eligibility information.  This specification document also includes details about the information sessions that prospective bidders will be able to attend.

We have also released an additional document with comprehensive background information about Do-it to help interested parties better understand Do-it as it currently is.  This document contains comprehensive financial, operational and technical information about Do-it.

Finally, we have published the application form that bidders will need to complete. Applications need to be returned to the OCS by midday on Monday 8th July 2013.

Download Do-it documentation (zipped file 1.4MB)

You may also wish to sign up to the Expression of Interest form that we have previously made live, which includes an option to share your details with other interested parties.

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Across the finish line – congratulations team Run For It

Posted on April 22, 2013 by Ollie Drackford

Yesterday, I had the honour of joining 39,000 other runners of the Virgin London Marathon, supported by huge crowds out in force to cheer us on.

It was my first marathon.   Everyone tells you the crowds are amazing yet you really can’t believe it until you are there, and right from the start people line the roads to cheer you on in the crazy endeavour of 26.2 miles.  This year was particular poignant, given the events in Boston.  It was so moving to take a moment of silence to think of all those affected, and it gave me a real reminder that most were running to raise money to support those in need.  It is one of the world’s largest fundraising event, and it does London proud.

There were around 400 runners who had chosen to run for YouthNet and Age UK to bring old and young people together.  It’s a project I feel passionate about – enabling young people to develop skills and share their online expertise with older people to reduce isolation.  As an online charity, YouthNet is really aware of the benefits of online, and so I really believe more people should be able to benefit from it.  I felt immensely proud to see all the runners with our vests out on the course.  So I want to thank everyone who ran for us, and hope the legs are recovering.

It was also a great day thanks to all of the organisation behind the scenes by the @Runforit2013 team.  It kept me going looking out for our cheering points along the course and the sheer noise they made as you ran past definitely lifted the spirits and motivated me on.  And I am also really grateful to a member of the team who found me afterwards, took my bags and guided me to the reception laid on at The Royal Society.  It was such a great welcome with food, masseurs and a well- deserved seat, and a chance to see everyone else and meet family.

So despite the aching limbs and feeling completely shattered, I am really proud to have been part of the team and exhilarated at finishing.  I have gone from a complete non runner to a marathon runner, and discovered that running can be rewarding.  Though as everyone in the office knows, I  have not found it an easy challenge, and whilst I look forward to a gentle 4-5 mile run later this week, this will definitely be my one and only marathon.  It was a once in a lifetime event which I will remember for a very long time.  however, I will definitely be out to cheer next year and support anyone who choose to take on this mad challenge.

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Cycle of Innovation, by Emma Thomas

Posted on April 16, 2013 by Emma Thomas

Young people are worth investment.  As the CEO of YouthNet, I am lucky enough to regularly meet talented, resourceful and inspirational young people who have used our services and who are helping to deliver and develop our services as they are driven to help other young people.

However, for YouthNet to invest in these young people, we need to invest more in the development of ever more innovative digital services to meet their needs.

We’ve just finished a research and co-creation project that spanned a full year  – really – and involved 1,000 young people.  Our aim was to identify the intersection between mobile behaviour and help seeking behaviour to feed our strategy for developing mobile specific services. Young people were quite clear with their top wishes from mobile services; Motivate Me! Help Me Cope! Make Me More Resilient!

YouthNet now has a robust amount of insight from the audience we serve (have a look at mobilesupport.youthnet.org). We now need to move quickly to maintain the momentum of our work and turn initial concepts into active services whilst they are on the pulse of what young people need.

But, in a world where charities are constantly being asked to do more for less, how can I justify taking resources away from delivering our core services to developing new ones?

That was one of the questions I was able to pose to the panel and audience gathered at YouthNet’s Cycle of Innovation event at the Science Museum this morning.  At this we shared the insights of our Mobile Support project and convened a gathering of corporate and not-for-profit digital leaders to discuss how innovation can be embraced to generate social value.

We were inspired by a brilliant panel comprising: Lisa Bartlett, Head of Income Generation for Brook, Tracey Herald, Head of Community for O2, John Cunliffe, CTO of Ericsson North Western Europe, Jonathan Simmons of Public Zone, Mark O’Neill, Head of Innovation & Technology for Government Digital Services and Asi Sharabi, Managing Director of Sidekick Studios.

Dan Sutch, Head of Development and Research for Nominet Trust chaired our conversation and brilliantly summed up the key learnings at the end:

  1. Focus on process, not just products.  For YouthNet this means working collaboratively with young people and helping us to design services at every step of our journey and also with partners in the corporate world as well as other charities working in the digital space with whom we can share experience and talent resource at every step of the journey. Asi Sharabi, Managing Director of Sidekick Studios boldly advised all to drop the ‘R’ from the ‘R&D’.  That means developing a minimum viable product and sharing it with young people ASAP.  They’ll let us know what works and what doesn’t and we’ll constantly be able to better our services. I think Mark O’Neill from Government Digital Services was advising much the same when he said, ‘don’t try to eat an elephant in one go!’ – so don’t try and immediate replace existing services with new ones.   We need to focus, progress quickly and let one innovation grown into the next to generate invention.
  2. Focus internally on the value of innovation.  I think jaws dropped when John Cunliffe, CTO of Ericsson explained that 20% of the network giant’s 100,000 plus workforce were focused on R&D and that they submit 16 patents a day as they work on their new 4G project. It is clear that there is concensus throughout Ericsson that innovation is vital to the long term sustainability of their company.  Jonathan Simmons from Public Zone strongly advised that the value of innovation needs to be embraced from the most senior to the most junior to foster a creative environment where people are inspired by innovation on a daily basis.
  3. Focus on what’s important. Or, as Mark O’Neil said, ‘Kill Your Darlings’.  If a project doesn’t add benefit to your key audience, it is probably time to walk away.  YouthNet faced this challenge recently when we decided to find a new home for Do-it, the nation’s digital volunteering infrastructure that we built and is a huge source of pride for YouthNet, but as it now serves all age groups takes us away from our mission to support 16 – 25 year olds.  It was a tough decision to make, but moving forward it will enable us to take TheSite, our service for young people, to places we haven’t yet imagined and have a greater impact on the lives of more young people.

I was struck by how inspiring it was to gather with others who have experienced the challenges of R&D and are committed to developing a model where the Third Sector benefits from a funding structure where we can work in an iterative fashion with the trust and investment from our partners – an investment of cash and also and investment of talent and experience.

What next?  Well, YouthNet is committed to gathering a team of young Digital Makers, investors and collaborators  to bring to fruition our mobile insights and develop the services young people have asked for to improve their mental wellbeing when they are on the go.

We’d also like to carry on the conversation with YOU about how all of us in the Third Sector can feel free to take greater risks to yield greater pro-social return.  So please get in touch if you have some thoughts and watch this space….there’s more to come…

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Investment in Research & Design is Vital for Sector, says YouthNet

Posted on April 10, 2013 by Katy Miller

More investment in Research & Design (R& D), in collaboration with the commercial world, is vital for the sector to keep pace with advances in digital technology, says online charity YouthNet.

Which is why, in partnership with Nominet Trust and Ericsson, YouthNet is inviting sector leaders and the commercial world to join them at The Cycle of Innovation event at London’s Science Museum, 10.00am on April 16th, to discuss the importance of R & D within the Third Sector.

YouthNet is the charity behind TheSite, the online guide to life for 16-25 year olds. It is seventeen years since YouthNet became the UK’s first online charity and since then we have continued to innovate, with a new version of TheSite set to launch this year.

However, our ability to implement new ideas and opportunities isn’t as fast as we’d like it to be. We know that to keep up with the needs of the Digital Generation we must emulate the way successful online businesses continuously innovate. We need to be able to invest more in R&D to make the most of new technologies to develop new ways of supporting young people online.

At The Cycle of Innovation event, YouthNet will offer insights from a research project run last year, funded by Nominet Trust, looking at how mobile technology can support young people. YouthNet surveyed young people nationwide to better understand how they use mobile devices.

The project included a series of co-creation sessions with young people and experts from across  Ericsson, O2 and Facebook to generate blue sky thinking innovations to develop new technology to support young people’s needs.

YouthNet’s approach is to empower young people to work alongside us to create innovative new solutions for each other. This is the approach we have begun with our mobile concepts which we want to now develop into a suite of services, but we can’t do it alone.  We want to call on partners in the commercial world to work with us and we believe that this collaborative approach is the way forward for vital R & D in the Third Sector.

Speakers at The Cycle of Innovation event will include: YouthNet CEO Emma Thomas, Claire Brown, Strategic Business Manager for ChildLine, Dan Sutch, Head of Development Research for Nominet Trust, Tracey Herald, Head of Community, O2, John Cunliffe, CTO of Ericsson North Western Europe, Mark O’Neill, Head of Innovation & Technology for Government Digital Services and Asi Sharabi, Managing Director of Sidekick Studios.

In the commercial world, Research & Design (R&D) is an obviously worthwhile investment. It may take time to pay off, but without R&D how else do you develop new products and generate more profits? In the not-for-profit sector, we don’t create profit, but we do create social value. Those of us focused on digital support need to invest in new ways to increase this social value.

YouthNet CEO, Emma Thomas, says: “Because budgets are increasingly tight in the current economic climate, charities often aren’t allowed the space to experiment and take risks and this can prevent us from keeping pace with advances in digital technology and hinder innovation. We believe that greater collaboration between the not-for-profit and commercial world is vital to ensure that a constant cycle of research and design develops new technical innovations which generate further social value.”

Emma continues: “Young people seek support online and therefore it is vital that we keep up with digital technology to provide young people with the online services that they need. I believe that young people are worthy of investment. By collaborating with Nominet Trust and corporate partners on our co-creation project we have gained valuable insights and now the challenge is to develop new opportunities fast enough to still be relevant to young people’s lives.”

Dan Sutch, Head of Development Research for Nominet Trust, says:
“Understanding how charities can use digital technology to support those they work with is vital in better addressing the social challenges faced by many people in our community. However, innovation is about putting this understanding and these new ideas into practice, and that requires time, resource and effort. This is a timely discussion to understand how charities can be supported and encouraged to move through this cycle of innovation, and the role of corporate partners and foundations in supporting charities to use digital technology for social good.”

If you would like to attend The Cycle of Innovation event, please email events@youthnet.org or call Ollie Drackford on 020 7250 5730. You can follow the conversation #CycleOfInnovation

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Our young Virgin London Marathon runners

Posted on April 9, 2013 by Katy Miller

In a little over a three weeks time, after hundreds of hours and miles of training and arguably one of the coldest, wettest winter’s I can remember (!?) around 400 ‘Team Run for It’ runners from all walks of life, will be standing at the start line of the biggest fundraising event in the world. This will be a proud day for everyone at YouthNet and Age UK as official Virgin London Marathon Charities of the Year.

We’re also thrilled that three young users of TheSite, Richard, Emma and Rebecca will be taking on the challenge to support us too. All three young people have been on their own individual journeys with our services, coming to us for support and advice around different personal challenges, which TheSite has helped them navigate them through.

Over the next week, we’ll be sharing their stories and reasons why, on the 21st April, they’ll be taking on 26.2 miles for us. Here is Emma’s:

“I have been a member of TheSite since April 2011. When I first joined I was homeless, the amount of support I received was amazing. The people from TheSite cared and wanted to help me find somewhere safe to stay and there’s always someone to talk to who has been through similar experiences.

“There are also always people there to chat to about everyday life, about the less serious issues just to give a bit of guidance.

“I am running the marathon for YouthNet to raise money for the project, but also as a thank them for all of the help and support I have received over the past year. I hope as part of the team we can raise enough money to make this project work and that will make me very proud. I am also looking forward to the challenge of running 26.2 miles! It’s something I always wanted to do at some point and this is the perfect opportunity to achieve it.”

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TheSite and Dear Deidre!

Posted on April 3, 2013 by Katy Miller

Last month, TheSite were thrilled to join forces with the legendary Dear Deidre from The Sun for a very special competition.

Budding agony aunts and uncles were invited to respond to a ‘dilemma’ with their best advice, along with 50 words explaining why they wanted to follow in Deidre’s footsteps.

We were overwhelmed by the response – receiving over 160 entries, which were whittled down to 10 by TheSite team.  Deidre then chose three lucky winners who would spend a day training with the expert online advisers at TheSite, followed by a day shadowing Deidre and her team.

Clare Foster from our Engagement and Support team headed up the day’s training at YouthNet HQ, showing how TheSite team support young people and putting the winners online advice skills to the test!

The following day was spent the following day with Deidre and her team, learning how they respond to the thousands of questions submitted to Deidre’s problem page each month and discussing the advice they’d provide to real questions from readers. One of our winners, 24 year-old Kelly Jaggard from Chelmsford has written a blog about her unique experience..

“Well, blow me. I won a competition. I’ve never won anything before. Unless you count a rather eccentric yellow, round smiley faced cuddly toy (with arms), which was a raffle prize at a school fair at the age of eleven.  I can tell you, this prize was ten times better.

Thankfully, this competition was based on skill, or talent, if I try to pocket my modesty a little. One of four winners, I provided some empathetic, non judgmental and hopefully, well-balanced advice on a teen worry published by TheSite in application for the competition. Together with a short line on why exactly I did feel the need to try my hand at agony aunt-ism. In short, as I said – I just like to help people through life.

Life is an odd thing; we never asked to be put here, yet we are so exceedingly terrified of not being here, it’s fascinating. For me, I’m scared of loss. Sounds pretty standard really. I am also not so supercilious to believe I am the only person in the world with this issue, but what I do have is the capacity to understand that my fear of loss and your fear of loss may and most likely will have resulted from completely different individual experiences and trauma up until this point in our lives.

I am not just scared of loss in its lone sense, but of how I would (or rather would not) cope with it. The circumstances of how I came to carry this ‘issue’ (we all have issues right?) are not my main focus any more, but it was painful. It has given me this empathy that I cannot really control, sometimes I am thankful for it (such as when a friend is hurting and needs support) and other times I wish I could be one of those colder detached type of chaps (like when I’m crying salty tears into my shepherds pie whilst watching the teatime news).

The prize of being one of the opportune winners of the competition was, quite frankly, two amazing days; one in a colourful, fun and intriguing training session with an advice expert at YouthNet and TheSite and one day at the headquarters of Deirdre Sanders and her team of goddesses (or as you may know her, Dear Deirdre of The Sun, the nation’s favourite agony aunt!)

The experience was incredibly insightful and taught me new ways to ‘hear’ the real emotions through a written letter, respond objectively but with sincerity and guidance.

I have taken a lot from this experience, and hope to use it to enrich other people’s lives and mine, if I can. I completed an invaluable Counselling Skills course several years ago, perhaps I will continue to the Diploma course and become a counselor, or perhaps I will work more on my writing – overall, whatever opportunities emerge from from this unique adventure, I will graciously accept them all!”

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What’s motivated our staff to run the Marathon & their top tips (pt2)

Posted on March 27, 2013 by Ollie Drackford

Day two of our spotlight on YouthNet staff running this year’s Virgin London Marathon. Today it’s Clare, Hayley and Katy with the quick fire answers…

Don’t forget you can still donate to the team’s fundraising page - with all the money going towards the YouthNet and Age UK project aimed at tackling isolation and loneliness across the generations.

Clare ‘Faster than Farah’ Foster

Role: Advice and Training Manager

Why are you taking on the mighty marathon?
London Marathon is the biggy when it comes to the medal collection. I’ve run a marathon for YouthNet before in Brighton and it’s a great way to raise money – plus it’s the only time you ever get to run down a street with hundreds of people cheering you on.

What’s your marathon song, to get you around the route?
Though I listen to music when training by myself, I’ll be running with my favourite running buddy from uni, so we’ll probably do without music and chat – when we have the breath to do so.

What are the things to avoid (learnt the hard way) when training for a marathon?
Getting overenthusiastic, doing too much too soon and burning out! And telling everyone you’re going to dress up as an Octopus and beat a world record….

Who’s your running role model?
I love Mo Farah. But mainly because of his lovely smile (although his running speeds are damn impressive too)

What’s your favourite piece of training kit?
My watch which tells me how far I’ve gone and how fast. If I don’t have it on, or fail to start it, it almost feels like I haven’t done the run at all.

What do you think of most when you’re training/running?
What I am going to eat when I get home. And how delicious it is going to be. And then what I’m going to eat later in the day. And maybe for breakfast the next day.

How do you motivate yourself to train every other day?
I’ve always used running to manage my mental health, so I know just how good it feels when I get back. Marathon training just adds a feeling of achievement to that high – especially as the miles add up.

What are the things you miss most because of training?
I miss just popping out for a short run round the park. Now every time I go it has to be for miles and miles.

What’s your no.1 training tip for others thinking of running the marathon?
Eat lots of good food – make sure you’re getting all the nutrients you need – especially iron.

If you had to run the route in fancy dress, what would you go as?
Well I’m SUPPOSED to be dressing up as Octi the Octopus for this marathon – watch this space…

Hayley ‘Marathon Busting’ Matthews

Role: Senior Government and Trusts Manager

Why are you taking on the mighty marathon?
For the mighty YouthNet and Age UK! It was an amazing opportunity to support a cause I really care about and run the marathon as part of fantastic team of friends and colleagues – it was now or never!

What’s your marathon song, to get you around the route?
The ipod didn’t survive the sports wash so it’s just me and my day dreams.

What are the things to avoid (learnt the hard way) when training for a marathon?
Not stretching enough. Not wearing the right socks.

Who’s your running role model?
I don’t have a role model as such – but I like to remind myself that if all those running around the route with a hoola-hooping or in fancy dress can do it, then I can too!

What’s your favourite piece of training kit?
Foam roller all the way.

What do you think of most when you’re training/running?
How far I’ve run and how much further there is to go and on good days, how good it feels to be so fit! I like exploring new parts of London on my long runs so I’m often thinking about my route and taking in the scenery – it’s a great way to get to know the city in a new way.

How do you motivate yourself to train every other day?
I just succumb to the inevitable, and the fear of not being fit enough on the day.

What are the things you miss most because of training?
Lie-ins at the weekend and spending more time with my friends.

What’s your no.1 training tip for others thinking of running the marathon?
Stretch properly! And take an oyster card with you.

If you had to run the route in fancy dress, what would you go as?
Cat woman.

Katy ‘Making Tracks’ Miller

Role: Press Officer

Why are you taking on the mighty marathon?
This is actually still something I’m working on the answer for….obviously its an enormous physical and mental challenge but I also think that the whole process has focused me more in life in general.

What’s your marathon song, to get you around the route?
My best friend is making me a playlist, of which there will be many beauties I’m sure! But looking forward to some Skrillex craziness.

What are the things to avoid (learnt the hard way) when training for a marathon?
Don’t drink Jaegermeister the day before a long run. Just don’t.

Who’s your running role model?
Charlie Dark

What’s your favourite piece of training kit?
My trainers. Couldn’t run without them…..literally!

What do you think of most when you’re training/running?
When the hell is this going to end? Its good for processing thoughts too and clearing your mind as a result.

How do you motivate yourself to train every other day?
I don’t train every other day! 3 Times a week…but just knowing that people are donating a lot of money for me to run this race. A lot of people are putting their faith in me too… so I’m doing it for them… and for my uncle Mark, who has not only been a huge source of support (and conversation) on my long training runs but who I have the utmost respect for, given the challenges he faces every day.

What are the things you miss most because of training?
Going ‘out’ out!

What’s your no.1 training tip for others thinking of running the marathon?
Do the long runs….you can miss the short ones….but it’s the long ones that will help you cross the finish line.

If you had to run the route in fancy dress, what would you go as?
I’d do it on stilts!

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What’s motivated our staff to run the Marathon & their top tips (pt1)

Posted on March 25, 2013 by Ollie Drackford

As we head towards the final straight, things are starting to gear-up at YouthNet HQ for this year’s Virgin London Marathon.  We’re all getting very excited about the big day on April 21st, especially as we are one of the joint official marathon charities this time around.

But for a number of staff there is extra anticipation – alongside getting YouthNet and our supporters  ready for the big day, they’ve also been training to run the thing themselves! So we thought we’d shed a little spotlight on them this week for all their amazing efforts, with some quick fire (as they are pretty busy literally running around the place at the moment) Q&As .  First off, it’s Will, Laura and Emma.

Will ‘The Bullet’ Knock

Role: Corporate Development Manager

Why are you taking on the mighty marathon?
Well, I’d already done a half marathon and really enjoyed it. Plus, I’m one of those people who’s absolutely obsessed with going further and faster, so a full marathon seemed like a bit of a no brainer.

What’s your marathon song, to get you around the route?
Being aware that I’m almost being a parody of myself, Madonna’s Vogue never fails to put a smile on my face when it comes on while I’m out running.

What are the things to avoid (learnt the hard way) when training for a marathon?
Endlessly arranging to go out on evenings when I should be training. I can say from experience that getting up for an 8.5 mile run before work is not fun.

Who’s your running role model?
Haruki Murakami – everyone should read his superb memoir ‘What I talk about when I talk about running’.

What’s your favourite piece of training kit?
Probably my socks. Socks are my favourite item of clothing anyway, but I’m still amused by the fact that there are specific left and right foot socks.

What do you think of most when you’re training/running
How long is left!

How do you motivate yourself to train every other day?
With effort! I think about how painful the 21st of April will be if I don’t put the miles in now, and when needed my partner has been known to quite literally force me out the door to go running.

What are the things you miss most because of training
Not feeling guilty about having more than one glass of wine.

What’s your no.1 training tip for others thinking of running the marathon
Buy a foam roller, it makes all the difference in the world.

If you had to run the route in fancy dress, what would you go as?
For starters, I never would. I may be a fool, but not quite that big a fool. I’ve always wanted to make a windmill fancy dress outfit (not entirely sure why), so maybe that would be my choice if I were forced to do it.

Laura ‘Bolt’ Owen

Role: Volunteering Development Manager

Why are you taking on the mighty marathon?
Because YouthNet are one of the joint official charities for this year’s marathon it felt like it was meant to be. I have done a couple of half marathons before and this is the next step, and it seemed like a good chance before other things in life get in the way. I also liked the fact that I would not be alone and that there are 7 other runners in the office and I managed to rope my sister and friend into signing up.

What’s your marathon song, to get you around the route?
My fave running track is Rudimental Feel the Love as it seems to always give me a boost when it comes on. I am also particularly enjoying running to Bastille Pompeii at the moment as the line ‘How am I going to be an optimist about this?’ always rings true.

What are the things to avoid (learnt the hard way) when training for a marathon?
Running in the dark alone on a route you haven’t done before. I once ended up in the middle of a park not able to see much more than a metre in front of myself. It definitely made me speed up!

Who’s your running role model?
I wouldn’t say I really have a famous running role model. One person who inspires me is my running group leader who volunteers to gets up early every Saturday morning regardless of the weather to put us through our paces, and manages to fit his own run in first!

What’s your favourite piece of training kit?
My Nike running app which tells me how many miles I have done and my pace. I also like my new foam roller which is helping me with some knee and IT band pains at the moment.

What do you think of most when you’re training/running
How many miles left to go, and how much I am looking forward to eating, resting and being warm again!

How do you motivate yourself to train every other day?
The fear! I just think about race day and how I really want to make it as easy as possible for myself. I also find that having my training programme on my fridge means I can’t avoid it. To run a marathon you have to put in the miles, so I don’t even consider missing a session, in fact I plan my life around it at the moment.

What are the things you miss most because of training?
Enjoying running and choosing when I run. I used to find it fun but think it’s gone beyond that point and now has become a chore. I also miss having short hair but it got in the way, can’t wait to cut it all off again. And of course I miss alcohol and generally having a social life.

What’s your no.1 training tip for others thinking of running the marathon?
Choose a training plan and stick to it. Don’t get worried about what other people are doing or compare yourself too much, and don’t change your plan – it’s been written by people who know what they are talking about.

If you had to run the route in fancy dress, what would you go as?
Where’s Wally. Its my favourite fancy dress costume to date, and it includes a walking stick (handy) and Wally is most at home in a massive crowd of people!

Emma ‘Racer’ Rubach

Role: Head of Editorial

Why are you taking on the mighty marathon?
Partly because I really support the cause I’m raising money for and partly because the marathon is a sort of a trial run, if you’ll pardon the pun, for becoming a proper grown up. Life can be exciting and crazy and fun but sometimes you have to stop getting distracted and knuckle down and commit to get more long term rewards…

What’s your marathon song, to get you around the route?
My afrobeat playlist, especially Soobax by Kn’aan.

What are the things to avoid (learnt the hard way) when training for a marathon?
That if you end up screaming at your boyfriend after 16 miles, it’s probably just low blood sugar and not a signal of imminent relationship meltdown.

Who’s your running role model
Caballo Blanco from the seminal barefoot running book Born to Run. He lives on beer and burritos and runs 100miles a day in sandals.

What’s your favourite piece of training kit
A dodgy running jacket I bought at knock-down price from Sports Direct. I hate sports gear but it’s perfect for this seemingly unending winter. It’s got loads of pockets for mobile/snackbars/keys and detachable sleeves – more useful than you’d expect.

What do you think of most when you’re training/running
How bloody brilliant life is (though now I come to think of it that could be the endorphins).

How do you motivate yourself to train every other day?
I just have to think of Rob, Holly, Nic and Lauren (my team) laughing at me as I puff down Embankment and suddenly I’m racing out of the door.

What are the things you miss most because of training?
Playing Ultimate Frisbee, my favourite sport in all the world (but too tiring to do at the same time as training).

What’s your no.1 training tip for others thinking of running a marathon?
Pick a training plan, any plan. And religiously follow it and believe it will get you round.

If you had to run the route in fancy dress, what would you go as?
A tortoise – so as not to raise anyone’s expectations.

More quick fire Q&A’s from the rest of the YouthNet staff team to come – watch this space!

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Information about Do-it transfer of ownership process

Posted on March 22, 2013 by Olly Benson

YouthNet, in conjunction with the Office for Civil Society (OCS), has announced the launch of an open process to find a new owner for Do-it, the national volunteering database.

Do-it is the leading online volunteering service and a key part of the volunteering landscape. The Government is committed to supporting a successful transition of Do-it to a new owner. Both YouthNet and OCS want to encourage ambitious plans for developing the current service in new and innovative ways to help drive a step change in levels of volunteering.

We’re now able to give first details on how interested organisations will be able to engage with us over the coming months as we invite proposals to take on and develop the Do-it platform.

Do-it will continue to provide its full service throughout the transition and OCS will support YouthNet to ensure the quality of the service is not affected during the interim period.

Summary of the process

In early May we will publish a specification document and call for proposals, and we will run a series of open events for interested organisations to find out more about this opportunity and how Do-it currently operates. These events will also provide an opportunity to meet other prospective bidders and explore opportunities for collaboration.  Further details on how to sign up for these events will be available here shortly.  There will also be opportunities for interested organisations to speak to the YouthNet team directly during that period.

The deadline for bids to be received will be early July, and a decision will be reached in early August. Do-it will then transfer to the new owner by December 2013.

In advance of the release of the specification for Do-it, the OCS and YouthNet plan to hold roundtable discussions to bring together different perspectives to discuss specific opportunities for innovation in giving time.

The aim is for these discussions to be captured and shared alongside the specification documents for Do-it in order to encourage the broadest possible thinking about the role Do-it could play to enable further innovation going forward. This will be led by NESTA and include an invited range of individuals who reflect different elements of the volunteering sector as well as others who bring different perspectives from across the public and corporate sectors.

Further information on Do-it

To help organisations get a better understanding of Do-it, we have produced a two-page overview of Do-it (PDF).

Initial interest

If you would like to express an interest in finding out more about taking on ownership of Do-it, we’ve added an expression of interest form where you can register your details.  We will endeavour to keep all those who have added their details to this list up-to-date with the process as it develops.

We also want to encourage collaboration and consortium working, and therefore the form has an option to consent to share your details with other organisations that have also initially expressed an interest.

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Haile Gebrselassie urges Virgin London Marathon runners to join charity campaign

Posted on March 18, 2013 by Katy Miller

 

One of the world’s greatest distance runners and Olympic Gold medalist, Haile Gebrselassie, is backing charities Age UK and YouthNet to encourage runners in April’s Virgin London Marathon to raise funds and awareness to tackle loneliness and isolation across the generations.

The legendary sportsman has joined forces with the official charities of the 2013 Virgin London Marathon to urge runners who have a place in the race but are yet to support a charity, to get behind Age UK and YouthNet.  Age UK, the leading charity for older people and YouthNet, the pioneering online young people’s charity, are aiming to raise £1 million for a new service which will see young volunteers help isolated older people to get online. The charities want as many people as possible to raise awareness by running in Age UK and YouthNet t-shirts on the day.

Haile Gebrselassie said: “The Virgin London Marathon is the largest annual one day charity fundraising event in the world and is a unique opportunity to put worthy causes on the centre stage. It’s an important day for runners in many ways – emotionally as well as physically. While you’re putting your running skills to the test, it’s also incredibly fun filled and is a huge achievement combined with running for loved ones and raising money for charities.

“I’m now urging anyone who secured a place in the event to sign up and raise awareness and funds for Age UK and YouthNet. Older people play an important role in society: my father is now in his 80s and has been crucial to my success, passing on wisdom and experience. I strongly believe in communities coming together to provide support, and therefore reaching many more people as a result, which is why the link with younger generations in this project is so important.”

To listen to an interview with Haile where he talks about his Virgin London Marathon experiences please go to http://www.runforit.org.uk/en/Why-run-for-us/Haile-Gebrselassie/

The charities are setting up a digital service which aims to offer isolated older people the chance to learn how to use the internet and take advantage of ways to stay in touch such as email and online chat, as well as saving money and finding out about new hobbies. Younger people will be given the opportunity to develop their confidence and learn new skills to share their digital experience with older people in their local communities.

Paul Farthing, Director of Fundraising at Age UK, said: “It’s brilliant to have support from running legend Haile who is such an inspiration to so many. He is raising awareness amongst Virgin London Marathon runners of the difference they can make to our vital work – whether it’s wearing our t-shirt on the day or helping us by raising funds. Together we’ll be able to show just how important it is to tackle loneliness and isolation in our society. I urge any runners who are looking for their personal marathon challenge to make as big a difference as possible to join our marathon team.”

Emma Thomas, CEO of YouthNet, said: “It’s an honour that Haile is supporting Age UK and YouthNet‘s ‘Team Run for It’ and we hope his passion for connecting younger and older people, driven by his own experiences, inspires anyone looking to run for a charity last minute, to join our team. It’s vital that we generate maximum awareness of our project to tackle isolation across generations and that we give young people the chance to share their passion and understanding of the digital world with older people, to help improve lives.”

As official charities for the 2013 Virgin London Marathon, Age UK and YouthNet are looking for people with their own place in the race to also join the team. For more information and to find out how you can join ‘Team Run for It’ (Age UK and YouthNet’s marathon team) and take part in the Virgin London Marathon 2013 please go to www.runforit.org.uk or call 0800 169 87 87 or email info@runforit.org.uk.

Age UK Advice is the charity’s national free-phone service where you can get in touch for information and support on a range of issues. Lines are open from 8am to 7pm, seven days a week, you can also find out how to contact your local Age UK. Call 0800 169 65 65 or visit www.ageuk.org.uk. People aged 16-25 who need support around any issue can get anonymous, expert advice online through YouthNet’s guide to life, www.thesite.org

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