YouthNet blog
An insight into youth issues, volunteering trends, charity life and more from the UK charity YouthNet
All | Events | Youth | Technology | Volunteering | YouthNet | Charity World
Wednesday Aug 20, 2008
Changing TheSite.org
Alongside our regular day-to-day stuff is another stream of work looking at how we change TheSite.org. There are various levels of work going on; including a fairly quick but quite major sprucing up of the look of the site, which you should see the results of in the next month or so. Beyond that there is a much deeper, bigger and more wide-ranging discussion about how we change TheSite.org.So we've been running a blog for the last month at changethesite.org which hopefully will promote discussion both internally and externally about what we want to do with TheSite.org.
I'm glad to say that DK from MediaSnackers is the first of a number of external contributors we've asked to be involved. You can read his answers, plus some other thoughts and stuff at changethesite.org. And you'll find more information, plus ways to contribute, at the end of the blog!
Happy reading....
Olly Posted by Olly Benson ( 9:48 AM ) Link to this post Comments[0]
Friday Aug 01, 2008
We know where's it's at...
According to the Financial Times, Old Street has become the new centre of the new generation of web start-ups. From last.fm to the offices of new favourite (and burglar's paradise) dopplr; everyone who is anyone is based around what is being dubbed as the Silicon Roundabout.
And where are we based? Feathertstone Street, about a minute from Old Street tube station.
Wednesday Jul 30, 2008
Changing the site...
We're doing a lot of work on TheSite.org at the moment... thinking about the future. You can follow what we're doing at www.changethesite.org. And if you want to contribute, let me know!
Cheers,
Olly
Posted by Olly Benson ( 1:32 PM ) Link to this post Comments[0]
Wednesday Jul 16, 2008
A penny for your thoughts? Young people, debt & finance
We ran a very topical presentation here at YouthNet alongside Citizens Advice, the Financial Services Authority and HM Treasury a few weeks ago. The theme was young people, debt and finance, and the presentation covered some key points about how debt impacts on their lives, where they find information on financial advice and what their understanding of financial terminology is.Most of what we covered was taken from a survey of 651 young people from TheSite.org. We got some great press coverage of the results of the survey, both here and in the USA, although interestingly (and perhaps not surprisingly), most articles chose to focus on one finding in particular – that 66% of young people surveyed agreed that it was too easy to get credit.
If you'd like a copy of the survey or want to hear more about the presentation, just drop us a line.
Tuesday Jul 08, 2008
Changes to YouthNet.org
If you're reading this blog entry on the YouthNet.org website (rather than on email or your RSS reader) you might notice that things look a bit different. The blog's centred for one thing. So's the whole website. On the front page, there are new 'latest news' links which scroll from one story to the next. And if you look towards the bottom of the page, there's a quote from one of our users or partners will change if you refresh the page.
There are also a couple of changes which you might not notice much, but which will help us better understand how people are using this website (such as the addition of the new Google Analytics code) and help us better process any queries we receive (through an improved contact us form). We've also changed the URL of the YouthNet blog feed, so that we can better monitor how many subscribers we have. If you've subscribed in the past, it'd be great if you could change over to using this new feed so we can include you in our stats. Using the new functionality, we'll also soon be creating RSS feeds for our job vacancies and press releases. I'll be back to let you know when these go live.
We've also introduced a sitemap, as another way of navigating round the site. Over the next few months, we'll also be taking a look at the content of YouthNet.org – making sure that it's easy to find what you need whether you've come to the site looking for information about running the Royal Park's Half Marathon or wanting to find out our current volunteering opportunities.
If you've got any feedback about the new features or have suggestions for the content/navigation review that will follow soon, please leave us a comment below.
Posted by Natasha Judd ( 11:46 AM ) Link to this post Comments[0]
Wednesday Jun 11, 2008
And now for a bit of shameless plugging
YouthNet's do-it.org.uk is in the running for the Innovation category of the 2008 New Media Awards, run by New Statesman magazine. It's great to see such an impressive line-up in the nominations – once again, evidence of the real drive to use new media technologies to create positive social change.
Of course, we think do-it.org.uk's pretty special, and judging from the comments we've received so far, it has had an impact on a lot of others as well, making it easy for people throughout the UK to find their perfect volunteering opportunity.
Here's just one of them:
do it.org.uk is a great way of finding volunteering in your own area and helping to find opportunities to help others - its easy, simple, useful and fun to use, there is no better website out there for volunteering xxx
- Christele
If you'd like to leave your own comment of support, you can visit do-it.org.uk's entry on the New Statesman website.
And while I'm on the subject of awards, congratulations must go to the YouthNet Development Team who won Gold in the Fundraising Charity of the Year category of the Professional Fundraising Awards last month. Well done Development!
Posted by Natasha Judd ( 8:49 PM ) Link to this post Comments[0]
Tuesday May 20, 2008
Farewell to Lesley
The last few months have seen a few changes at YouthNet. First of all we had the departure of Dom, our Digital Interactive Services Director – you can read about his memories of seeing Mickey Mouse naked here. Next week sees another YouthNet ol' timer move on to pastures new. This time it's Lesley Bourne, our Partnerships Director.
Read on to find out what Routemaster buses have got to do with volunteering, and remember if you've got any questions for Lesley before she goes, please add them as comments at the end.
In your time at YouthNet you must have seen do-it.org.uk grow enormously. Can you give us a picture of what do-it.org.uk and YouthNet was like when you first arrived?
I was the second member of staff to be added to the do-it team. I discovered that even though we had about 300 partners located all over the place from Northumberland to Cornwall, very few of them had really bought into the project, lots of them were terrified of using the PC equipment we'd issued them with and none of them really knew how to operate the database we'd developed. They were all also very sceptical about this new fangled internet thing as a method of recruitment. So we embarked upon a programme of "loving them into submission" by travelling the length and breadth of the country to start to talk do-it up and do some training.
And our office was situated right over the air vent of the Pizza Hut below – we'd all get hungry at about 11 when they started cooking. You couldn't open the window in the summer either as the air coming in was warmer than the air inside – and more garlic scented...
And how about the volunteering sector as a whole?
Well it's more convinced of the power of the web now! People are still a bit uncertain about how much help to give volunteers who apply via the web and I think we've got more work to do in helping volunteers and partners get a positive and efficient experience via online brokerage. However, stats speak for themselves – web audience for volunteering is very diverse.
I think that the sector as a whole has become more "professional" in that there is now a growing recognition that volunteer managers need better support and training. There is a fine line though in creating a great environment for volunteers to flourish and developing a culture of bureaucracy - I think the sector is terribly risk averse these days which is a shame.
Young people's volunteering is also currently the focus of government attention which has been a mixed bag for YouthNet – it would be good to see funders and particularly the government taking a more holistic view of the sector and thinking about how to encourage all parts of the infrastructure to work collaboratively together and in a sustainable way.
Keeping more than 400 partner organisations happy must be a bit of a challenge – especially when they all have differing requirements. Have you got any tips on how to how to manage that?
Benign dictatorship! It is hard sometimes but can also be very enlightening – there are a surprising amount of similarities and needs across the various parts of the sector. Technically, it has been a very difficult project to keep all parties happy as people are in such different pleases with IT capability, kit etc. I'd say that a key part of our success has been in consulting widely and being as transparent as possible about what you do next and why. We have had to be tough sometimes, but reminding people of the end goal (i.e. volunteers needs) rather than their own organisations has also helped.
What's your best memory of working for YouthNet?
It's always heartening to see great feedback from partners and users when you get it right. I saw a quote from one of our Volunteer Centre partners recently that said that we had revolutionised the way they work and that we were indispensable.
And your worst/most frustrating?
I have the reputation of being the office Eyore, so I'm surprised you've allowed me room for this one – now where to begin.....
A perennial frustration is finding out that organisations are still saying "If only we had one place on the Internet where we could list/find out about volunteering". A nice big fat Marketing budget could help solve that one.
My favourite worst memory is probably also my funniest – YouthNet had a brief dalliance with an "e-bus" with the idea that we'd have this sleek, mobile PC offering. In reality, it was a temperamental old Routemaster bus that broke down with alarming regularity. We took it to an event in Manchester– it died at Warrington services before it had even got there, and we spent the rest of the day performing death defying feats in the blazing sun to keep the satellite dish running and fending off the local little darlings who spent their whole time surfing porn. The day ended with an AA man jump starting the bus and then us having to guide it offsite in the dark as the headlights had gone –happy days.
Where do you see volunteering heading in the next five to ten years?
I think volunteering still needs to get comfortable with the way that society has changed – no one has a job for life so it's unrealistic to expect a volunteer for life. We need to focus more on giving people a great experience so that they keep coming back rather than worrying that they might leave. Volunteering still needs to find a way to measure outputs and outcomes better so that we can steer funders away from the "bums on seats" funding formula. I also think that the education sector could still be a great place to engage young people in volunteering – even at a primary school age – I'd love to see some developments around this as part of the new interest in young volunteers.
If you had a blank slate (and unlimited funding!), what would you do with do-it.org.uk?
Banks of techies beavering away on V-Base so we could meet all our partners needs, huge investment into the do-it website with a radically different application system, personalisation, enhanced searching, overseas opportunities etc etc. Obviously we'd need a whole new wing for the massive partnerships team so they can offer enhanced account management, develop e-training, offer consultation etc. And the massive marketing budget to get us under the noses of the nation.
What will you be up to after you leave?
Moving the family to the hills of Wales where I will be indulging my self sufficiency passions with gardening, chickens, permaculture and bees. And finally getting a dog with a bit of luck – our cats are going to love it........
If you could sum up your time at YouthNet in three words, what would they be?
Change, change, change
Posted by Sam Thomas ( 8:48 AM ) Link to this post Comments[0]
Friday Mar 28, 2008
"Seeing Mickey naked is never nice" - an interview with Dom Waghorn
April 2008 sees the departure of our longest serving member of staff – Digital Interactive Services Director, Dom Waghorn.
Before he goes we thought we'd sit down with him and hear all about what things were like in the "good old days", and where technology and the web might be heading. Read on for the results...
If you've got any questions for Dom, feel free to post them – just don't comment on his personal appearance.
Can you tell us what brought you to YouthNet?
It was in October 1998 and I'd just finished a stint working at the Guardian editing the Glastonbury website. I was looking round for contract web work and YouthNet were after someone to come in and develop a website for the Duke of Edinburgh's Award. In my head, I'd come in, build the site, get it live and move on. I've now been here over nine years.What was it like in the early days? There are some highly disturbing stories involving Mickey Mouse...
Seeing Mickey naked is never nice. YouthNet's early office was a back room in the Disney HQ in Kensington. It was also used by Disney's entertainers as a changing room. We then moved to Haymarket, Panton Street (off Leicester Square), Angel, and now Old Street. Each office has been bigger, nicer and brighter, which is obviously a positive progression but there's something alluring about dingy, divey work spaces. Someone once said that the Panton St office looked a bit like a student house, which I thought was a compliment – we were in touch with our audience... there was also a lot of Age of Empire play and Napster use, so the comparison definitely fits.
YouthNet must have changed a great deal since you've been here. What's been the biggest change and how do you think we've dealt with it?
When YouthNet was much smaller, we would try stuff out on a whim. Frankly, the risk was much lower (in terms of investment and audience numbers) so if it didn't go well, then it was hardly a disaster. Now we have (reasonably) rigorous project management processes and documentation. The technical infrastructure was also totally different. An air-conditioned comms room? As if. The servers sat, surrounded by fans in a corner of the office.
This change was inevitable: TheSite.org was getting 10k users a month, now it has 550k; there are 50+ people rather than a handful; the turnover is 10 times higher. You can't run an organisation this size without a bit of process. The risk though is the dynamic, try-shit-out attitude gets stifled and drowns in paperwork.
Some things haven't changed at all. YouthNet's people still really believe in the 'cause' bit, love the potential of online and like to have a drink and a laugh. And there has always been pretty good coffee at YouthNet, always.
What about the web? Sometimes it feels like things are changing at an exponential rate, do you think that'll continue?If you believe in Moore's Law, then yeah - more, rapid change in inevitable. The challenge, of course, is knowing which direction it will go. There are some reasonably safe bets. Mobile or portable access, for example is going to be massive but within this broad assumption, there are many questions about the type of technology, usability, appropriate services and cultural adoption across different regions. I also think we've just seen the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what is sometimes grandly called 'the democratisation of media'. Social media is in its infancy and it's going to be fascinating to see the impact this has in the next 5-10 years on mainstream media, marketing, advertising and the ways people connect with each other and companies. I'm not a blind evangelist for all of this – there are inevitably downsides and problems – but the change is unavoidable.
What do you think will be the biggest challenge facing YouthNet in the next few years?
Dealing with the rapid change mentioned above. It's also a real opportunity. YouthNet's target audience is the highest adopter of new technology of all age groups. As the internet expands on to multiple platforms, and becomes ever more embedded into every day life, how does YouthNet prioritise and develop in the most efficient and targeted ways? Keeping up is the challenge.
YouthNet's other key test is around positioning. For the past ten years, being an online charity was unusual and put YouthNet in a distinctive space. In ten years time, YouthNet's model with be the norm – so what instead will separate YouthNet out from the rest? (For me, the answer may be in what has always been YouthNet's key asset - its trusted content).
What's been the best thing that's happened at YouthNet since you've been here?
Getting picked on by the Daily Mail is always an indication you are on the right track and that has happened a few times. But the real 'wow' thing about YouthNet's work is the impact it has on its user base. Every week, our editorial team circulate a few comments from users who have used our services and this is really the point. This is one from a user of askTheSite:
"The adviser really picked up on my feelings and the situation. I did give a very detailed question however every part of my feelings was addressed and I felt as though the person was in front of me talking. I cried because I felt as though someone for once understood me on such a difficult situation that I am going through. They weren't being judgemental which I felt was really positive because sometimes that is the huge worry when you have a problem and feel as though you are causing pain to others and that you are to blame. Thank you very much and I will continuously reflect on the answer throughout my situation."And the worst?
What annoys me and others at YouthNet is the frustration of not being able to do all the things we want to do. Our sites have so much potential and we've really only touched the surface when it comes to audience size and engagement. For example, both do-it and TheSite.org would benefit massively from higher levels of personalisation – but we don't always have the developer time available.
What are you off to do then?
Later in the year I'm going to go and drink good quality coffee and Sauvignon Blanc in the New Zealand sunshine. Until then, I'm consulting on content development and social media at digital agency Syzygy.Posted by Sam Thomas ( 1:08 PM ) Link to this post Comments[3]
Friday Dec 14, 2007
Fancy a job?
Here’s a blatant plug – we’re looking for an events assistant to join our fundraising team here at YouthNet. It’s a six month role, helping us out with our million for a million ball, which takes place in May.
You can read more about the Ball here, and more about the role here.
So who are we looking for? An energetic, excellent communicator with strong organisational and administration skills - ideally you’d also have an interest in fundraising and events, as well as our cause.
Posted by Sam Thomas ( 4:33 PM ) Link to this post Comments[0]
Tuesday Nov 27, 2007
Video section goes live on TheSite.org - visit a GUM clinic from your seat
Hooray! Our fantastic new video section has gone live on TheSite.org.
The videos are partly created by us and partly syndicated from VideoJug.com. We will over time be building up our own collection and also want to work with other organisations making interesting video content (contact us if you do).
We're going to use video (at least initially) to tell the same sort of stories we do in text and audio content, but in a format which lends itself to certain issues and content.
One thing video has over other formats is it leaves little to the imagination.Where as audio or written advice content can leave room for interpretation, video shows it how it really is. Because of this, we're using video to demistify potentially scary life situations. Below is a video on what it's like to visit a GUM (sexual health) clinic.
Our videos will shortly be available on YouTube and other video sharing sites and we're encouraging people to embed them on their social network pages or blogs. Spread the word.
Posted by Dom Waghorn ( 3:41 PM ) Link to this post Comments[2]
Thursday Nov 15, 2007
Our first breakfast seminar!
We held our first ever breakfast seminar here at YouthNet this morning.
The theme was "The Language of Digital Natives – Communicating Effectively with Young People" and the seminar featured talks from James (one of our Corporate Development Managers), Hannah (our Editorial Manager) and Dom (Digital Interactive Services Director), as well as a Q&A session hosted by Martyn Lewis, YouthNet's Chair and Founder.
Thanks to all those that made it along – we hope you enjoyed it! (and apologies to Hannah for the use of the exclamation mark...) Here are the presentations:
If you have any comments feel free to add them here or get in touch.
Posted by Sam Thomas ( 3:01 PM ) Link to this post Comments[2]
Monday Oct 15, 2007
Without trust, we've got nothing
Last Thursday I spent the morning with 100 or so people holed up in a hot room in Westminster talking about security, openness, access and diversity. I know, the excitement never ends.
We were all there for something called the Nominet Best Practice Challenge. A bunch of organisations – including YouthNet – were up for awards based around these four topics. Nominet wanted to reward organisations doing interesting things, but also take these examples of good practice to the Internet Governance Forum event in Rio next month. That way, they could potentially be replicated in other countries.
We didn't win our category ('openness') – our clever friends at MySociety did. Other winners included NetCraft, who have created an anti-phishing toolbar, ChildNet for its internet safety resource Know IT All, and Computer Aid International which refurbishes old PCs and sends them to developing countries.
Some strong themes came through in the morning, not just in the awards but in wider conversations. Security is seen widely as the key issue with regards to the development of the internet in the UK, encompassing concerns around child protection and exploitation, fraud and privacy. These and other problems risk eroding the public's trust in the internet as a safe platform to shop, bank, find information and network.
And once the trust goes, we're all buggered.
This is part of an outbreak of awards activity for YouthNet.
Last month we won the Best Use of Technology Award at the Charity Times Awards and next month we're up for Community Project of the Year at the Computing Awards.
(As an aside, the Charity Times Awards website hasn't been updated since well before the awards dinner; I can't begin to explain how much this annoys me. Most organisations learned that golden rule of web production years ago – websites need to be maintained regularly. More grist to the mill for those who think magazine publishers Still Don't Get It.)
Posted by Dom Waghorn ( 12:39 PM ) Link to this post Comments[0]
Monday Sep 17, 2007
What do you want to be when you grow up?
I've lost count of the number of careers that I thought I was going to do when I grew up (and yeah, most of friends and colleagues are still waiting for that to happen).
I can also remember asking my 6th form college tutor about how to get into certain careers, as well as my university careers service a few years later. The one thing that was lacking from both of them was some clear, impartial advice on the careers I was interested in, as well as some referrals to expert organisations that could tell me more.
That's one of the reasons why we've just launched a work & study section on askTheSite. Just like the other areas askTheSite covers (mental and emotional health, drink & drugs, sexual health & relationships, general health, housing, legal & rights and money), you can ask away about whatever's on your mind and you'll get an expert, confidential and anonymous answer in a maximum of three working days.
Right, I'm off to get some tips about joining NASA.
Posted by Sam Thomas ( 4:45 PM ) Link to this post Comments[0]
Tuesday Jul 17, 2007
Support YouthNet's Para's
How's this for putting your money where your mouth is?
A crack team of YouthNet employees and young people from across the UK are taking part in a parachute jump on Friday 20th July to raise money for YouthNet.
Led by Wing Commander Jagdev (on the right of the picture), they've set themselves a fundraising target of £3,000. They're making great progress in reaching this goal, but they still need your help!
Here's the shameless plug part – you can donate quickly and easily on their Justgiving page: http://www.justgiving.com/jumpingforyouthnet.
If you're keen to follow their lead and join the ranks of YouthNet's 1st Parachute Division then you can find out more and sign up here.Posted by Sam Thomas ( 11:50 AM ) Link to this post Comments[2]
Wednesday Jul 11, 2007
Back 1885! YouthNet's Respect campaign hits Parliament
Regular readers will be aware of YouthNet and British Youth Council's Respect campaign calling for a more positive portrayal of young people in the media and by politicians (previous blog entry)
Today the campaign hit Parliament when Dawn Butler MP tabled an Early Day Motion supporting the campaign.
EDM 1885:
"...acknowledges that only a small minority of young people are antisocial; believes that the media does not give young people enough recognition for the positive things they do; and urges Hon. Members to ensure young people's views are represented in public debate by creating opportunities for their input such as holding youth surgeries and visiting schools, colleges and universities"
What can you do?Get over to this site and ask... no, TELL your local MP to sign up for EDA 1885. Get your friends and family - particularly if they are under 25 to also contact their MPs. The more MPs we have signing up to it, the more effective the campaign can be.
You can also support the campaign if you're on Facebook by joining the Respect Group,
Tuesday Jul 03, 2007
The homepage is dead, long live the homepage
How important is a website's homepage?
It's natural to think of the homepage as one of the most crucial aspects of web development – get this wrong and you're stuffed. After all, it's the shop window; the entry point for your users and your big opportunity to push key content and services, promote your brand and, in commercial settings, get clicks on your advertising.
But the importance of the homepage is diminishing. In the initial portal-lead days of the web, users delved into the internet through their service providers' homepages. Not anymore. The whole concept of fixed, stand-alone websites is shifting as data is presented in multiple ways. The once powerful homepage is now playing a lesser role.
So why is the homepage not as relevant?
1. The rise and rise of search engines
The majority of traffic to our youth website TheSite.org comes from search engine referrals. And these aren't links to our homepage but to pages deep within the site such as the England smoking ban (over 7,000 referrals from Google last month), drink driving and... threesomes. These people aren't coming through our homepage; they are looking for a specific piece of information. Consequently, our challenge is to create article-level pages that are usable, push the brand and offer further ongoing options for these users to explore other parts of the site. Most of these users will never even see the homepage.
2. Browsing through RSS and other Web 2.0 entry points
Why visit a website to find out what's new when you can just browse through an RSS reader? RSS readers, along with social bookmarking sites like del.icio.us and embedded search boxes in browsers all provide direct routes to deep content on websites and circumvent any need to visit through a homepage.
3. Syndicated content through other sites
This goes even further than the first two reasons. Not only are users not coming to your homepage, they might not even come to your site at all. Our content is syndicated through other sites (such as Ministry of Sound) and available through emerging devices such as digital TV and mobiles. Users are accessing our content but aren't coming anywhere near the site.
4. Self-segmentation of audiences
Some of the regular users of TheSite.org are using the site for one purpose – discussion boards. They don't come through the homepage – they go directly to the boards (sometimes 3, 5, 10 times a day). The challenge for us is keeping this self-segmented group aware of changes on the rest of the site.
5. The difficulty of building brand awareness and loyalty
Our brands are not famous. It's the brutal truth that awareness and 'memory' of our sites is low, even though we get pretty good traffic. We get lots of people coming, but not many of them make the mental leap of remembering us next time they have a problem or issue they need advice on. Consequently, they search Google instead of going directly to our homepage and searching TheSite.
And the upshot of all this? Of the 2.5m page impressions we get a month on TheSite.org, less than 2% are for the homepage. This is why we haven't invested heavily in the homepage.
Now ignore all of that
Despite what I've written above, we have just spent three months and a chunk of design, development and project management time redoing TheSite.org homepage.
Why?
The web may be changing dramatically, but the homepage still has a key role to play – and may even play a bigger part as we work on our brand awareness.
One outcome of this brand work should be more new people coming directly to the site through the homepage (rather than through search engines). These new users need to get the full flavour of the site from this first visit and we've built a homepage that reflects the site better. It's more dynamic, colourful and offers inroads to many more parts of the site.
The big opportunity from the new homepage is building loyalty. We hope to convert these new users into regulars, who remember us and visit us directly when they need advice.
Thursday May 10, 2007
Genitals, grub, rock'n'roll and t'internet: TheSite.org quizzes
We've recently launched quizzes on TheSite.org that cover everything from knowledge of STIs to weird UK laws. It was a project that took a while to develop, not because it was overly complicated, but because we wanted to come up with something that added value to the site rather than just acted as a five-minute diversion.
Quizzes on TheSite.org, we reckoned, should have some... educational value. maybe even edu-tainment! But seriously, there did seem like an opportunity to provide some fun functionality that had an information layer hidden underneath. The risk, as always with this is you can't find the balance and the fun stuff is pushed sideways as you try and wedge in some sort of message.
I think Kim, our journo who put this together did really well at finding the balance. See for yourself by taking the quizzes.
You can also post your results on any blog/social network page you might have, like I've done below. Just don't call me a geek.
Is your grub good for you?
Drugs and rock 'n' roll quiz
Weird UK laws quiz
How tech-savvy are you?
| How tech-savvy are you? |
| You scored 10 out of 10 |
 You know, there's no shame in being a geek. Really. If anything, at least friends and family can rely on you for tech help. Now all you need to do is put your knowledge to work and look at saving money with your computer and keeping safe online. |
Posted by Dom Waghorn ( 3:01 PM ) Link to this post Comments[0]
Wednesday Mar 21, 2007
TheSite.org goes mobile
What kind of content springs to mind when you think about surfing the web on your mobile? (because admit it, you do all think of it a lot).
If you've ever had a look at sites other than the BBC and a few notable exceptions, you've probably seen a lot of ringtones and wallpapers for sale, maybe some porn and not a lot else (see Charlie Brooker's rant on mobile content for "priapic halfwits" for a less subtle view...).
Well today that's changed, because we've just launched phase 2 of our mobile site. Consisting of hundreds of articles specifically designed to be viewed on a mobile phone, TheSite.org on mobile offers young people immediate access to information, advice and guidance on a whole range of issues.
From sex and relationships to interview advice, we've picked the kind of articles that our user panels have told us they'd need when they're out and about. You can also find the Local Advice Finder database on there, which gives details of local support organisations and is searchable by town or post code.
Have a look for yourself – on your phone go to www.TheSite.org or you can view the mobile version on your PC here: www.thesite.org/mobile/home. If you need any pointers on how to access the internet on your mobile there's a handy guide on TheSite.org here: http://www.thesite.org/multimedia/thesiteonmobilefaq.
We're really keen to reach as many young people as possible with this content, and we're currently negotiating with the networks to get it onto their portals. For the time being, you can access it on Vodafone Live!, T-Mobile's Web 'n Walk and 3's "whitelist".
We're still working on Orange, O2 and Virgin Mobile, so if anyone has any contacts feel free to give them a nudge!
Posted by Sam Thomas ( 5:03 PM ) Link to this post Comments[0]
Wednesday Mar 07, 2007
Have your say
Sadly not another post about government petitions, instead a chance to influence the development of a brand new project for YouthNet.
We're developing a new service that aims to provide an online resource for self harmers, their friends, family, carers and professionals working with self harm. If you're interested in helping out with the services early development then take our new survey on TheSite.org and let us know what you think.
Oh and you might even win a prize :)
Posted by Jim Valentine ( 12:10 PM ) Link to this post Comments[0]
Friday Mar 02, 2007
Tiger Tax Trauma
Seems like it's been a while since our last content update - so here's the new content that's gone live in the last few weeks:
Dealing with someone else's drug problem
Recognising disablism
Emergency first aid
Weird whiskey
Council tax chase
Hang on or move on
Tourette's trauma
Fingered at work
The big 'O'
Horror hair
Mum's making me homeless
GHB equals GBH?
Taxing house sale
Finding out you're adopted
When coming out goes wrong
Gambling addiction
Compulsive Eating
Grr, Tiger
Friday Jan 12, 2007
Warts, waterproofs and self esteem
Here's a flavour of the new content which has been published on TheSite.org this week:
Hands off my things!
M.E. diarist: Naming M.E.
Consensual outing
Waterproof patch
Warts the problem?
Cold compensation
Grassing up
New Surveys on TheSite.org
Drugs Survey
Results of the Happy Holidays Survey
Discuss
Making an ass of yourself:
Smoke free in 2007
Wednesday Jan 03, 2007
Sex podcasts
If you need something different to listen to on your iPod on the way into work, try our new Sex and Relationship podcasts from TheSite.org.
Find out about bondage for beginners, giving her good head and how to give a hand job.
The voice-artists (as they insist on being called) are mostly drawn from our own staff. But you'll have to wait for the YouTube versions to discover who's who.
Incidentally, all TheSite.org's podcasts are now available through BitTorrent.
Posted by Tom Green ( 5:14 PM ) Link to this post Comments[0]
Thursday Dec 21, 2006
Hoodies, Second Life and safeguarding: bring on 2007
The pre-Christmas sherry is making me a bit giddy. In a perfect, magical world, here's what's going to happen in 2007.Youth
John Reid comes to his senses, decides that perhaps young people aren't all evil good-for-nothing layabouts. He convinces his colleagues in parliament to adhere to the recommendations in the YouthNet/BYC Respect report. Political pressure on the tabloids also sees a change in the way young people are discussed in the media.
Meanwhile, instead of focusing on a minority of long-term unemployed, the government gets tough on wealthy tax-evaders and those behind dubious business deals.
Technology
Wi-fi enabled digital media players which can be used to seamlessly download subscribed podcasts and swap music and other media with friends arrive. And as pigs fly over Islington, a realisation from the music industry that fair pricing and DRM-free music will actually see their fortunes rise.
Virtual worlds don't become clones of the real world. Instead, a new ethos emerges online. These worlds don't duplicate rampant commercialisation and free-marketing; the residents of Second Life et al, foster a new culture of community and egalitarianism.
Volunteering
The mania around safeguarding and risk management subsides, enabling organisations to get on with recruiting, training and managing their volunteers. All those potential volunteers who were put off by overly-invasive checks now come forward, bringing their expertise and enthusiasm to the organisations they volunteer with.
YouthNet
TheSite.org cements its position as the leading information and advice site for young adults. Partnerships with key youth media sees the site's reach explode. The drive to new platforms continues, as does the creation of useful, targeted content in text, audio and video formats.
do-it.org.uk continues to drag the volunteering world into new areas, making major strides in youth volunteering and virtual volunteering. Because of do-it and its partnerships, volunteering is easy to get involved with and just something people... do.
We move to new offices that match our growing ambitions and fancy lifestyles. Win loads of awards.
Charity World
A new three-year voluntary sector consultation committee is created... no, not really. What does happen is innovative, sustainable charities become better understood and respected. CSR money and public sector contracts go to organisations that do stuff rather than just talk about it (or document it). The public gain a better understanding of the breadth of voluntary sector organisations and don't just give all their money to saving kittens, babies and Top Gear presenters.
Happy New Year everyone.
Posted by Dom Waghorn ( 11:43 AM ) Link to this post Comments[0]
Wednesday Dec 13, 2006
Time to fill in our blog survey!
We'd love to hear more of your views on our YouthNet blog. We've extended the deadline for our survey - so there's still a chance to win a £25 Amazon voucher!
Posted by Kirsten Olson ( 4:43 PM ) Link to this post Comments[0]
Monday Dec 11, 2006
The Octi's
TheSite.org 2006 awards are here!
Vote now for everything you loved and hated this year and be in for a chance of a stellar star prize.
http://www.thesite.org/community/beheard
Posted by Jim Valentine ( 12:47 PM ) Link to this post Comments[0]Early coming, telemarketers and dodging debt
Here's the weekly roundup of new content from TheSite.org (and a new section on sister-site do-it.org.uk)
New Content on TheSite.org
Lovely, Entertaining Threads from the Boards
Updated Content on TheSite.org
New Section on do-it.org.uk
Posted by Jim Valentine ( 12:22 PM ) Link to this post Comments[0]
Wednesday Nov 29, 2006
So, what do you think of our blog?
.jpg)
YouthNetters have been at this blog for a good ten months now - writing about issues interesting and relevant to us. We've blogged about stories, news and tidbits that we found compelling, curious or repulsive.
Less than a year in, it's still quite new to us. We now want to know: how is it for you? Please fill in our survey and let us know what you think. And, to thank you for your contributions, there's a £25 Amazon certificate to be won!
Here's the survey.
Posted by Kirsten Olson
( 2:19 PM )
Link to this post
Comments[0]
Thursday Nov 16, 2006
TheSite.org goes mobile
We've got some big news: mobile users can now access one of the key services from TheSite.org on their phones. We've made our Local Advice Finder database of over 13000 organisations available on mobiles so young people can find help wherever they are.
This is the first phase of our mobile development plans. As Tom pointed out on this blog some months ago, the mobile platform is an exciting distribution channel for publishers (including charities) and one that we think is going to be key in the years to come.
But why mobile?
1. There are lots of them.
There are three times as many mobile phones as PCs worldwide and virtually all phones on the market today are web-enabled. As devices, mobiles are going to become increasing rich with features and offer the same download speeds we expect with broadband.
2. Young people use them. Loads.
In the UK, 96% of 16-24 year olds have mobiles. Young people rely heavily on mobile devices (generally phones but increasingly hand-held video gaming devices too) to retrieve and share information. This generation has grown up with mobiles and don't have the same voice-only associations that older people have with phones.
3. It's a good route to the hard-to-reach.
Only 34% of people over 15 in DE groups use the internet, while 76% use a mobile phone. It's clear that organisations like YouthNet have a much higher chance of reaching the hard to reach, i.e. those who are considered to be socially excluded or disadvantaged, if we use mobile technology to reach them.
4. Mobile devices offer something that other access points don't.
Mobiles are popular because they are personal, personalised and portable.
- Personal: Very few people share mobiles (unlike PCs) and often store data on them that they wouldn't want others to see.
- Personalised: Ringtones, screensavers and other personal settings help mobile users create individualised devices that say lots about their personalities.
- Portable: No one leaves home without making sure their mobile is in their pocket or bag. People use their mobile while on the move and they are increasingly used for functions beyond their original purpose.
And why not mobile?
It's hard. Mobile publishing isn't like normal web publishing - as well as the opportunities listed above, there are major limitations in terms of screen size, (current) data download speeds and navigation options. But this doesn't mean it's not worth doing. Quite the opposite. For organisations that can crack this, there is amazing opportunity available.We are committed to delivering many new features and lots of content both for TheSite.org and do-it.org.uk over mobile platforms. We'll keep you informed here, but in the meantime, try out our first service and let us know what you think.
To view Local Advice Finder on your web-enabled mobile, visit www.thesite.org on your phone web browser.Thanks to Claire Easterman, our mobile project manager for the info for this post. Posted by Dom Waghorn ( 1:18 PM ) Link to this post Comments[4]
Thursday Oct 19, 2006
TheSite.org Community redesign
If you haven't seen the redesigned Community section on TheSite.org (YouthNet's information and advice website for young people) yet, then take a look.
I've had no involvement in the project myself so feel (just about) neutral enough to say what a great job has been done. There's a massive amount of information to organise but it also needs to feel alive – much of the content, after all, is user-generated. I think the balance in this design is pretty much spot on.
It got me thinking about the impact of MySpace on web design, especially for young people. They've taken customisation to the point where usability suffers badly, but it doesn't seem to matter:
As Business Week has noted, MySpace has created design anarchy that works:
User pages on MySpace can look truly hideous (and many, many of them do), but the site's operators aren't trying to help users make their pages look better. If they were, they might offer some pre-built page design templates or color schemes, or even constrain the design choices users have.
Instead, the system allows users to do almost anything to the look of their pages, whether it's a good idea or not. Regardless of its aesthetic consequences, this customizability is one of the site's most attractive features, and the do-it-yourself sensibility of the site resonates with the audience's desire for self-expression.
It would be a foolish web designer that simply tried to mimic MySpace users' page designs, however. You can't fake the youth-look. On MySpace, as on TheSite.org's Community pages, the design works because the users really are in control.
Posted by Tom Green ( 11:15 AM ) Link to this post Comments[1]
Wednesday Jul 19, 2006
RESPECT pic and recording
If you weren't able to make it to the launch of the RESPECT report yesterday (see below), here's a recording (30MB).
The pic shows members of the RESPECT Advisory Group: Katie, Emily, Sophie, Emma, Kate, Rachael, Mohammed, and Emily.
