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Wednesday May 31, 2006
Go YouthNet Debasers!
This week saw the start of the 2006 Charity Softball League. There are 22 teams this year and tomorrow is YouthNet's first game against Business in the Community.
The "YouthNet Debasers" have been through an intense training programme in the build up to the league, including high altitude training runs and master classes on visualisation techniques with Derren Brown and Paul McKenna.Actually, our training has mostly involved standing round, trying to hit the ball, then going to the pub for a few beers, but it's been great fun.
We'll keep you posted with how you get on and if you're in the vicinity of Regent's Park tomorrow evening and fancy a laugh why not come down and cheer us on! Posted by Sam Thomas ( 4:13 PM ) Link to this post Comments[1]
Thursday May 25, 2006
The pointlessness of blocking
US technology website CNet has a great story about kids trying to get round their school internet filters. It's a bit of a sport really. On one side you have the power-hungry teachers (or concerned guardians, depending on how you view it); on the other side, clever, tech-savvy teenagers looking for a bit of fun.
So how does this sport work? Firstly, the teachers load on the blocking software, aiming to stop the kids from accessing anything inappropriate on the school computers. The kids then go about using their IT acumen to find ways of getting round the blocks. Once the kids get through, they know eventually that this loophole will be shut down, but it means they can access all the games, social networking sites and email services they want for that period of time. The teachers catch up; the kids then have to find another solution.
It all sounds like good fun, but there's an underlying problem here which covers the issues of lack of trust and a poor understanding of technology. These teachers or school network managers are scrambling desperately to squash a cultural and technological revolution that they can't keep up with.
In February this year, some of the users of TheSite.org discussion boards had a conversation entitled "Does you school block websites?"
As well as discussing ways to get round the filters, users chatted about the level of blocking which goes on at thier own schools. Here's one response:
"If you type 'f u c k' consecutively it will take a screenshot of what you're doing and send it to the admin. If the word 'game' appears on a webpage, same happens. So basically, my school has gone control freak crazy. They excluded a student for a day already cos he was playing on net games."
Big Brother anyone?
This user continues:
"Oh and also they've just blocked all the email websites too, so you can only use the school's mailserver, which doesn't actually work. So we're all back to floppy disk land (the usb ports are locked out incase you bring a virus on a usb stick)"
I know these computers are school property and as always, kids have to keep to the rules of the school. But demonising the technology and basically restricting usage down to prehistoric levels is hardly going to stimulate young minds in this new "information age".
Here's an idea: why not trust your students to use computers sensibly? Why not chat to them about their usage? Find out how Messenger and MySpace and yes, even mindless games can be used effectively and in interesting ways. Integrate it into course work. Set them tasks. Use the new technology for ways that are productive and open.
Alternatively, just throw your computers in a big heap on the football pitch, douse with petrol and throw on a match. It won't make a jot of difference - your students will all be accessing whatever the hell they want on their mobile phones in the next few years - and what are you gonna do about that?
Posted by Dom Waghorn ( 2:03 PM ) Link to this post Comments[3]
Tuesday May 23, 2006
Feel the power of the dark side, Luke
Web inventor and possible Jedi master, Tim Berners-Lee, has warned about the coming of a 'dark period' for the internet if the US is allowed to create a two-tiered internet.
This has been bubbling under for a while, so it's nice to see some public coverage. Essentially the idea is to allow the rich to gain a better service, whilst reducing the service provided to those who can't pay.
I don't think there is much that needs to be said to explain just how horrible this possible future would be, one of the best things about the internet is the way it acted as an open model, a level playing field.
Recent actions of formerly 'good' Google to restrict Chinese access to content, the growing use of geographic limits on browsing (such as on abc.com's tv downloads) and AOL's spam-happy practices all show the United States striving ahead in the battle to crush the soul of the internet. We can only hope they don't succeed.
Posted by Jim Valentine ( 4:15 PM ) Link to this post Comments[2]
Monday May 22, 2006
Google trend in youth engagement
As Google grows, so does its database logging our every thought (or search term at least). It's led some commentators to quip that Google knows 'even more about us than our own mother'.
Recently Google have been keen to give us the chance to peak inside this database of online human behaviour. First with its zeitgeist reports and now with Google trends.Sceptical about the usefulness of such data to the UK voluntary sector? Hold your judgement until you've tried it. If you do try just one trend search- let it be this one:
A brand for youth engagement in the UK? Tsssk, lucky guess. Posted by Patrick Daniels ( 3:48 PM ) Link to this post Comments[0]
Friday May 19, 2006
IT infrastructure
A new report by Paul Secular from do-it.org.uk (a YouthNet project) and Dr Simon Davey of preponderate.net on IT infrastructure in the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) has been published (PDF file).
The authors believe IT infrastructure to be one of the most important issues facing the sector and they hope that the report will contribute to a better understanding of where organisations currently stand, and where they are going in the next few years.
The report is based on the results of an online survey conducted between 11 October 2005 and 31 December 2005. This survey was aimed at staff working within, or on behalf of, a VCS organisation and respondents were sourced through email and a via a number of popular VCS mailing lists.
The picture painted by the survey will be familiar to anyone working in the sector, especially if they're with a small organisation.
While almost three quarters of organisations have a major IT investment planned (most commonly an investment in hardware although software is also mentioned ) IT support is most commonly available only on an ad hoc basis, and is most often received from a paid external source. Fewer than one in five organisations have access to a full-time internal IT support specialist.
Microsoft Windows dominates the desktop operating system platforms in use, with 98% using it for the majority of their everyday work. This, according to the survey, is not expected to change significantly in the next 2-3 years although Mac OS and Linux are both mentioned as possible alternatives by some organisations.
It's easy for those involved in IT to get carried away with what's new and exciting. This survey is a reminder of the realities for organisations in the voluntary sector – frequently short of money and expertise, and happiest to stick with what is familiar.
The results of the survey will be used to inform the development of YouthNet's volunteer management software product, V-Base.
Posted by Tom Green ( 12:00 AM ) Link to this post Comments[0]
Tuesday May 16, 2006
Doing it in Tunisia
PHOTO: Marouen (Tunisian volunteer), Patrick (YouthNet), Simon (YouthNet), and Lilia (British Council Tunisia) at Tunis Science City.
YouthNet was invited by the British Council in Tunisia to participate in a conference, to explore new ways of setting up a regional volunteering database amongst countries in North Africa and the Middle East. The event was an opportunity to share YouthNet's experience developing do-it.org.uk and learn from others with experience of volunteering in the Middle East.
The voluntary day event (06-05-2006) sought to build on the experiences of 'Bridges', a 'Connecting Futures' project running in Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, Jordan, Palestine, Syria, Tunisia and the UK. It was interesting to learn about the experiences as diverse as the Egyptian Volunteer Centre, the Red Crescent in Syria and the Tunisian Scouts. Bridges is a project that aims to create a regional network of young people willing to be actively involved in their communities and to make a difference.
In November 2005, Tunisia played host for the World Summit of the Information Society (WSIS). WSIS put Tunisia centre stage of the debate around information and its potential benefits to society. Although sometimes controversial in the Tunisian political context, WSIS proved beneficial to many young Tunisians working hard to harness the potential of the information age for voluntary groups in Tunisia.
The voluntary day event on 6th May was an opportunity to learn about the work and experience of young volunteers across North Africa and the Middle East- many still with the experience of WSIS fresh in their minds. One such volunteer was Marouen Mraihi, a young Tunisian who blogs about his experiences in the voluntary sector. He told us about the enthusiasm of young people keen to get involved in their community. Marouen was particularly interested to use his IT skills to set up a volunteering database in Tunisia.
It was inspiring to see how volunteering is being promoted in different ways in different countries. And it has to be said, it was also incredibly refreshing to see beyond the narrow focus of the Western media. We had a chance to discover the vibrant civil societies in North Africa and the Middle East, that are all too frequently 'off our radar'. Posted by Patrick Daniels ( 11:22 AM ) Link to this post Comments[0]
Monday May 15, 2006
Sector welcomes government shake-up
Initial responses to the shift of responsibility for the voluntary sector away from the Home Office seem to have been mostly positive.
"We're very pleased," said Stephen Bubb, chief executive of Acevo. "This was one thing we raised during our meeting with Tony Blair earlier this year."
Stuart Etherington, chief executive of the NCVO, said it was an ideal solution. "Our 2005 election manifesto called for the Cabinet Office to be given responsibility for the sector," he said.
An editorial in Third Sector welcomed the changes, which see the creation of an office for the third sector headed by Ed Miliband, reporting to Hilary Armstrong in the Cabinet Office.
It's been a long time coming, and it might not prove in practice to be as streamlined and dynamic as it appears on paper. But it goes a long way towards what the NCVO and others have been urging on the Government for some time.
Apparently, more details of the sector's role in public service delivery will be revealed at a conference hosted by the Cabinet Secretary on 6 June.
Posted by Tom Green ( 10:24 AM ) Link to this post Comments[0]
Thursday May 11, 2006
YouthNet gets frisky with Durex
Those of you with eagle eyes might have noticed some ads for Durex's 'He Says You Say' campaign in a few magazines recently (Heat, Company, Glamour and More).
The campaign follows some research by Durex that highlighted 16-24 year old heterosexual girls as a key target group needing support, guidance and the confidence to insist their partners use a condom. We've endorsed the campaign alongside Brook, Marie Stopes, National Aids Trust and The Terrence Higgins Trust.
It's sparked off some interesting debate on our discussion boards, particularly around its targeted approach.
The campaign website has some smart responses to some of the excuses for not using a condom that crop up from time to time - you can even win an 18-30 holiday by rating them.
So, what's the worst excuse you've ever heard?
Posted by Sam Thomas ( 1:55 PM ) Link to this post Comments[0]Just "v"
From a mouthful - "The-post-Russell-Commission-youth-volunteering-charity" - to a single letter. Yes, the branding process is over and the name is...v. (Although inevitably it will be referred to as The-post-Russell-Commission-youth-volunteering-charity-v.)
The appeal of the name is the ability to combine it with other things. "We are v.excited, v.inspired, v.enthusiastic...etc" It's not so good used on its own ("I'm doing some volunteering with v" just sounds odd) but perhaps that doesn't matter too much.
The emphasis from the organisation's official launch on Monday, and on the website, is the fact that it is "youth-led". Not just an advisory board of young people but four under-25s on the trustee board.
They're not the first charity to have young trustees, but the board as a whole (which includes YouthNet's chief exec Fiona Dawe), along with the v staff have a v.challenging job to do. OK, they have lots of money, but they also face very high expectations (the mission is to "inspire a million more young volunteers" )combined with hostility from some in the sector who resent government money going to setting up a new national organisation.
Then, of course, there's the government influence. Gordon Brown has been so closely involved that he even announced the new private sponsors in the Budget. And the Chair, Rod Aldridge, is a big Labour donor. How independent can v really be?
Perhaps, again, that doesn't matter too much. v will be judged on how well it uses the money it has been given. And work, as announced in the launch press release, is already underway.
The launch of the charity also sees the launch of the first round of grants for which v is inviting organisations to apply. There are two strands to the grants round. The first focuses on funding the development and delivery of new, creative, youth led, aspirational opportunities that engage young people in volunteering, either on a full time, part time or short term basis.
The second strand offers funding to successful organisations to host the first phase of Youth Volunteer Development Managers and Youth Volunteer Advisers. Organisations looking to host a team of workers will need to have the capacity and the networks to enthuse other organisations and young people to get involved with the vbest opportunities that will be created by the teams.
Tuesday May 09, 2006
Your new best friends
Little reported amidst the frenzy of government scandals and re-shuffling has been the removal of responsibility for voluntary and community policy from the Home Office.
Hilary Armstrong will be the sector's main woman in the new post of Minister for the Cabinet Office and Social Exclusion.
This new role will be to co-ordinate the Government's agenda to tackle social exclusion. Hilary Armstrong will also take responsibility for the third sector, supported by a Parliamentary Secretary, drawing together the different parts of Whitehall that currently deal with voluntary and community sector organisations and social enterprises. A new office for the sector in the Cabinet Office will bring greater coherence to the Government's approach to the sector.
Quite how this new role fits in with the Chancellor's Budget announcement of a cross-cutting review and various other Treasury-led third sector initiatives remains to be seen. Armstrong certainly seems to be more of a Blairite than a Brownie.
It's not yet clear what will become of the Home Office's Active Communities Directorate (ACD) but with Ruth Kelly's new Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) - the successor department to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister - incorporating the communities and civic renewal functions previously undertaken by the Home Office, one can only assume that ACD is doomed.
I wonder if the ACD civil servants will be moved to new departments en masse, or if a whole new lot will have to learn about the sector.
Posted by Tom Green ( 9:16 AM ) Link to this post Comments[1]
Monday May 08, 2006
Sex advice with your Sunday morning croissants
In January, Sunday newspaper The Observer launched a new column in its glossy supplement covering sex. The two columnists, Marion McBride and Sebastian Horsley immediately dived in with advice to readers covering oral sex, Brazilian waxes, vibrators, penis size and bondage.
In the first week's column, McBride advised a woman who was finding her sex life stagnating to look at:
"gently massaging whatever kink is closest to your man's heart - dust down the fringed bra, the nurse's outfit, the accidental omission of underwear."
Hardly triple-x stuff, but quite racy for a Sunday supplement. By April, the conversation had turned even more explicit. A female reader wanted advice on how to communicate to her partners that she liked anal sex. This, was, it seems, the proverbial final straw.
On Sunday, The Observer readers' editor announced that the sex column had been dropped. They had received a number of complaints, mainly focusing on the inappropriateness of the content for younger eyes.
One reader complained:
"My 11-year old daughter knows where to find the horoscopes in the magazine. Then I find my peaceful Sunday morning reading has to be abandoned for a rather unwelcome series of questions ... and all this appears under a running head of 'love'"
And another, in the best tradition of liberal complaints:
"This is the kind of "journalism" best left to the lads' mags and no, this isn't middle-aged, middle England talking but a 36-year-old Londoner. It's a sad fact that whereas once your magazine could grace coffee table, it now heads straight for the recycling bin."
You can picture the reader's fury as the magazine was carefully thrown in the paper (not cardboard) section of the recycling bin.
The complaints are fair in only one sense: that some content isn't appropriate for all age groups. But for a magazine like the Observer, it's a tricky balancing act. Provide a magazine which is 'appropriate' for 11 year olds and the rest of us miss out on more adult content?
As for leaving sex advice to the lads' mags, this makes me despair. This just reiterates the view that sex is all about photocopied pictures of bums and saucy snaps of Abi Titmus in a bikini.
Sound, honest advice on sex shouldn't only be available to the purveyors of soft-porn. I really admire The Observer for taking sex seriously and encouraging a more open conversation. The answers from McBride and Horsely provided the right combination of humour, information, empathy and practical advice. This is, of course, the approach we also try to take on TheSite.org.
The Observer column's intention was to provide "everything you ever wanted to know about sex but were too squeamish to ask'. Well you need to ask somewhere else now.
Posted by Dom Waghorn ( 11:05 AM ) Link to this post Comments[1]
Friday May 05, 2006
Content is (still) king
Amid all the talk about new media technologies at the We Media conference this week, there was little if any mention of discussion boards. Even the term sounds old-fashioned. So-oo nineties.
But they're still here. On YouthNet's website TheSite.org, for example. They haven't really changed that much over the years. They haven't needed to. They work.
Another subject that doesn't seem to have been mentioned much at We Media is content. "Content is king" also belonged in the nineties. But it's still relevant.
If you need proof, look at all the blogs (eg from the BBC and The Guardian) reporting live from the We Media Conference. Duller reading is hard to imagine. They are information for information's sake. A triumph of quantity over quality.
Ten years ago Bill Gates wrote an article headed Content is King:
One of the exciting things about the Internet is that anyone with a PC and a modem can publish whatever content they can create. In a sense, the Internet is the multimedia equivalent of the photocopier. It allows material to be duplicated at low cost, no matter the size of the audience.
That sounds a little old-fashioned - new technologies have made it a pretty sophisticated photocopier. But his central argument still holds. Whether it's on discussion boards or blogs (or new media conferences), it's still the content that counts.
Posted by Tom Green ( 9:03 AM ) Link to this post Comments[0]
Thursday May 04, 2006
National versus local
Should the local volunteering infrastructure be funded by national government?
On a day when turnout in local elections is expected to be below 40%, volunteering provides a good illustration of the tensions between national and local.
On the one hand, national government wants to utilise volunteering to meet their policy goals on everything from crime reduction to youth inclusion. They're prepared to put money in, but direct funding of the local volunteering infrastructure (Volunteer Centres) is off-limits. That, through custom rather than any set rules, is funded by local government.
As in politics, all (or at least most) volunteering is local. People give time to local organisations. They respond to local needs. So Volunteer Centres (VCs) are best-placed to manage the development of volunteering in their area.
Some are well-funded by their local authority, but many are not. If central government steps in, as it has done in the past, to fund VCs where none exist, then local authorities who do provide money will feel that they are, in effect, losing out.
In recent years national government has tried to get round this dilemma indirectly. Funding national projects such as do-it.org.uk (run by YouthNet), and giving organisations such as Millennium Volunteers, Volunteering England, Timebank and the Experience Corps money to distribute has put resources into VCs. The Russell Commission charity is likely to do the same.
But that still relieves the pressure from local government to fund it's own VCs. Arguably, it is part of the centralisation that has eroded local democracy - a problem highlighted by commentators like Simon Jenkins.
It would take a brave government to reduce funding for things like volunteering in order to force them up the local political agenda. And it's not something that national volunteering organisations, who themselves benefit from centralisation, are ever likely to advocate.
Posted by Tom Green ( 10:00 AM ) Link to this post Comments[0]