“Our new Kidz Unlimited website complements Whizz-Kidz’s offline training, and hosts interactive elearning modules and video topics featuring young disabled people themselves. The friendly sessions support young disabled people with advice – expressed in the language and voices of their peers. Topics include dealing with your feelings, food and fitness, and relationships.

Also on the site is our ‘Ambassador Forum’ which we designed to be somewhere safe for young people to talk to one another about issues important to them, in a different medium than they might speak to their friends on Facebook or other social media.

We’ve had several hundred unique visitors in the first week or so of launching, and are on track to hit our end target registered users for 2011 (around 1,000 young people).”Ruth Giller Project Manager Kidz Unlimited

The site has been reviewed by the NSPCC and steps have been taken to ensure young people will be safe whilst chatting online, including a forum moderator at Whizz-Kidz and links to the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre, where young people can report inappropriate online behaviour.

Impressively the project has not cost Whizz-Kidz any of its voluntary income to produce. The website portal was funded by Accenture; three eLearning modules including Healthy Living were funded by the Department of Health’s Innovation Excellence and Strategic Development Fund; and additional video production such as the wheelchair skills guides were made in conjunction with the BBC’s training academy Connect & Create.

http://www.kidz-unlimited.org.uk/

Tags: disability, free online learning, whizzkidz

For over 2 years I have been running my blog http://martynsibley.com/. I enjoy writing articles, tweeting, sharing videos and pictures on my life: some would say a life less ordinary, while others would not feel the need to clarify. Having a disability; always striving for new challenges and living life to the full; my articles often highlight the lighter/social side to life. Having gained a masters degree, travelled to Australia, learnt to drive a car with my hands and now living independently in London; I have crammed a lot in to my 28 years. My website mantra is inspire, inform and change.

I have always said how grateful I am for those who fought for and won independence for disabled people 20+ years ago. Moreover, I remain ever grateful to those campaigning on prevalent issues today. I have also dipped my toe in the political writing arena http://www.disabilitynow.org.uk/have-your-say/guest-column/putting-the-personal-into-personal-care and attended political marches http://martynsibley.com/the-professionals-video-from-the-march

For the past 2 months I have been self-employed (having worked for Scope in various capacities for 5 years) and I’m now running my own online projects for disabled people. Beyond my blog I co-launched the disability magazine http://disabilityhorizons.com/, created a series of ‘webinars’ (online seminars) http://martynsibley.com/online-learning and have other ‘new media’ plans.

The webinars are being run for my social media audience, and also in partnership with Hackney council http://www.hackney.gov.uk/disability-webinars.htm and Scope http://www.scope.org.uk/news/blogs/martyns-blog/free-disability-webinars (for their respective service users). Each series has 5 topics, which vary with each contract, and include: being a parent to a disabled child, a session for disabled teenagers, giving assistance with independent living (accessible housing, equipment, care and finance), accessing local leisure and world travel. In one hour the attendee can log on from home (or their nearest computer), absorb the 45 minute presentation I deliver and then ask specific questions in the 15 minute Q&A session. They see my screen and therefore can view powerpoint slides, websites, word documents and other useful/relevant materials. Meanwhile I explain all by talking into a microphone.

The benefits are seen by free attendance, useful information on a manner of disability related topics, personal goals to be taken away and my own theory which can be applied to all future concerns. To sign up and try one for yourself please click here http://martynsibley.com/online-learning

So, what is the theory I mentioned? It is called the Disability Diamond Theory. I created this theory because I could see the need for a disability model that focuses on an individuals’ impairment, needs, aspirations and life choices. It also encourages disabled people to aim higher, helps them along with some useful resources and explains my philosophy too. By my own admission it derives from personal experiences and is not an academic thesis. My experiences have, however, been influenced by many other disabled people and my only professional work was in the disability sector. A pretty solid foundation to write such a book I hope.

It is free to download here http://martynsibley.com/philosophy. My vision is that the Disability Diamond Theory will encourage disabled people (especially the next generation) to use the resources available (that were not around 20+ years ago) and excel in life.

I would love for you to read this ebook and feedback your views – good, bad or indifferent http://martynsibley.com/give-me-a-shout

Martyn Sibley – Managing Director Sunnier Days Ltd

Website - http://martynsibley.com/

Online magazine - http://disabilityhorizons.com/

Email - martyn@martynsibley.com

Tags: advocacy, digital engagement, disability, Disability Diamond Theory, social care

“Love is the killer app” @liaonet

“Social media is democratising society” @shirleyayres

“make videos – much more fun than reading loads of text” @Beatbullying

“You don’t have to build a new community they already exist. Join in their conversations”  Rob McCarthy @GOSSInteractive

A crowdsourced video produced by Big Bang Lab at the Third Sector Digital Communication and Social Media Convention 2011 organized by Aspire Knowledge. This is a snapshot of a crowdsourced user experience video. We discussed with speakers, exhibitors and the participants about some of the themes emerging during the sessions and networking opportunities. Honesty, listening, transparency, genuine communication, humour and engagement were some of the words shared by all during these fantastic two days in London.

Want to learn more? visit thirdsectorsocialmedia.com

Big Bang Lab (www.microbang-lab.com) is a cultural-social enteprise working from consultancy, learning to media production specialising in participatory music and film production for creative community engagement and civic participation.

Through Shared Voices the Big Bang Lab is helping private and public organisations with social, cultural and environmental aims to co-produce audio and video content for evaluation, advocacy, marketing, fundraising and stakeholder engagement goals. Big Bang Lab focus on a human approach to communication, including non verbal media to reach out and touch global audiences. For further information visit www.sharedvoices.net

Tags: #nfpsm, Aspire Knowledge, Big Bang Lab, social media

Mary Baker founder of DropBy

Social Networking and the over 60s may sound an unusual combination. However, the latest Nielsen research finds that overall membership of existing social network sites has grown significantly between 2009 and 2011 and that use by older people has grown more than twice as fast.

DropBy is a social website for the over 60s to keep in touch with family, friends and interest groups. DropBy is very much part of the Big Society and is an enabling force for family and community communications. In the longer term it could become a life-line for those who live alone or who feel isolated.

The website provides a safe hub for older people to communicate and interact with their families and friends even if they cannot leave the house. It is also proving to be a friendly place where carers can share their frustrations and make new friends.

Tags: DropBy, online communities, social care, social media

Interviews from Aspire Knowledge’s Third Sector Social Media Convention 2011 #nfpsm, with Bill Liao (Co-Founder Xing.com, neo.org and weforest.com), Justine Roberts (Founder & Director of Mumsnet) & Sarah Dyer (Head of New Media for Beat Bullying). In this film they discuss the power of social media through YouTube, Facebook & Twitter and how to use them effectively. With thanks to @beinspiredfilms

Tags: #nfpsm, Be Inspired Films, the power of social media, Third Sector Digital Communications and Social Media Convention 2011

Angela Catley

The providers of high quality care and support services are eager to show that what they offer is valued by customers, their families and supporters. Care and support choices are increasingly being made by people and not local authorities and we need ways of ‘badging’ or accrediting providers that takes this into account. The new Quality Mark developed by Community Catalysts could offer the answer.

Community Catalysts works with people with good ideas, offering the help they need to get their new enterprise established. This has the knock on effect of providing greater choice for people who need care and support to live their lives kind of “market shaping from the bottom up”

Evidence from our work is that lots of enterprises are not covered by local contracts or care regulation and as a result are unable to get ‘registered’ or ‘approved’ as care services were in the past. Others spend time and money jumping through the hoops necessary for registration or approval only to find these don’t have a focus on the quality issues that users and families are looking for. There are a plethora of new and emerging systems and initiatives which are attempting to address the quality issue but are not designed to work for the kind of small and/or quirky service providers that users are looking to purchase from.

The Quality Mark gives providers access to advice and information before assessing their systems and paper documents. It also recognises that all the paperwork in the world will not guarantee that the service will deliver good outcomes for customers and uses very simple feedback systems to allow people to say what they think about the service they have received. An independent Citizen Panel makes recommendations as to whether the provider should gain the quality mark awards

The system is designed to be accessible to as wide a range of providers as possible. We hope that providers and councils in other areas will be interested in using it and will be licensing its use in order to offer more comprehensive and continuing support.

We believe that people will appreciate this simple but robust approach to tackling the very real issues we face in this new (but a little confusing) personalised world of care.

About the author  Angela is the Director of Operations at Community Catalysts, an organisation that works to harness the talents of people and communities to provide high quality small scale and local support services. Angela began her career as a nurse for people with a learning disability, moving on to manage nursing, residential and day services and supported living projects.

For more information about the Quality Mark contact Angela  angela.catley@communitycatalysts.co.uk

Tags: adult social care, Community Catalysts, evaluating care services, micro providers, personalisation, Quality Mark

It occurs to me that this is one way to address the problem about the lack of information and support to help people plan for care and recognising the value of carers. I am just finishing a report which explores how service users and carers are using social media. There are so many online resources which support carers including  forums and facebook groups.

“I use the internet  to help me as a carer.   I have researched and ordered specialist items not available locally. When my relative had to go into a care home, the internet was one of the first places I tried to see what was available. It’s also useful if you want to find out about benefits and  to get advice from other carers.” from an online discussion with a carer

 I agree with the Commission on Funding of Care and Support that urgent  reform of the current social care system is needed. But I also think we need more joined up thinking about the resources available that can improve the quality of life for carers now.

If your organisation has a spare laptop in working order with at least Windows XP do contact Chill4us who will find a good home for it!  A small investment for the community “social capital” provided by our 6 million plus carers.    
 
I also recommend reading the informative Thrive and Survive  report by Race Online 2012 which has great case studies, including Carers UK,  and explores how the third sector is using digital technology and social media.

Tags: computers for carers, free computers, personalisation, social media, support for carers

The 5th Annual Social Work Conference will be held on Monday 4th July 2011

At the heart of social work lies the task of safeguarding and promoting the well-being of vulnerable children and adults. The Government’s vision for adult social care recognises the important role of social workers in supporting and protecting adults while empowering them to make their own decisions about shaping and buying services tailored to their needs. The Government has also commissioned reviews of a number of services affecting children and families which will have implications for social work reform, including the Munro Review of Child Protection.

In the current economic and political climate, the challenges and opportunities these developments pose for social work are immense and are reflected in the struggle for social work to define, enhance and promote itself as a profession. With rival bodies vying for leadership of a social work college, how can we come together to ensure that the safeguarding of vulnerable children and adults remains our clear and urgent focus? These conflicts and opportunities are explored in this annual social work conference, which brings together the best in research and practice today.

Call for workshop papers and posters - Abstracts must be submitted by email to martin.webber@kcl.ac.uk by Friday 6th May

Keynote Speakers

Prof Eileen Munro, London School of Economics, on the Munro Review of Child Protection

Prof Stephen Scott, King’s College London, on how social workers can reduce child abuse

Prof Jill Manthorpe, King’s College London, on safeguarding older adults

Dr Jim Campbell, Queen’s University Belfast, on coercion in mental health services 

Book your place here

Booking Information

Early Bird rates before 16th May 2011

£80 – delegate fee (£120 after 16th May)
£40 – social work student (£80 after 16th May)
Free – service users, carers and unwaged (limited places only)
Free – Making Research Count members (bookings only accepted through training managers and sent to janet.noble@kcl.ac.uk

Tags: advanced social work practice, institute of psychiatry, Safeguarding Vulnerable Children and Adults, social work cpd

I am delighted to introduce you to our first event the Third Sector Digital Communication and Social Media 2011 Convention.

I wanted to run this convention because of my own work in getting third and public sector organisations to take social media seriously as integral to their communications and engagement with the wider public. As a social worker, as a professional marketer and communicator and CEO of several organisations I understand the challenges and the opportunities for the third sector.

The fact is that whilst many organisations are already embracing the digital age, many others are equally fearful of it or reluctant to see it is a necessity to their way of working. I am passionate about opening up every organisation in the third and public sector to the potential the digital age has to offer – from engaging supporters and service users in the design and delivery of services to raising funds and managing campaigns. This does take education – removing the fear for many that they do not understand digital and social media technology and platforms, challenging the belief that it is too expensive for many organisations to do properly and helping CEO’s realise the tremendous positive impact and opportunity embracing digital strategies can have in every aspect of their work. Working with our excellent partners I have put together a programme of speakers who are themselves a long way forward on that journey either as individuals or organisations.

The knowledge does not begin and end at the convention in June. We have a collaborative approach to sharing good practice, the latest innovations and developments. We are working with our partners, speakers and sponsors to bring a different style to the way the knowledge is delivered. This will not be a traditional event!

Sign up for our weekly knowledge newsletter, free for the sector, over the weeks leading up to the convention http://thirdsectorsocialmedia.com
Keep in touch by joining the Third Sector Digital Comms and Social Media 2011  group on LinkedIn
Follow our tweets @nfpsm

Tags: AspireKnowledge, digital communications, digital communications and social media 2011 convention, social media

KnowHow NonProfit

“The launch of the StudyZone creates a space where people working in the voluntary sector can take control of their own learning and development. It’s a truly user-led, democratic platform. People can request the training they need and we will user our network of experts and volunteer trainers to deliver on the most pressing topics”  Luke Chaput, Head of Content at KnowHow NonProfit

To celebrate the launch of the StudyZone free access is currently available to the training video “How to write a winning funding bid”

The first eight online video sessions are topics requested by those who participated in the initial research:
*   Writing winning funding bids
*   Understanding and assessing impact
*   Essential leadership
*   Digital communications for successful campaigns
*   Make the most of your web
*   The essentials of charity
*   Five steps to building cohesive
*   Preparing project budgets

About KnowHow NonProfit: KnowHow NonProfit has been created to improve the efficiency of non profit organisations by increasing the knowledge and skills of people working in the non-profit sector

Tags: knowhownonprofit, online learning, social media, third sector