Welcome to the Brokers Blog. Our 12 Brokers work all over Wales and here you can find out what they've been up to, any useful links they have found, tips and ideas. Check out the blog in Welsh too.

Just come across a website builder - Webspring on the WCVA website. It’s a website builder that could be of use for someone looking to create a website quickly – its pretty basic but the example look simple and professional.  There are costs for this service which can be found on the Webspring website.

Media Snackers is an organisation that works with Youth focused agencies and organisations who wish to understand new technologies and assist them in taking advantage of what is available.

Mark Smith - one of our Communications Officers has spotted something from the BBC Wales news website:

An interesting project in Carmarthenshire is training people in how to use the internet to help them through the credit crunch.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_west/7675513.stm

Key phrase from the story….’awakening the entrepreneur hidden inside’

Communities @One funded young film-makers from Tonypandy Community College are having their film screen at the Co-op Young Film-Makers' festival in Bradford 9 & 10 October 2008.  The girls involved in the project worked with Tantrwm Films and Aberdare band, Sal.  The band's song, "Devil May Care" was chosen to be the theme song of the new James Bond audio book earlier this year, and the Tonypandy students have made a stunning video, using green screen technology to full effect!

Exploring how youth work and informal education professionals can support young people in a digital world.

this looks exciting - trying to find out if it is *really* UK or just England...

8th to 12th September is Silver Surfers week, and Silver Surfers of all levels are participating in “itea & biscuits” events all over Britain; including Bryn Ivor Sheltered Housing in Llwynypia, Rhondda.

Free copies of “PCs – just the steps for Dummies” are available from the Age Concern Website – by following a link from Age Concern Cymru to the English Age Concern Website (http://www.accymru.org.uk/en/4161.htm ).

There are also a number of pdf guides available on line, including Internet, email, Digital Imaging, scanners & webcams

Age concern also have a Digital Inclusion Network specially for those providing services to the over 50’s, “If I Can, You Can”, a straightforward jargon free guide put together with BT available free to individuals; Silver Surfer Project Toolkit with resources & suggestions (£15/£25)

From Ian Runeckles at LASA., via the Circuit Riders message board:

"Lasa is delighted to announce that version 1.0 of the ICT standards and skills guide has been released. Titled "Improving Circuit Rider Service To Voluntary And Community Organisations ~ Tools To Build Circuit Rider Competencies" it was authored by Marc Osten and informed by UKRiders, the advisory group, conference attendees and a host of others. It's available to download over at http://www.ukriders.info/training-and-standards/icthub Following a section on the rationale behind the Guides there are 5 VCO ICT
standards:

*    ICT Planning
*    ICT Infrastructure
*    ICT Implementation and Maintenance
*    Staff and other Internal Stakeholder Communications
*    External Constituent Communications

Each standard is described and competencies which Riders require to assist the VCO to achieve those standards are listed.  The guide can be used by Riders engaged on a skills development programme (formal or
otherwise) to assess their needs and then use the Personal Learning Plan. We'll be piloting the Guide as part of the London Region ICT Infrastructure Project (see http://www.ukriders.info/training-and-standards/lriip ) but we're also hoping that it will be valuable to other Riders around the country. As mentioned this is version 1 - please let us know any feedback on the content or structure.

Ian"

Funding: Community project in Second Life

---

A modestly small, but disproportionally-useful funding opportunity.

entries by 1st June.

Details at…http://networkculture.usc.edu/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=35

Second Life is not only a multi-user 3D world, built by its members, but a creative space for collaborative working, networking and social networking. With its own exchangeable currency it is a viable workplace of particular interest to the disabled.
Very interesting video introduction to Second Life
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b72CvvMuD6Q

Quick Facts.

* Membership has grown from 1 million in 2006 to over 13.5 million people.

* Education is in a tiz about SL

(Forget web 2 this is more like web 3 ...maybe 4)    :-)

* There are roughly 275 linden dollars to the US$, but, "in-world" this money is disproporionately much more ´valuable´ than in the real world, so, with perhaps volunteer help this could establish a significant self-sustaining project.

* This is not monopoly money, it is exchangeable for Dollars and vice versa.

* It might even be of value for the international publicity alone.

Swansea and Neath CVS (Council for Voluntary Services) have put together an ICT funding advice guide with funding from Communities @One.  This excellent resource is available on the SCVS website www.scvs.org.uk/funding and  by clicking on the link on the right hand side.  The guide lists funders who currently fund ICT projects directly, amounts possible and their remits. 

Not forgetting that all funds with a social aim could be used to access funding for technology/digital inclusion projects with technology just used as the tool for social inclusion.

Those pioneering people over in the Wild West have a developed a very useful resource for voluntary sector ICT users at all levels:

VICTOR (Voluntary sector ICT Online Resource) is for everyone involved in voluntary action in Wales and is designed to help them quickly find useful ICT resources, which will save time and money during their everyday activities.

 

This resource has been developed by the Wales CVC Circuit Rider Project on behalf of the Infrastructure Group - County Voluntary Councils, Wales Council for Voluntary Action and Volunteer Bureaux.

visit Victor at circuitriderswales.org.uk/ - why not subscribe to their blog for the latest updates.

 

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