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.

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.

 

from the latest Net Family news - intelligent comment on the UK Social Networking Guidance:

www.netfamilynews.org/2008/04/uk-governments-guidelines-for-social.html

You can also follow this link to subscribe to Net Family News weekly email  newsletter or to the daily RSS feed

Hi all - just received this from Andrew Jones, Project manager of RCT Community Radio project:

 The Cynon Valley's first dedicated community radio station, Penywaun's Dapper FM went back on air on Monday 21st April for 4 weeks. The station broadcasts on 87.8FM in the Aberdare area and will also stream live on the world wide web

 

Serving our community with hourly local news, essential information and great music is important to us as a brand new community radio service in Rhondda Cynon Taff.The station is run by local volunteers who have been trained in essential skills they can use in the future including IT

 

Despite our small size and limited resources we pride ourselves that we can still sound as big as the rest. Putting that magic ingredient of a touch of showbiz back into radio is what we strive for and we hope that wherever you may be around the globe you'll enjoy Dapper FM!

 

 

Please let us know what you think!

 

Best Wishes

 

Andrew

Silver Surfers' Day (SSD) is on May 23, 2008:
E-zine No 3, April 2008

LIST OF CONTENTS

01. New website is open: time to start logging Events

02. Still not sure whether to have an Event? There is still time, and resources
to help you

03. Virgin Media offer free IT training to sheltered housing

04. What next?

CONTENTS

01. New website is open: time to start logging Events

Our 2008 website is alive now on http://www.silversurfersday.org . Go there as
soon as you like to log your Events.

A press media pack will follow next week (you'll be notified via this e-zine) to help
you do your publicity.

02. Still not sure whether to have an Event? There is still time, and resources,
to help you

If you're still not sure whether to plan an Event, think small. Better to take two
people to a library or a coffee shop for a leisurely surf and pleasant encounter
than worry about giving 200 people a good experience.

If you've got plenty of organisation power, though, the sky's still the limit! Phone
us for advice.

Whether your Event plans are small,medium or large you'll find our Event
Holders' Planning Resource is a mine of useful information:
(http://www.digitalunite.net/ssd/?page=resources&type=Event%20Holders )

03. Virgin Media offer free IT training to sheltered housing

Most wonderfully, Virgin Media are showing the way to other businesses by
investing in training older people to become 'online citizens'. Not only are they
sponsoring part of the Learning Zone on our website
(coming soon, preview on http://www.digitalunite.net/lz/ ), Virgin Media are also
offering free equipment, superfast broadband and training for 17 sheltered
housing schemes in Virgin Media broadband areas in Britain. There's a description
and application process here http://www.digitalunite.net/docs/vm.html . Closing
date is May 23rd, which is, of course, Silver Surfers' Day.

04. What next?

We plan to resource you until May 23rd and beyond. Right now you have your
Event Holders' Planning Resource and a place to log Events so that your effort is
recorded, and visitors can find you (if you want a public Event).

Next week you'll get a media pack, including template press release, advice on
how to obtain publicity, and free-use images of silver surfers in action.

Soon you'll hear that the Learning Zone is 'live' with 35 + tasty training morsels
which you can use to help you become a 'tutor for a day' and as printable
handouts for your visitors. They cover topics from basic keyboarding and mouse
manipulation up to BBC I-player and Facebook.

Later, you'll be invited to join an Online Support Network to share best practice
and keep us all going with an exchange of ideas and resources throughout the
year.

'E' you soon,

Gill

Gill Adams SSD/DU E-zine Editor
Tel: 0870 241 5091
Web: http://www.digitalunite.net
Email: silver@digitalunite.net
Mail: Digital Unite Limited, PO BOX 1271, Woking, Surrey GU22 2FP

Thanks Deb for another gem:

"An affordable and accessible training programme for voluntary groups across Wales has been created by bringing together local county voluntary councils, volunteer centres and Wales Council for Voluntary Action. The brochure for April to September can be found in pdf format, 376KB at Courses for Communities Cymru, http://www.coursesforcommunities.org.uk/welcome."

 

IT4Communities is the leading national IT volunteering programme. 
If your charity or not-for-profit or social enterprise would like specific IT help, then register with IT4C, and they could find a volunteer to meet your needs.
If you are an IT professional who would like to 'give something back' to your community, then register with IT4C to be matched with a suitable client.

IT4C can help both parties organise the project or task - from defining what the need is to an effective exit strategy. 

Worth a visit to www.it4communities.org.uk/it4c/about.jsp for more information.

Thanks to Deb, our North Wales broker for this information from AbilityNet following a recent training session:

AbilityNet’s own pages on web services are here: http://www.abilitynet.org.uk/webresources

 A dedicated website to web accessibility: http://www.webaim.org/

All manner of website building tutorials are here: http://www.w3schools.com/

AbilityNet is a national charity helping disabled adults and children use computers and the internet by adapting and adjusting their technology.

Back to Topics