Using New Media and ICT to Engage and Involve Presentation by Beth Follini, Project Director, Luton Lives (UK)

Luton Lives – Who are we?  One of 5 Demonstration Projects set up by the Home Office (UK Government) to look at new and innovative ways to promote volunteering and community action.  Based in inner city town of Luton which has a high level of deprivation.  Partnership Project between Voluntary, Statutory and Business Sector.  20% of residents come from minority ethnic background.

How did we get involved in Community Media?  Approached by a local community group in 2000 who wanted to develop an idea for a one month community radio station which would engage individuals, community groups and voluntary sector organisations.  People felt that the lack of communication was affecting the information that was being received by socially excluded groups. The mainstream media did not seem interested in looking at many of the issues effecting socially excluded groups.  Young people complained that there was a lack of facilities available to them and that they were constantly in trouble with the Police for being involved with pirate radio

Diverse FM – Diverse Radio for a Diverse Community!  Diverse FM in 2001 was a very big success involving over 100 individual volunteers and 60 community groups.  A range of information shows were produced on diverse topics including drugs awareness, health and volunteering. Throughout the weekdays, community groups and voluntary organisations, produced shows for their own ‘slots’  In the evenings, young DJ’s took over! Young People and staff from the youth inclusion project also produced shows. Schools were involved and 40 schoolchildren produced radio shows about issues affecting them  Their were shows catering for the Bengali, Albanian, Pakistani and Irish Communities on weekends.

Diverse Volunteers for Diverse FM!

Benefits of Diverse FM  It engaged many harder to reach groups such as disaffected youth immediately.  Community media can give the community a medium by which they can get their message across.  Through volunteers running a local radio station, they can received valuable training& work experience in media.  It brought many diverse members of the community together and allowed for the true diversity of Luton to be represented.

Moving into New Media and Streaming Technology We wanted to extend the work with had done with Diverse FM to see if we could utilise new technology particularly web casting and streaming technology. Could we use ‘New Media’ as a way of engaging and involving more people in community action? YES!

What is webcasting? ‘Webcasting is the term used to describe the real- time delivery of moving mages, moving text and sound, over the internet. Webcasting software allows internet audiences to listen or watch types of media, which have, up until now, been considered too large and bulky for consumption over the internet’ Definition provided by Honor Harger, Webcasting Curator at the Tate Modern, London, England

Black History Month Project Our first webcasting project was for Black History Month in October We worked as part of a local steering group to gather a range of video, audio and still imagery for a webcasting website which would be part of the National Grid for Learning. Activities that we carried out as part of the project included:  Working with a local school to produce a video of an African-Caribbean Music Event.  Interviewing Black and African Caribbean Volunteers about their experience of living in Luton.  Videoing artefacts relating to Black History held at a local museum

Black History Month Project After all the material was gathered, with the help of over 50 volunteers and members of the community, the site was developed with a core team of individuals working alongside the web developers. The site has been divided into Past, Present and Future and will allow users to see video, music and still footage.

Building Bridges Changing Lives Project  Aim: To Utilise new technologies to develop innovative models of activity engaging with disaffected young people aged  Objective: To work with two groups of young people – one group from a school and one group from a project working with disaffected youth – to enable them to produce and stream two web based community radio programs which will focus on issues currently affecting young people

Impact of Building Bridges Changing Lives Project  Growth in confidence by young people involved in the project.  Use of new media and webcasting inspires motivation and enthusiasm amongst disaffected young people.  Once the project is completed, the young people who have been involved will be encouraged to become engaged in similar activities.  Young people who visit the youth futures site are more likely to engage with music and web radio than information that is presented in a more conventional manner

Benefits to using New Media and ICT to engage people  Attractive to young people and other socially excluded groups.  Allows Community groups and Voluntary Sector Organisations to information out to their target groups and bypass the mainstream media!  Can be a way to bring diverse range of people together to work on practical projects.  Web Radio can run all year round and does not need licence or expensive transmitting equipment. It can also reach people in a wider geographical area.

Summary Using Community Media is a simple and effective way to:  Attract people to get involved as volunteers.  Spread the message about volunteering and community action to a wider audience.  Give those involved in producing new media projects confidence to enter into further learning