Connected Generation Conference 2010

Thank to all the individuals who attended the Connected Generation conference. Tim Davies and I organised the conference as a space to explore what the digital world means for young people’s lives, and for youth work partice. It was a huge success, throughout the whole day there was a ‘buzz’ of energy and conversation taking place. For me personally it was lovely to put faces to names and learn more about peoples practice and aspirations in utilising social media within their organisation and everyday youthwork practice.

“A big shout out & thank you” to Becci (young person) for attending the conference and being ‘fearless’ in participating in the Presenter Q & A. She answered in a clear and concise manner – so professional. Also for co-facilitating the Online Participation Workshop and sharing her experience of an organisation using social media to engage and promote young peoples participation about local issues. Also to Adam (young person) for agreeing to allow a film interview to be shared during the workshop presentation.

(Parental permission was given for Becci’s & Adam’s attendance, participation and images to be used on UK Youth Online & Online Youth Outreach. )

Key discussion points I took away from the conference:
• Necessity to make the ‘time & space’ to listen and hear what young people are choosing to share online. They don’t necessarily need youth workers to offer solutions but rather an ‘online listening ear’ for them to share and explore their view, situation or choices in a non-oppressive online space.
• Understanding you target audience for online social media platforms and whenever possible inviting their active participation in the planning, cultivating and development of the ‘online space’ – Empowerment
• Are young people’s rights been included or excluded in the planning of organisational social media polices and risk assessment: safeguarding young people or organisational ‘brand’ protection?
• Theoretical context to online professional boundaries & online interactions – relating existing youth work practice, values and theories to online detached youth work practice
• How to promote, facilitate and enable young people with additional needs to participate in social media platforms.

Below is information about each of the presenters and workshop facilitators

Presenter Information

 

Tim Davies

Tim Davies is founder and Co-director of Practical Participation where he explores the impact of social technology on youth engagement, civic participation and social change. Tim is co-author of Youth Work and Social Networking (NYA, 2008), the report that led to the development of the Youth Work Online (.org.uk) network and a series of unConference events bringing together practitioners interested in exploring digital elements of work with young people. He has also written on youth participation and social media; using social networks in AIDs education, and positive youth development approaches to youth policy. Tim holds a first class degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from Oxford University and is currently studying for an MSc at the Oxford Internet Institute. He is a member of the UK Council on Child Internet Safety, and is supporting the development of the Youth Coalition on Internet Governance.

He blogs at http://www.timdavies.org.uk tweets http://www.twitter.com/timdavies/

 

Amy Sample Ward

My work focuses on the use of technology to connect with and engage people for positive social impact: that may be building community on or offline, empowering communities to take action, or collaborating across traditional barriers to make change. As such, I’ve worked with groups of all kinds, in many places of the world, reaching out to audiences of every type, age, interest, and purpose. There’s tremendous potential in using technology to engage youth, especially around education and social services. But, it’s also an audience that comes with a very small cushion for error. Digital engagement projects and services directed at youth need to be created with youth from the beginning and be strategically focused on impact and interaction. Relevant web links/online resource recommendations

- My blog: amysampleward.org

- My organization: netsquared.org

- Social by Social book: socialbysocial.com

 

Katie Bacon

Social media platforms create dynamic, variable and constantly evolving environments to engage with vulnerable young people and enable their participation in local issues and services. Katie Bacon a qualified and an experienced youth worker, who has pioneered models of online youth work and youth engagement with a diverse range of young people’s groups in Devon. Katie runs Online Youth Outreach and delivers accredited OCN Social Media training and capacity building in the use of the Internet in youth engagement settings to organizations across the UK. Katie has also been researching and developing methodologies and polices in the practical application of online social media platforms & social networking to engage vulnerable young people about local issues.

Online Youth Outreach http://www.katiebacon.co.uk/

 

Joanne Jopling

The way that young people communicate has changed and as part of my Youth work practice I have been working with young people online for the last five years, using MSN Messenger and Facebook. I feel its a valuable tool for youth workers to be using in the digital age and that we as workers need to be out there on the internet engaging with young people. My views and opinions change with experience of digital technology with regards to safety and what needs to be in place for youth workers and young people. In the workshop I will be sharing my learning and experiences of using this technology.

Website link www.gywop.org

 

Kieron Kirkland

Kieron Kirkland’s current work as a learning researcher for Futurelab includes leading the Greater Expectations project, which is exploring how digital technology can support young people to engage with their rights and entitlements, and researching the uses of computer games for learning. He has also published work on overcoming barriers to educational innovation, and the possibilities for the use of emerging technologies in educational settings.

Before joining Futurelab he developed and delivered theatre based education programmes as Practitioner-in-Residence for Shakespeare’s Globe, ran cognitive behavioral programmes for adult and young adult offenders with the Probation Service, and undertook research in India exploring Theatre as a methodology for social change.

 

Chris Morgan

I’m Chris Morgan, known usually under my psuedo family name of Mog. I work at the George Ewart Evans Centre for Storytelling (aptly shortened to GEECS) based at the University of Glamorgan in Cardiff. I am currently working as an outreach worker for the national Communities 2.0 project which aims to encourage all people in Wales to engage with and get the most out of new and emerging technologies. As part of the project we are engaged in setting up a national centre of excellence for digital storytelling and participatory media.

I have worked for many years as a community worker specifically within media both in Wales and Europe and I feel quite lucky to have landed very much on my feet doing what I like to do best; sharing and listening to the vast array of stories that pass by in human form every day, helping and encouraging the natural storyteller in all of us to capture and share their stories with others via computers, mobile phones, the internet or maybe even through taking the time to listen.

 

Steven Flower

Steven has a background in the third sector, working in various organizations and contexts over the past 10 years to enable better use of information technology tools. This has ranged from youth film making projects in Eastern Germany to IT recycling to founding a social enterprise to provide web services to the sector. Steven is currently technology enabler at Substance Coop, where he works on the Plings project – developing ways of promoting positive activities. Steven has a BA (Hons) in Communication Processes, and an MA in European Urban Cultures.

Web links: http://plings.net/ http://www.substance.coop

 

Dr Sangeet Bhullar, Executive Director, WISE KIDS

Sangeet is the Founder and Executive Director of WISE KIDS, a non-profit organisation providing innovative training programmes and consultancy in New Media, Internet and Mobile Technologies, Internet Proficiency, Literacy and Safety. An older Digital Native, trained as an Electrical Engineer, Sangeet believes strongly in the potential of Internet and Mobile technologies to transform education, youth, community and business development. Sangeet sits on a number of government and non-government groups promoting Digital Inclusion, Participation and Literacy. She can be found on Twitter as @sangeet.

http://www.wisekids.org.uk/connectedgeneration