The next Local by Social events will take in Sunderland on 4th and 5th March (Local by Social: North East Edition) and in Blackburn on 18th March (Local by Social North West Edition). Registration is free. To book your place click on the links below:
Registration for Local by Social is FREE and tickets are now available for both events:
Local by Social: North East Edition
Local by Social: North West Edition
Last November, we kicked off the Local by Social programme in Coventry with Local by Social: Midlands Edition. Since then, we’ve gone on to hold a successful South West Edition in Bristol and we will soon be hitting both the North East and North West next month.
Our most recent event, Local by Social: South West Edition ran over two days and was hosted by Bristol City Council. It brought together public service practitioners, developers and local residents from across the South West to explore how apps and open data can be used to address social challenges and improve everyday quality of life.
In keeping with our approach in the Midlands, we wanted to make sure the Bristol event was very hands on. After listening to and questioning a range of engaging speakers, attendees were organised into groups. Each group worked together to develop proposals for using technology to deliver local benefits and presented them back to the group. Successful proposals were developed further on Day two, with help from professional designers and web techies.
Perhaps the greatest achievement of Local by Social so far has been the development of innovative proposals. Proposals ranged from an issue reporting system for councils to an app to help people share the extras from the fruits of their labour on allotments. We are currently working with UnLtd, a charity which supports entrepreneurs, to explore how project teams can get the support they need to turn their ideas into reality.
Local by Social has successfully managed to connect with people from a range of different backgrounds. The policy officer who grasped the potential of social media to reshape the relationship between council and citizen. The social entrepreneur who identified new opportunities to work with public services. The citizen who forged links with like-minded community activists.
For Local by Social: North East Edition, hosted by Sunderland City Council over the 4th and 5th March, we will be looking at how technology can be used to tackle social exclusion and promote opportunity. Speakers include Carla Ross, Innovation Programmes Manager at NESTA. Working closely with local developers, we hope to develop ways of ensuring technology meets the needs and aspirations of all citizens and communities.
Later on in the month, on 18th March Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council will host Local by Social: North West Edition. We will hear from politicians, public services and citizens how are using technology to promote transparency and engagement, identifying and developing practical ideas for using technology to support greater understanding of, and engagement in, local decision-making.
Registration for Local by Social is FREE and tickets are now available for both events:
Local by Social: North East Edition
Local by Social: North West Edition
Please note: although Local by Social: North East Edition takes place over two days, you are free to choose which of the days you attend. For example, should you wish to attend the Saturday but not the Friday, please select a Saturday ticket only.
For more information on what happened at Local by Social: South West Edition, click here: