Thanks to all those who have commented. I have since been in touch with the project managers of this initiative to gain more information as I couldn’t quite believe what they were saying! What I’ve had back to date is the following:

“You will be OK with downloading Document and Photos, but please ensure you save to My documents or a shared drive on the server. At the moment you receive notifications that new versions of the SW you mention (these were java, quicktime, adobe, etc to name a few) is available for download. This will not be possible once Admin Rights are removed. In most cases you will still be able to read or run applications that use Adobe etc. using an older versions. In a few instances this may not be possible and if this happens you should raise a call so that this can be resolved on an individual basis. The longer term approach will be to deploy updates centrally on a regular basis to ensure everyone is running the latest versions…..If you continue to upgrade common software when prompted you should be up to date when the Admin Rights are removed and not experience any immediate issues.”

So it would seem that most of the downloading is secure provided I have already got the software downloaded when the changes come into place. I’m not sure though how it is going to affect other areas which require some software to be downloaded to the computer. My immediate concerns seem to have been laid to rest but knowing how the LA operate I still don’t expect it to be an easy journey!!

Courtesy of Hansol

I’m currently mulling over a new initiative by the local authority (LA) which is apparently set to ultimately affect everyone working within local authorities. We have been recently issued with notice that we won’t be able to download anything from the internet or upload any software onto LA computers. This is due to the recent very public issues government (in most forms) has faced with losing lists, confidentiality etc. If I want to continue using the computer as I do now then I will need to make a special case and get special approval to do so.

I’ve been reflecting on how this will now affect peoples’ practice. What does this mean for me? Well I use a number of online tools which (to be used more effectively) I need to download some software, or equally if I’ve done work on line using these tools and if I want to be able to use what I’ve been working on I need to be able to download things. (Documents from Google Docs, using online bookmarks like Delicious, downloading supporting photos from Flickr, mind maps from bubblus, etc etc).

I also download various PDF files to read them and to disseminate the information to others, including young people. That’s without thinking of the additional software I need for doing some of the video editing I’ve been involved in (although I usually use my own computer for that anyway but it doesn’t negate the feeling that this directive brings) and also what about music, podcasts etc?!?!  In an era where we are trying to encourage and develop more collaborative ways of working it feels like I’m about to be chained to the past by what feels like a knee jerk (although no doubt well thought through in parts) reaction!

Part of my mulling is to challenge myself. Is this just my reaction to Change or actually do I have some valid arguements? Your thoughts would be welcome!

I’m aware that although I have lots to say at the moment with regards to my work I’m also just starting out on a Postgraduate Diploma (studying seems to be a feature for a few of us blogging at the moment!). I’m keen not to let this impact on my work blogging even though I’m aware I might not have as much time as I have been used to. I just wanted to let everyone know in case there was a feeling that I might have fallen out of blogging or even that I might not have anything to say (as if!!!) So, here we go!!

I’ve been thinking about Youth Leadership recently due to the work I’m involved in with Targeted Youth Support, especially  the Inspire India programme.

Courtesy of Jule Berlin

Having been involved with the group on two weekend residentials and over a mixture of evening meetings it’s become very obvious that there are young people engaged in the project who could be future ‘leaders’. This has also come through during their time overseas in India.

With the Inspire India weekend review and volunteer planning session approaching this weekend we have been discussing how we might provide more opportunities to develop these talents. We have a Junior Youth Leadership programme that runs for young people involved in youth centres across the county which has been developed and worked on by both young people and staff. We also have opportunities within the Duke of Edinburgh Awards scheme, and through our participation team where young people can get involved with the Youth Cabinet and the 24 the locality forums set up for young people to assess bids by other young people for the Youth Opportunity Fund.

It’s timely to be thinking about this with the recent launch of the National Body for Youth Leadership which has branded itself as The Youth of Today. I’m wondering whether there is something more we could be doing, particularly with our Targeted groups, to help support and encourage them in developing their leadership skills, especially with their peers. There will be a new round of funding opening at the end of this month to support innovative Youth leadership programmes. What about you? How are you developing youth leaders? Do you have any special programmes or development opportunities? How do you target young people for this or do you aim your work at everyone? Any thoughts are welcome as usual!

Finished Sanitation Uit

Last night I met with the Inspire India Staff Team to review the programme to date. It was a really interesting evening with lots of discussion, laughs and challenges. We are going to put together the information to date and I will post that later on. A few thoughts though that made me think and really struck home were:-

• We had a long discussion as to whether the lead in time ought to be longer and why. Views varied from no, the timing was right and we may have lost some of the young people if it had been longer to yes, it should be much longer so that the young people know how hard it’s going to be and will drop out if they’re not committed enough. (Even though of 30 young people who went out to India we had only 2 returns, one of whom was a late notice replacement and wasn’t entirely versed in what the scheme was about). What came through from the discussions were the ‘judgments’ being made by the staff on which young people had benefitted from the experience (regardless of what the young people themselves were saying about their learning) and how much of this was related to the staffs own values and morals.  This proved to be quite a challenging and interesting conversation and I think all of us went away still mulling over the ideas presented.

• The young peoples’ very positive reception of the whole blogging concept (even though we had done very little prep with them on this). The groups overseas worked with young people differently but both sets of staff felt that blogging supported and gave added structure and purpose to the experience.

• The Community aspect that came across through the blogging including some very postive affirmations for a group of young people who probably don’t receive so much praise and interest. (And the fact that it is a permenant record that they can go back to whenever they want.)

• The challenges of working in partnership – which we inherently knew would be the case and worked hard to minimise but weren’t as successful as we would have hoped to have been.

• And finally, that all the staff still felt that it had been one of the most challenging and developmental experiences of their careers…..and were still keen to do more!!!

Some time was also put aside to put together the young peoples’s follow up and review in a weeks time. It will be interesting meeting up with them and seeing what they think now they’re back here. They will also be choosing what they want to do for the volunteering phase and finishing off the ASDAN International Award which they have been working on.

Courtesy of Jurvetson

Phew! What a busy summer! I’m now back after a quick holiday refreshed and ready to move forward. It’s time for a number of reviews and evaluations to look at how we might improve and develop the recent activities we’ve been delivering this summer. These kick off this evening with a staff meeting for those involved on the Inspire India programme.

With the start of a new school year I’m involved in consolidating our Service Level Agreements with the new academies in my areas, planning and developing new work and completing some of the ongoing strategy work  I’ve been working on. It all promises to be as exciting and hectic as ever but with new staff now in place I’m looking forward to being able to concentrate on more multi agency developments and less direct operational delivery.

So…..here we go……!

This summer I really think that we’ve started to integrate digital media into our work across the Youth Service and spread the message of what we do wider. For example, one of the by unintended by products of the young people blogging from India has been the impact on not only on them but also on their communities. Below are a few examples of how blogging has been going inter generational!

Blogging in India

“Nanny pat been blogging every day and is as proud of you as we are.”

“Nan`s here tonight she`s very proud of  you and has really enjoyed seeing your pictures,teaching her how to blog!!!”

“Aren’t you impressed I am blogging? Look forward to seeing you. Love Nan and Grandadxxx”

“Will get dad to blog tomorrow”

Young people involved in the Inspire India programme all come from targeted backgrounds and it has been amazing to see the communal response to their experiences. Families, carers, workers and friends have been following their adventures, their ups and downs and giving them a lot of encouragement. When we have had to contact individuals we have frequently had comments about groups of relatives and friends sitting around the computer to post comments or to see what has been happening.

As well as this the young people in india have been learning how to use the video and digital cameras to capture ‘the moment’ and then spending time describing their experiences. Many of them have had negative experiences of writing at school however appear much happier to write on the computer and using text language, or textese simplifies communication for them. (Although I have to admit that sometimes I find it difficult to interpret!

Young people involved in hosting the chinese on the china exchange programme have been writing up their experience and reflections on the china blog and I’m hoping to post some video feedback from some of their discussions shortly.

As well as this young carers involved in the Summer Camps during the last two weeks have been keeping video diaries. (Again, watch this space for some examples of what they have been up to). We hope that this will develop into an ongoing piece of work with the young carers group that will give them an opportunity to share their experiences as young carers with others.

So……..we are starting to bring together the hardware, experience, knowledge and creativity to help us start taking toddler steps in using digital and social media in youth work. Whilst this is taking a long time I feel that with ongoing hard work and intiaitive we will be able to further develop this work and embed it more fully into our practice.

It’s summer time and we’re very busy here at the moment. The group flying out to India left in high spirits yesterday and already their Blog is getting a lot of hits. We’re looking forward to starting to get the young people’s comments and views from India soon. So far the technology that we’ve set up appears to be working so lets’ hope it holds up to the next few weeks. The group have 2 Dell netbooks, 4 flip video cameras, 2 dongles (from India) and a few static digital cameras. (As well as a couple of hard drives.) During their time in India they are working towards the ASDAN International Award. Keeping the blog and recording their experiences will go a long way to evidencing their learning without having to do lots of paperwork. (Although they also have some booklet type diary prompts to support both staff and young people.)

West Sussex Inspire India 2009 group at Heathrow

On Monday a group of 12 young people arrive from China with 3 youth work staff. Colleagues and the young people who went to China last year have been working hard to ensure that we have a full programme organised for them, which we will also hopefully be blogging about on the West Sussex Youth Service Chinese Exchange Blog that was set up last year.

So – a busy time ahead both abroad and in the UK once our Summer Activity Programmes kick off. We’ll let you know how our blogging experiences continue soon.

We’re in the final run up to the overseas part of the Inspire India Programme. I talked about this Targeted Youth Support programme more fully back in February in this post. Last Monday I went up to London on a quick return visit to get the final visas for the last few members of the group. We’ve been really successful in keeping nearly all of the original group of young people who have made enormous efforts to get themselves ready for the experience. 30 young

West Sussex Youth Service Inspire India 2009

people from across West Sussex have been involved in the taster weekend and then less than 4 weeks ago we had the Challenge Weekend residential where they were camping at our campsite in Stedham. During the weekend they hiked, cooked for themselves and learnt more about Indian Culture. Working with Staff from Raleigh and West Sussex Youth Service they tested out kit (rucksacks, water ‘bladders’, boots) and also got to know each other better.

Everyone has been preparing for going and on Monday we are having our kit check and ‘launch’ to wish the group good luck. The group will be checking in their kit and then turning up on Friday with their hand luggage ready to go! We had a last minute drop out yesterday (even though we have been taking to them all regularly and offering lots of support on the telephone and by text.) So we’re now just trying to sort out a last minute replacement with quick visa runs on Monday and vaccinations as required…..let’s hope they make the plane!

Netbooks have been brought and charging them solved, we hope! So, if you’re keen to keep up to date with the group and their adventures then please do tune into the West Sussex Inspire India Blog to find out how they’re getting on.

It’s Sunday afternoon and I’ve just been to Worth Abbey to the West Sussex Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award presentation. Even though it’s Sunday afternoon, Goodwood Festival of Speed and the Wimbledon mens tennis final 61 young people, carers and parents took part in the celebrations. So many times young people are maligned in the media for their anti social behaviour, their lack of interest in anything other than computers & TV, that they are no hopers, taking everything and giving nothing. These presentations however give a timely and much needed counter view of young people, congratulating instead a wide range of young people who have shown motivation,  commitment and dedication over a long period of time.

Today we heard from the group who completed their expedition in canoe on the River Wye, and learnt in practice what it means to paddle on a tidal river. (With the water flowing against you for half the time it’s not as simple as floating down the river!) There was a young man who had taken part in a British Schools Exploration Society expedition to the Yukon where he completed both his residential section and his expedition and another who built a kit car for his skills section and credits this with his interest in civil engineering. All of them have completed at least 12 months volunteering supporting their local communities, the environment and others. So here’s to their acheivements, let’s celebrate and share in their enjoyment (and see how many column inches these positive stories earn!!)