Action to Regenerate Community Trust, known as RE:generate, joined ruralnet|uk in the Networks Online partnership at the beginning of the year. Networks Online is a growing group of community and voluntary networks who share online services, content and support, made affordable and sustainable through collaborative and social enterprise approaches.
Stephen Kearney, the Trust's CEO, will act as guest expert in the new forum, alongside seasoned Experts Online panellists Elizabeth Gray-King of the social enterprise consultancy Gray-King and Gray (GKG) Ltd, and Patrick Shore, of ruralnet|uk.
Stephen says, "We have developed a social action charity over the last 15 years using a process that helps us to reach the parts of community that other organisations cannot reach. We gently engage people in rural and urban areas of the UK in a wide range of activities: for example setting up community projects and social enterprises which they design to tackle the concerns they have; volunteering and even voting again. The secret to engagement lies in the strategy and the process and we will be happy to help people explore how to go about transforming their community with this in mind.
"RE:generate Trust will be well placed to answer queries on how to develop trust in the community and how to tackle the root cause of problems. The Trust is committed to helping people to explore their own solutions and to developing a process of engagement that will fully empower those who get involved and help agencies to tap into the wealth of skills and talents that are lying dormant in our communities across the UK today."
A recent survey of networks using the innovative Experts Online service flagged up demand for more guidance on working with communities, such as techniques and tools for engagement - and the 'softer' side of marketing in a community context. Experts Online already serves the CAN network of social entrepreneurs, UK online learning centres, the Community Broadband Network and over 20 other voluntary sector networks, offering real opportunities for collaboration and exchange of experience.
Available to subscribers from any network in the Networks Online family, Experts Online is a panel that invites community activists of all types to log in and post a question on a range of topics including Business Planning, Health & Safety, Funding, Legal Issues, Broadband and more. The 'Expert' - a seasoned practitioner in the field - will respond within a day with practical suggestions, examples and templates, tailored to the enquirer's needs.
Elizabeth (Betsy), who also co-moderates in the Business Planning forum, is a community development consultant who combines classic research methodology with grass roots approaches. She has a particular interest in analysing and presenting participatory appraisal data to help groups gain funding and make management decisions. Patrick has worked in rural development for many years and is a member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing; he specialises in advising on the use of new technologies for engagement, outreach and marketing.
The new Community Engagement forum will be available to subscribers from 4th February 2005 through to 30th April 2005, when, depending on demand, it will either become a permanent feature, or combine with the popular Business Planning forum.
Guidance in this new area will be available on topics such as:
engaging hard to reach groups
marketing techniques in the community
how to run participatory appraisals
development and use of community research tools
research planning and methodology
how to analyse and use findings: for participants, stakeholders, and funders
If you have any questions about this service please call support on 0845 130 5480 or email [email protected]
Notes to editors
1. ruralnet|uk is a rural development charity and social enterprise. For more information see www.ruralnetuk.org. A pioneer in building online communities, ruralnet|uk shares its online services with over 20 different networks, both urban and rural, under the banner of Networks Online. Details of the Networks Online concept can be seen at www.networksonline.org.uk/extranets.htm
2. Experts Online is a core service, available to any subscriber who joins one of the many Networks Online networks. Go to www.ruralnet.org.uk for further details or to subscribe to ruralnet|online.
3. For more on the Regenerate Trust go to www.regeneratetrust.com
4. For more on GKG Ltd, see www.gkgltd.co.uk
Comments