Grassroots Channel
By Podnosh
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Podcast Description
The Grassroots Channel is here to provoke and inspire anyone who thinks they might just want to change the world around them. We share stories and ideas from people taking practical steps to build stronger neighbourhoods and happier communities.
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A new form of planning gain: Supermarkets share their data with the public (sector) | New Optimists listening to the conversation about food at last night forum Below are some questions but first the context: Last night I was working on the first of a series of conversations about how Birmingham will feed itself way into the future. The New Optimists Forum is organised by Kate Cooper who has the very powerful idea of getting groups of scientists from different disciplines and policy makers to think about this thorny problem. She argues, I think rightly, that getting practical about problems and places helps us understand best what we need to change now. One of the scientists was Ian Nabney who talked about the opportunities that will come to make better decisions about complex problems when we have more data and more power to crunch and use that data. Here’s what he said. Ian Nabney – the future of food and opendata ? (mp3) It made me ask the question what if we created a new form of planning gain: supermarkets share their data with us rather than build a new badminton court. Could knowing what they know about our eating habits help us lead healthier and better lives? Mark Braggins Tweeted this this morning: @markbraggins on twitter And it also tickled a local MP’s curisosity. Richard Burden (who’s Northfield constituency may have a few urban “food deserts”, another idea kicked around at last night’s forum) tweeted this question about half an hour ago: @richardburdenmp So here are some questions: Is asking supermarkets to share their data a good form of planning gain? If so in what form would we want it – opendata, depersonalised or maybe full data to be share just with civil servants What would be the arguments against (so we can anticipate) or just how naive is this! ? How would Kate Cooper of the New Optimists go about talking to sainsbury’s about this? Would you rather have a new pavilion at the local park? Odd what comes out of combining real world conversations with online stuff! Update Looks like Adrian Short was thinking about supermarket card data as a public good back in April – scroll to the bottom of this post. | 3 11 11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Grassroots Podcast: Initiative Brokers, the Big Society and making community wishes come true | Corian Huhenholtz-Sasse and Rinske van Noortwijk Meet Rinske van Noortwijk and Corian Hugenholtz-Sasse – they make wishes come true. I met them both in Rotterdam, invited through the wonderful Maurice Specht to speak to the Association of Initiative Brokers ( @inimakelaar ) in Holland, organised by Rinske. Two days before, Tessy Britton and I had been in The Hague speaking to senior civil servants from Dutch central government. They kept asking us what they could do to help citizens do the simpler things that made sense in their communities. Scale-ability was constantly on their lips. I was urging them to be careful. Stepping back, getting out of the way is one way government can help citizens just get things done. Find simple ways to give people small amounts of no string attached help was the other – what I call “learn how to slip someone a quiet tenner”. Militant Optimists and New Radicals Tessy wanted something more practical. She wanted government to support the people who have the skills to nurture community, to connect people, to amplify what is possible in communities. The people David Barrie calls Militant Optimists, the sort of people who appear on the Grassroots Channel and Tessy brings together through Hand Made. She wants government to recognise and support the people who follow here 12 rules for new radicals. here are the first three compared with older form of community organising: RULE 1 Alinsky (Old/Conflict): “Power is not only what you have, but what the enemy thinks you have.” Power is derived from 2 main sources – money and people. “Have-Nots” must build power from flesh and blood. Britton (New/Collaborate): “Power involves creating spaces where ideas, energy and people are connected together from within all sections of the community and local government to create positive communities” This involves careful facilitation and creating safe spaces where everyone can share their opinions and contribute positively. There is no enemy in a community. RULE 2 Alinsky (Old/Conflict): “Never go outside the expertise of your people.” It results in confusion, fear and retreat. Feeling secure adds to the backbone of anyone. Britton (New/Collaborative): “Always reject ignorance in favour of building skills and knowledge.” There are many new ideas and methods that result in creative solutions that make people and communities stronger. RULE 3 Alinsky (Old/Conflict): “Whenever possible, go outside the expertise of the enemy.” Look for ways to increase insecurity, anxiety and uncertainty. Britton (New/Collaborative): “Whenever possible, instigate dialogue, so that everyone shares the same knowledge base to design solutions.” Look for ways to increase security, trust and responsibility. Rinske and Corian are just those sort of people: militant optimist, new radicals: For nearly a decade they have been running Greenwish: Greenwish means more space for sustainable initiative. We encourage people to implement their sustainable ideas. If people do what they really care about, people are very passionate. It is this force that will really accelerate sustainable development. Greenwish promotes the interest of government, civil society and business in social initiatives. We want to see more cooperation and more is learned from social initiative. Greenwish support promoters with advice and contacts. We represent the interests of promoters to policymakers and politicians. Greenwish advises government, civil society and business in what they can do for initiatives and vice versa Originally they were funded to connect community ideas to the people who can help make those ideas happen. Sometimes they might connect a citizen to a government programme, sometimes to a private supporter, sometimes to another citizen – often to all three. Each year these brokers make around 200 things happen that would otherwise have gone by the wayside. They know people, have ideas, [...] | 11 5 11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Grassroots Channel Podcast Willem Guizeman on "being there" – slow, steady community building | Nol and Willem - Gray Man Bald Man It’s odd how when you look away your friends seem to go and do some really interesting stuff. I first met Willem Guizeman in 2005 when he was in Birmingham planning some work on the Residents university for the Residents for Regeneration. Then he was fronting a Europe wide organisation which was working with the EU. Last month we saw each other again in The Hague, his home town. Now Willem is doing something much more modest. Because he is close to retirement and doesn’t need to earn big money he and his friend Nol are simply spending time in what they call the Stagehuis Schilderswijk – an apartment they rent on a street corner in a poorer and multi racial area of the city. “It’s a great way to become an old man..” Listen to what he has to say: Tessy has written about Willem’s thinking here and hopefully he will write a chapter for a new version of the Hand Made book. Tessy says: As well as doing activities, their presence is clearly having other effects. I am currently very focused on side-effects – ones that we measure, but also ones that we don’t think to pay much attention to. It is one of the reasons I am so intent on developing new creative and collaborative methods (see some further discussion on this on Matthew Taylor’s blog), rather than conflict driven ones. Conflict has a negative wake, often fracturing communities regardless of the results. I suggest that Willem’s and Nol’s benign presence is creating bridging social capital and a contagious and soothing balm in this neighbourhood. The position of their building is literally forming a bridge between 2 faiths. Nick Booth described their presence as ‘taking the tensions away’. They are certainly changing how the neighbourhood ‘feels’ – their gentle approach to leadership is having an impact – one that emerges slowly from the connections and relationships that their social space has created. Grey Man Bald Man. The locals call Nol Grey Man and Willem Bald Man – a sign of the affection they have garnered by simply Being There. I want to share some of things I picked up from talking to Willem: Willem and Nol just plan to be in the neighbourhood. they just want to be there – nothing more. They are not concerned about funding (they are both ok money-wise) so that means they don’t need to be concerned too much about what funders might want. For Willem this is the calm culmination of a career spent working in regeneration and community. They build trust through conversation and being helpful. Their apartment has big windows and a table where people can sit and drink tea together. They take their time and help when people ask for it. The outcomes are very personal. For Willem seeing two young women from different backgrounds laughing together is an outcome – a success. Certainly bigger things ahppen – but he doesn’t bank on them happening. His approach chimes with the one we have learnt to adopt for social media surgeries – encourage people to be patient and have low expectations – high expectations lead to disappointment and a sense of failure. Being patient and taking your time allows people ina community to get used to your work being there. Thanks to Maurice Specht for organising our trip over (we have been many times before) – more stories from Holland to come. | 3 5 11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Leading the way for young people: A new podcast from the Grassroots Channel | Joshua Barwell and Carl Sheward Carl Sheward and Joshua Barwell are two Junior Volunteer playworkers at Pype Hayes Community Focus. Both 16-years-old, when they are not studying for AS-levels they are spending their free time getting those younger than them involved, doing fun days and activities. For their effort and heart for the community at such a young age, the Junior Playworker Co-ordinator has nominated them both for the Young Persons Birmingham Local Hearts award. They both agree the work is rewarding, and possibly see themselves forging a career in community work. Here’s their story. | 20 10 09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Helping the community where we can: A new podcast from the Grassroots Channel | Dolores Pinkney and Kevin Duffy This is the story of Dolores Pinkney who runs the Dojo project in Handworth. She has been working tirelessly for her community since she moved to Birmingham with her family in the 1960s, and now she has been nominated by Kevin Duffy for Birmingham City Council’s Local Hearts Awards in the active citizen category. She says her parents were her inspiration – they opened up their home to everyone in the area and it became a focal point of the community. Now with her brother Hector, who works at Handsworth Library, Dolores has continued her parents’ legacy with the Dojo project. It ranges from jogging sessions on Tuesdays & Sundays to securing the lease to build a community play centre on the derelict site of the Hockley flyover. Dolores says her motivation is “encouraging everyone that we meet, enabling and empowering,” and if someone is there who needs help, she cannot turn them away. Here’s her story. | 20 10 09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Not just a pub landlord: A new podcast from the Grassroots Channel | Chris Birdsell and Bob Flack Chris Birdsell isn’t your average pub landlord. Along with running the Varsity pub in Harborne, Chris is chairman of the local “pub watch” which alerts police to incidents on the High Street, he’s on the committee for the Harborne Traders Association, Harborne Village Centre Partnership and on the committee for Harborne Carnival. He’ll know who to put you in touch with, and regularly opens up the pub for community events. Harborne Village Centre Manager, Bob Flack, nominated Chris in the active citizen category for the Birmingham Local Hearts award, because he recognised the innovation he has for local projects and the ability to drive projects to their end. Chris recently started a local artists evening – allowing those in the community to showcase their work. He said he always has people coming into the pub asking for help, and often he will find ways to help the people help themselves – opening the pub in the evening for them to hold fundraising events and meetings, and putting them in touch with the right people. Chris has been described as the eyes and ears of the community, and said his motivation has to be the people. Here’s his story. | 20 10 09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Making Britain a better place: a new podcast from the Grassroots Channel | Noorin Ahktar Noorin Ahktar wants to change Britain. She goes out interviewing the people at the top – leaders of the council, councillors, public service providers and holds them to account in a way accessible to her community. Her aim is to make sure some communities know about the changes being made in public services – she promotes and raises awareness in ethnic communities – she now has a rogramme called ‘Community Time’. She has set up a blog, and uses radio and tv channels to make the short programmes in English, Urdu, Punjabi, and a number of different languages. Noorin thinks some communities are wrongly perceived as ‘hard to reach’ – she challenges this point of view with her truly innovative and brilliant work. Her inspiration is the fact if people of aware of what is going on around them, they will have the knowledge to be able to do things. Manjit Singh nominated Noorin for the active citizen award, one of the shortlist categories for Birmingham’s Local Hearts Awards. | 20 10 09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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A whole lot of courage: A new podcast for the Grassroots Channel | Suzanne Coward and Linda Kelly When Suzanne Coward’s daughter Sarah, who has learning difficulties, turned 23, she realised she could use direct payment money to set up a cafe, Stepping Stones. Situated in Sutton Coldfield at the United Reform church, the cafe offers a day experience for people with learning difficulties to hang out, socialise and feel enabled to do things which they wouldn’t often get the opportunity to do. Suzanne saw a gap in the north of the city, where there were no social enterprise services for people with learning difficulties. She wants to encourage healthy living, exercise and creating things which are meaningful for people with learning difficulties. Linda Kelly, Senior Youth and Community Development Worker in Sutton Coldfield, has nominated Suzanne for the active citizen Local Hearts award for the work she has done for children with learning difficulties. | 20 10 09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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The reluctant activist: a new podcast from the Grassroots Channel | Michael Tye and Eunice McGhie-Belgrave This is the story of Michael Tye, the man who helped set up Aston Vision Ministries Association in 1984. The organisation aims to reach people in the community, particularly asylum seekers, by helping them with language and social integration. For his relentless work engaging the community through Aston Vision, Michael was nominated by Eunice McGhie-Belgrave for the Birmingham Local Hearts Award, in the active citizen category. Michael said people who want to give some back to their community do so because they recognise how helping the community will in turn help themselves. He questions those who do community work for self-aggrandisement. He wants to work towards the common good – and is not so keen on being the one in the spotlight. Here he tells us his story. | 20 10 09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Erma Lewis, recycling wheelchairs – a new programme on the Grassroots Channel. | Erma Lewis Six years ago Erma Lewis started the ‘Wheelchair recycling, we can do’ project which refurbishes old and disused wheelchairs for people on NHS waiting lists or for family events and one-offs. This project sprang out of an appeal she ran following storm damage on her one time home island of Jamaica. As a former nurse, Erma had seen the problem of people being unable to leave hospital for want of a wheelchair. She began to think that if she was able to find and ship old wheelchairs to the Caribbean then perhaps she could also provide them locally. Now the idea is a registered charity and a team of volunteers repair wheelchairs at a workshop in Harborne. This podcast was recorded just before the Local Hearts Awards in Birmingham in October 2009 – where she was shortlisted in the category of female active Citizen. | 20 10 09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Communities through the ages: A new podcast from the Grassroots Channel | Jan Quigley and Barry Toon Starting community work in the 1960s, Barry Toom has had the chance to see how community work and attitudes towards it has changed through the decades. A tireless worker for the Bournbrook Community Safety Project, as well as the TARA neighbourhood forum, Barry Toon feels like a veteran in community work – and now his years has been acknowledged by being shortlisted for the Lifetime Achievement award, for Birmingham’s Local Hearts Awards, nominated by Jan Quigley. Barry’s work has revolved around making sure we prepared for an emergency – as part of the Birmingham Resilience Team he has helped to make sure people know what to do in case of man-made and natural disasters. Barry thinks in all decades people will campaign for change – but things aren’t always how they used to be. Here’s his story. | 20 10 09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Faith and climate change: A new podcast from the Grassroots Channel | Maud Grainger and Keith Budden Four years ago, after running an Islam and the Environment Week, Maud Grainger decided looking at climate change with faith communities would be a great way to take action. The group Faith and Climate Change was set up by Maud Grainger with help from Keith Budden, who has nominated the group for Birmingham’s Local Hearts Award, in the community group category. Birmingham has over one million of the population belonging to a faith, and this was too big a group not to help with combating climate change, said Maud. The programme has now been replicated across the UK – looking at climate change in terms of values regardless of faith. Why else would a group a young muslim men from Small Heath meet some old Quakers in Bournville? To look at how they installed solar water heater in the Friends Meeting House. Looking at climate change has brought these communities together. Here, they tell their story. | 20 10 09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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A lifetime devoted to the community: A new podcast from the Grassroots Channel | Joanne Proudler and John Barron John Barron is 90 years old and has spent a lifetime working for his community. He has volunteered at St Mary’s Hospice in Sellypark since it opened, and also introduced the Annual Flag Day – a street collection day for the hospice – which he has been running for over 25 years and raised nearly £300,000. He said when you see a need in the community you want to fill it – and once you have a acceptance it is a good idea – you have the determination to see it through. In 1950 John started taking patients to Lourdes in France, arranged through Birmingham Diocese. He remembers transporting them in old coaches which were previously used for soldiers. He said his motivation is always the patients. He is cherished in his community and for his work, has been nominated by St Mary’s Hospice worker Joanne Proudler for the lifetime achievement award of the Birmingham’s Local Hearts Award. Here’s his story. | 20 10 09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Taking on the boys: A new podcast from the Grassroots Channel | Steven Barratt and Matthew Ebo Here’s the story of Matthew Ebo, the Handsworth minister whose work for the community until now, has gone unnoticed. Now Matthew has been shortlisted for the active citizen category of Birmingham’s Local Hearts award, nominated by his friend and co-worker, Steven Barratt. A lot of his work centres around the National Black Boys Can Association, a group for 9-16-year-olds which meets every fornight to help them with schoolwork and teach them good citizenship. Previously a Special Constable, he also works for the Central and West Victim Support Scheme – helping victims rebuild their lives. Matthew was inspired by his baptist minister and mother, and he is now the pastor of the Church of God and Prophesy – he said his religious upbringing helped him and without his wife’s support now he could not spend so much time doing voluntary work. Here’s his story. | 20 10 09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Saving the streets: A new podcast from the Grassroots Channel | Jenni Rowley, isn’t your average 20-something woman. She spends her evenings out on the streets in Northfield, trying to prevent Anti Social Behaviour and crime in the area and getting young people involved in a number of projects. One of these projects is the Beyond Midnight Bus, which parks up in Northfield, kitted out with DVD players, stereo, internet and recording studio and has become a place for young people to hang out and talk about what they want to see in their area. As a support worker for INVOLVE (while she is not in her day job in property management), a community group in the Northfield area which aims to help get funding for local projects young people want to do. Jenni says working on the streets with young people and local authorities has opened her eyes and given her confidence. She tells us how excited she is to be nominated for the Young Person’s Birmingham’s Local Hearts Award, in the young people category. | 20 10 09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Heavily Involved in Northfield – a new podcast for the Grassroots Channel | Involve Northfield (well some of them!) Involve is Northfield’s Young Peoples Forum – it was set up in 2005 for 12-19-year-olds to meet monthly. Involve are given money by local government, which they can then distribute to young people to help them run various activities or projects which they would not otherwise have been able to do. Through this they help young people develop a number of skills such as organisation, teamwork and communication skills. INVOLVE believe they are giving a voice to young people – to get their opinions across to people with power in Northfield and to further that they recently launched their own website: www.involvenorthfield.com. In the last three years the group have distributed £75,000 of community chest money and £20,000 of youth opportunity fund to individual young people and groups and projects. They recently started their own radio show and videocasting channel – getting young people to comment and debate on prominent issues such as abuse in a relationship. This podcast was recorded in October 2009, just after they had been shortlisted for Local Hearts Award. It has Nick Booth talking to Karen Cheney, Luke Bowles, Sophie Lynch, Jo – spoz – Esposito and Lauren Synott. | 19 10 09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Hawksley Young Volunteers: A new podcast on the Grassroots Channel | Shirley Malone, Gemma O'Neill and Aimee Coakley of the Hawkesley Young Volunteers in Kings Norton - Birmingham. Aimee Coakley first came across the Hawksley “young vols” as a small child. She watched them working in her neighbourhood in Kings Norton in Birmingham and wanted to be one. Thanks to that experience she has traveled as far afield as France and India, cleaned streets, helped people keep their gardens tidy and supporting friends and neighbours. Now she has a job because of her volunteer experience. Hers is just one of dozens of stories which explain why the Hawksley Young Volunteers were shortlisted for a Local Hearts Awards in October 2009. For more, listen to the podcast below. | 19 10 09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Training Adults to understand Young People – a new podcast on the Grassroots Channel. | Nicole White and Rourke Holmes of Erdington Constituency Children's Forum Nicole White and Rourke Holmes have been training adults. They volunteer with different organisations in the Erdington Constituency of the City of Birmingham to help they appreciate how young people view the world. The aim is very simple, to improve the relationship between government services and the young people who use them in Erdington. The Forum began in 2005 when the Erdington Constituency asked a group of young people to set up a consultation in the form of a questionnaire which asked about issues which affect them and their peers. One of the questions was, “Who would you prefer to ask you questions – children, or adults” – and all the children said adults. But it became clear adults lacked knowledge and how to engage with kids in the decision making process. So the Children’s Forum made a training package for the adults looking at the benefits and barriers of involving children. The Children’s forum then tracked the progress made following the training every six months. They also ran a second training session. Over four years ECCF have reached over 258 adults and 486 children. This podcast, with Tom Sandars, was recorded just before the Local Hearts Awards October 2009 – where the group was shortlisted for the award for Young People’s Group. | 19 10 09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Empowering women: A new podcast for the Grassroots Channel | Indu Daji and Electra Soudy Electra Soudy and Indu Daji have been nominated for the Community Group Local Hearts Award for the work they have done with BETI, which they set up 10 years ago to empower women and give them training and support. Indu focuses on muslim and hindu women and Electra with single women and voluntary groups – helping those coming to Britain who may be abused by their relatives and in-laws, assisting their learning of English and giving them the advice and guidance they need to get on the job ladder. The group aim to liberate women in Birmingham who suffer under their families, feel estranged, or are being forced into arranged marriages. Both women have a background which has led them to this work – Electra ran away from her Greek home because her father was setting up an arranged marriage, and Indu also suffered when she moved to the city, but was given confidence by Electra. The two women also inspire and motivate each other, and are well-known in the community as people other women can come to for help, shelter and advice. Here’s their story. | 14 10 09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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The Walmley Rottweiler: A new podcast from the Grassroots channel | Maureen Murphy and Gary Ladbrooke Maureen Murphy is not one to sit quietly and wait for things to happen – after loudly campaigning for a new crossing in Minworth, she was approached by the Walmley Residents Association and has been their chairperson for the last 20 years. Now, she says, she still gets quiet satisfaction when she sees people crossing the road safely, and is encouraged to continue giving a voice to people who don’t know where to go. Senior Constituency Manager for Sutton Coldfield – Gary Ladbrooke – has nominated Maureen for Birmingham’s Local Hearts Award for the lifetime achievement award – a recognition of her tireless work in the community. Here she talks to us about what keeps her going, and why she thinks making a stand is so important. | 14 10 09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Friends of the Fields: A new podcast from the Grassroots Channel | Ray Brookes, John McGill, Adam Noon and Sonya Williams Friends of Jasmin Fields campaigned for a piece of land in their neighbourhood which had been left to rot and attracted fly-tipping. It was full of rubbish, but a group of local people organised a clearing up day, and then gained funding to fence off the area and renovate it and start looking after this small piece of parkland in Brandwood End – now the Jasmin Fields Nature Reserve. The group have engaged the local school, have had young people volunteering to be a park ranger, and now the area is full of wildlife and is a place for families come to play, walk their dogs and enjoy the area they live in. The group hope they have empowered the local community. For their work, they have now been nominated for the Community Group category of Birmingham’s Local Hearts Award. | 13 10 09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Linda Hines Blogs – another win for the social media surgery. | I’ve just found another blog (courtesy of the Be Birmingham site) set up following last months Birmingham social media surgery for Blog Action Day. (Next surgery November 26th is also supported by the Third sector Assembly and BVSC but continues to use volunteers from the Birmingham Bloggers group. Community groups and voluntary orgs hugely welcome, please click here for details) Bend it Like Linda can be found here. She writes: Hi, this is my first experience of blogging so I’m a little nervous about what to write! I live in Perry Common and have been actively involved in my comunity for 18 years now. I was recently invited to become a “Community Champion” by Be Birmingham which means that I represent the community at a very high level and am able to feed others views and ideas into the strategic partnership Linda Hines is a remarkable woman (who’s nerves I can understand but they might surprise some) who first became an active citizen when the council told her they would have to demolish her house. I’ve worked with her a number of times, including with residents for regeneration, the Third Sector Assembly, the local strategic partnership and the now defunct b:cen. Whoever gets to coach Linda at our next surgery will have a great time. If you want to prepare yourself listen to the sometimes tearful story of why she does what she does please listen to this podcast from the Grassroots Channel in July 2006. | 18 11 08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Podcast: Solving a Stinking Mess in Bordesley Green | If you have a stinking brook in your front yard what do you do? Margaret Bannon of the Bordesley Green North Neighbourhood Forum took advantage of the Neighbourhood Performance Reward Grant (NPRG) – a £10,000 pilot programme – to allow residents groups more control over money. This youtube video shows you briefly what happened in Margaret’s neighbourhood and the audio podcast expands on what was done and what was learnt. The NPRG was created by the Birmingham Community Safety Partnership and is currently being evaluated by the Digbeth Trust. | 13 3 08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Podcast: The Saint of Street Racing? | Is there a solution to street racing in Birmingham? Masood Ajaib of the Washwood Heath based community enterprise Commpact thinks there is. He has signed up for an experiment to find a communal way of turning a dangerous Saturday night on Landor Street into a peaceful pastime somewhere safe. Listen here for the conversation or watch here for a sense of the problem: Birmingham Community Safety Partnership Digbeth Trust Commpact (link was broken – but expect it to fix itself!) | 30 1 08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Podcast – cracking crime in Kingstanding, one fridge at a time. | There’s an established link between grime and crime, which is why Kingstanding Neighbourhood Forum is using public money to crack crime one fridge at a time. This podcast and the youtube video you can see here or here explain how the forum has been using £10,000 from an experiment called the Neighbourhood Performance Reward Grant. Run by the Birmingham Community Safety Partnership and the Digbeth Trust, this pilot has just come to an end. The reward is that meeting targets wil release a further £15,000 grant. Sustainable? Credible? Well listen and see what Les Smith and Rita Griffiths make of six months of the experiment. Also see what’s happening in Sparkbrook. | 29 1 08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Podcast : residents controlling the cash in Sparkbrook | A short film and a podcast, all part of a series of four pieces on an experiment on in Birmingham which is allowing residents a more control over how public money is spent. Here you can see and hear Neville Davis of the Sparkbrook Neighbourhood Forum talk about the pro cons and a huge effort they made to clean up rancid sites in their neighbourhood – all with a £10,000 grant from the Birmingham Community Safety Partnership and it’s Neighbourhood Performance reward Grant. The reward in all of this is that if residents hit targets with the first £10,000 then a further grant of £15,000 is to hand. The four-neighbourhood pilot is currently being evaluated by the Digbeth Trust. | 29 1 08 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Quinzone, Safe Haven and Community Policing – new podcast on the Grassroots Channel | PC Bernie Flynn PC Bernie Flynn has been working with young people in Quinton in Birmingham consistently since 2001, merging policing with youth work. For him finding the right people for the job and giving them time to show respect and earn respect is at the heart of good community policing. Anti social behaviour in and around his patch has fallen by 40% and in this podcast he explains how that has happened. This is the most recent in a number of programmes on the channel about the link between policing, and community including the residents who run their own police station, patrol their own streets, those who had the courage to confront pimps and prostitution and how young people act as agents for safer streets. Birmingham Community Empowerment Network Quinzone and Safe Haven West Midlands Police Briefing on Neighbourhood Policing as a pdf | 20 11 07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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The Big Green Challenge Hits Birmingham – a new podcast on the Grassroots Channel | NESTA was in Birmingham today to entice us into innovating. The Big Green Challenge is a two year climate change project with a £1 million pound prize at the end. Any community group (or similar) can win if they find a communal and repeatable way to cut CO2 emissions by 60%. Easy then! There were queries/criticism at the launch (which you’ll hear in the podcast), some on the blog post of the media partner for the prize and also here. I approve of ideas with ambitious targets. Too often public life offers mediocrity born of easy targets. As one Brummie told us (if anyone remembers who please tell me) at today’s regional launch it may well work best if people collaborate on ideas. Indeed I was wondering of the prize fund could have been split to reward a winner and reward those who collaborate to innovate – something on the lines of that audacious open source bid for the Third Sector Innovation Exchange. Listen to our podcast at the bottom of this post, watch Sarah Beeny’s video, read the website, subscribe to the blog and let us know if you apply. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmmlRtU1CQg By the way I heard interesting ideas from Jerome Baddley of Nottingham Energy Enterprise – so hello Jerome. The prize is also on partnership with Unltd. Birmingham was the first launch, more dates in other cities throughout November. | 2 11 07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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The smell of trouble – neighbourhood policing in Birmingham – a new podcast on the Grassroots Channel | “We’re not aiming high enough” is what the Chief Constable of the West Midlands tells the Grassroots Channel this time. We hear from Sir Paul Scott Lee as we return to the theme of communities and policing and look in detail at the community watch programme in Perry Common in Birmingham. Sue Beardsmore talks to Mary Harvey and Sheila Barker of the Witton Lodge Community Association. Also of interest will be this pdf briefing on neighbourhood policing plus earlier programmes on the volunteers running their local police station and how demolition in Perry Common planted the power in the hands of the people. See also the Chamberlain Forum. | 30 10 07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Clean Medina – the Jihad on litter in Birmingham – a new podcast on Grassroots Channel | Does it seem extreme to declare a Jihad on litter? Not to a group in Small Heath in Birmingham. Clean Medina says that Muslim neighbourhoods in the city are far too messy and they want to change that. So they’ve launched a “struggle’ against rubbish and waste, and whilst they’re at it they also want to reclaim Jihad as a positive force. The campaign kicks off this weekend (23rd september 2007): Inner city Muslims and friends will be taking to the streets of inner city Birmingham on 23rd September to launch a jihad (struggle) against waste. Rappers, drummers, flag wavers with litter pickers to hand will converge on Small Heath’s Somerville Road to clean up the district. Tired of rubbish-strewn streets, Muslims have decided to clean up and recycle, going from mosque to mosque, starting with Noor ul Uloom mosque, Birmingham’s oldest. TheClean Medina Campaign will be launched with a big push, a shout (Allahu Akbar!) and a (movie) shoot (cast of thousands, mujahidin all). We’re also making a film: Smallywood Heath in Brum! Listen to the podcast to hear rapper Omar Hassan (foregound in the picture), campaigner Assed Baig (behind Omar) and film maker Ayman Ahwal (see picture here) explain why they’re so fed up with the dirty streets that give Muslim neighbourhoods a bad reputation. | 18 9 07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Pimps, prostitutes and Grandad’s Army – new podcast on the Grassroots Channel | This is the story of Chris Hoare: a grandfather who’s worked for years to clear prostitution from the Waterworks Estate on the borders of Edgbaston and Ladywood in inner-city Birmingham. His neighbours were so fearful of the pimps that they asked Chris to step up and take action. To find out why he did it this way please listen to the podcast. The tower over Chris’s shoulder is Perrott’s Folly – a building with links to Tolkien. He worked with the Birmingham Conservation Trust (declaration – I’m a trustee!) to prevent the building’s collapse. Next steps are to use it as a tourist draw, turning what was once a neighbourhood riddled with vice into an international family attraction. The residents have also transformed many of their communal areas. Chris is standing in front of Anderton Gardens, a new garden named after a police sergeant who worked with them. (created with help from Groundwork Birmingham) The pragmatic approach of Chris and others in the Birmingham South West residents group reminds me of so many others we’ve spoken to on the Grassroots Channel, especially the people of Perry Common and Masood Yasin in Washwood Heath. Thanks to Paul from the Chamberlain Forum for introducing me to Chris. | 11 9 07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Better Schools for Birmingham? A new podcast on the Grassroots Channel | Naseem Akhtar is angry – quietly, productively, but all the same angry. She believes the families of Birmingham deserve better schools, schools which have greater aspirations for their pupils, schools which aim to do more than achieve an average outcome for children. Last month she launched a city wide campaign on the quality of education in Birmingham. She wants to apply pressure from parents and professionals to help teachers, heads, school governors and politicians raise their game. To find out more about Naseem and what motivates here, listen to the latest programme from the Grassroots Channel. Use the link to download notes from the launch of campaign group which set out problems and potential solutions. www.bcen.net. | 29 8 07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Refucast – the podcast for refugees – new on the Grassroots Channel | Mikko Kapanen and Shauna Magunda are two students at UCE in Birmingham who used their final year project to experiment with podcasting to tell the stories of refugees in the city. This programme talks to them about how and why they did it and also hears excerpts from some of the remarkable people who spoke to Shauna and made it onto Refucast. | 22 6 07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Public speaking for activists – a podcast with ten steps for success | This is our second podcast from Change in Progress, a gathering of UK based neighbourhood activists in Birmingham. This time Adam Askew from Oxfam UK tells us about the ten steps which can help you improve your public speaking, get your message across and manage those nerves. If you’re looking for other tips which may help you campaign in your neighbourhood then you might like to listen to this earlier podcast on the mysterious art of lobbying politicians and the powerful. | 30 5 07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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How to lobby – 10 tips from our new podcast on the Grassroots Channel | Active citizens do it all the time, but what does it take to lobby effectively? This programme hears from two people about their experience of lobbying politicians and councillors. David Babbs works for Friends of the Earth and belongs to their group in Hackney. Georgie Bigg lobbys as part of the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England – expecially in their efforts to resist the expansion of Bristol Airport. Please scroll down to listen first. Here is a list of their most important tips in the order they emerged in the conversation: 1 Understand who has what power. Lobby the people who can make a difference and aks them to do things they have the power to do. 2 Find out what people think. The first step of lobbying is to ask those in power what their position is. They may already agree with you. 3 Work out what’s in it for them. What incentive might they have to help you? Do they have a personal passion which may be relevant? 4 People in power don’t always appreciate where public opinion is. If you believe the public is forging ahead of those in power tell them so, and most importantly prove it, perhaps with a petition? 5 Know what you want to achieve. This should probably be number one on the list. Be clear about what change you want to see before you meet someone. Stay focussed on that in the meeting. 6 Facts are critical. They persuade. Politicians are usually generalists so provide them with the information and ammunition to be experts in your subject. If you win their support show them how to act – give them the tools to be on your side and make your case. 7 Link the lobbying to a wider public campaign. 8 Don’t get angry – use the right tone of voice. 9 Try and get any commitments make in public – either in the press, at a public meeting, perhaps in parliament or on the minutes of a council meeting. 10 Be human – they are (I added that one – you may not agree!). Lobbying and the blogosphere, some slightly random links: Legitimate Lobbying, Bulletinthehead, Richard Edelman, PR Speak, Ray Collins, Digital Destiny, Paul Linford, PRWatch, David Maister. | 24 5 07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Showdown at Black Patch Park – a new podcast on the Grassroots Channel | OK so a slightly dramatic headline as you can see from the smiling photo. This programme is one of those occasional episodes when we manage to bring an active citizen together with the politician who’s thwarted their efforts (you might like to listen to Albert Bore and Natalie Brade). For four years Simon Baddeley (the tall one) has campaigned with other Friends of Black Patch Park to protect this urban green space which is in Sandwell but sits just on the boundary with Birmingham. Sandwell Council had zoned some of the land for industrial development. The friends campaigned widely – including making their own media on youtube and using Flickr and Wikipedia to keep tabs on facts and images – until finally something moved. Earlier this year Councillor Bob Badham (cabinet member for Transport and Regeneration) said the council would review those plans, with the aim to preserve the park as a park. This podcast is the first time the politician and the campaigner have had a chance to really talk, and I have to say that is part of what we try and do from time to time, create a space where relationships can grow a little. We also mention a event coming up to explore neighbourhood policing in Birmingham. The Chamberlain Forum is hosting the Chief Constable of the West Midlands and Bishop of Birmingham to explore how policing is responding to what communities want. You are welcome to come to the free event in Digbeth on the morning of June 13th. Details of how to book can be found here. Other relevant links are: Birmingham Open Spaces Forum b:cen | 15 5 07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Lisa Tarbuck, networks, theatre and community safety – a new podcast on the Grassroots Channel | Our last podcast helped stir things up a bit. The Bishop of Birmingham’s intervention on behalf of Diversity Networks in Birmingham was reflected on the news site The Stirrer where supporters and critics of the networks also began to get to grips with some of the issues. This time we have another podcast from the Grassroots Channel on the future of community networks in Birmingham, including thoughts from Chris Dyer of the Birmingham Community Safety Partnership, plus we hear from actress Lisa Tarbuck in Brierley Hill on hoodies, adolescence, the National Youth Theatre and stronger communities. | 10 5 07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Bishop of Birmingham stands up for Community Networks – a new podcast on the Grassroots Channel | The Bishop of Birmingham has thrown his weight behind the community networks run by the Birmingham Community Empowerment Network. The programme has just seen it’s funding cut for this year, with not guarantee of funding after September 2007. Speaking at yesterday’s conference “Thriving In Diversity”, the Rt Reverend David Urquhart said that the work already done to establish networks in Birmingham must not go to waste. He says “The diversity networks are making a real contribution to the decisions that are made (in the city), so that we get a better quality of life for everyone,” adding that if the city is to continue benefiting from the networks “there will need to be some serious commitment from those in power”. To listen to more of the bishop’s comments please click on the play button below. Yesterday B:cen (in a report called Thriving in Diversity, summary here) said that for Diversity and Community networks to continue to benefit Birmingham, the city (through the Birmingham Stategic Partnership) would need to find at least £1.4 million pounds a year. Disclosure: the Grassroots Channel Podcast has been funded by b:cen since it was established in Autumn 2005. If you have any comments on the podcast then please e mail us. | 1 5 07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Highgate Apprentices challenge the government – a new podcast on the Grassroots Channel | This programme is presented by two teenagers from Highgate in Birmingham. Earlier this month Stephen Hughes and Gareth Deeming spent a day in London talking to ministers and senior civil servants about young people and the communities where they live. They had a few minutes with Baroness Andrews and recorded their conversation on a mobile phone (they had left for London with a digital recorder – which failed on them!). This forms the core of the podcast, but in it they also explain how they want support to work with a group called SCAWDI to develop a new apprenticeship for young people. The community apprenticeship is being designed to get young people learning through working in their community, and also expose them to a much wider range of experiences and aspirations. The plan is to lift their lives to the point where they can once again fulfill their full potential. Some other Grassroots programmes connected with this are: Cuckoos in a White Middle Class Nest – our first ever programme featuring Barbara Willis Brown on the work of Scawdi. Junior Street Champions – young people working in Lozells. The Northfield Young People’s Forum – on controlling public money. SCAWDI – link to a b:cen briefing on the organisation. | 7 3 07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Podminions – podcasts by King’s Norton Boys’ School | Podminions is the podcast of King’s Norton Boys’ School in Birmingham, UK. Here we will tell stories of the local community, the things we do in and out of school, argue about the issues that matter to us and share with you the music we write. We set this up with a little help from the Birmingham Community Empowerment Network and another podcast called the Grassroots Channel. But what we say here is entirely our doing – so listen and then please tell us what you think. You can download the episodes below: Together We Can – 31 March 2006 The first podcast from the boys at King’s Norton Boys’ School. In this episode four boys attend a conference at the NEC aimed at promoting active citizens around the UK. Sport: Year 8 vs Shenley Court – 17 May 2006 In this episode, we send three boys to a year 8 football match against Shenley Court. Half the World – 24 June 2006 In this episode, we send two boys out on a trip with the GCSE Citizenship group to Chamberlain Square in Birmingham as part of Refugee Week. Also includes music from student Jack Newett called “Half the World”. Summer Concert 2006 – 18 July 2006 In this episode we send Ruairi out with the recorder to find out what’s happening behind the scenes at our school summer concert. Healthy foods – 25 September 2006 In this episode we visit Simpsons Restaurant in Edgbaston to promote healthy meals in schools. Say Cheese! 28 October 2006 We had a photographer (Ian Reynolds of i4images. com) come into our school and take photos of students under the title “A Learning Community” this podcast asks students and teachers what their opinions of the photos were. From Here to There series Part 1 – 11 October 2006. We introduce a project we will be taking part in over the next few months called “From Here to There”. Part 2 – 17 November 2006. We go to Manchester Exhibition Centre and give a talk on the project. If you haven’t listened to part 1 we suggest you do so or this won’t make any sense to you! Part 3 – 24 February 2007. The podminions go to Lyon, France for a week. | 24 2 07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Winning the Shanty Town Shuffle in Barcelona – a new podcast from the Grassroots Channel | Chris Bongard in Carmelo neighbourhood, Barcelona taken from Parc Guell This is a picture of Chris Bongard who talks to the Grassroots Channel about his neighbours’ campaign to convert their wooden shacks in one of Barcelona’s old shanty towns into purpose built apartment blocks. You can see the homes they campaigned for on the right of the picture, just over Chris’s shoulder. He is standing in Parc Guell with the Carmelo neighbourhood behind him. Chris tells a story that dates back to the 1970s as fledgling street level democracy was emerging in Spain from under the shadow of Franco’s fascist dictatorship. Closer to home we also have residents of Kings Heath and Edgbaston in Birmingham tell us why they love their neighbourhoods. | 22 2 07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Birmingham’s Digital Citizens – a new podcast on the Grassroots Channel | Bismarck and Millie from Newtown This programme was recorded by the people of Birmingham to tell us what they love about their neighbourhoods. We’d been offered some space in the marquee on Victoria Square as part of the first birthday of Digital Birmingham. We just wanted to accomplish a couple of things: introduce more people to the Grassroots Channel and give as many as possible the opportunity to record and then edit their own comments for this programme. It was a chance for people to get their hands on some simple digital technology. Millie and her son Bismarck (in the picture) had a go and everyone found it pretty easy. Most seemed to really enjoy the power of digital editing. And what were they talking about? It was Valentines’ day so we asked them to tell us what they love about their neighbourhood: | 15 2 07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Northfield Young People’s Forum "Leaders of Today" – a new podcast on the Grassroots Channel | Jenni Rowley and Selina Okunnu of the Northfield Young People’s Forum Jenni Rowley and Selina Okunnu of the Northfield Young People’s Forum talk to us about how power is shifting towards the young in Birmingham. From April 2007 the forum, run by 11 to 19 year olds, will have up to £80,000 to offer as grants to the young people of this south Birmingham constituency. There is also an update on a story from July 2006 about Get Hooked on Fishing, based in Bournville. For any of our dozens of other programmes about active citizens please find the Grassroots channel here. Any comments are welcome, use the link below or email grassroots@podnosh.com. | 31 1 07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Beth Kanter on online fundraising plus widgets and a simple pdf guide – a new podcast on the Grassroots Channel | Beth Kanter of the Sharing Foundation explains how they used the internet to raise $100,000 for children in Cambodia. I’ve known Beth through blogging for a few months now, but finally met her in Birmingham earlier this month. She is an expert on the internet and non-profit organisations and in this podcast she talks about how you combine online tools such as widgets with the power of your networks, whether real or virtual, to encourage people to give money to support to your cause. She also writes about how they raised the money here on her blog and an earlier experiment with ChipIn here. This also represents a bit of a first for the Grassroots Channel because we have figured out how to add documents to our podcast feed – pdfcasting? (ouch ouch). So with this comes a beginners guide to online fundraising (pdf, 365kb) written as one of a series of briefings we have done for the Birmingham Community Empowerment Network. It is aimed at groups who are not charities and offers basic tips on how to raise funds using the internet through donate buttons, selling and buying online. If you’ve never used the net in this way before this is the guide for you! In the podcast Beth talks about widgets, so I thought I would show you what she means. This one is for Kate Chapman, a friend of mine who will soon be running to raise money for Marie Curie Cancer Care. Anyone can add these widgets to their blog or website and they update as the fundraising progresses. It is the same technology we use to allow you to put the Grassroots Channel Podcast on your own website. (Be carefully not to overload your website with widgets or it will slow down the time pages take to load). Kings Norton Farmers Market awards from FARMA are mentioned on their site. You can listen to their story here. technorati tags: nptech nptechuk widget beth kanter cambodia | 27 1 07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Birmingham Passions six – a new podcast on the Grassroots Channel | A New Year short for the Grassroots Channel podcast containing the condensed passions of people associated with the Birmingham Community Empowerment Network. Birmingham Passions 6: Perry Barr, learning new tricks and changing the way old people live. We hear from Mike Trevor the Constituency support officer for Perry Barr, Glen Carr of the Home Office public enquiry unit and Barry Clewer from the Birmingham Advisory Council of Older People. | 5 1 07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Birmingham Passions five – a new podcast on the Grassroots Channel | A New Year short for the Grassroots Channel podcast containing the condensed passions of people associated with the Birmingham Community Empowerment Network. Birmingham Passions 5: Democracy and the NHS, ancient Athens and modern Birmingham and a better life for Yemeni families. Contributors are Peter Tinsley of the Selly Oak Constituency Strategic Partnership, Niall Livingston from the University of Birmingham and Dalal Olewa who is Chair of the Yemeni Women and Children’s Society. | 5 1 07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Birmingham Passions four – a new podcast on the Grassroots Channel | A New Year short for the Grassroots Channel podcast containing the condensed passions of people associated with the Birmingham Community Empowerment Network. Birmingham Passions 4: Big up Birmingham, speak up for disabled people, get the young helping the old. Contributors are Liz Clements of Birmingham City Council, David Jones from the Selly Oak constituency and Rose Blair of the Winson Green Residents Association. | 5 1 07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Birmingham Passions three – a new podcast on the Grassroots Channel | As 2006 ends & 2007 begins the Grassroots Channel offers up some shorts. Six pithy episodes which simply outline the different passions of people involved with the Birmingham Community Empowerment Network. Birmingham Passions three: Varleen McFarlanne Banf, Valentine Sakala Jubilee Debt Campaign, Jean Glenn Selly Park South Neighbourhood Forum. | 3 1 07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Birmingham Passions two – a new podcast on the Grassroots Channel | As 2006 ends & 2007 begins the Grassroots Channel offers up some shorts. Six pithy episodes which simply outline the different passions of people involved with the Birmingham Community Empowerment Network. Birmingham Passions 2: Dave Tyler, of Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health Trust PPI Forum, Dawn Manning of Ladywood Aston Nechels Soho network rep for b:cen, Aisha Mohammed of the Saheli Women’s Group. | 3 1 07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Birmingham Passions one – a new podcast on the Grassroots Channel | As 2006 ends and 2007 begins the Grassroots Channel offers up some shorts. Six pithy episodes which simply outline the different passions of people involved with the Birmingham Community Empowerment Network. Birmingham Passions 1: Hemp, citizens and headscarves. Contributors are Colin Preece Chestnuts Neighbourhood Forum, Adrian Addis, Birmingham City Council Neighbourhood Involvement Unit. Nowrah Abdul Balsall Heath Forum. | 3 1 07 | Free | View In iTunes |
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The Path to Perfect Play – a new podcast on the Grassroots Channel | “Play is a every child’s human right” After a decade or more working with after school clubs and play schemes Laura Watts established a new organisation in Birmingham called Dens of Equality. She wanted to help the families who found their children effectively barred from the pleasure of full blown play because they had some form of disability. Dens of Equality is a central hub which helps groups of parents create their own autonomous organisations. With these the families can apply for funds and also approach play workers directly, encouraging them to find new ways to include all children in their play schemes. They create tight new relationships which work for professionals, parents and children, all using a system which hands power to the people closest to each child. Please leave comments on this blog. Links – mentioned in this episode: Written version (pdf) of this story with more information Dens of Equality Birmingham Early Years and Childcare Todd Hannula Pete Ashton Soweto Kinch Podcast- direct link to mp3 Roger Telphia Podcast – direct link to mp3 Kings Norton Farmers Market Podcast – direct link to mp3 | 14 12 06 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Birmingham bits and bats… a new podcast on the Grassroots Channel | Just a couple of things I wanted to mention. Thanks a bundle to Pete Ashton of Bournville (the place where we make chocolate) who wrote this about the Grassroots Channel: Podnosh is a podcast station based in Birmingham that I stumbled across recently. I like that this pretty established outfit with high aims exists outside of my awareness – it implies there’s even more happening online in the city for me to discover. I’m particularly taken with the Grassroots Channel which “is here to provoke and inspire anyone who thinks they just might want to change the world around them”. For a quality sample check out this interview with Soweto Kinch, a jazz saxophonist and rapper from Handsworth who recently released an CD set in a tower block in B19, samples of which can be found on his MySpace page. Given what he says in that interview I intend to investigate Mr Kinch further. Pete come and talks to us – I bet there’s loads I’ve yet to discover. Perhaps together we can get dear old web 1.-1 Digital Birmingham listening? But double thanks to Pete for telling me that Birminghamitsnotshit won the annual Birmingham Pantomime Horse Grand National on just the second time of asking. Unbelievable. Jon Bounds you are in big trouble for not sharing your triumph with us here, first. soweto kinch grand national horse racing birmingham is brill | 13 12 06 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Masood heads for The Hague – a new podcast on the Grassroots Channel | Masood Yasin travels from Washwood Heath in Birmingham to The Hague (Den Haag) in the Netherlands to meet active citizens in Holland. Find out what his thoughts are on new approaches to jobs and education to young people plus why he wants to bring a Dutch idea to Birmingham. Masood made his first appearance on the channel a year ago telling his story in Become a Decision Maker. The Grassroots Channel is supported by the Birmingham Community Empowerment Network and produced by podnosh.com. Also we mention listeners who’ve been in touch including Rob Annable in Birmingham. Links: R4R Europe | 4 12 06 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Heritage and Community – The Friends of Brandwood End Cemetery – a new podcast on the Grassroots Channel | On Remembrance Sunday we meet two people who’ve put 18 months of effort into building a community group around their local cemetery in Birmingham. The Friends of Brandwood End Cemetery have found an unlikely way to build a community in their neighbourhood and Anne Courbet and Barrie Simpson tell us about the link between history, heritage and our sense of togetherness. We also hear about a film which is taking one of Birmingham’s active citizens to Holland and you can see in December at a b:cen event called Activists & Authorities – Collision or Cohesion. Birmingham Community Empowerment Network Friends of Brandwood End Cemetery Birmingham Conservation Trust Birmingham Open Spaces Forum | 12 11 06 | Free | View In iTunes |
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From paint balling to leadership – a new podcast on the Grassroots Channel | TYGA is a youth group in Balsall Heath in Birmingham which began with fun and conversation and yet in just over a year has raised thousands for charity through a 500 mile bike ride, travelled to Pakistan to help with earthquake relief and started a regular street clean-up in their own neighbourhood. Sue Beardsmore talks to Kamran Fazil about the next steps for TYGA – a structured leadership programme for young people. We also want to wish 120 students from Queensbridge School good luck this week with their day on the streets of Balsall Heath in Birmingham, meeting different neighbours and helping clean up the neighbourhood. It’s all part of an extension of their citizenship teaching in collaboration with the Balsall Heath Forum. Links TYGA The Young Generation’s Association Birmingham Community Empowerment Network (supports the podcast) Written pdf giving more information and contact details for TYGA | 31 10 06 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Until My Dying Day – Nocks’ Brickworks in Erdington – a new podcast on the Grassroots Channel | Mike Overton has fought for years to prevent developers building homes on an old waste tip and clap pit in Erdington in Birmingham, UK. He talks to Emma Lewis of b:cen about the site and why protecting it matters so much to him. Also in the programme a thanks to listeners in Belgrade and Birmingham who mentioned our programmes on their blogs and more information of the Podminions, a podcast channel run by pupils at Kings Norton Boys School. To comment please leave your thoughts here. | 22 10 06 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Soweto Kinch on life in Birmingham 19 – Grassroots Channel Podcast 24 | Soweto Kinch is a jazz and hip hop musician living in a tower block overlooking the Hockley Flyover in Birmingham. He’s just finished working with the newsreader Moira Stuart to release the first of two albums which tell the story of living in his neighbourhood – the Newtown, Aston, Lozells area of the city. In programme 24 of the Grassroots Channel he explains how the music in A Life in the Day of B19 is motivated by a passion for using culture to lift a neighbourhood. Any comments please leave them here. Links: Soweto still performs and works at The Drum Dune Jazz publishes and sells his work. Thanks for the help Janine! Soweto on Myspace Soweto’s Album on Amazon A life in the day of B19 More about Soweto Kinch and his many awards. Click below to listen to the podcast | 3 10 06 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Sherez Sarwar – Street Champion for Lozells – Grassroots Channel latest | This is Sherez Sarwar. Now 18, he’s been involved in improving his community since he was 13. His efforts have helped revive George’s park in Handsworth and he’s become a street champion for his road in Lozells. Sounds like a goody-two-shoes? Well he isn’t and if you listen to this week’s Grassroots Channel podcast you’ll find out why. Programme links: Birmingham Community Empowerment Network The BURA Awards for Community Inspired Regeneration Birmingham Street Champions | 20 9 06 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Residents University – Birmingham September 2006 | Douwe Wielenga R4R Our latest programme for the Grassroots Channel hears about a huge event in September (13th to 16th) which will bring hundreds of residents from different European Cities to Birmingham. The Residents University is organised by R4R Europe (a development from the orginal Birmingham based R4R). If you’re involved in regenerating your neighbourhood the chances are very high that you’ll find this event inspiring and educational. I experienced a smaller R4R event in Dortmund earlier this year and came away exhausted but hugely encouraged by the range of practical work being done in many neighbourhoods (and also how good we are in Birmingham!). The University lasts from Sept 13th to the 16th and there are still a few places left (you don’t have to go for the whole time!). If you’re a resident in Birmingham b:cen may well be able to pay your fees. the event is supported by Bimringham City Council and the Centre for Urban and Regional Studies at Birmingham University. Any way – have a listen and see if it appeals: Residents 4 Regeneration in Europe Birmingham Community Empowerment Network A Different Reality Podcast | 11 8 06 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Does no pay make you more powerful? Grassroots Channel Programme 21 | I’ve just spent a wonderful morning with two women who are both directors of Witton Lodge Community Association. Linda Hines has been involved for 15 years while Michelle Ashmore got stuck in just two or three years ago. The Association has been working really closely with Birmingham City Council and other partners to drive through a huge regeneration project for Perry Common in the north of the city. It began with the bombshell that hundreds of homes were so structurally unsound they would have to be demolished. The association is really central to its success for two reasons. First the 14 unpaid (and mostly resident) directors have a common sense idea of how to help the community thrive. Secondly the council was unable to raise the money for rebuilding on its own. The finance was only possible because of the association. Their hard won expertise is now being shared through the governments Guide Neighbourhoods programme (along with Balsall Heath and Castle Vale) If you scroll down you can listen to their lively (and sometimes tearful) conversation and find out why both directors are convinced that much of their power derives from them being unpaid. So much so that wouldn’t want it any other way. Oh and please leave any comments here on the blog. Erdington Community Network Birmingham Community Empowerment Network | 27 7 06 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Time to Teach the Pros | Programme 20 hears from Gill Taylor, who runs the government’s new Academy for Sustainable Communities. She tells us why she wants residents to unleash their expertise on re-educating professionals.Sounds like one more burden on active citizens? Perhaps not – the academy also wants to support these new teachers and relieve some of the stresses of getting and staying involved. The Grassroots Channel is supported by the Birmingham Community Empowerment Network: www.bcen.net Links: Academy for Sustainable Communities Birmingham Strategic Partnership | 11 7 06 | Free | View In iTunes |
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100 Million Pound Future | Programme 19 on The Grassroots Channel meets another of Birmingham’s social entrepreneurs. Roger Telphia is Chief Executive of Future Health and Social Care. The charity is a multi award winning organisation which already has a substantial turnover. But now Roger wants to see a step change, shifting the way the organisation is run, growing it and creating a company which will be able to invest millions directly into communities in Birmingham. To achieve all of that he wants a little help – a rethink in the way the public sector relates to social enterprise. This podcast is supported by the Birmingham Community Empowerment Network. Links: Future Health and Social Care UnLtd The Charity which supports Social Entrepreneurs Bcen briefing on community interest companies Cic Regulator | 11 7 06 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Generating Market Forces | Programme 18 talks to Duncan Ross and John Bodycote from Kings Norton Farmers Market about why they chose to become a community interest company, the value of the farmers market and a few provocative thoughts on the link between local politics and social enterprise. Links: Kings Norton Farmers Market National Association of Farmers Markets UnLtd The Charity which supports Social Entrepreneurs New Economics Foundation on markets Bcen briefing on community interest companies Cic Regulator If you enjoyed this story you might also like an earlier programme, The Garden Fence to Natter Over, which tells the story of how Neville Lilly has used allotments in Handsworth to revive parts of his community | 11 7 06 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Birmingham the Curio City – podcast | Programme 17 from the Grassroots Channel and the story of the people striving to reunite a community divided by powerful economic forces. Community artist Sanj Cavanagh and volunteers Julia Downer and Cherie Moore are working with children to create new music and theatre at the Curio City shop in Five Ways in Birmingham. Plus some news from the last podcast and our nomination for the News Statesman New Media Awards. Links: Friction Arts The Bostonist New Statesman New Media Awards Alex mendez’s story on the Grassroots Channel | 11 7 06 | Free | View In iTunes |
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It Shouldn’t Be So Common | Programme 16 of the Grassroots Channel hears about the link between gun crime in Birmingham UK and gun crime in Boston, Mass. Simon Walker, of the community arts project Curio City, tells us about Alex and Isaura Mendez, two visitors to Birmingham who have left a lasting impression on the city. Links: The Dorchester Reporter in Boston A map of gun crime in Alex’s Neighbourhood Isaura Mendez and her work in her community Simon’s work on the Urban Fusion Website Friction Arts | 11 7 06 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Blair, Blears and Bollards | Programme 15 turns out to be a curious mixture of Blair, Blears and Bollards. This time we handed over the microphone to a school and a youth group. Find out what they make of a government. Programme 15 also contains an interview with Hazel Blears as part of the first podcast from the podminions channel. The podminions channel is a podcast setup with the help of podnosh and b:cen so that students at Kings Norton Boys’ School had a new medium to tell stories of what went on around their school and report on matters in a way that mattered to them. Links: Yardley Community Network Podminions Chestnuts Neighbourhood Forum Birmingham Association of Neighbourhood forums Kings Norton Boys School Hazel Blears Togetherwecan Website The new Department for Communities & Local Government – on the old ODPM website! | 11 7 06 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Once they are hooked – Grassroots Channel Podcast 14 | Andy and Jake fishing Programme 14. Angling is just about catching fish – isn’t it? Apparently not. Andy Walker tells the story of how fishing rejuvenates young lives and protects communities from crime. His Birmingham based organisation, Get Hooked On Fishing, is working in neighbourhoods across the city. With support from the Bournville Village Trust and the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund, it is turning this hugely popular sport into an engine for social change. Links: Andy Walker’s contact details Get Hooked on Fishing in the Midlands The original Get Hooked on fishing organisation Yardley Community Network | 11 7 06 | Free | View In iTunes |
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We don’t like to go in the parks – Grassroots Channel Podcast 13 | Programme 13 from the Grassroots Channel comes not from Birmingham but from Dortmund in Germany. We’ve been demonstrating podcasting to a group of young people from cities across Europe. Listen to Simone and Ethel as they try podcasting for the first time and talk to other young people about homelessness, junkies and fear in the streets. This programme is produced with the support of the Birmingham Community Empowerment Network and Residents 4 Regeneration in Europe. Thanks too to Chris and Nathan, both boys from the Four Dwellings High School in Birmingham. Links: Residents 4 Regeneration in Europe Dortmund Nordstadt Festival – German site (Google Translation) Photo’s of Dortmund Nordstadt Dortmund in Wikipedia | 11 7 06 | Free | View In iTunes |
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The Worst Slum in Europe | Natalie Brade and Sir Albert Bore Programme 12 eavesdrops on a conversation between two people whose relationship began with intense frustration and conflict. Natalie Brade and Councillor Sir Albert Bore: one a practical active citizen, the other a senior politician, met when Natalie began protesting about housing conditions on what was then the Lee Bank estate in Ladywood. Now they work together running Optima Community Association. A little longer than usual, this programme is a rare opportunity to hear a citizen and politician explaining how their relationship unfolded through the battle to regenerate Lee Bank in Birmingham. Links: Written version of Natalie’s story as a pdf Optima Community Association ODPM Award for Sustainable Communities | 11 7 06 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Light the blue touch paper – Grassroots Channel podcast 11 | Programme 11. Our listeners talk back and in this programme we hear from one living in Birmingham and another in the Philippines.Lisa Broad and Keith Cannell both tell us that hearing stories from other people is influencing the way they see the world around them. Plus news of two more Civic Bang events in Birmingham. The Grassroots Channel is supported and inspired by the Birmingham Community Empowerment Network. Links: Keith Cannell’s church in the Philippines Contact Keith through this website | 11 7 06 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Generosity is a key ingredient – Grassroots Channel Podcast | Programme 10. Generosity – how can that revive a neighbourhood? Love life live lent The Church of England in Birmingham thinks it may make a huge difference. In fact it seems Lent is a good time for us all learn something about generosity – including the church and its congregation. The weeks running up to Easter in the Christian Calendar have long been seen as a time of self denial. But the Anglican Church in the city is trying to turn that notion upside down and make lent the time of generosity. It has printed 60,000 books full of generous actions designed to strengthen communities and it wants people across the city to channel the discipline of self denial into a festival of giving. The Director of the city’s Forum for Community Regeneration, Fred Rattley, tells us more about Love life, live lent. Links: The Church of England in Brum | 11 7 06 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Pavement to Parliament – Marcia Lewinson of WAIT’s podcast. | Programme 9 on the Grassroots Channel tells the story of the Birmingham based group who use techniques developed in 1930′s Chicago to revitalise individuals, families and communities. We talk to Marcia Lewinson, the Chief Executive of Women Acting in Today’s Society, a South Birmingham based charity. Waits was established in 1992 to: “support women to address issues such as welfare benefits, employment and education, domestic violence, isolation, health, crime and the fear of crime and many more.” Links: Women Acting in Today’s Society Digital Birmingham Saul Alinsky of Community Organising – Wikipedia Update: June 2009. Waits now also keeps this useful Database of women’s groups in Birmingham: The W.A.I.T.S. City-Wide Directory contains details of group meetings on various women’s issues throughout the Birmingham area. To use the directory simply select the group issue you are interested in along with the area. | 11 7 06 | Free | View In iTunes |
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I am the grass now – Grassroots Channel Podcast about Edward Road Police Station | We talk to a group of neighbours in Balsall Heath in Birmingham who work unpaid to keep their local police station open, hear from listeners to the Grassroots Channel and get a tiny taste of a Little Britain. Links: Goosemore Lane Allotments Paul Hopkins Podcast Balsall Heath Forum | 11 7 06 | Free | View In iTunes |
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A law of nature is that we fight things to get things – R4R Grassroost Channel Podcast | The Grassroots Channel exposes Birmingham to the scrutiny of outsiders. We talk to residents from two Dutch cities about what they make of our strengths and weaknesses. Ellen Hiep and Willem Giezeman give us surprising answers, useful to all. Plus details on how Residents 4 Regeneration is telling stories to build a better future. Links: Residents 4 Regeneration in Europe BBC website on the Year of the Digital Citizen | 11 7 06 | Free | View In iTunes |
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You can not do it alone – Grassroots Channel Podcast | The remarkable story of a woman who changed her life after a short spell in prison. Justice Williams took that experience and turned it into Venta Millones, a social enterprise which strives to give young people an alternative to a future embroiled in the gun culture. Programme 6 of the Grassroots Channel is, as always, produced by podnosh and supported by the Birmingham Community Empowerment Network. Links: Home Office Fund which supports the work Justice does. Coreys US podcast for non profits | 11 7 06 | Free | View In iTunes |
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XMAS Cuttings | In the next 4 episodes, the Grassroots channel brings you some extra cuttings for the christmas season. We promise no indigestion!Firstly, some cuttings from Paul Slatter who is the manager of the Birmingham Community Empowerment Network. Followed by some thoughts from Val Douglas. Episode 3 is from Gurdev Kaur from the women’s empowerment group, Sikh Nari Manch. Finally, episode 4 is from Naseem Akhtar who will offer us some more festive thoughts. Links: Birmingham Community Empowerment Network Sikh Nari Manch R4R at Balsall Heath Forum | 11 7 06 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Just a mum who cares | Meet a formidable member of the Birmingham Community Empowerment network. This time on the Grassroots Channel we tell the story of Maureen Murphy and her decades of campaigning to protect and improve her neighbourhood in Sutton Coldfield. Plus of course feedback from you the listeners. Supported by the Birmingham Community Empowerment Network and produced by Podnosh. Links: Written version of Maureens story Allotments Regeneration Initiative Walmley Residents Association FOE on Peddimore and the Green Belt Griddlescakes Radio – a story telling podcast | 11 7 06 | Free | View In iTunes |
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The garden fence to natter over | Programme 4 from the Grassroots Channel tells the story of Neville Lilly and how he turned his childhood passion for gardening into a project which has already helped more than a thousand Birmingham children.Not content with that, he has now built a social enterprise selling recycled timber and a huge range of new products. Also in this programme, more feedback from our fab listeners. Links: Neville’s story as a pdf New Environmental Ventures Ltd Social Enterprise Coalition Uplands Allotments in Birmingham Citizen Lab in Toronto North West Staffordshire Rural Community Forum Generous | 11 7 06 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Become a Decision Maker | More stories for people who care about where they live. The third programme from the Grassroots Channel tells the story of Masood Yasin – a young man in Birmingham who decided he had a choice to make: should he leave his own neighbourhood for somewhere ‘better’ or step up and take action. Masood explains why and how he helped turned a failing street into a place he is proud to call home. Plus your feedback from previous programmes. The Grassroots Channel is produced by podnosh.com and supported by the Birmingham Community Empowerment Network. Masood’s story in PDF format Washwood Heath Penhill Community Forum – Swindon | 11 7 06 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Fun is the most important thing. | Pete Ashton's pic of Cotteridge Park This time the Grassroots Channel brings you the story of how a threat was used to transform a neighbourhood. Emma Woolf talks about the campaign to protect Cotteridge Park in Birmingham, how school children got involved and how it blossomed into so much more than a three week spat with local politicians. Produced by Podnosh and supported by the Birmingham Community Empowerment Network. Links: Written version of story in PDF format Cotteridge Park Birmingham Open Spaces Forum Green Space Online | 11 7 06 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Cuckoos in a white middle class nest | This is the first podcast for the Grassroots Channel – a series of programmes sponsored by the Birmingham Community Empowerment Network. We’re starting with stories of active citizens in Britain’s second largest city: Birmingham. Barbara Willis Brown tells us how she worked to rebuild communities by confronting prejudice. A tennis project in the city brought young black children into the leafy middle class environment of the tennis club, overcoming misconceptions from both sides. Her philosophy on revitalising communities is: “If it hasn’t got a challenge in it let everyone else do it.” Background music is copyright of a small local band called score. The Grassroots Channel is produced by Nick Booth of Podnosh. First available in October 2005 Links: b:cen Barbara’s story as a written pdf | 11 7 06 | Free | View In iTunes |
| Total: 81 Episodes |
Customer Reviews
Get With Grassroots!
This is the BEST. It's about makers not takers...listening to the stories gives me a personal recharge... Grassroots makes me want to get back on with LIVING (and stop my whingeing)! Grassroots doesn't preach, it lets you to listen to the stories people tell about life and living in a 21st century city. Reports of the demise of the human spirit (and its cousin - community spirit) in such conditions are, as Grassroots Channel shows, premature. Telling Tree says "Get with Grassroots and Have Faith - in your self and in your Community!" Thank you Nick - and thanks also to the Birmingham Community Empowerment Network which sponsors it.
Thought Provoking
Everyone will be able to relate to the subjects covered in these podcasts. Truely inspirational and easy to digest, these podcasts highlight that if we show a little care and ownership for our communities great things can be achieved.
Inspirational
I listened to these podcasts and it made me want to go out and change my world! Sounds cheesy I know, but these people are talking about things that really matter to us all and I thought they were all great. I ended up thinking that if they can do it then so can I and I am seriously thinking about what I can now do to make a difference to my community. Keep up the good work - I look forward to hearing more stories.
