A virtual Visitor to #mps09 "My" Public Services 2009

On 26th November I 'virtually' attended the MyPublicServices conference which was organised by the people behind Patient Opinion. I say 'virtually' because I attended not in person but as a visitor via the Conference Twitter chat. I followed the conversation on Twitter and visited the hyperlinks posted by attendees - and joined in where I thought appropriate.

I followed the conference on the Twitter hashtag #mps09. By including this 6-character term in each tweet, it allowed each tweeter to follow the same conversation. TweetDocs are available that record up to 500 tweets on the day at TweetDoc_3 and TweetDoc_4.

The Conference - My observations on the discussion.


The premise of MyPublicServices was to bring together those who are building stuff on the web to improve public services. It was about re-thinking what we mean by "public services". It was about improving on what already exists and inspiring the creation of what doesn't.

"My" public services is currently a bit of a misnomer. The occasions when people refer to "my" and "mine" when talking about public services are very rare. Public services are "the Council's", "the Government's", "the NHS's" or somebody else's. The idea of people being the owners of public services has certainly not caught on in common possessive language let alone in public imagination. But through the course of the day at #mps09 then people dared to think that perhaps it might be possible for people to move on from being the passive recipients of public services, to engaged beneficiaries that could not only choose which services they wished to use, but shape and re-shape them - and actually become the co-creators of new improved services.

Conference participants explained how web technologies and social media could help communicate with and mobilise the experience, knowledge and expertise of the public to create services that would be better and more fit for purpose. This was not a technology issue but a communication issue!

Progress would be slow because of the very 'new-ness' of collaborative web tools. Service providers do not understand where we are with the world wide web. The analogy of the very first iron bridge ever constructed in the UK using yesterday's technology (i.e. wooden style joints) because traditional engineers did not understand the new technology, was used to symbolise the current situation.

Participants gave examples of how frustration - and anger - with the limitations of some existing services had been the prompt that inspired change. The speaker from Channel 4's 4iP initiative coined the phrase of "making trouble in the public interest!" The passion of campaigners for better services has to be channelled into creating innovative solutions to problems. Government and service commissioners need to cultivate that innovation and be prepared to invest in it. This involves risk taking and will involve making mistakes and learning the lessons from these.

Government also needs to adopt the role of nurturing this new web and community enterprise. This is especially the case in the provision of governmental information. Delegates called for Government to "do less" i.e. produce fewer websites itself, and instead make information available for others to use in ways that reach wider audiences, promote participation and allow others to run services. Calling upon Government to do less and "un-invent" its traditional top-down role was a much harder task than inventing new things!

The MyPublicServices Conference is one in a series of events held in 2009 that marks the evolution of Digital Britain as a concept that just might collectively become MY digital Britain! 

Congratulations to the organisers of and participants at #mps09

Other useful links:

MPS: The Evolution of Something... by MyPolice
Social Reporter Interviews at #mps09 by David Wilcox
Can the Internet Transform Public Services? by Julie Walker
myPublicServices by The Dextrous Web
Social Media 'could transform public services' by BBC Technology
Bridge to the Future by Public Strategist
Gift Economies by Amy Sample Ward

Please feel free to post other useful links about the event in the comments below.

Hedon Blog Promotion - A Success?

The Hedon Blog attempted some offline publicity last week. Five thousand flyers were circulated to addresses in the HU12 post code area which includes all the 3,500 households in Hedon. The leaflets were copied by local printers Green Print for £120.00 and distributed by the Holderness Advertiser for £115.00 - a significant investment in publicity!

So was this exercise successful? 

On the face of it the exercise only caused a blip in hits on the site. The day before the leaflet then the internal Wordpress Stats Counter marked 113 views. On the two days of the leaflet delivery then 254 and 350 hits were recorded respectively on the Wednesday and Thursday . On the Friday views were only 162 and 104 on the Saturday.

The top posts on the busiest day were: Hedon Online 24 views, Hedon Christmas Lights 22, and the What's On page 20.

Comments on the site picked up with eight new submissions (disregarding spam and my own replies) and the Facebook Page picked up seven new fans. Two new issues were brought to my attention which formed the basis of two posts on parking problems and a derelict building.

The benefits of the leaflet drop are probably still going to be felt over the next week or so. Questions can be raised about whether the leaflet was effective and whether having it distributed with other advertising flyers was a good idea. But on balance the experiment was worthwhile - even if to rule it out as an economic option in the future!

The Hedon Blog will use offline publicity again, but probably limited to posters in key places and the distribution of business cards.

Have Bloggers out there had better experiences of using flyers to promote their Blog?

Ongoing Hyperlocal Discussion & Developments

This is the slideshare presentation hosted on the Sarah Hartley Blog. She gives an update on her research into "Hyperlocal Developments".

 Hyperlocal space

View more presentations from sarahhartley.

What should government do to help hyperlocal community publishers?

Published for information and records:

"With Rachel Sterne of Ground Report I co-chaired a meeting of folk interested in hyperlocal media in the UK.  The meeting was at the Department of Culture Media and Sport at the request of Sion Simon MP the UK Culture Minister in advance of the digital britain bill.  I shall post more on the discussion when i have had time to reflect. But to make the meeting as transparent as possible here is some of the core information.
The meeting had the Twitter hashtag #cabinet and there is a Tweetdoc.  The group was informed by Rachel Sterne’s slides dissecting the hyperlocal market and Douglas McCabe’s statistics from Enders.  Three good posts have already emerged; from Hannah Waldram at Podnosh including attendees and two from Paul Bradshaw"

by William Perrin over at Talk About Local

Local Web News Manifesto

In response to discussions at Talk About Local its founder William Perrin has suggested that local community web publishers should adopt a voluntary set of standards that would signify the serious and honourable intent of those who sign up.

Will has suggested a "manifesto" that hyperlocal news publishers might like to agree to:

Local Web News 'Manifesto':

In signing up to this manifesto we agree to be:

1 - Fair
2 - Truthful
3 - Proportionate
4 - Provocative
5 - Playful
6 - Local
7 - Low cost
8 - Not boring
9 - Not evil

The disscussion is taking place right now over at Local Web News Manifesto.

Developing Online Community Voices

This is the draft outline of my social media activities during the next 12 months. It involves the further development of The Hedon Blog as a hyperlocal community website and online voice for the East Yorkshire town. I will also be promoting the case for a new project called HEY! Community Voices! which aims at supporting online communities in other neighbourhoods, villages and towns.

I would like to thank the participants at the Talk About Local "Un-conference" in Stoke for what follows, but also my seperate chats with muti-media journalist Adam Westbrook and Paul Smith from HU17.net for their inspiration.

The Hedon Blog and HEY Community Voices on Scribd

Leaving Hull LINk

Hello Colleagues

Firstly just to say thanks to colleagues and friends at Hull LINk, Hull CVS, and those I've met from VCS groups, council and NHS for making my 'short' stay at LINk such a pleasant one.

This is my explanation of my sudden departure from Hull LINk on Friday 16th October 2009 (and a chance to re-visit this old blog of mine!).

On Wednesday 14th October 2009 I met with my line managers during which I suggested that I was de-motivated at certain aspects of the work and I was interested in looking at employment options elsewhere (self employment actually, as anyone who knows me is aware, I'm interested in the opportunities to engage communities via using new social media).

The Deputy Chief Officer stated that he admired me for my honesty but would need to consider very carefully what I had just said.

Two days later I met with my line manager and the DCO was also present. I was informed that since I'd expressed a lack of commitment to such an important job then under the terms of the probationary period I would be given a week's notice to quit the job. I would not be required to work the notice week and was asked to return keys and leave the building straight away.

Whilst I am obviously hurt by the suddeness of it all, I do understand the reasons behind this course of action. I begrudgingly accept that I did have a lack of long-term commitment to Hull LINk and the Hull CVS. However, what I find difficult to accept as a professional is that I was asked to leave immediately and my offer to work notice was refused. I feel that this was very short-sighted. There were so many loose ends I would have tied up and handover notes I would have completed. In the event I didn't even have time to tidy my desk up properly!

I have worked in the sector as a community activist or worker all my life and I care about the implications and public perception created by our actions. Therefore I offer these observations:

Yes... the larger third sector infrastructure bodies are in a very competitive environment and hard-nosed business skills need to complement our traditional cooperative and collaborative approaches. We need to manage our projects well and perform magnificently and display staying power! However, within that process it is important that we do not lose the compassion and care for people and communities that is the hallmark of our sector.

I think I have been treated according to contractual obligations and due process.... but have we not all lost some 'heart' during that process!?

The Hull LINk will grow and develop because good foundations have been built and there is a strong Steering Group. And I will continue to work to support the CVS from the sidelines. Why? Because the ethos and principles that founded that and similar organisations are far more important than any individual gripe.

It's goodbye for now, but hopefully 'hello again' from me very soon but wearing a different hat! But in the meanwhile.... where's that Job Seeker's Allowance application form.......!

What's a Blog?

Blogs are websites that are easily and regularly updated. This makes them perfect for keeping readers and viewers aware of the latest information on an issue or subject. They can contain text, photos, audio and video. Many Blogs provide commentary, news or views on a particular subject, others serve as online journals or diaries.

The facility to leave comments on Blogs is an important feature that allows them to inter-act with readers and viewers. The potential to engage people through Blogs makes them great tools for reaching out and encouraging interest and participation. They can create a conversation between service providers and communities, helping improve consultation and create substantial 'evidence gathering' opportunities for those forming public policy.

Some Blogs have become community websites offering an online voice for local communities whilst offering very local news to a neigbourhood, village or town.

Blogs can also be used as a form of therapy allowing people to post in public but anonymously about the things that matter to them.

Blogs can be used to engage with a wider public audience and help encourage interest in your services or products. They can be used as online CVs or 'adverts'. Through clever use of keywords and other 'Blogger tricks' your Blog can get better placed rankings in Google and other search engines thereby widening your audience base.

How do I set a Blog up?

Blogs can be easily created in minutes and are easy to maintain and update. Best of all they can be created free of charge (although extra features can be purchased from those wishing to pay).

You can easily set up a Blog yourself and through trial and error eventually achieve the Blog you want and reach your audience. This can take some time and can be very enjoyable.

However, if you live in the Hedon area, and want a Blog setting up quickly and want coaching in all the facilities that a Blog has to offer, and want to reach specific audiences - then contact Ray.

With only a little online guidance , you will get a Blog with the potential to reach and engage with your chosen audience; one that ranks higher in search engines. This is offered FREE by me in order to encourage the development of the East Yorkshire blogosphere.

Your Blog will only be as good as the content provided from you/your organisation or its readers. So you, or someone within your organisation, needs to be tasked with updating your Blog regularly and seeking out new material to include. Just be warned - blogging can be an addictive past-time!!