VolResource Blog

From NCVO ICT Foresight blog:

The Hansard Society is working together with the NCVO on the first strand of the [ICT Foresight?] project - on Democracy, campaigning and activism. The research is designed to illustrate ways in which information and communication technology (ICT) might empower charitable, community and voluntary sector organisations and their supporters and identify comparisons with citizen engagement in politics.

The research will begin with a survey of current uses and expectation of ICT in the voluntary and community sector which is going to be launched in January 2006. We are also looking for case-studies that will provide us with personal testimonies and examples of successes and possible pit-falls.

If you are aware of an organisation using technology to engage with stakeholders or promote campaigns in innovative ways please email us via edemocracy@hansard.lse.ac.uk

- Visit the blog, linked above, for updates.

Posted by John Howes at 05:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Brand republic Data Bulletin has an article on the data processing behind the launch (publicly this week) of GuideStar UK the online charity database:

Experian is helping charity GuideStar UK launch a free web-based encyclopaedia of the 167,000 registered charities in England and Wales.
More: Experian helps GuideStar provide insight into charities - Data Bulletin - Data news by Email - Brand Republic

Posted by John Howes at 07:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

From:EurActiv:

After concerns expressed by the Council of Europe and European NGOs, Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered a controversial bill on nongovernmental organisations to be "thorougly revised".

More: here: After European pressure, Putin announces softer NGO law

Posted by John Howes at 12:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

About time we picked up a posting from other blogs we keep an eye on. At Kevin Harris' neighbourhood blog:

Reporting on discussions at a recent seminar on neighbourhood governance organised by The Young Foundation with CDF and Bassac, he looks at a key question of "Do we need unity of voice – consensus – for neighbourhood governance?” Plus more - see quote below.

Neighbourhoods: Community, consensus, and neighbourhood governance

How far the ODPM and the Home Office can push their expectations of voluntary activity?. Rose Ardron, from Sheffield NDC, said:

“I do two days a week on this and I get tired. My colleagues who are also volunteers, get tired. People aren’t breaking down the doors to get involved in local forums.”

A colleague was telling me recently about a local activist who does 76 hours of volunteering per week: he’s seriously ill. Of another it was noted recently, that to be an activist in your own street is exhausting. I just don’t get the impression that this factor has featured much in what has been thus far an overwhelmingly top-down debate.

Posted by John Howes at 06:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Apologies for the problems with our main web site (www.volresource.org.uk and similar) on Thursday 1st Dec. Our web server hosting arrangement got its electrons in a twist for a few hours. Everyhting was back to normal late evening.

Posted by John Howes at 04:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)