Tim’s Blog

I've tried to keep the plethora of reflections and shared bits and pieces from the Youth Work and Social Networking project over on their own blog - but I'm aware some people have been expecting me to post them here also. So, here is a quick run-down of some of the posts, documents and resources you will find over on the Youth Work and Social Networking project blog.

• We've created two mini-guides to introduce MySpace and Bebo. Like the one page guides series, these are free for you to use and adapt. The Bebo guide in particular is designed to help introduce Social Network Sites to a beginner audience of youth workers who may never have explored social network sites before.
• We've been exploring how youth workers can turn to Social Network Sites and search engines to support them in community profiling.
• We've looked at how Youth Workers can point young people to positive online social networking spaces, and can use the opportunity to introduce important safety messages.
• I've been reflecting on what Clay Shirky has to say about 'talking in private - in public' and what it means for youth workers and anyone seeking to support young people's safe online behaviour.
• Back in June we were learning some key practical lessons about how to remove the filters that block access to Facebook and MySpace so that training sessions in the use of these sites can take place. If you're planning to ask your IT department to remove the filters so that you can offer a training sessions for youth workers or young people - then do take a look at some of the practical barriers we encountered.
• And we've just published a report from our consultation with young people in Devon about participation and decision making opportunities that could be made available through Social Network Sites

There are also a number of others posts pointing to recent research and online resources.

The final report of the Youth Work and Social Networking project will be launched on th 26th September in London - so if you would like to be at that (or at the UK Youth Online un-conference the following day) then please do get in touch. 

Just a quick pointer to the Interim Report of the Youth Work and Social Networking project I've been working on with Pete Cranston over the last few months.

This turned into a far longer report and piece of work than I'd anticipated - but I hope it sets out some clear foundations for the next phase of research - working on the practical 'How To' of moving from where we now, to a place where an effective youth work perspective and practice in responding to online social networks is in place.

You can read more on the project blog over here…. and I'd really welcome any feedback or reflections through the comments or by e-mail.

Appologies to any youth workers out there (particularly if you've got a participation remit) - I seem to be asking quite a lot of you this evening - but, after weeks of preparation I can happily announce the launch of the 'Youth Work and Social Networking' survey as part of a wider research project I'm working on for The National Youth Agency.

To quote from the post I've just written over on the project blog.

How are youth workers using online social networking tools themselves and in a professional context? And what is the role of youth work in supporting young people's interaction with online social networking?

Those are two of the questions we're hoping to get a little closer to answering through this online survey.

If you are a Youth Worker in England and you can spare up to 25 minutes of your time, then please do head over and complete the survey online before the 21st January 2008.

Your answers will inform a series of focus groups and action research projects running between February and April, and will feed directly into the final project report due in mid 2008.

I'm collaborating on the research project with Pete Cranston and just through our initial conversations and early background reading, a wealth of fascinating sub-questions about how youth work interacts with online social networking have been thrown up. So I'm hopefuly that through the survey we'll soon start to see the outlines of some answers emerging - although I'm sure as many questions will be raised as answered!

We're targetting the survey at 22 specific local authorities, but other youth work professionals from England are very much welcome and encouraged to complete the survey also.