Last month Make It Happen set up the TPAS eNetwork, a new social network for members of the Tenant Participation Advisory Service (TPAS) to extend and compliment the e-learning project we are developing with them. We introduced the social network at the recent TPAS National Conference 2010 where we delivered two workshops to discuss how social networking on the internet can help empower communities. The slogan for the conference was:
A new dawn in tenant empowerment!
And we wanted to find out:
How can TPAS eNetwork help empower tenants and residents?
We asked members how they might want to use TPAS eNetwork and what features they’d like to see. Here are some of the ideas that came up:
Some uses for TPAS eNetwork
- Good for tackling social isolation
- Good for connecting with young people
- Use it to address both providers and tenants
- Use photo & video evidence to ‘name & shame’ providers
- Put paperwork online instead – but think about security
- Slogan: ‘inclusive not exclusive’
- Useful for community cohesion
- Address disability access issues
- Buddy system
- Silver surfers
- Intergenerational – young and older users offering mutual help – e.g. adopt a granny/grandad
- Self-moderating groups will develop with tenant involvement in the TPAS eNetwork
- Make sample policies available for others to use/adapt to avoid ‘reinventing the wheel’
Features wish list
- Jargon buster
- Links to BBC security site/info, e.g. Staying Safe, and CEOP
- Web page (form) to assess users’ skill levels (computer/internet literacy)
- Functionality for iPhones & mobiles
- Make it clear: What’s private? What’s public?
- Site user policy – code of conduct
- Facebook plugin? – a possible future development?
- Creative commons – using copyright-free/open media – e.g. photos on Flickr
- What about Twitter feeds – tweeting?
- Linkedin network?
- Link to FixMyStreet.com – highlight this online service
- Link to TPAS Flickr group (plugin feeds from… install widget?)
- Link to TPAS YouTube channel (plugin feeds from… install widget?)
- Linking to many other relevant sites & organisations is very important
- Web conferencing – a future development
- Highlight useful web conferencing services/tools:
- Skype
- dimdim
- Flash Meeting (online video conferencing), part of LearningSpace from the Open University
- Moodle & TPAS e-learning
Other issues
- Training for newbies – face 2 face & online – e.g. BBC raw: Introducing the internet and BBC Webwise Guides
- How to involve those without computers?
- Moderating online conversations – how will this work?
- Open to non-members?
- Promote security of TPAS eNetwork site (i.e. compared to other big social networks which would be more attractive to hackers and scams)
Thanks to the TPAS e-learning @mbassadors, who are the key member bloggers at TPAS eNetwork, for helping to facilitate the workshop and their great contributions to the lively discussions.