LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION!

Innovative engagement techniques in Caerphilly

Mandy Sprague

Development Officer for Older People

Caerphilly County Borough Council

Prologue – Why bother?

• 600,000 / 50+ Forum only 230 members

• Same passionate faces • Our 50+ Forum wanted a “meaningful”

mechanism for getting their voices heard

• Sound familiar?

Which Genre – How to do it?

• Why do it differently?

• What are the barriers?

• Different strokes for different folks

• How do you choose what to do?

• Has it been done before?

• What difference can it make?

Caerphilly’s Cut – What we did

• Developed “The Right to be Heard” tool kit • Caerphilly 50+ forum’s Digital Lobbying

– Steering group established November 2004– Launch of Forum April 2005– How could there get their voices “heard”– Funding followed the “bright idea”– Digital Lobbying Pilot August 2006

What is Digital Lobbying?

• “Digital Lobbying takes the ancient art of storytelling and uses it to allow older people to make powerful short films on issues that matter to them, using their own images, story and voice”

Why Storytelling?

• “Stories engage people’s minds, hearts, physical beings and the human spirit, they inspire people to change – to try a new behaviour, to let go of an old attitude, to embrace the future’, and above all to take action.”

• (Silverman 2004,p.108)

Development of Digital Lobbying

• Funding from the 50+ Positive Action Partnership for the pilot and further from GAVO via the key fund

• Participation Officer and 7 forum members trained as trainers

• Successful Communities First Trust fund bid for 3 laptops and training x 4

Development of Digital Lobbying

• Since then 32 films produced!

• Involvement of other organisations, e.g. LHB & Welsh Ambulance Service (PPI), Help the Aged and Age Concern, WLGA, Care & Repair, Supporting People, Community Partnerships

• Income generating

Are they worth all that effort?

Are they worth all that effort?

Sneak preview – its not hard, really!

• “No, really, I have nothing important to say!” However most people have a pet hate – Smokers, parking tickets, MP’s expenses…

• Quick - the 30 second rant– 3 groups– Video, Dictaphone, Post its,– Remember it’s a Rant not a Rembrandt!

Epilogue – Help is out there….

• Caerphilly 50+ forum - peer to peer advice • 50+ Forum’s website and Utube 32 stories• Local Health Board’s PPI teams• Breaking Barriers - social enterprise• Google 50+ Citizen’s engagement website

– Ideas, templates, tools, barriers and evidence– Online or Cdrom

There is no excuse, go on, it really is not that hard!