Developing policy advice on new technology & tools for the Community Empowerment Strategy Division of CLG

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Trying to link things up

Mon, 07/28/2008 - 10:59 — Simon Berry

This is a great interview of Dan McQuillan by David Wilcox at last week's UK Catalyst Awards which gives me real encouragement. It's a real pity that people in CLG will not be able to watch this (unless they do it from home).

Over the last five weeks of my part-time secondment I've been trying to join things up so that Government supported 'awards' and 'competitions' have pathways into funding for innovation and that one funding pot links across to another etc. I'd also like to see Government funding act in a catalytic way by helping the networks that build up around events (like 2gether08, Shine, UK Catalyst Awards) to maintain themselves on an ongoing basis so that ideas can feed off ideas, innovators can meet other innovators and investors, commissioners and so on.

Although, it has to said, that I have been pushing on open doors . . . there are still one or two barriers to be overcome. Watching Dan's interview is a great encouragement.

Comments

Mon, 07/28/2008 - 13:11 — Anonymous

Could CLG act as a convenor?

Dan's follow-up post http://snurl.com/36gis confirms that there is scope for joining up a network of networks, maybe leading up to and including the Chain Reaction event in November http://www.chain-reaction.org/

There's a lot of buzz ... but it is quite confusing, and it must be difficult for policy people to see where to go (particularly since, as you indicate, they can't actually watch the videos!) One very simple, low-risk, low-resource action for CLG would be simply to organise a get-together in September to map out who's doing what, and make sure there's a chance for people to find out about each other.

I'm sure our friends in 2gether08, SIC, Catalyst Awards etc would be glad to help. In the run-up to 2gether08 I did a little model http://snurl.com/2x97x suggesting that for action we need project proposers, tech-enablers, supporter-resourcers, and also convenors to bring those together.

It would, of course, be great to have some Government resources and support .... but in the mean time just acting as a convenor would be a big help. Focus on the people before funds, tech, etc.

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