Most of today has been spent setting up accounts on the internet. Once my 'web-presence ideas' document got the go ahead from Melita, I was very eager to start building up an infrastructure so that we're ready to use it as soon as the project requires it.
So far we have this blog - providing an individual point of view to the development of the project, and what its like to lead a project for the first time. Hopefully within the context of the rest of the web-presence for the project this won't just be a "navel-gazing" blog about how I feel about what I'm doing...
A facebook business page - to maintain contact with the youth group. Its not part of the public face of the project (yet), so I'm not linking to it from here.
We also have a twitter account: @allsaintsyouth, which will be used to advertise and promote events, as well as being an archive for our Go-and-Sees, in conjunction with...
Our foursquare account: allsaintsyouthproject. Which we can utilise to its fullest now that I have a clever new smartphone! Hooray!
I'm hoping that we'll be able to integrate twitter and foursquare into a presentable format using storify so that the timeline of our visits, and what we thought of them can be displayed on the Project Development Website.
This brings me nicely onto the next stage as far as building our web-presence goes - the website. Unfortunately that's beyond my skills, so we'll have to wait until we can afford to have someone build us a website and make it look pretty...watch this space!
Today also featured the second of mine and Melita's fortnightly catch-up phonecalls, where she said lots of nice things about all the Project Planning that I was working on last week (whilst she was on half-term!), second confidence boost of the week!
Friday 25 February 2011
Thursday 24 February 2011
Gaining a dedicated heritage partner
Yesterday I had an important meeting with James Moir, the Director of the UK Association of Preservation Trusts to see whether they'd be interested in supporting the All Saints Langport, Youth Project.
Peter had told me that James was already enthusiastic about the idea of the project because the UK APT wanted to diversify and expand into working with young people and heritage, so this seemed like the perfect project at the perfect time for him.
This, coupled with the fact that it was a one-on-one meeting, meant that I wasn't nearly so nervous about this meeting (as I was for the first one) - I knew who I was meeting, why I was meeting them, what I needed to get across, and what the aims of the meeting were for us.
James Moir seemed to be impressed - he said that the UK APT would be willing to support the project with guidance and information, and possibly contribute to a mix-funding deal, either at the HLF Young Roots application or further into the development of the project.
One of James' suggestions was particularly interesting for me - the idea of mutually beneficial Go-and-Sees to Building Preservation Trusts that were part of the UK APT. This would mean that our young people have the opportunity of learning the how-to's and the how-not-to's from strongly established BPTs, and they could learn something about our new model for heritage and regeneration (with an integrated social media presence from the start of the project, for example).
The lesson to take away from this meeting are that I'm much better at selling the project and my involvement in it when I'm comfortable in the meeting. As a result of this, we've come away with a well-established and very enthusiastic heritage partner who're very happy to support the project!
Peter had told me that James was already enthusiastic about the idea of the project because the UK APT wanted to diversify and expand into working with young people and heritage, so this seemed like the perfect project at the perfect time for him.
This, coupled with the fact that it was a one-on-one meeting, meant that I wasn't nearly so nervous about this meeting (as I was for the first one) - I knew who I was meeting, why I was meeting them, what I needed to get across, and what the aims of the meeting were for us.
James Moir seemed to be impressed - he said that the UK APT would be willing to support the project with guidance and information, and possibly contribute to a mix-funding deal, either at the HLF Young Roots application or further into the development of the project.
One of James' suggestions was particularly interesting for me - the idea of mutually beneficial Go-and-Sees to Building Preservation Trusts that were part of the UK APT. This would mean that our young people have the opportunity of learning the how-to's and the how-not-to's from strongly established BPTs, and they could learn something about our new model for heritage and regeneration (with an integrated social media presence from the start of the project, for example).
The lesson to take away from this meeting are that I'm much better at selling the project and my involvement in it when I'm comfortable in the meeting. As a result of this, we've come away with a well-established and very enthusiastic heritage partner who're very happy to support the project!
Tuesday 15 February 2011
Redrafting
Today was spent redrafting EVERYTHING. Making everything 'SMART'er, and generally formatting everything so that it all looks like documents from a coherent project. Not the most exciting day, but some good housekeeping rules learnt.
I also had a very early conversation with the CCT's Marketing Manager, Elanor, about the sorts of things we'd like to do with our web-presence for the project, she sounded (tentatively) enthusiastic! Wooo! However I think this is a case of 'watch this space' rather than 'yay, I get to be all internetycooltimes' just yet...
I also managed to get in contact with James Moir, from the UK Association of Preservation Trusts, an important heritage organisation who're looking to grow into youth-oriented heritage, about whether they'd be interested in supporting the project in one way or another - sounds like another scary meeting in the near future!
I also had a very early conversation with the CCT's Marketing Manager, Elanor, about the sorts of things we'd like to do with our web-presence for the project, she sounded (tentatively) enthusiastic! Wooo! However I think this is a case of 'watch this space' rather than 'yay, I get to be all internetycooltimes' just yet...
I also managed to get in contact with James Moir, from the UK Association of Preservation Trusts, an important heritage organisation who're looking to grow into youth-oriented heritage, about whether they'd be interested in supporting the project in one way or another - sounds like another scary meeting in the near future!
Monday 14 February 2011
More Project Plan-making, a 'Comms Strategy', and web-presence design notes
Today was attempt two to get the Project Plan looking like a Project Plan. One of Melita's suggestions was to use the SMART acronym - Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-specific. Using this certainly honed my rambling and unfocussed objectives, but I'm not sure it looks like a professional Project Plan just yet...
Still, by lunchtime I had sent off draft two to Melita to see whether it measured up to her experienced and well-practised standards.
Following a far-too-hasty lunch, I set to work pacing out the Communication Strategy for the project at this stage. Following the meeting, Melita and I sketched out a very basic idea that communications would have a 3-tier system.
At the moment tier 2 is basically just emailing, keeping in touch with our partners and making sure everyone's updated on the project, but I'm sure this will develop as the project gets under way and we start working with the (other) young people.
Tier 3 is going to be our very exciting and flashy nexus of web-presence centred around the 'Project Development Website'...or it might not be, nothing's been OK'd just yet, but I'm sure it'll be fine. What I'd like it to be is a big empire of internetiness to go alongside the project, covering a website, a blog (you're looking at it), twitter, foursquare, potentially a flickr stream, and who knows what else. However, at this stage this is all in mine and Melita's heads (except the blog, silly), so it might amount to something entirely different. Either way, the world will hear about our project. :)
Finally today I have been jotting down a couple of notes about what I'd like the Project Development Website to look like. When Melita and I were brainstorming the objectives of the website, one phrase stuck out for me - 'it will be a look into our folder'. The idea of the website is to show our progression and the development of the project, so why not have the frontpage of the website look like the inside of a briefcase? (The inspiration for that came from here, as if JKRowling hadn't done enough already!)
But as I say, this is all a bit pie-in-the-sky at the moment, so don't get too excited just yet. *attempts to follow own advice*.
Still, by lunchtime I had sent off draft two to Melita to see whether it measured up to her experienced and well-practised standards.
Following a far-too-hasty lunch, I set to work pacing out the Communication Strategy for the project at this stage. Following the meeting, Melita and I sketched out a very basic idea that communications would have a 3-tier system.
- Tier 1 is 'Us' - me, Melita and Peter. (This might include the core team of young people later down the line too).
- Tier 2 is 'Our Partners' - the CCT, whichever youth organisation becomes our primary partner for the HLF Young Roots big, the other youth organisations that are supporting the project, and the South Somerset District Council who I am reliably informed is the 'Project Champion'.
- Tier 3 is 'the rest of the world'. As in everyone. *gulp*
At the moment tier 2 is basically just emailing, keeping in touch with our partners and making sure everyone's updated on the project, but I'm sure this will develop as the project gets under way and we start working with the (other) young people.
Tier 3 is going to be our very exciting and flashy nexus of web-presence centred around the 'Project Development Website'...or it might not be, nothing's been OK'd just yet, but I'm sure it'll be fine. What I'd like it to be is a big empire of internetiness to go alongside the project, covering a website, a blog (you're looking at it), twitter, foursquare, potentially a flickr stream, and who knows what else. However, at this stage this is all in mine and Melita's heads (except the blog, silly), so it might amount to something entirely different. Either way, the world will hear about our project. :)
Finally today I have been jotting down a couple of notes about what I'd like the Project Development Website to look like. When Melita and I were brainstorming the objectives of the website, one phrase stuck out for me - 'it will be a look into our folder'. The idea of the website is to show our progression and the development of the project, so why not have the frontpage of the website look like the inside of a briefcase? (The inspiration for that came from here, as if JKRowling hadn't done enough already!)
But as I say, this is all a bit pie-in-the-sky at the moment, so don't get too excited just yet. *attempts to follow own advice*.
Tuesday 8 February 2011
Self Reflection and Project Planning
Working from home has its advantages and its disadvantages. The main advantage is slippers. Some of the disadvantages are not having a whole office full of professional experts to hand when you need them, the lure of the kettle, and lack of peer surveillance to stop you from going on twitter every 10 minutes.
This morning I had a tricky phonecall with Melita where she asked me what I wanted to get out of the project. Later on in the phonecall we established that I need to prepare for meetings before I go into them - think about what I'm going to say and what I want to leave the meeting knowing - and I think this phonecall was a case in point.
I'm not as upset as that last sentence makes me sound - afterall, this is my first foray into professionalism; everyone, including myself, is expecting me to make mistakes and not be perfect first time round. This is my first job where I haven't had to say 'would you like the receipt in your bag?'
So anyway, following this phonecall I got to work on a Project Plan - having never written, or even seen, a project plan before, I was a bit relieved when Melita sent me a framework to start from. Working through headings like 'Purpose', 'Resources', 'Objectives', 'Deliverables' and 'Timeline' has helped me get my head round the different elements of the project up to the HLF Young Roots application submission - that x relies on y to happen first, and we have to leave so many weeks between x and y to allow for responses and reminders, that sort of thing.
Melita's response to me showing her the draft just now begins with 'Great start'... so I can't have done that badly!
This morning I had a tricky phonecall with Melita where she asked me what I wanted to get out of the project. Later on in the phonecall we established that I need to prepare for meetings before I go into them - think about what I'm going to say and what I want to leave the meeting knowing - and I think this phonecall was a case in point.
I'm not as upset as that last sentence makes me sound - afterall, this is my first foray into professionalism; everyone, including myself, is expecting me to make mistakes and not be perfect first time round. This is my first job where I haven't had to say 'would you like the receipt in your bag?'
So anyway, following this phonecall I got to work on a Project Plan - having never written, or even seen, a project plan before, I was a bit relieved when Melita sent me a framework to start from. Working through headings like 'Purpose', 'Resources', 'Objectives', 'Deliverables' and 'Timeline' has helped me get my head round the different elements of the project up to the HLF Young Roots application submission - that x relies on y to happen first, and we have to leave so many weeks between x and y to allow for responses and reminders, that sort of thing.
Melita's response to me showing her the draft just now begins with 'Great start'... so I can't have done that badly!
HLF Young Roots Training Day
About a week before I got properly involved in this project, I managed to pick out a tweet from @HeritageLottery advertising a Young Roots training day. Young Roots is the part of the HLF that gives grants specifically to youth-led projects, based on a partnership between youth and heritage organisations. Peter had already directed me to research the Young Roots avenue for funding as it looked like the project at All Saints was already fitting this bill - a project, lead by me (I'm 22, HLF has decided that young people are aged 16-25), working to empower young people and get their feet inside the heritage door.
This workshop would've provided perfect information to go into the meeting with the Youth Organisations with, but unfortunately the workshop was two days after the meeting. D'oh.
What this workshop did show though, is that the efforts we'd already made - setting up the meeting, and aiming from the start to empower young people (including me) - were the right ways to go about preparing for a HLF Young Roots funding application.
One element to come from the workshop which surprised me, which also came up in the meeting two days earlier, was the apparent necessity to offer rewards, benefits and accreditations to the young people in exchange for their involvement in the project. ... Apparently other young people don't do heritage volunteering for the fun of it *ahemhem*
This workshop would've provided perfect information to go into the meeting with the Youth Organisations with, but unfortunately the workshop was two days after the meeting. D'oh.
What this workshop did show though, is that the efforts we'd already made - setting up the meeting, and aiming from the start to empower young people (including me) - were the right ways to go about preparing for a HLF Young Roots funding application.
One element to come from the workshop which surprised me, which also came up in the meeting two days earlier, was the apparent necessity to offer rewards, benefits and accreditations to the young people in exchange for their involvement in the project. ... Apparently other young people don't do heritage volunteering for the fun of it *ahemhem*
Monday 7 February 2011
Starting Off
Hello, I'm Mark, I'm currently an intern volunteering at the Churches Conservation Trust. This is my blog that will follow my journey being in charge of a heritage and regeneration project at All Saints church, in Langport, Somerset (UK).
This blog is here because the project I'm working on is applying for Heritage Lottery Fund Young Roots funding. One of the criteria for a project to be awarded funding is that there should be tangible products that the young people have created that relate to the project. As I'm a young person who's already familiar with blogging, it seemed like a good opportunity to make one of these tangible outputs an ongoing blog written by me and detailing my experiences of the project.
Today's my first day of contracted work on the project, (which seems to me to be a good day to start blogging), but I've already had a meeting, and a training day which you can do the reading of now.
This blog is here because the project I'm working on is applying for Heritage Lottery Fund Young Roots funding. One of the criteria for a project to be awarded funding is that there should be tangible products that the young people have created that relate to the project. As I'm a young person who's already familiar with blogging, it seemed like a good opportunity to make one of these tangible outputs an ongoing blog written by me and detailing my experiences of the project.
Today's my first day of contracted work on the project, (which seems to me to be a good day to start blogging), but I've already had a meeting, and a training day which you can do the reading of now.
Tuesday 1 February 2011
Project Partnership Meeting
Up until today, my involvement in meetings at the CCT could be summed up as taking minutes, and occasionally speaking up.
Today I attempted to lead a meeting.
This was my very first day on the project, my first time down to Langport, and my first time seeing the church. It was also the first time I met Melita, who officially, is a consultant and local expert for the project, but unofficially, is my mentor, supervisor, guidance and back-up when scary meetings start to get scary.
As far as my leadership of the meeting went I don't think I was very successful - partly due to my lack of knowledge of the project and the church, and partly due to me crippling inexperience at the head of a meeting. Fortunately Melita was on top form, and took all the tricky questions in her stride.
Having said this, the meeting went well, we came away with lots of information and lots to think about. Coming soon should be exciting detail about the project's web-presence (which includes this little blog of mine), and future meetings where we come face to face with real life, unabridged, 100%, young people!
Today I attempted to lead a meeting.
This was my very first day on the project, my first time down to Langport, and my first time seeing the church. It was also the first time I met Melita, who officially, is a consultant and local expert for the project, but unofficially, is my mentor, supervisor, guidance and back-up when scary meetings start to get scary.
As far as my leadership of the meeting went I don't think I was very successful - partly due to my lack of knowledge of the project and the church, and partly due to me crippling inexperience at the head of a meeting. Fortunately Melita was on top form, and took all the tricky questions in her stride.
Having said this, the meeting went well, we came away with lots of information and lots to think about. Coming soon should be exciting detail about the project's web-presence (which includes this little blog of mine), and future meetings where we come face to face with real life, unabridged, 100%, young people!
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