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Lost possessions


We’re currently finalising some written output from a few projects we’ve been working on, so here’s the heads up for three publications which should be available over the next 4 weeks or so. They’re listed here in the likely order of publication. They will all be announced here and on the Neighbourhoods blog - but if you can’t wait, send us a message!

Lost possessions – a playful essay with photographs exploring the phenomenon whereby people pick up dropped possessions (scarves, gloves, hats etc) and place them in a prominent position for rediscovery by the owner. These are gestures of consideration for people we are never likely to meet and whose gratitude we are never likely to receive. Lost possessions will be published by Local Level using Bookleteer.

‘A series of doors’ Young people talking about the experience of poverty
– this paper derives from the work we carried out with Breslin Public Policy and the Office of the Children’s Commissioner earlier this year. The full report contributed to the OCC’s submission to government on the measurement of child poverty; but inevitably the breadth and sharpness of the young people’s contributions was diminished. This paper repackages much of what we heard, minimising the surrounding context, so that the dominant voices are those of the young people themselves. The paper will be published by Breslin Public Policy.

Social technologies, poverty and ethnicity – this is a spin-off paper by Kevin Harris as part of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation project on poverty, ethnicity and social networks. The project is led by the Third Sector Resource Centre. It is based on workshop and interview comments and will be published by the TSRC.



 
 
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A report into the viability of local online channels in low income areas, written by Kevin Harris and Hugh Flouch, has now been published by Networked Neighbourhoods.

It describes and reflects on four experimental projects we carried out during 2011-2012 in separate localities in England.

The basic rationale was to test whether resident-run online neighbourhood networks could be established in low income neighbourhoods and if they could be shown to bring social benefits.

The report adds weight to claims that local online channels can be established inexpensively in low income areas, that they can be made sustainable, and that they contribute to the quality of local social life.

The report is here. There is also a two page summary, and a post on the Networked Neighbourhoods blog.



 
 
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Following the rioting and looting in English cities in August, the Guardian's Joe Public blog published an article by Kevin Harris and Hugh Flouch examining the ways people used social media at a local level to share information, reassure one another, contain rumour and misinformation, and begin the healing process. The piece argues that local sites like Harringay Online, which is close to Tottenham where the disturbances began, quietly fulfilled the kind of role that politicians call for - validating information and making it public, urging calmness, and helping to mobilise the subsequent response.