Jonathan Bostock tells of a new community venture set to be launched.
On the 8th September 2015, we will officially launch TogetherBirmingham, at www.togetherbirmingham.net
Through this unique site, we will engage and empower the people of Birmingham, we will help connect the many communities across Birmingham and we will build on the pride people have in their city and in their community.
The platform is unique because it provides the space for service users, you and I, to connect with those who provide or commission the services and products we all rely on so much. Through TogetherBirmingham we can tell them what we think, what we need, and how their services or products could be improved.
From healthcare to transport, from education to shopping, from housing to community safety – for the first time, we will be getting people seriously involved in what’s delivered in the city and within the many communities that make up the City of Birmingham.
But TogetherBirmingham goes further than asking questions. We will give people within their communities the tools by which to connect with others that share their community passions and interests. We will give people the opportunity to take forward their joint ideas. We will even give them their own Community Workspace so they can develop their plans and submit their proposals for taking forward their own initiatives, ventures and enterprises. Most of all, we will give people the power to make a difference.
Our ultimate goal is to build our social capital and community assets by supporting the people who live and work in Birmingham.
All we ask of people is a small amount of their time. Whatever it is they can spare, ten minutes a month or more, and of course they connect with TogetherBirmingham for free. For every activity they take part in, we will reward people and their community with Community Points. The more Points they collect, the greater their influence. It’s TogetherBirmingham’s version of gamification.
Together with our partners, we will demonstrate through constant feedback just how valuable their time and involvement is and just how, together with others, the people of Birmingham really can make a difference and have a major influence over their future.
Everyone is given their own unique Community Passport so that they can access all the activities carried out by TogetherBirmingham. They can log-in on their mobiles, tablets or laptops and see how their own and others contributions are adding up, be proud of the part they are playing, and keep up with regular news and incentives offered by our Community partners.
Community Points for active engagement is unique and members of TogetherBirmingham will receive regular alerts through whatever channel they choose to use.
We offer a range of opportunities for organisations to get involved in this unique venture. Partners can be from the public, private or voluntary sector. They can be from within the city or could be looking to forge greater links with the City and its communities.
Full partners are provided with unlimited access to the platform’s Community Workspace containing an entire suite of engagement and collaboration tools. Full partners can engage and empower their own communities, grow their very own Communities of Influence, run all their engagements in Community Workspace and connect with the Together Birmingham community whenever they wish.
Partners looking to engage with communities less frequently can utilise the Community Workspace on a project by project basis and license space for just the duration of their engagement.
For a tour of the platform and further details on all partnership arrangements, contact Jonathan at jonathan.bostock@peoplemattersnetwork.com or call 07869 626633.
A beta release of the platform is now available, so please visit www.togetherbirmingham.net