Here at Fazeley Studios with Nick Booth and Gavin Wray from Podnosh on the Social Reporting Training Course . 

With colleagues from Neighbourhood Forums and Community Groups learning about how to blog . Sitting next to Robert from Kings Heath Neighbourhood Forum who has just set up his first blog and near to Peter and Jackie who have just loaded up a sensational photo! Shahida is doing AudioBoo……

Nick explaining that social media not journalism but a great, powerful and fun way of connecting and having conversations in neighbourhoods

19th April

Back again for the second week of the Social Reporting Training – people still turned up even tho’ the sun is shining outside.

This week we are concentrating on the use of flips and adding podcasts on to our blogs….people finding the flips easy and fun to use and now trying to upload. Good stuff…

The Flips are available for loan, free of charge to community groups . Please contact Karen on 0121 675 8519

You’ve already seen some of the results of the Flip training with a number of local citizens, including footage from Local Democracy Week events. Here’s a round-up of some more of the videos submitted, starting with the video above which finds Glyn Selwyn, Chair of Bournbrook Neighbourhood Forum, interviewing people about the litter problem in the Bournbrook area of Selly Oak.

Thanks to being trained in using a Flip camera, Glyn was able to capture evidence of some of the affected areas, as well as reflecting the litter picking work being done by volunteers to combat the issue.

Below, you can see Glyn talking to Steve McCabe – MP for Selly Oak – about the impact of neighbourhood organisations and volunteering. Finally, there’s also a video recorded by Claire Spencer from Chamberlain Forum, gauging responses to Councilor Paul Tilsley’s Chamberlain Forum lecture and discussing how future measures might affect the work being done at ward level.

It makes for an intriguing look at the democratic process at local level, the formalities and traditions which are observed (e.g. nodding at the mace, which you can see at around the 4:35 mark), and a glimpse behind the scenes at the Council Chamber.

You can see more videos at the Birmingham City Council YouTube channel.

At around the 4:30 mark there’s further insight into the tradition and a look at the expectations which help to define the role of Lord Mayor of Birmingham.

A group of students from Four Dwellings High School, Quinton and a youth group from Kingstanding have made this film about their research into the activities of Birmingham suffragettes in the early 20th century.

It was made as part of the People and Parliament: Connecting with Communities project. It’s a fascinating video, shedding light on the role education plays in teaching young people about political and democratic history, as well as highlighting what those young people think about the current electoral system.

You can watch the video above – and you can find more videos from this project and other similar content at the UK Parliament YouTube channel.

This video highlights the efforts by key individuals and groups leading up to the Parliamentary Reform Act of 1867, with specific reference to Joseph Sturge and John Bright.

You can view the first part of the film – which looks at Thomas Attwood and the Birmingham Political Union and the Chartist Movement – here.

The workshop will include information on submitting evidence to a Public Bill Committee in the Commons, engaging with members of the Lords as they consider a Bill, accessing independent House of Commons Library research, tracking the progress of a Bill online, understanding secondary legislation. Experts from the Houses of Parliament will be on hand to answer any questions on the parliamentary scrutiny of a Bill.

This event is for organisations with an interest in localism and decentralisation. Due to the number of places available bookings are limited to two per organisation.

• Constituency: City wide
• When: October 29th 2010, 1330 – 1600
• Where: Birmingham Midland Institute, Margaret Street, Birmingham, B3 3BS
• Open to the general public: No
• Contact: Daniel Wood – 07917 488 839; Matt Ringer – 0207 219 4623; or parliamentaryoutreach@parliament.uk

• Constituency: Ladywood
• When: October 27th 2010, at 1830 hrs
• Where: Paragon Hotel, 145 Alcester Street, Birmingham B12 0PJ
• Open to the general public: Yes
• Contact: Sandra Lawrence, 0121 464 4551

• Constituency: Ladywood, City wide
• When: October 13th 2010, 1900 – 2100
• Where: Council Chamber, Council House, Victoria Square, Birmingham, B1 1BB
• Open to the general public: Yes – RSVP with name and constituency
• Contact: Dominic Fisher, 07708 823 816 or ladywoodconservatives@gmail.com

To find out more information click here to read the event programme and here to download the booking form.

• Constituency: Ladywood, City wide
• When: October 18th 0900 – 1300
• Where: Deaf Cultural Centre, Ladywood Road, Birmingham, B16 8SZ
• Open to the general public: Yes
• Contact: Debbie Bailey, 0121 771 1411 or debbie.bailey@i-se.co.uk