South East Region

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Comment by Graham Shaw on April 4, 2013 at 11:51

Note of RSA Tunbridge Wells/West Kent “First Wednesday” meeting, 3^rd April 2013

Emma Barrett, Head of the Social Innovation Lab in Kent (SILK) outlined the approach and current work of her small team. SILK is supported by Kent County Council but has also used other funding to help with specific projects.

SILK’s approach is to see social innovation as being based on interested people, genuine relationships and productive conversations. They seek to test new ways of working on emerging challenges by bringing together key stakeholders to work on creating and disseminating solutions. These help inform future strategy by public sector bodies, service re-design as well as helping encourage participation by particular groups in the community.

SILK has produced tools designed to help stimulate and guide stakeholder and service user conversations and decision making. There has been great interest in these tools from groups working in many other countries. Emma spoke of how a group in South Korea was in the process of translating them for their use and had offered to look at how they could be turned into an “app”. There were IP issues around the tools and one Fellow offered to help with this.

Currently there are two particular projects looking at supporting low income families and another around the dementia aspects of social care.

Like many public sector based bodies SILK is currently faced with limitations on its funding, with its small team unable to follow through on a number of ideas.

In this context several Fellows agreed to explore how they could, as individuals, directly support the work of Emma and her team. One of these includes working in partnership with estate agents and social housing providers to be better at describing property in ways that took into account disability and older people’s access issues.

Another idea that emerged was around the idea of “social prescribing” which could potentially link to a current RSA project called “Social Mirror”. There was a need to help connect groups of NHS patients not only to medical prescriptions but also to more social networking opportunities. This kind of work clearly connects to the growing problems of issues such as diabetes, and depression. Some work had been done but could be developed further.

If any local Fellows are interested in getting involved in our support to SILK please contact me.

Comment by Graham Shaw on March 21, 2013 at 21:06

The next Tunbridge Wells Fellows "First Wednesday Salon" is on Wednesday 3 April and will focus on Social Innovation initiatives in Kent, led by Emma Barrett, head of Kent's Social Innovation Lab and RSA Fellow.

Comment by nick on March 9, 2013 at 14:31

click to view drawings

http://www.facebook.com/SoCreateADifferenceTW/photos_stream

Comment by Graham Shaw on March 8, 2013 at 9:07

Thank you to the 30 local Fellows who took part in our recent survey. A summary of the results are attached and can be viewed here twells%20rsa%20survey%20results%20Feb2013.pdf

The are many more local Fellows who didn't respond. The survey is still open at 

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/XSQDXXK and we would pleased to hear from you.

Comment by Graham Shaw on March 8, 2013 at 9:00

The inaugural RSA Tunbridge Wells "First Wednesday Salons" was hosted last Wednesday evening at the Trinity Theatre in Tunbridge Wells.

Stuart Page from Stuart Page Architects (http://www.stuartpage.co.uk/) was the guest speaker providing an interesting perspective on the future development of of the town. He gave an overview of "So Create a Difference" - a project that brings together local architects and community activists. The presentation prompted a lively discussion by the Fellows on various issues such as community engagement, property usage, local authority behaviour, social impact, improvement and future planning and how demographic change might help drive how we see the town and its development.

 

The next "First Wednesday Salon" is on Wednesday 3 April and will focus on Social Innovation initiatives in Kent, led by Emma Barrett, head of Kent's Social Innovation Lab and RSA Fellow.

Comment by Philomena Davidson on November 12, 2012 at 9:41

Good luck Mark. I can't make it on 15th but wish you the very best results.

Comment by Philippa Thompson on November 11, 2012 at 20:39

Hi Mark, good luck with the event on 15th November. I would have liked to come along but I'm in London that evening. Look forward to hearing outcomes. Best regards, Philippa

Comment by Mark Hadley on November 6, 2012 at 15:52

Gathering momentum for our first 'The Vital Few' event at Portslade Aldridge Community Academy on the 15th November, judging some entrepreneurship projects as a way to get the staff and students engaged with our project, which recently received catalyst funding - hurrah! 

Comment by Mark Hadley on October 16, 2012 at 11:07

Quite a few RSA Fellows from the Eastbourne, Bexhill and Hastings group attended last nights http://eastbournecan.com/  meeting, the purpose of which was to start setting an agenda for better civic engagement in Eastbourne for 2013.  Dozens of interesting ideas were promulgated which are sure to see the involvement of RSA Fellows in a number of these.

Comment by Duncan Noel-Paton on October 4, 2012 at 16:05

I discovered that recent neglect by RSA was due to a faulty email address - now corrected. I've greatly enjoyed the recent Brighton dinner and look forward to taking part in things once more, Incidentally, I lead occasional drama workshops and would be happy to do more!

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