The Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, has congratulated people who are using social technology projects for the benefit of their communities. A social networking site for young gypsy travellers, SavvyChavvy, that allows them to share their experiences and help change the way their community is perceived, topped the list of winners of the first ever UK Catalyst Awards, receiving an award from the Prime Minister himself. Gordon Brown also praised the work of FreqOUT, which harnesses Westminster Council's WiFi and uses creative arts projects to engage disadvantaged young people, and Harringay Online, a website to connect local residents with local issues.
Savvy Chavvy (Chavvy being the old Romany word for 'youth') has more than 1,250 members and is an online cultural space for them to network, blog and share media such as podcasts and video content amongst their peers. Other award-winning projects included a website encouraging car sharing schemes to reduce CO2 emissions, Liftshare, and a nightclub for disabled people in SecondLife, Wheelies.
Speaking at the event in central London, Gordon Brown said:
"Our thriving third sector continues to find innovative ways to tackle issues. We are creating a new generation of activists, campaigners and social entrepreneurs who are showing us just how the newest of technologies can help solve some of the oldest of challenges, building a more just society and better, stronger communities."
Social media has huge potential to tackle current social challenges, from knife crime and youth gang culture through to climate change and poverty. It can provide simple and effective solutions to make a difference to the lives of individuals and communities, by connecting marginalised groups and giving those who struggle to get their voices heard a platform to communicate.
The people behind the UK Catalyst Awards, including the Make Your Mark campaign, the Prime Minster's Council on Social Action, Minister for the Third Sector Phil Hope, NESTA, the Department of Business & Enterprise and UnLtd are calling for a brand new wave of enterprising ideas which use social media to tackle social problems.
Today's awards were co-presented by Phil Hope, Minister for the Third Sector, and John Hutton, the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, at a reception in central London.
Offering his enthusiastic support, Phil Hope said:
"These awards show us just how social technology can have a profound and powerful impact in delivering social change. It's now up to all of us - central and local government, big business, and the third sector - to support and enable a creative and thriving environment in which organisations and communities continue to come together in new and groundbreaking ways."
Dan MacQuillan of the Make Your Mark campaign, said: "We can feel the momentum building around this movement. Examples of 21st century community action such as this are the very type of activities that can bring back a sense of community to UK society."
The winners of the first UK Catalyst Awards are:
- The Community Award - Savvychavvy - a social networking site for young gypsy travellers, giving them a voice and the opportunity to change the way their community is perceived
- The David and Goliath Award - Liftshare - an online car-sharing system, enabling more efficient use of car journeys and cutting CO2 emissions and congestion
- The Chalk & Cheese Award - FreqOUT! - a programme that combines wireless technology and emergent arts/education projects, and works to engage socially excluded young people
- The Enterprise Award - Slivers of time - a web-based employment solution, allowing people to find bits of work which they can do in between unpredictable commitments in their life, such as childcare, starting a business or studying
- The Revolutionary Award - Wheelies - the world's first virtual disability nightclub. Based in SecondLife, it is connecting disabled users and providing a platform for them to discuss common issues
- The Self-Help Award - School of everything - this innovative site matches up would-be learners and would-be teachers; unleashing unused skills in local neighbourhoods and allowing people, from young whizz kids to retired people, to pass on what they know to others
- The Individual Hero Award - Helen Anderson of South Witham broadband - after a series of large internet suppliers refused to provide broadband in South Witham, Lincolnshire, Helen started a not-for-profit company to provide local individuals and businesses with broadband internet and WiFi. The volunteer-led project has been so successful that Helen has even shared her expertise with the Australian Government!
- After an online vote, in which more than 3,000 votes were cast, The People's Choice Award went to The Freeconomy Community, a skill, tool, space and land sharing website to build closer, stronger communities through the power of sharing
Rowena Young, Programme Director of Social Innovation & Finance at NESTA, said:
"We've been impressed by many of the projects the UK Catalyst Awards have unearthed, and we plan to develop and fund a 'how to' guide, to help others get started in this space."
The next phase of Catalyst, which uses the inspiration of today's finalists to call for new ideas, will take place during Enterprise Week this November.
Within the week we'll be partnering with Chain Reaction, a Community Links project which is about one talent, experience or idea unlocking another, creating a powerful chain of energy that will build a better world.
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