BITPart is affiliated to Burngreave Community Action Forum, which holds 'quarterly forums'.
At the forum, groups affiliated to BCAF give reports, detailing progress and throwing it open for debate.
These are our reports.
Education IT Conference - 5th April 2003
The ‘Connecting IT to Learning’ conference was highly successful, thanks to all who came and took part in the discussions about how to put computers to use, helping people access both formal and informal education. A report, including videos of the speakers is now on-line.
BCAN Expansion
BNDfC have agreed to fund a further 7 ‘nodes’ of our BCAN or wireless network. These will be installed over the next 2 months, giving new organizations access to the network and extending it’s coverage to new area’s like Spital Hill and Verdon Street.
IT Support and plans for a Social Enterprise
We offer IT support to groups and individuals, but at the moment there is more demand than we can meet with volunteer time, so apologies if we have been slow in responding to any requests. We are working hard on proposals for a major new project, a Social Enterprise which will offer IT Support and also develop and maintain the BCAN to cover the whole of Burngreave. We hope this will be a key strategic initiative to increase the value individuals and groups in the area get from their computers. We are keen to build up a broad steering group for this project are holding a meeting to discuss these plans on May 27th, 6.30pm at Abbeyfield Park House for anyone who would like to learn more.
Network Training Workshops
A very successful workshop was held on Saturday 17th May at Abbeyfield Park House. 10 local people took part and with Alan Dawson's support some participants upgraded equipment they had brought with them and others worked on recycled pcs donated to BITPart, turning them into wireless routers for the Burngreave network.
We Need You
You can find out more about our work, and comment on it or anything else that’s happening in the area at our new, interactive website, www.burngreave.net.
If you are interested in IT, or would like to offer some time supporting others in the area, or would like to attend one of our network training workshops please get in touch with Nicholaus Hall, BITPart c/o 12 Burngreave Rd, S3 9DD. E-mail nicholaus@burngreave.net Telephone 0114 2728008.
8/7/03
Present
K Hartney, A Dawson, S Iman, M lankshear, D Dallen (from 7.30pm)
Appols
N Hall, S Limb
Agenda
Project Monitoring
Form received from BCAT today. Only recently completed previous ¼. Salema to complete. Outputs:- Report from Learning event, directory, project report, (note recent area directory from Family Support), partial, pending Nicks return, -Bid FS, approved and – Brief completed by start next week - Nodes, delayed (see below), anticipate completion end August.
BCAN
Delayed due to insurance difficulties and difficulties with purchasing arrangements and apparent overspend (although this doesn’t appear right to MC). Need financial report (Mark to request). All equipment bought but not by BCAT, but is ready to go. All nodes have been agreed. Software has been developed and 3 existing nodes have been upgraded. Planned nodes include;
Ashram (needs ariel, possibility of serving row of shops)
Yemenin Integration and training centre (needs arial)
SCRAP (needs arial)
BCAT
Somali education (?Nick has contacted)
Yemmeni Community Association (Alan contacting)
Verdon Street Rec and Yemmeni Education (Mark and Kevin to chase)
Funding
Feasibilty study approved (£5000 from NC and SCEDU).
RIF approved, needs to be considered by wider management group.
Approved Nicks letter of complaint re E&E group process.
Working sub-group (Nick, Mark, Dave T and Lynne) to develop FS brief and full proposal for social enterprise. FS to work on model of 'exportable skills training' rather than 'gadget'.
Plan for steering group launch in 1/12.
BCAT have secured funding for rent, internet connection and 'consultancy' based work from Nick until end Oct (see below) from New Deal.
Worker / Admin
Nick has 20 days extra (see above), 8 for reports and 12 to ensure FS and nodes completed. BCAT will act as contact point, Red Message book is being kept in BCAT and will need to be picked up by volunteers (lead Kevin) and to update BITPart answer machine.
Working Group Status
Formally informed and accepted as BCAT working group.
BCLC Steering group
Kevin has been a BITPart rep of steering group and will develop IT programme and education particularly with web development. CIN application currently stalled as NDC developing own site, but we are awaiting the outcome of the first Communications subgroup and have offered input.
Festival
Display being done by Georgia at BCAT (many thanks). CLC are present in stables and would like us to be partners, we would like to provide public internet access (Kevin to liase).
Drew
Discussion of recent BITPart and CLC activities over last year. Future of Vestry Hall discussed. Chapel, health and safety is being improved by council (allowing limited access only), pigeons shit being evicted. Drew has been liasing with Matloub and one of CLC workers and are developing ideas for Burngreave Community Radio (BCR) and other ideas being based in the chapel. BITPart would like to site node here and this could be of benefit for any potential internet radio developments and would be interested in collaborating. Interested in assisting (?with CMA and Access Space) in an event to promote chapels use.
AOB
Monteeny are doing something at Parson Cross festival have requested support for internet access in a field. Alan keen to take on, is waiting to hear back re details.