Benefits Changes and Financial Inclusion

This blog post is by Matt Day. The May third Thursday meet up will be at Hove Kitchen at 7pm

At the third Thursday City Camp meet last month there was some discussion on the topic of why we were all there. This was not a philosophical debate though, but a call for something bigger to come from the monthly meet ups, a purpose for people to attend beyond the interesting chat about projects and some networking. City Camp attracts people who want to get involved, solve problems, and do some good, and the feeling seemed to be that rather than waiting a whole year for City Camp 3 to come around why can’t we take that energy and look beyond discussions from City Camp 2 to a new challenge.

The topic of benefits was raised, which is something that I’ve been learning about through the work of libraries on financial inclusion in the city, and I have to say some of the things I’ve been learning shocked me and worried me and really made me realise that we’ve got a problem looming on the horizon; timebomb was the word that kept springing to mind.

The benefits system is changing, the move to universal credit is going to affect a large number of people in the city and some of them are going to face challenges they’ve never faced and probably aren’t equipped to handle. One big change is going to be to the way housing benefit is paid, instead of going by default to landlords directly in advance it will go directly to claimants bank accounts in arrears. The first question I had when I heard that was ‘how are people going to afford the transition?’ then I thought about what a large amount of money that could be, what problems could that raise?

Next up the proposal that instead of ‘people’ claiming benefits ‘households’ will claim. I suppose this is to make sure the payment takes into account the wider picture of the household finances, but a big change will now be that one person in the household will receive the benefit payment, instead of it going to a range of accounts. Thinking about the variety of possible benefits – child benefit, job seekers allowance, housing benefit, tax credits, pension credit – and people – more difficult financial times are forcing larger families and more generations to live under the same roof – I struggled to imagine how large that payment could be, and the pressure that one family member could now be under to play the role of banker, managing the finances of everyone in the home and making sure the bills are paid on everyone’s behalf.

We don’t have a great record at the moment in the UK with personal debt, nationally the statistics are frightening with average debt levels standing at about £8,000, leading to the Citizens Advice Bureau giving advice on over 8500 new debt problems every day. That’s just one organisation! We have a troubling lack of financial education in the UK and that causes a lot of problems, how are we preparing people who may never have had to deal with such large financial pressures, or such large sums of money, to cope with the changes that are coming? Mismanaged finances lead to debts, and debts lead to big problems: stress, mental illness, domestic violence, homelessness, the list goes on.

I think it’s fair to say this got people thinking, and wondering if there was anything we could do about it.

Paul Brewer has been kind enough to organise Paul Sweeting from the Advice Strategy Project, John Francis, Head of Revenues and Benefits at Brighton and Hove Council and Nathan Au from Fareshare Brighton to come along to next Thursday’s (17th) meeting to give us a more detailed context and lay out some of the problems that are going to need solving. If you’ve been wondering if you should come along to a monthly meet I’d say this is a fantastic time to start. I’m hoping we’ll be able to bring the innovation, problem solving, and the will to do some good from City Camp and attack a problem that’s going to be very real for people in Brighton & Hove in the not too distant future, and get some ideas from different perspectives involved in its solution. I hope to see you there!

Third Thursday Meetup – 19th April

This post was written by Paul Brewer on his blog.

Third Thursdays, the regular monthly Citycamp meet-ups, provide an opportunity for people interested in social innovation to get together and discuss ideas and projects.

I blogged in my Top 20 reflections from Citycamp 2012 that we could probably make best use of the meet-up if we identified challenges to tackle, alongside the existing aims of checking in with Citycamp project progress and giving each other support and advice.

Last Thursday we had a really lively discussion about challenge setting for the group during the year, but in the meeting we also talked a lot about the need to take more responsibility for the meetings themselves, project progress and “co-producing” the process around bidding and planning etc. We may have come to rely on the leadership of Anthony Zach and Catherine Howe too much, both incredibly busy people.

I think there was a recognition that those who had been offered some support had enough information to pro-actively work out their next steps – even if that were emailing Anthony to check out what is needed next in their case.

The projects represented at the meeting were:

Gig Buddies (Paul Richards)
Digital Inclusion (Matt Day)
Black History Untold (Simon Bannister and me – for Bert Williams)
Digital Natives (Mark Walker and Matt Gould)
Tweetpoint (Cat Fletcher)
Hub Space (Daniel Herrera)

Susie Latta from Demsoc helped the meeting along as Catherine was unwell. We heard about lots of good feedback that had been received and some things to put right for next time. There were a lot of offers for help in organising future events, in recognition of the burden placed particularly on Anthony and Susie this year.

Projects Update

Gig Buddies are meeting up with Anthony Zach very soon after holiday hiatus. Black History Untold has connected to the Museum Service and their lead on digital, Kevin Bacon. A project meeting was held and a two stage plan mapped out – the first being the development of a smartphone tour of sites of interest, to be promoted during Black History Month and using QR codes. The second stage will explore linkages with the museum’s digital strategy and current throughts are around a project to create and then geo-tag and host content like audio, photos and video on a platform of some kind. Digital Natives have undertaken a very successful after-school club since Citycamp, but felt a bit stuck with the small amount of funding and a lack of capacity to take the work further. They would be keen to find people willing to take the idea on and grow it. Tweetpoint wasn’t discussed in itself but Cat Fletcher will be making contact to get the in-kind business case development support offered by the Chamber of Commerce. Cat raised a very interesting point about many of these ideas being not-for-profit. Daniel reported that further thinking around Hub Space had taken him to thinking about a “pop-up” hub space concept around the city.

A number of people felt that they needed more structure / clarity around fund allocation and decision-making. My understanding is that projects should bid-in to Anthony against their nominal allocation. Probably sensible to take this step by step. For example, work out how much it might cost to create a business case and project plan and ask for that.

Challenges

Many people agreed that the Third Thursday meet-ups needed to offer more than the opportunity to discuss the projects pitched during the Citycamp weekend. The group are naturally interested in ideas and innovation and are really keen to collaborate as a group on challenges. Further collaboration will happen I’m sure on the existing projects, especially ones like Hub Space that mean alot to everyone straight off. I gave an example of a challenge – the Benefits changes that are happening – and Matt Day gave some really engaging detail about the “timebomb” that’s ticking. The worst hit families will be losing around £100 per week. The group agreed that they would like to hear more next time from some experts and to have a go at thinking about how social / digital innovations could help with the problem. I will be speaking to some experts and inviting them along and others had some people to invite too. We also said that it would be vital to hear from people that will be affected as we think about solutions with them. Futuregov hosted a Benefitscamp in London in January – it could be that we plan an event in the city – connecting to the Council led Welfare Reform Working Group?

So I think we agreed that future meet-ups would have three parts: Spotlight Project (Gig Buddies next time); Project Clinic (some sort of speed dating to keep timing); Challenge (Benefit changes next time).

Susie was going to review the online options on the Citycamp site for project update / discussion / challenge setting etc. We also thought using Meetup for Third Thursdays might help.

Anyone else that was there, please add your comments / amendments against this post and I’ll incorporate them in a second version.

Next Third Thursday Meetup is on Thursday 17th May at Hove Kitchen at 7pm.

CityCamp press coverage

Hacking society at CityCamp Brighton in Wired on 6th March 2012

 

City Camp Brighton supports gig buddy project in The Brighton and Hove Argus on March 2012

 

How the CityCamp model inspires public service innovation in the Guardian on 30th March 2012

 

2012 Prize Winners

Prizes awarded

(* = online bid)

Weekend Winner – Gig Buddies

The weekend prize was awarded to Gig Buddies, a volunteer scheme that links people already going to gigs and events with people with learning disabilities, who would otherwise not be able to stay out late. People already have a shared appreciation of the same kind of music. The money will be used to take the idea to implementation, particularly addressing the legal and safeguarding issues.

 

 

Projects that won cash support

  • House of Games

Gamification of social and civic action. This project proposes a ‘House of Games’ where people earn badges through volunteering and contributions to their community. They then rise up through levels, as you do in games, by helping people in their area with the top level being a seat in the House of Games.

  • Brighton Untold

Many people from ethnic minority backgrounds don’t feel connected with the city. This project uses existing research into black and ethnic minority history in the city and presents it using QR codes which will be placed around the city. This will make the information more accessible and visible.

This is a social project using toy recycling as a creative activity. Young people at the Brighton Youth Centre take unwanted toys and recycle and re-engineer them into something new, learning craft skills in a creative environment, and sharing their creations online and at events.

  • Digital Inclusion

If Brighton and Hove is to be a digital city it needs to be digitally inclusive. There are lots of organisations working in this area and this project will bring together people from all over the city to develop a digital inclusion strategy involving business, the council and the voluntary sector.

LGBT HIP has an established consultation programme and demonstrable successes in engaging LGBT people in health improvements. They would like to use social media to develop their work further.

Our children are digital natives. We want to make them digital creatives, not just consumers so after-school provision should teach ways to use the internet more creatively.  This is a proposal for a social enterprise to run after school clubs where children learn to use the internet and computers to create and build things.

Assist Gypsies and Travellers in Brighton and Hove online and help them to access Facebook, YouTube, and equivalent sites.

Rebranding and increased SMS text contact with new and expectant parents

Show staff and a small group of people with learning disabilities how to use film and photography in the moment to capture users feedback and experiences and how to edit material and disseminate this most effectively and appropriately through online methods e.g YouTube, and website.

Projects that won in-kind support

In kind support is support donated by CityCamp supporters such as technology development and business plan development from the Chamber of Commerce.

A Men’s Network project looking to build an online community for fathers in the city, sharing advice and tips, and networking.

  • E-Counselling*

Putting a range of counselling services online.

  • Tweetpoint

A point in the city, powered by solar/ cycle power, to tweet, charge phones and get information.

  • Citizen Hub

Proposal to create a ‘one stop shop’ for all the things a citizen may need to know, based on existing provision in Berlin.

  • E-guidance*

E-Guidance (email and online chat for young people, parents/guardians and other interested parties such as teachers) with a localised information portal of student questions along with the answers that can be accessed by all young people in the area. Alongside this is a communal social media hub where young people and relevant educational and employment providers can share knowledge

  • Suicide Prevention*

QR codes on cards and around the city linking to suicide prevention resources and support

To create multimedia online spaces and resources to support BME parents/carers and their children with the transitions into primary school and from primary into secondary school.

Projects that were put out into the wider CityCamp community

We ask the wider CityCamp community for ideas on how best to support and take these ideas forward.

This is a project to give rewards to others and  allows people to say thank you to friends and people who have done good things.

  • Eventbox

This is an existing website which shows details of events. They asked for money to extend their work in with the community and voluntary sector.

  • Interns Website

This was a proposal from the Chamber of Commerce to link interns and small businesses.

  • Making Energy Saving Fun

This was a proposal for a website which makes energy saving fun rather than a chore.

  • LiVE* (Listening to the Voice of Experience)

Develop website and use of social media tools, in order to reach and involve a much wider and more diverse group of people in the city. Develop online channels of communication between people using mental health services in Brighton and Hove and those commissioning and developing them, in order to collect views, raise issues and feedback findings and responses.

Help with developing an interactive website which involves service users using content such as links to social media such as Facebook and twitter; video, audio and photos, created by staff, service users and their allies; an interactive and integrated blog space.

 

City Camp Pitches

All the CityCamp pitches were kindly captured and put online by Luis Algorta. You can view them all on his website: http://www.theseed.org.uk/

Sunday Projects List 2012

So we’ve pitched and people are toiling away, and the final list of projects for today is:

  • QR codes for Black History (Bert Williams)
  • Digital Inclusion (Laura Williams)
  • Make Energy Saving Fun (Doly Garcia)
  • House of Games (Richard Vahrman)
  • Digital Natives After-School club (Mark Walker)
  • Gig Buddies (Paul Richards)
  • Sunshine Bank (James Togut)
  • Father-Friendly City (Glen Poole)
  • Brighter Social Centre (David Alliston and Hannah Coxeter)
  • Intern website (Sarah Springford)
  • Tweetpoint (Cat Fletcher)
  • Hub space (Daniel Herrera)
  • Community hub best of Brighton & Hove (Gerry Hussein)
  • LGBT Consultation – late arrival (Ed Whelan)

Because of the large number of potential pitches and because we have to vacate the space by 5.30 at the latest, the pitches this year will be early at three o’clock.

Saturday agenda #ccbtn

So we’ve pitched (follow the #ccbtn hashtag for what’s happening live), and here’s what’s happening (this post will be updated during the day):

Space One (by the reception desk)

  • 11.30 – Improve LGBT consultation
  • 14.00 – Help kids be social entrepreneurs
  • 15.00 – Brighton: Craft City
  • 16:00 – Match artists and marketing graduates / skills boost

Space Two (the central block of high tables)

  • 11.30 – Chamber of Commerce intern matching website
  • 14.00 – Vacant
  • 15.00 – Use phone boxes as resource centres
  • 16.00 – B&H Camera Club – what do we do with the archives?

Space Three (the boardroom table in the theatre)

  • 11.30 – A digital natives’ after school club
  • 14.00 – A digital natives’ after school club
  • 15.00 – Stay up late: gig buddies
  • 16.00 – Map public space and events

Space Four (the grey chairs outside the theatre door)

  • 11.30 – Black History walk QR codes
  • 14.00 – Bike Buddies
  • 15.00 – Brighton Youth Centre regeneration
  • 16.00 – Vacant

Space Five (central area near the cafe)

  • 11.30 – Public Twitter screens / mobile charger stationary bikes
  • 14.00 – Community bank
  • 15.00 – Make CRB better
  • 16.00 – Vacant

Space Six (high tables near the wall)

  • 11.30 – Men’s network
  • 14.00 - Open Budget Data
  • 15.00 – Phone app for Freegle
  • 16.00 – Social franchising for good ideas

Space Seven (Theatre seats back)

  • 11.30 – Make exercise affordable and accesible
  • 14.00 – House of Games
  • 15.00 – Mosaic BME Children support
  • 16.00 – Vacant

Space Eight (Theatre seats front)

  • 11.30 – Sunshine Bank / Get Good News
  • 14.00 – Digital inclusion
  • 15.00 – Vacant
  • 16.00 – Vacant

Space Nine (Reception desk area)

All day – Social media help (give and get help)

Space Ten (By the cafe, far end)

  • 11.30 – Welfare reform
  • 14.00 – Vacant
  • 15.00 – Vacant
  • 16.00 – Vacant

There are still several spaces that could be used, so for late arrivals we’ll do a  mini-pitching session at 1.30 while people are eating lunch.

Judging panel

The judging panel for tomorrow’s pitches is:

  • Toby Blume (Urban Forum), chair
  • Nicky Cambridge (Brighton & Hove City Council)
  • Anthony Zacharzewski (Demsoc)
  • Jane Lodge (NHS Sussex)
  • Max St John (Nixon McInnes)
  • Dr Xavier Nalletamby (GP Chair of the Clinical Commissioning Group)

Event information for tomorrow and the weekend

If you are a late booker you might not have received this email (we’ve also slightly changed the travel information – thanks Val Cane for the tip-off):

We’re really looking forward to welcoming you to CityCamp Brighton 2 at the weekend. Here are some things you need to know in advance. If you’ve got any questions we haven’t covered here, email the team at brighton@demsoc.org

1. Make sure you have the right ticket!

If you want to come to the whole event you need two separate tickets: one for the Friday, one for the Saturday and Sunday. If you’ve forgotten one, there’s still time to sort it out by going to http://ccbtn.eventbrite.com and booking the missing ticket.

2. Where it is

The Friday session starts at 2 (doors 1.30) at the Sallis Benney Theatre on Grand Parade in Brighton – the University of Brighton building. We’ll be done by 5.30. The agenda and speakers for Friday will be on the website tomorrow (Wednesday) – including Will McInnes, John Barradell, and last year’s winning team MyUrbanAngel.

The Saturday and Sunday sessions start at 10 (doors 9.30) at the Amex Community Stadium at Falmer. We’ll finish the days by 5.30 but the bar at the stadium will be open for us until later. Like last year, you don’t have to be there for both days, or for whole days if you can’t make it.

3. How you get to the Amex

You can take the train to Falmer station, the 28 or 29 buses to the nearby University of Sussex campus, or the 23 or 25 to the stadium itself.
If using the train or coming from the University of Sussex, cross the bridge over the tracks at Falmer station, then walk up from the station towards the stadium, keeping the stadium building on your right – the East Stand entrance is a little way up near the car park.

You can park for free at the Amex, and disabled parking is available very close to the entrance (which is East Stand Reception).

4. Share your ideas in advance

Like last year, you can share your ideas in advance and vote on other people’s. Use the orange “Ideas” tab onhttp://citycampbtn.org, or go direct to the ideas page at: http://ccbtn.uservoice.com/forums/150412-citycamp-ideas

5. What to expect

Come ready with thoughts and ideas for projects and discussions on the Saturday and Sunday. If you want to read the full prize fund rules, they’re here: http://dmsc.me/wbGDtG

The very brief summary of how it works is that you can propose discussions on the Saturday on any topic you like, and on the Sunday propose solutions you want to design (either technology or new ways of working). At 4 p.m. on Sunday everything stops for a pitching session, where each project pitches for 5 minutes (3 minutes if there are lots of them), and then the judging panel makes the decision on the weekend winner and any other prizes they will be giving out.

6. How to take part online

Both venues have good wifi connections for your use and we’ll be reporting the event online throughout. Our social media hashtag is #ccbtn and our Twitter account @CityCampBTN. We also have a Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/citycampbtn and the blog at http://citycampbtn.org

The Friday session will be webcast live thanks to our production team colleagues at Public-i.

7. Food and drink

We’d love to be able to provide food and drink for free, but unfortunately the trade-off for the fantastic venue is that unlike last year, we won’t be able to provide free food and drink.

However, the excellent catering at the Amex stadium will be available to us, with a cafe in the event area serving coffee, tea and lunch open throughout, and magically turning into a bar when the sessions end. We’ve checked with the venue and there will be provision for a wide range of dietary needs – if you have something specific you’d like to check please email susie@demsoc.org who’s our contact point. You’re also more than welcome to bring your own refreshments.

8. Staying over?

If you’re coming from out of town and want to socialise with brilliant Brightonians (and hip Hoveites), we’ll be organising a restaurant for dinner on the Saturday night. Let us know if you want in on that, or if you want to make your own arrangements.

9. Any other questions?

Ask away, on the day or by email in advance (brighton@demsoc.org).

We look forward to having a great time with you.
Anthony, Catherine, Jo, Max and Susie
The CityCamp Brighton Team.

Draft Friday agenda

Here’s where the agenda is for Friday. We’re still waiting on a couple of final confirmations, so this might change a little between now and then.

1.30          Doors Open/ Registration

2pm          Introduction (Anthony)

2.05          Colin Monk, Pro-Vice Chancellor, University of Brighton

2.20          Paul Brewer, BHCC, on Patchwork (inc Video presentation)

2.40          Alistair Hill, Consultant in Public Health, NHS Sussex

3pm          Will McInnes, Managing Director, Nixon McInnes

Break

3.40         Emma Daniel, Community & Voluntary Sector Forum

4pm          Update from the My Urban Angel Team (last year’s winners)

4.20          Ch Supt Graham Bartlett, Sussex Police

4.40          John Barradell, Chief Executive, Brighton and Hove City Council

5.0             What’s happening tomorrow

CityCamp cards

Speaker biography: Alistair Hill

Alistair is a consultant in public health who has worked in the health service since 1993 across a wide range of public health areas, including the health of children & young people, sexual health, cardiovascular health, & partnership working to deliver health improvement. Alistair joined Brighton & Hove PCT in 2008, & one of his roles is to develop needs assessment locally (including the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment).

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