This project is one of Manchester Metropolitan University’s community engagement projects, supported by government funds awarded for the university’s outstanding work with local communities. The project will provide a  web presence to up to 20 community groups in Greater manchester and North Cheshire, particularly Crewe, Hulme and East Manchester, that will allow them to communicate with their funders, volunteers and client groups. Groups will then be able to maintain their websites themselves. This programme will be delivered by up to 20  student volunteers from MMU’s Department of Information and Communications and the MMU volunteer bureau, communi.

A key element will be dual evaluation of the programme. Students will use communi’s Volunteer’s Record of Achievement Log to reflect on and review their volunteering experience. Community groups will be encouraged to reflect on further developing these resources, in ways that allow them to manage these resources themselves.

Activities will be co-ordinated by Guy Lancaster, Web Project Manager for IDEA, the unit in MMU’s Faculty of Humanities, Law and Social Science that initiates, develops and supports community, public-sector and commercial projects.Guy brings to the project 20 years experience as an IT solutions developer in the Finance, Telecommunications, Health, Retail and H.E. sectors. He was also involved in organising an Information Technology Centre (ITEC) in Openshaw and at Hulme Electronic Village Hall.

Target Groups and Outcomes:

• Up to 20 community groups in Greater Manchester/Cheshire, especially areas of deprivation in Crewe, Hulme and East Manchester, identified by communi.
  In the past six years, communi has undertaken surveys of over 800 community groups and 96 of these have identified web development and IT requirements as an area where they would require assistance.
  
  
• Up to 20 MMU student volunteers from courses such as the BSc. Web Design.
  Induction training for these volunteers will be delivered by communi in advance of their placement in community organisations. Under the guidance of Guy Lancaster and his colleagues, they will develop and deliver web creation  projects to community groups in Hulme and East Manchester identified by CoMMUni.

Lasting Benefits of the Project

• Delivering and updating a user-maintainable web presence to community groups that will allow them to communicate with their funders, volunteers and client groups. Use will be made of conventional website technology and user-maintainable Web 2.0 technology such as blogs and wikis...
• Providing ‘live’ work experience placements for our students via the creation of client-led resources and enhancing their employability profile.

Introduction to Web Angels for Student Volunteers meeting : 4pm, Wednesday 7th October 2009 in Geoffrey Manton 3.02  –   or click here for video