th RESIDENT UNIVERSITY is for Birmingham’s ‘resident experts’: the people who live and work in neighbour-hoods in the city. Its aim is to enable more people to get involved in local deci-sions. Resident University is free to join. When you do, you will receive updates on lectures, seminars and study visits; and about resident-led research pro-jects. You can also take part via the website www.residentuniversity.net Resident University is man-aged by Chamberlain Fo-rum—Birmingham’s non-profit neighbourhood ‘think-and-do tank’ - and is overseen by a Council made up of members, fun-ders and supporters.

Citizens are not passive recipients of public services, but are active in shaping the places they live. Resident University is a chance to meet all sorts of community, faith, neighbourhood groups, young people, social enterprises, elected representatives and neighbourhood workers. Learn practical skills and find out about new ideas. Be inspired! Come for as long as you like or for whatever time you can spare.

Issue 2

th 26 27 March 2010 St George’s Community Hub, Hockley

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groups with experience of applying for funding with those wanting to learn. The approach worked really well: it’s something Resident University will be doing more of over the year ahead.

COURSES & MEETINGS

Influencing Local Decision Makers Council House B1 1BB 9.30-12.30 March 2nd Looking at how groups & communities can gain influence. Digital Inclusion venue tbc March 3rd 10—11.30am With Martha Lane Fox the Government’s digital inclusion champion. Citizen Power St Georges Community Hub March 26/27th Two days of learning and networking with the focus on community self-help. Resident University Council Meets regularly to discuss and oversee the University programme. For details or to book places at courses and meetings use the attached feedback form, book online or call 07795 448 462

D-i-Y Funding Approach

Unconferencing

RU Research Work

Birmingham Open Spaces Forum’s do-it-yourself funding workshop in December brought together

In January, Resident University and Hello Digital supported the Digital Unconference organised by We Share Stuff CIC.

Young Resident University is a research pro-ject led by young people’s groups. As part of Resident University, seven groups from across Birmingham will be looking for answers to key questions facing the city in future. The project has won additional funding from the Regional Empowerment Programme. A second RU research project looking into Consultation is now in the pipeline. Please get in touch if you’d like to be involved.

The open space format of the Unconference created opportunities for participants to share their views and understanding on the theme of enabling people and communities to use the internet for their own benefit. Resident University will be organising a series of practi-cal sessions during the year to help groups get more from the web. And the Unconference ‘open space’ format is one we’ll be using at future events too.

Feedback Form Use this form to join Resident University, book your place at an event and to get details of what’s on: YOUR NAME PREFIX GROUP or ORGANISATION ADDRESS (best place to write to you) EMAIL Tel No.

JOIN RESIDENT UNIVERSITY

Please sign to say you’d like to join and that it’s OK for us to keep your name and contact details on a database so we can contact you in future: SIGNATURE

You can use the space overleaf to request information or book places at Resident University events. When completed please return the form to: Resident University, c/o Chamberlain Forum, 206 Keys Court, 82-84 Mose-ley Street Birmingham B12 0RT OR go online at www.residentuniversity.net

FEEDBACK Please let us have your ideas and sugges-

tions:

YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION AND A BOOKING FORM AT WWW.RESIDENTUNIVERSITY.NET OR CALL US ON: 07795 448 462

BOOKINGS AND INFORMATION send book details: places at: Influencing Decision Makers ______ ______ 2nd March Birmingham City Centre

Digital Inclusion _____ _ ______ 3rd March Birmingham City Centre

Citizen Power Resident University ______ ______ 26/27th March St Georges Community Hub

Resident University Council ______ Meets quarterly—next meeting in April

Young Resident University ______

Research on Consultation ______