Websites for young people.

Opportunities using the internet as a platform to have a voice.

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What a week!

Well, this week has been brilliant for YoungVoice.  We have the desks, we have two PC’s and according to the updated business plan we don’t need any more until April so we are on a roll!  I did go to a start-up event for Social Ventures but this was for very early start-ups and we have been well looked after at the hub and already understood much of what was being delivered to us.  It was nice to know that we are very developed and already doing it.

 

Sam has been doing well volunteering and learning the craft of WordPress and Michael has been learning lots also.  Micheal actually came to the school for social entrepreneurs with me on Thursday so that was good.

 

We are making websites for James and Katie and they are being done this week as well as Michael starting the UnderIpswich website for secret tunnels under Ipswich.  Micheal found a fantastic theme for the wedding website he made this week and it’s very impressive – so much so I used it myself for Mandy’s own website (my girlfriend)

 

We have still got some teething problems with exactly what the deal is with the landlord here at UCS and I was pulled in the office today for more ironing out the solutions for a few problems, but I’m sure we will get there soon.

 

I have been to see some customers and had a contact for the 1st individual development website today so this is great.  I have also been to see a nation schools related entity and this has some great mileage with a possible 12 websites strait away, as well as contact with all the schools in the UK.

 

Next week will see Colin Crooks website started and then another website we are taking possession of, for someone at the school for social entrepreneurs.  We have also offered to make a free website for two girls that are selling bespoke jewellery online and they are very thankful for this.

 

We have also had contact with Andrew Cook , an Enterprise Adviser from Inspire2Enterprise who has been helping me immensely this week.  My business plan was emailed to him today and I’m looking forward to his response. Inspire2Enterprise are providing information, specialist advice and support from start-up through initial growth and beyond so I’m keen to use them as they are free!.  To find out how Inspire2Enterprise can help you or your organisation call 0844 9800 760 (Monday to Friday 08.30am to 5.30) or email info@inspire2enterprise.org

 

So, onwards and upward for next week and let’s see what happens then!

 

Michael’s first day at YoungVoice.

Micheal Baalham has started his 1st day today with YoungVoice volunteering with YoungVoice learning how to make WordPress websites and learn about business in general.  Micheal Baalham is doing a BTEC course with the Eastern Enterprise Hub this is a great opportunity for him to learn all we do here.

 

  • iPhone App’ development from concept to delivery.
  • Website creation and publishing.
  • Purchasing URL’s for customers
  • Taking possession of existing websites and re-building them on WordPress.
  • Setting up email forwarding and rules.
  • SEO (Search Engine Optimisation)
  • E-commerce website admin.
  • Business development and planning.
  • Correct pricing and quoting for work/products.
  • Sales and marketing tools and strategy.
  • Invoicing and Accountancy.
  • Responsibility and liability to the Revenue/HMRC
  • Responsibility for his work.
  • Accountability.
  • Entrepreneurial motivation and thinking.
  • Business Etiquette.

I hope he enjoys his education in all that we do here and look forward to seeing the results with the http://www.underipswich.co.uk/ website.

Four Day Week

Its seems there is allot of suggestion that the four day week could be the way to keep your staff, enhance the better working environment and save money!  Are your staff committed to the business enough to ‘research’ in their own time?

 

While I do have to work six+ days a week with all the projects I have, I would be keen to see my staff doing a four day week, after researching the proposition put to me this week.  If you hot desk you would need 20% less computers in the office but still use the same energy…  You need the light and heating on longer, but get more work done per year as no one needs to have a duvet day!

 

Why not work ten hours for four days, then have a day off “researching”.  Sure, the staff are going to plan three day breaks and not get out of bed Friday morning as a result of going out on their new lease of life at the Thursday venue, but it all seems to add up.

 

Staff would save 20% on their own travel as well as reducing one fifth of the ‘risk’ of the journey to work.  If you’re a shop you can open two hours longer each day.  Your support line can take calls until 7pm instead of 5pm and the repair man can come in Fridays and PAT test most of the PC’s!  No more “I need a half day off as a bed is being delivered” as they can take the whole day off.

 

The swap?  If you can do some “research” while you are on the day off!  OK, so it’s not strict but even without them researching it makes sense!  If they just looked at your industry for two hours, their perspective would be different in their own time and the feedback may encourage thinking outside of the box.

 

Could that email wait another day, would they see it on their iPhone and ring in to delegate if it was important? – after all, it is a research day not a day off!

 

Good thinking and giving something back to your employees with good reasons that they can see works for you too.

 

Learning Curve.

Well it’s January and we are back at work and in the new office for YoungVoice. We are still only two desks, one PC (mine) and a lap top borrowed from Mandy but it’s working!

 

Sam is here learning the trade and adding pages to WordPress websites, adding SEO friendly images and updating commerical websites for customers learning all about WordPress and is potential to make great websites. Sam has been here all day and loving the learning and control over something live on the net… If what he has done works, searching “Sam Monstermunch” should get a result as he has been playing with this redundant website.

 

This is also a great learning curve for myself, as I am able to get a feel for how to roll WordPress out to someone who has never published a page, let along a whole website. While I have looked after apprentices out on building sites as an electrican this is more of a teaching and guidance roll and it’s going very well.

A week off from SSE

It’s a week of from the SSE this week but to keep up the blog – here is something lovely to show you how you can embed Youtube on your WordPress blog!



It’s from Countryfile. Local hotel Labrador Dougie, swims with the local dolphin!


OK, so I have been doing lots and i’ve been to the Creative Comunity Event at Suffolk County Council Endeavour House Russell Road Ipswich for a great seminar on what is needed to make Suffolk Creative and i’m intending to go back for the rest of the journey with this. It’s a fantastic learning curve for myself and what Social ‘stuff’ is!


I have also had contact with e-Safer Suffolk and the E-safety team at the council and I am going to a work stream meeting to present what YoungVoice is and make sure i’m doing the right things as far as young people and online safety. This is a 15 minute pitch and again, another learning curve for me.


I am also booked to see Entrepreneurs at UCS – Students that are Entrepreneurs for a chat about what I do and what they do at University Campus Suffolk Waterfront Building. I am meeting Dr Steve Barnes and his students soon. I wonder if a WordPress website would be good for them or I can hand over one of my other projects to them!


I have also been tasked by Hal Berry, to roll out a support program for a business in Felixstowe measuring how this is done with WordPress and how I do it. So that’s underway and slightly secret beyond anything I have mentioned in this blog!


So all good and #YES!

Job at the Hub!

The Eastern Enterprise Hub (EE Hub) is a driving force behind economic prosperity in the East by creating an environment where entrepreneurship and start up business can prosper and it’s where my motivation, education, networking and guidance comes from.

 

There is a job going at the Eastern Enterprise Hub too!

 

the School for Social Entrepreneurs-East supports pioneering individuals in developing their creative and entrepreneurial skills to deliver solutions for a range of social issues. This new post of Learning Facilitator is integral to the success of SSE in our important phase of development as we roll delivery out across Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and Essex and you can download the details here.

 

 

Good luck!

Meeting Chris Bally

Today I am meeting my new one to one tutor, Chris Bally. Chris Bally,  Assistant Director (Business Development) Endeavour House for Suffolk County Council and he is a brilliant contact for YoungVoice.   Chris will be getting in to what I am doing with the YoungVoice project and what WordPress is, and I will be helping him understand all I know about WordPress and how we are going to use it for our venture.  I have been told by the staff at  the Hub that Chris is very keen to push people and make the most of them and I like that allot!

A very exciting day indeed!  I will blog about our meeting very soon!

WordPress and Matt Mullenweg

It’s such an exciting time for YoungVoice and I’ve just tracked down the contact page for Matt Mullenweg and emailed him about needing the support of WordPress to help the project really get support and backup from the whole reason this is possible – WordPress.

 

I have just left this on Matt Mullenweg’s Facebook Page.

 

Hi Matt. I’ve just filled in the contact form on your WordPress site about my project ‘YoungVoice’ – Dependent on WordPress as the platform that makes it possible…http://www.youngvoice.co.uk/ Andy Proctor, Ipswich, England.

 

I have a meeting with Hall Berry the Chairman of the Eastern Enterprise Hub on Friday and this will surely be a great meeting for the YoungVoice project.  He is also a European Partner with New Venture Partners also Chairman of Martlesham Innovation Centre which is a Technology Incubator based at Adastral Park and In 2003, as Head of Brightstar, BT’s Corporate Incubator, Harry helped raise a £50m fund with New Venture Partner group, to spin out the Brightstar portfolio and then join NVP as European Partner.  This is very exciting meeting for me and I can’t wait to have some of his time on Friday morning.

 

I have more really great news too.  I did my dragons den style pitch to some important business people at the Hub last Thursday and I have bagged Chris Bally,  Assistant Director (Business Development) Endeavour House for Suffolk County Council.  Chris Bally is going to be my mentor for the YoungVoice project and the project can only but shine with his support.  I too am looking forward to what I will learn about business and how the council works and this is superb news!

 

I am off to Duxford on Wednesday to the Enterprise 2 Impact – Social Enterprise Conference funded by business link.  I am looking to attend the social enterprise for beginers and Social Media Marketing seminars – then meeting Chris on Thursday.

#YES