Wednesday, 18 August 2010

Engagers' Digest - 18/8/10

Dear all,

Lots of interesting opportunities in the sciences and arts in this Digest, as well as the disappointing news that EPSRC are closing their major public engagement funding scheme - the Partnerships for Public Engagement. We'll be discussing 'public engagement in difficult times' at Engage 2010 on 23 September, and will also have contributions from RCUK. Places are running out, so register now at www.bristol.ac.uk/engage2010

1. EPSRC Partnerships for Public Engagement - no further calls
EPSRC recently announced that they will no longer be funding public engagement activities via the Partnerships for Public Engagement (PPE) scheme. As a consequence, the PPE call planned for this autumn will not go ahead. While this is very disappointing news, EPSRC and the other research councils remain committed to funding public engagement as part of research grants, as well as through the remaining schemes. For more information, please see the EPSRC press release:
http://www.epsrc.ac.uk/newsevents/news/2010/Pages/publicengagementagenda.aspx

2. Grant opportunity: SportForce - deadline 3 September
Applications are invited from HEIs involved in teaching and/or research in science, education and medicine in sport to develop and co-brand a public event aimed at the communication of science and medicine in sport linked to the 2012 Games. This forms part of SportForce, the Public Engagement programme for the International Convention on Science, Education and Medicine (ICSEMIS) in Sport 2012 and is supported by Research Councils UK and Podium. Selected institutions will be allocated £1,000 to contribute to the delivery of an event between October 2010 and January 2011. Applications close on the 3 September. Please go to http://www.podium.ac.uk/opportunities for more information.


3. The Colwinston Charitable Trust - deadline 30 September
The Colwinston Charitable Trust distributes grants to UK registered charitable organisations working predominantly in the areas of Opera, Classical Music and the Visual Arts. They offer grants of between £5,000 and £25,000 to enable organisations achieve higher standards of performance and/or presentation. The trust will give priority to high quality projects, and projects that help people to better appreciate the possibilities the arts can offer, especially in Wales. There next application deadline is 5 pm on the 30th September 2010.
http://www.colwinston.org.uk/index.htm

4. Calouste Gulbenkian/UnLtd Engage Awards - deadline 30 September
In response to the increasing ageing of the population and the challenges this will bring, UnLtd and the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation have teamed to offer 30 Start-Up Awards of £2,500, and 3 awards of £15,000 to individuals and informal groups to improve the social issues faced by older people in their community. For more information: http://www.unltd.org.uk/template.php?ID=202&PageName=caloustegulbenkianfoundation

5. Royal Society Partnership Grants - deadline 5 November 2010
Grants of up to £3000 are available to support teachers, scientists and engineers to develop science projects. More here

6. Engagement Opportunity: BBC1 Bang Goes The Theory
BBC1's primetime family science entertainment show is back, and along with it the ever popular Beacons Q&A – where academics from the beacons and Open University work together with the BBC to answer questions from the viewers - www.bbc.co.uk/bang/ask_yan/ If you've been involved before you'd be very welcome to return; if you've not, and you fancy trying your hand at drafting pithy and memorable answers to the amusing, oblique, frequent, or plain funny questions viewers send in - please do join us. The best place to start is: http://beaconsqanda.com/start Here, you'll find some more detailed introductory notes and links to the registration page.

7. Staff development course - Science writing for popular publication
Staff Development is offering a half day science writing for popular publication course on 24 November (SD1WPP) - sign up here

Finally, take a look at the new lifelong learning events and courses on offer in English, and the accompanying booklet with a range of inspiring stories - http://www.bristol.ac.uk/english/lifelong/shorts.html

Best wishes,

Philippa

Wednesday, 4 August 2010

Engagers' Digest - 4/8/2010

Dear all,



A happily busy Digest for August - please forward any items of interest to your colleagues.

1. Engage 2010 - 23 September 2010, Victoria Rooms, Bristol
Your chance to share your public engagement experiences and resources with University colleagues and external partners. We have great speakers lined up, including city leaders Tom Trevor (Arnolfini), Annie Hudson (Children and Young People's Services, BCC) and Edel Fletcher (At-Bristol); Research Council representatives, networking opportunities and a variety of interesting workshop sessions including 'research-inspired fiction'. Register soon (as places are limited) - bristol.ac.uk/engage2010

2. STEM Communicator training - September 7 2010 - Thinktank, Birmingham
The British Interactive Group's Little Event returns to Thinktank on Tuesday 7th September from 10am – 5pm, with 15 bursaries available to cover your costs. The Little Event is for people who are relatively new to STEM communication, whether you work in a science centre or museum, volunteer for a festival, are involved in university outreach, or do anything else to engage people with sciences.
To book, and for more information, please click on www.big.uk.com/events/little-event/

3. UWE Science Communication Masterclass - 11-14 October 2010
The Masterclass is an intensive course created to provide professional development in science communication. The Masterclass draws on the existing expertise of the team that delivers UWE's popular and practical MSc in Science Communication. This Autumn’s Masterclass will be held in Bristol during 11-14 October 2010 and will cost £650 per delegate (£500 concessionary rate for students, unemployed and low earners).
For further information please visit http://www.scu.uwe.ac.uk/index.php?q=node/199 and complete the online registration form if you would like a place.

4. Wellcome Trust Society Awards - deadline 12 October 2010
The theme for this year's Wellcome Trust Society Awards is GREY MATTERS: Brain, Mind & Culture. Understanding the brain and mind remains one of sciences great challenges despite centuries of research. The Wellcome Trust are looking for exciting and innovative approaches that will explore any aspect of biomedical research into the brain and mind. You may wish to approach the theme from a medical, physiological, psychological, nutritional, genetic, evolutionary, cultural, sociological, economic, historical, ethical or public health point of view.
http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/Funding/Public-engagement/Grants/Society-Awards/index.htm

5. RAEng Ingenious awards - deadline 29 October 2010
Ingenious is a grant scheme for creative public engagement with engineering projects, which help engineers to communicate their expertise and passion for engineering to a wider audience. The Royal Academy of Engineering is also keen to receive project proposals that aim to encourage deeper discussions between engineers and the wider public about the implications of engineering for society (for example, cultural and ethical impacts).
Funding from £3,000 to £30,000 is available for projects that meet the criteria of the two funding streams.
Find out more by reading about previous projects in the case studies and hear what grant holders and engineers have to say about their Ingenious experience in four mini-films.
More information about the scheme here: www.raeng.org.uk/ingenious

6. Communicate Conference - November 3-4, 2010 – Bristol
Communicate 2010 is the annual conference for environmental communicators. The theme for 2010 is “Connecting with Nature”. Speakers include David Attenborough and Richard Benyon, MP. This year’s themes include: Biodiversity and Cities; Aspiration; Language - Beyond Words; Biodiversity and Social Health. For more information and to register: http://www.bnhc.org.uk/home/communicate/delegates/registration.html

7. Learning in Communities Award - deadline December 3 2010
UnLtd have teamed up with the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE ) to offer one individual the chance to receive a Learning In Communities Award of up to £5,000 to establish a project to engage adults in learning. The award opens for applications on the 1st September 2010 and closes on the 3rd December 2010. http://www.unltd.org.uk/template.php?ID=201&PageName=learningincommunitiesaward

An interesting short think-piece on the Vitae website about the realities of public engagement for researchers in the UK:
http://www.vitae.ac.uk/researchers/260911-272401/Public-engagement-by-researchers.html

Finally - two UoB events of interest: Flower Power for the 21st Century - a free event on Thursday 5 August, 5:30pm about the science behind flowers, plants and seeds -http://www.bris.ac.uk/news/2010/7162.html. And the Policy and Politics Conference on 10 September - Politics of austerity or the austerity of politics? New social, economic and ecological challenges for the public sector - http://www.bris.ac.uk/sps/policyandpolitics/

Best wishes,

Philippa

Monday, 2 August 2010

One day courses in Participative Approaches to Community Development

A great opportunity this week to learn about participatice approaches to community development from expert Zambian practitioners....

Dear Sir/madam,
It gives me great pleasure to invite yourself and colleagues to two one-day training courses being held in Bristol on the 2nd and 3rd of August at Hamilton House, Stokes Croft, Bristol.

My name is Michael Desson. I am a Director of Tikambilanie, a non-for-profit organisation working to promote sustainable community development in the UK. We work in close partnership with Kamoto Community Arts, a highly successful community arts group based in Zambia, whose international client list includes the British council and DFiD.

As part of our summer program, we are proud to be hosting Mary Manzole, one of the founders and Artistic director of Kamoto. She will be offering her expertise and insight to the Bristol community during two one-day training courses, and we would be delighted if representatives of your organisation could attend.

Each day's course will include the following elements:
Community Theatre for Development: Experiences, stories and lessons learnt from 20 years on the ground in Africa.
Using Arts to Foster Development
The Three types of community theatre for development: Theatre ‘by’, ‘with’ and ‘for’ the people.
The Process in Detail: The nine steps of theatre for development - From building trust to delivering change.

At £40, these courses represent remarkably good value to any organisation. (Some subsidised places are also still available.) The cost of the course includes digital and printed notes, and completion certificates; audio and video footage of the course will be made available online shortly afterwards. As an on-going aspect of Tikambilanie’s work, these courses pave the way for attendees participation in future projects both here and in Zambia.

Please refer to the attached poster for more information, and get in touch by this email address or by calling me directly on 07835 676 270 to discuss this opportunity and reserve places. I very much look forward to hearing from you.

Very best regards,

Michael Desson

www.Tikambilanie.org