First Light and BFI Encourage the use of Archive Footage Screen West Midlands News First Light and the British Film Institute (BFI) are working together on an exciting project aimed at encouraging the use of archive films in filmmaking with young people. In association with the BFI, First Light is able to offer Pilot and Studio Grant applicants the opportunity to access a free resource of archive films courtesy of the BFI National Archive. The films from the BFI National Archive show Britain at various moments in the 20th century, revealing a range of different and changing attitudes to social and economic issues. They provide a great focus for young people interested in making films about the society in which we live. First Light have also devised a really handy guide to creating films using archive footage, which is available from the website. View the films made available by BFI National Archive and decide which ones you’d like to use for your project. Visit www.firstlightonline.co.uk/fundingstream/young-film-fund for more information on how to apply for a filmmaking grant from the Young Film Fund. Sent with Reeder

ICT Excellence Awards 2010 - open for entry Screen West Midlands News The ICT Cluster is eager to recognise every size and type of organisation involved in ICT and build on the increased success of the ICT Excellence Awards over the last few years. The Awards are an ideal opportunity to showcase companies and give recognition to their teams for all their hard work and effort. This year a number of new categories have been introduced to increase the opportunity for entry. There are 10 categories for open entry in 2010, which are: ICT Excellence Award for Innovation - sponsored by University of Wolverhampton ICT Excellence Award for Emerging Technologies - sponsored by OCR ICT Excellence Award for Best Business Value ICT Excellence Award for Software as a Service (SaaS) ICT Excellence Award for Green Technology ICT Excellence Award for International Trade ICT Excellence Award for Knowledge Transfer ICT Excellence Award for Strategic Business Improvement ICT Excellence Award for Strategic Collaboration - sponsored by Business Link West Midlands TSB Special Award for High Growth Potential Business - sponsored by Technology Strategy Board Entry is open to both private and public sector concerns, both within and outside the West Midlands region. In addition there will also be a Chair’s Award for Excellence and an Overall Champion, awarded to one of the individual category winners. Reference the Rules & Criteria and FAQs for more information pertaining to the Awards and download the approriate category entry form for submission of entry. The closure date for entries is 1st October 2010, with shortlisting and panel presentations of the shortlisted companies taking place later in the month. Winners will be announced at the evening Awards Ceremony and Dinner following the ICT Conference on 25th November 2010, which is being held at the National Motorcycle Museum at Bickenhill, Solihull. 2009 Award Winners Thirty seven organisations were recognised in the 2009 Awards, the most in the ICT Excellence Awards to date and a full list of the winners can be found here. Download the 2009 Awards Event programme for more information on the 2009 winners and their entries and read here what they say about the Awards. For more information on this year’s Awards please email awards@wmictcluster.org Sent with Reeder

Digital Revolutions - Short Film Competition Screen West Midlands News Presented by BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT (in association with Sheffield Doc/Fest and Crossover Labs), Digital Revolutions is the biggest short film competition around and you don’t need to be a professional to enter! With a professional and amateur category this competition is open to all… So, put on your most creative and innovative thinking cap, make a film, get it out into the world, wow the judges, get it shown at Sheffield Doc/Fest 2010 and get in the running to claim some fantastic prize money! How? 1. Make a 2-3 Minute film about the impact of digital technology on your life. 2. Upload it on YouTube and tag the film “digitalrevolutions” 3. Fill in a submission form email to digitalrevolutions(at)bcs.org 4. Get people talking about and watching your film. Use the wonderfully rich digital world! Who? There are two categories: Professional and Amateur. The Professional Category is open to anyone with a broadcast or theatrical credit, including anyone working in a paid capacity on a film or television project that has been broadcast on UK television or released theatrically in the UK The Amateur Category is open to members of the general public aged 18 or over Professional Category: Winner gets £5,000! Amateur Category: Winner gets £10,000! Why? In today’s information society, information and information technology touches nearly every aspect of our lives. With an ever-growing number of internet-enabled handheld devices, always being connected has never been easier. Yet there are an estimated 10 million people in the UK who have never accessed the Internet. The competition has been devised to encourage people to look more closely at how information and information technology impacts them. For many (particularly younger) people, it’s difficult to remember a time before the convenience of online shopping or Internet banking, or being able pull up a map or a recipe on a mobile phone at any moment. Access to information has never been greater, but what does this really mean? Public services are easier to access, but has this reduced social exclusion? Do you feel safer because of the number of CCTV cameras in place, or do you consider this a violation of your privacy? Have you ever exercised your right to make a Freedom of Information request? To find out more, please go to http://sheffdocfest.com/view/digitalrevolutions Sent with Reeder

No licence for youth workers Children & Young People Now news | Youth Work The government has confirmed it has no intention to bring in a licence to practise for youth workers. Sent with Reeder

Funding ends for youth activities directory Children & Young People Now news | Youth Work A national programme aimed at improving how councils gather and share information about activities for young people is coming to an end but community organisations and young people are being urged to carry it on. Sent with Reeder

The Volunteer Centre Brighton and Hove has produced this great, free resource to guide people through the world of social networking.

Although this is a guide designed for people working in volunteering organisations, the information is of use to all organisations. 

Read and download a copy: www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/networking-iscussions/groups/37243/news/free-guide-social-networking

Source : NCVO