Report on Funded place at the 2016 ASCEL Conference.
Matt Shenton – Suffolk Libraries
I would like to thank ASCEL for allowing me to attend such a fabulous event as a sponsored place. Everyone was very welcoming and I left on the Saturday night very enthused!
Each seminar and workshopwas exceptionally informative and inspiring. Upon returning to work I immediately staring to use information and ideas picked up at the event.
I have picked out a few of the sessions to look at the key learning points in greater depth. In addition - the ‘Pictionary’ book game was also a great activity after the meal – my wife (MFL teacher) thought the game was brilliant and will use it in her lessons!
The Building Blocks for Great Community Engagement: Nick Beddow, Shared Places and Community Engagement Projects in the USA – Frances Tout, Community Librarian North Somerset
These sessions were particularly pertinent to my new role as Transition Officer – which is heavily focussed on engaging with communities to shape a new local offer from Suffolk Libraries in communities with no static library. I have already accessed the resources from Nick’s website and shared information with colleagues about asset based community development. Insights gained from the session have been incorporated into my planning proposal and shared with the Transition Board.
The session by Frances Tout was a fantastic insight into how various places in the U.S. engage with their communities. I loved the idea of HOMAGO areas for young people and think that these could work well in the new project.
Take Over Challenge: engaging young people in the planning of services - Ollie Berman, Director of Communications and External Events, Office of the Children's Commissioner.
I had some experience of the Take Over Challenge from my previous employment, but this session was a superb in providing context and ideas from other library colleagues. We have been lucky enough to receive some council funding to run a ‘Shelf Help’ challenge in early 2017 where young people in schools will be challenged to market ‘Shelf Help’ to their peers across Suffolk. I have been able to consult with our Mental Health and Wellbeing coordinator and to adapt our plan for this challenge byusing information and resources from this session. The proposal is now much more robust.
Suffolk Libraries are planning to take part in moreTake Over Challenge events in 2017, so this information will continue to shape our service and offer to young people.
Digital Engagement in Libraries: SOLUS
This workshop sparked loads of ideas about digital and the hands-on nature of the session was great. I loved the idea of the Makercart for pop-up maker spaces and will look to shape the Digital Roadshows I currently run to include some of the MakeyMakey items. Allowing staff the freedom and time to have hands on experience of digital equipment is something that I will look to bring to future area manager meetings.
EmpathyLab: Developing empathy work with schools and libraries
This again was a very informative session and it was very powerful to have someone from a school there to give feedback. In the new year I will be looking at how we can include empathy into the work we do with secondary schools.