community

Community Research Project at the Drop-in

Something you will really want to be part of

NB: this activity has finished.

Wednesdays 20 and 27 September, 1-4 pm

This is a high-level, very professional research project that we have been invited to join as specialists in helping older people understand, us, or cope with digital technology – as we get older, not just right now.

In their own words …

We are committed to helping to improve things for older people, and give them a chance to contribute and have an impact. One of the ways we do this is through building relationships and partnerships with specialist organisations, such as yours. We strongly advocate the inclusion and accessibility of all individuals, businesses, organisations in user research. By including these valuable voices, we can ensure that our platforms, products and services meet the needs of a diverse group of people and communities and that we do not leave anyone behind.

With informed consent, we would like to invite people to join our community. This community will receive regular invitations to participate in future research sessions. We will offer people who take part in research a small incentive voucher, as a token of our gratitude for their time and participation.

We have stringent privacy, data handling, safeguarding and ethics protocols and policies in place to ensure the rights, welfare and dignity of all research participants.

Three of the researchers (Claire, Marina and Uzma) will be at the next two Wednesday drop-ins to meet you. They are all remarkably young and brilliant. Worth coming for. They will also bring ‘refreshments’.

Food hub at Mildmay, 23 May 2023

Mildmay Community Radio

Talking about food, on the garden deck

NB: this activity has finished.

Tuesday 23 May, 2 – 3:30 pm

A sunshiny event with people involved in the Mildmay Food Hub and Community Cook-up projects.

Is that you? Come and talk to us about what you do and how the food projects help local residents.

Everyone else is welcome, especially if you volunteer at any other community food project.

Mildmay Community Radio launch, May 2023

Two community radio launches

NB: these workshops have finished.

Our plans for the launch of Mildmay Community Radio – from the garden deck of the centre – have been thwarted several times by unusually adverse weather. We can’t do al fresco radio if it’s cold or wet outside.

So we will launch it twice and you are invited to both …

  • Indoors: a pre-launch activity in the main hall, Monday 15 May, 2-4 pm.
  • Outdoors: the planned launch on the garden deck, Tuesday 16 May, 2-3:30 pm.

Pre-launch: community digital radio is easy

Monday 15 May, 2 – 4 pm

This will be a normal Monday afternoon learning event in the main hall. We will demonstrate the equipment we use for internet radio and podcasts — and hopefully convince you that this is something you could do yourself at home. Everybody can have a go.

It will be live internet radio, not a short podcast episode. The acoustics on the main hall are not good, so professional sound quality will not be on the menu – but we will at least have got something started.

We have also set up all our training phones to pick up the live stream. So you will have an easy way to listen (though not yet to phone in).

Actual launch: open air internet radio

Tuesday 16 May, 2 – 3:30 pm

We can do this on the garden deck (outside the café area) – provided the weather is on our side. The outdoor acoustics are usually excellent, and our equipment can handle most intrusive noises.

The provisional topic is Mildmay Community Centre itself – and what older people can achieve there.

What actually happens

Everyone who turns up is a part of fluid studio audience. But not all at once. We have 4 microphones, so up to 4 people can be part of the conversation – while the others wait their turn.

The conversation picked up by the microphones is streamed to an online radio server. Anyone who knows the link can listen.

By the way – here is the link: live.radiotogether.uk (when there is no live talk stream, the server just sends a loop of recorded birdsong).

Internet radio: pure digital partcipation

You don’t need any digital skills to participate. The important skills are the skills you have been learning for decades – talking and listening, sharing your life experiences as an older person who remembers life before the internet.

Got questions or suggestions?

Bring them to the Monday event.

Arbeit Podcast Studio

Learn how to be a podcast host with Radio Together

Friday afternoons in Hackney Wick

You don’t need any technical skills to do this — just the ability to tell a story about your life or ask someone else to tell you a story.

Initially, we will take care of the tech side, but you can learn that as well if you really want to. There are many ways to make your own podcast show, even if all you have is a smartphone.

If you are interested, come over to the regular audio learning session …

  • Friday afternoons, from 2 pm.
  • Thingy Café (at Arbeit Studios), 1 Trowbridge Gardens, E9 5LD
  • The entrance is actually in Chapman Road.
  • Nearest bus stop: 30, 488 (both very close). 276 bus stop in Berkshire Road is also close.
  • Rail: Hackney Wick (7 minutes walk).
  • Google Map – g.page/thingypeople
  • Refreshments for participants when you get there.

If you are uncertain, send an email to rick@radiotogether.uk

Radio Together website

Back to: What else is on for older people?

Wednesday Winter Warmer lunch breaks

Free food at Mildmay Community Centre

NB (15 March): winter has officially finished, so has the funding for this winter project.

Hot soup and stew, 12:30 to 1:30 pm, every Wednesday (until 15 March)

This is a perfect fit to our Wednesday afternoon Digital Drop-in, 1 to 4 pm.

The food is served in the café area, next to the kitchen (not in the Main Hall).

Our suggestion – get there early at 12:30 – replenish your vitamins and build up your stamina for the drop-in starting at 1 pm.

The free food is organised by Mildmay Community Centre, not by Fifty-Plus Digital.