My piece about the visit to Wolverhampton has gone up on Merlin John Online, the url is http://www.agent4change.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=403:truetube-hits-the-road&catid=63:innovation&Itemid=433which is not that snappy.
It was a great visit. Heath Town is like so many areas in Britain today. It has a legacy of past violence which still casts a shadow but has changed in all sorts of ways. It is much more multi –ethnic than it used to be but also has increasing unemployment, drink and drugs problems. The youth work team does a good job in trying to provide a community focus but the people who are the hardest to reach are probably the ones most in need of help. In Heath town they had 3 days with the Truetube team and made films about local issues- chavs v Goths and a tribute to a mate who died.
Truetube is well worth a look. They make and post videos online but even better they show people how to make, edit and post their own. It doesn’t have to be expensive kit and an editing suite, you can make great movies with a mobile phone, flip video cameras or a digital camera. It is a good way into community action too. Have a look at the results on http://www.truetube.co.uk/. Once you get past their annoying little survey there is plenty to see.