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 Standing Room Only for World Aids Day Event

The event held on 4th December to mark World Aids Day was initiated by a group of undergraduate students from Community Sector Management. The students formed “Generations Positive Action” with Theresa Gorases and Yeukai Taruvinga as its key members. The group approached me in July to help produce an event which included speakers from a diverse range of backgrounds interspersed with music, drama and poetry. Garry Brough from the Terrance Higgins Trust highlighted a number of controversies around the subject of HIV. Drawing attention to the stigma and discrimination often encountered Garry discussed the legislative approaches to AIDS in various countries. Anthony Salla, from Race on the Agenda talked about his work on prevention programmes in Asia and Africa and how this has helped inform his current work with BME communities in London. George Ellison spoke about how his work in Southern Africa lead to him breaking from his background in positivist traditions to also consider the lived experience of those living with HIV/AIDs. Drama from Mudani Productions and a powerful living testimony by a mother living with HIV/AIDS provided glimpses of shock and personal survival. This potent blend brought visitors together with students and staff from various departments. For a couple of hours the atmosphere was reminiscent of the learning communities of some of the original universities. We parted with the music of Simon Amutjiera still ringing in our ears and the message that, regardless of our situation in life we always need friends. By: Anne Massey Contact : Anne Massey at a.massey@londonmet.ac.uk

 Dass Graduate Appointed as Lecturer  at Edinburgh University

Tom Flint – a recent DASS graduate has been appointed as a lecturer in new media at Edinburgh Napier Univeristy. Tom has research interests in digital media installation and exhibition work and his most recent work involves using new technology to mediate oral history by cross-referencing alternative memories of family history using a special radio style tuning device.

Commenting on his appointment at Napier, Tom said I owe so much to my tutors at LondonMet who guided and supported me every step of the way towards this new job.” He added that “I have moved up to Edinburgh after living in London all my life – so this really is a huge opportuniy - not just for me but my wife and family.” Talking about his role Tom said, “The job will give me real responsibility for developing new courses and I’m being supported to take on a PhD too”.

A new Postgraduate Certificate in Social Work

London Metropolitan University is working in partnership with GSL Education and a number of local Government authorities to offer a Postgraduate Certificate in Social Work. Commencing in 2010, the course will run for 20 weeks and is aimed at preparing and orientating internationally qualified Social Workers for practice in the UK.  Candidates will have a first degree, a social work qualification and recognition from the General Social Care Council (GSCC).  The award comprises of 3 modules leading to a postgraduate certificate. The student will attend the university two days per week and in addition, GSL will arrange a work experience placement for three days per week. The overall aim is to provide accessible employment routes into children’s social services. It is envisaged that the course will improve employability - it will be accredited and offers transferable credits towards the Post Qualifying Award (PQ) at London Metropolitan University.

For further details please contact the course leader

Darrell Fox, d.fox@londonmet.ac.uk or 0207133501

DASS explore the impact of television’s digitalization
Awarded by Arts & Humanities Research Council

Staff in the Media, Information & Communications area have been awarded £180k by the Arts & Humanities Research Council to explore the impact of television’s digitalization and its convergence with digital media on the future of public service broadcasting. Competition for AHRC grants is fierce, with only 12% of applications receiving funding. Dr James Bennett and Paul Kerr will work with colleagues from the University of Sussex on a 2 year project exploring how independent media companies adapt to and exploit the possibilities of ‘multiplatform’ television.

The bid follows on from the successful 2007 ‘Television Goes Digital’ Conference organised by DASS staff and will involve further international events at LMU, including a conference set to attract key media players from the BBC, Channel 4, media regulator Ofcom and producers in the independent television and digital media industries.

The project will examine how television’s convergence with web, mobile phone and other digital technologies places pressure on, as well as provides opportunities for, those engaged in the production of public service content. By 2012 TV will be digital: no longer simply the "box in the corner", but experienced and produced across a range of screens, sites and technological platforms. However, the increased options these services provide have called the future of public service broadcasting institutions, such as the BBC and C4, into question.

Our study focuses on these organisation’s adoption of multiplatform production and commissioning strategies as a response to these challenges. More specifically it examines how these changes are also experienced by programme-makers themselves. The team will conduct field research, interviews and analysis of programming from independent television and digital media companies, examining the way public service broadcasting circulates as a culture outside of the BBC and Channel 4. The final project will include a report to industry stakeholders that will help shape public debate on the future of public service broadcasting.

RAGU/DASS’s European Transversal Study Visit Programme 

RAGU (Refugee Assessment and Guidance Unit) has been successful in securing funding to host a European study visit in September 2010. The title of the study visit is ‘Vocational Training, Requalification and Employment for refugees in the education sector’.

The Transversal programme is one of the European Union’s Lifelong Learning programmes and funds many different opportunities for organisations and individuals to get involved in European working. Transversal Study Visits offer funding for short visits for senior staff in education and vocational training. This study visit will be listed in CEDEFOP (European Centre for the development of vocational training) catalogue that will be published in February 2010 and will be offered to Education and Vocational Training (EVT) specialists in Europe.

This study visit will enable the delegates to learn about RAGU/DASS’s range of services and courses for refugee teachers, the requalification routes and the support roles in the education system for those who offer a unique set of skills including community languages. For further information, please contact Azar Sheibani, Head of RAGU (a.sheibani@londonmet.ac.uk).

BSc Community Sector Management student achieves 3 prizes

Ayesha Hakim Rahman, BSc Community Sector Management has been awarded 3 prizes for her outstanding academic achievements. Ayesha’s proud family were at the recent Awards ceremony to see her receive the University prize for Academic Excellence, Best First Class degree ( Third place) and in addition the Ede and Ravenscroft and David Weeks Memorial prizes. Aysha said she was surprised and thrilled to receive these awards. She is now employed at a local health centre, managing health trainers, but is thinking about continuing her studies at post-graduate level in the near future

New BSc Community Sector Management students launch study group 

The new intake of the BSc Community Sector Management met recently to form a study group. The students intend to use the weekly meeting as a forum to extend their studies and provide mutual support.

Course organiser, Lynda Reaich, attended the first meeting and praised the students’ initiative. It reflects the value of learning and sharing together as part of a Community Development approach.

This year’s intake includes students with experience of setting up projects in the UK and others with experience of international community development.

Photo Caption: Some of the new BSc Community Sector Management students attending their newly formed study group.

Extended funding for Refugee Healthcare Professionals programme at RAGU

We are delighted that NHS London has extended the funding for the careers guidance programme for London based Refugee Healthcare Professionals until the end of March 2010.

Through 2009 RAGU has worked with 94 Refugee Healthcare Professionals. A majority of these clients are medical doctors; however we have also supported dentists, pharmacists, nurses and biomedical scientists.

Many clients experience considerable challenges to entering employment and working towards their professional registration. The key challenges that have emerged are gaps away from the labour market, prohibitive expenses of registration exams, lack of knowledge about options, lack of employability skills. The programme is designed to support clients to overcome all these barriers and more.

RAGU careers advisers see clients for one to one guidance sessions. We also run weekly workshops on Employability skills specific to entry to the healthcare sector.

In addition to the guidance work RAGU has set up work placements for 4 doctors on GP surgeries, 2 dentists on community outreach work, a health evaluation manager, a pharmacist and biomedical scientist. NHS employers that we have engaged with have been enthusiastic about the programme and very supportive of the clients needs. It is hoped that the work placement will provide clients with the necessary work experience to enable them to apply for paid work in the NHS in intermediate roles.

We have also been able to support several clients from a small Beneficary Fund dedicated to Refugee Healthcare Professionals in order to help pay for exam fees and other support needs. 

So far 11 clients have entered employment in roles such as Trust doctors, Physicians Assistant, Medical secretary, Dental receptionist, and Health Care Assistant. We have also supported clients into Training programmes.

As one client put it

“I have been with RAGU for just 4months. In my first month I had for the first time, after a year with the JobCentreplus, three successful applications with interview invitations. I came back practiced interview skills with RAGU staff and have now passed an interview and have been offered a job.  That is what I just wanted to share as a sign of gratitude for what you have done to me.”

Public health on the move!

It's official, London's iconic tourist sights provide the perfect backdrop for our newly instituted public health walks. Staff from the Centre for Primary Health and Social Care pounded the streets of central London, from Westminster to Soho, revealing to students the major 19th century public health initiatives that shape the city to this day. Visiting health students from Bremen University were the first to experience this in July. This visit was organized through our City Lit partner. Since then many of our new MSc Public Health students have done the walk, also introducing international students to their new home city. These students have come from all over the world: Bangladesh, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, India, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, USA and of course the UK. Despite less than ideal weather, our Health Studies and Foundation in Public Health and Social Care degree students have also ‘taken the tour’. Further walks are planned in Spring for new students and our Specialist Community Public Health Nurses. Each walk was preceded by an introductory lecture; students hear about  and see where the ground breaking work of John Snow - the father of epidemiology began. They learn about the ‘Great Stink’, and the drivers that lead to the introduction of an extensive sanitation system created by Joseph Bazalgette, a visionary engineer. The walk concludes with posing by the replica of the Broadwick Street pump and students were given the opportunity to continue their research in the John Snow pub!!

presentation on the Map of Gaps project

Liz Kelly spent a week (November 3-10) in Canada, giving a keynote presentation on the Map of Gaps project (see www.cwasu.org for details) to an all Canada workshop, funded by the Department of Justice, linking researchers, policy makers and NGOs on 'Documrnting Resources for Victims/Survivors of Violence in Canada at the University of Guelph, Ontario.  She then travelled to Fredericton to visit the Murial McQueen Ferguson Entre for research on Family Violence and Violence Against Women, and delivered a well attended public lecture on 'Taking Stock: Where are we now in research and reponses to sexual violence'.

DASS and John Grieve Centre join forces for Jane’s Police Review Gala Awards 

DASS joined the Home Secretary, senior officers and dignitaries from forces across the UK at the annual Jane's Police Review Gala Awards, which took place on 28th October 2009 at The London Hilton on Park Lane.

The Awards, begun in 1992, have established themselves as the most prestigious event for recognising and rewarding excellence in community policing in the United Kingdom.

The John Grieve Centre for Policing & Community Safety, which delivers crime related courses as well as a professional doctorate in ‘Policing, Security and Community Safety’, together with DASS, sponsored the  ‘Student Police officer of the Year’ award. 

This year’s winner was PC Marcus Forbes-George, based in Gloucestershire, who was nominated by his force because ‘he has shown a true commitment to policing, even while off duty. He is a truly exceptional individual who delivers a service to the local community above and beyond that which could ever be expected.'

Other awards, which were all presented by the Home Secretary also included Community Police Officer of the Year, Diversity Team in Action Award, Community Support Officer of the Year and Lifetime Achievement in Policing Award. Nominees were put forward by constabularies across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

American Popular Culture group gains new partner

From Spring semester 2010 the American Popular Culture seminar programme, which has been hosted at London Met since 2005, will be moving to a new venue at the Institute for the Study of the Americas (ISA). Seminars will take place at the Institute’s premises in the School of Advanced Study in Senate House at the University of London. While the American Popular Culture research group will continue to be managed by a steering committee within London Met, the move will raise the profile of the group outside the university and is a key step towards developing it into a larger academic network by opening up membership to scholars at other universities.

The group has also established a social networking site, membership of which is open to all with an interest in any aspect of US popular culture (www.ampopcult.ning.com). This network, together with a new website for the group and the first seminar programme to be held at the ISA will be launched early in the new year.

Launch of the ‘Anthropology Club’

Building on the success of the anthropology degree, which in only its second year has doubled its intake, an ‘anthropology club’ has been launched. The club offers anthropology students across years the chance to meet, share experiences, support each other and participate in specialised trips, talks and even watch the odd ethnographic film. The club is set to launch a series of ‘come and meets’ inviting established anthropologists to give an informal talk about their training and research. Information about the anthropology course offered at London Met please contact the course leader Tamsin Bradley t.bradley@londonmet.ac.uk

Youth Work/Studies Developments

Since 2007 a number of staff in DASS has been exploring the possibility of developing new courses in the areas of youth work and youth studies. Following successful bids for development funds both internally and externally we have been working together with youth groups, FE Colleges and employers to bring these courses to fruition.

The introduction of a youth work course at this time is in part due to the policy changes introduced by Government that makes youth work a graduate profession from 2010. This course will help employers ensure they have a adequate pool of trained and qualified workers to deliver quality youth services. It also makes use of established expertise within DASS from social work, community work, criminology, sociology, social policy, media, and community development.

Participation by employers and young people is key and to that end we have established a curriculum development group that has met a number of times over the past year and which is made up of a employers (Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest, Islington, Newham, Greenwich and Camden) and external experts. We held a 1-day consultation event with over 100 young people attending who told us exactly what they expect to see in a competent youth worker by way of knowledge, skills and values. Many of these young people will continue to contribute to the course through teaching, assessing and/or contributing to discussions on curriculum content. A .5 senior lecturer – Eli Anderson, has been appointed to lead on this project and help steer us through the choppy waters that is National Youth Agency validation process.

Overall, we aim to have a vibrant and professionally relevant and accredited youth programme that serves the needs of employers and meets the needs of young peoples for confident competent workers. The youth work degree will enhance our reputation in offering programmes relevant to employers in a way that is truly interdisciplinary and participative. This development also contributes towards the advancement of local young people through the all encompassing focus on youth empowerment; youth rights, and social justice.

For more information please contact E.Anderson@londonmet.ac.uk or S.coward@londonmet.ac.uk

Sinclair. x5028

New Publication

DASS on terrorist financing in Switzerland

DASS lectures at UK Police Academy

In late October Dr Nick Ridley of the John Grieve Centre DASS was part of the lecturing team to the Police college of England and Wales, Bramshill on a course in anti terrorism. Dr Ridley delivered a lecture on international co-operation in anti terrorist financing. The students were senior police officers from the UK, Czech Republic, France, Netherlands and Latvia

to find out more you can contact: Dr Nick Ridley

Call for papers: Information, Society and Justice Special issue: World cities, their media and information networks Further information at: www.londonmet.ac.uk/isj If you are interested in contributing to this special issue of the ISJ journal, please send a message in the first instance to Shehina Fazal, at s.fazal@londonmet.ac.uk or shehinafazal@hotmail.com

	20-25 July 2008 - IAMCR (International Association of Media and Communication Research) Community Communication Section, Stockholm [ more ]
	17 July 2008 - Making Your Space in London DASS is hosting a conference on the afternoon of Thursday 17 July under the title "Making your Space in London". [ more ]
7 July 2008 - Dublin European Network for Housing Research Conference in Dublin, Duncan Bowie Conference Paper " Failure of Promise? Planning for Housing under the Mayor of London (2000 to 2008) " [ more ] read also Duncan Bowie's Guardian Article from 11 July 2008
	2nd DASS Research Conference Success! Following last summer's successful DASS Research Conference, a second one-day event was held on June 26th at the Graduate Centre in Holloway Road. [ more ]

Recent Publications

	"Cinema and History" The telling of Stories by MA Mass Communication course leader Mike Chopra-Gant [ more ]
	"Film and Television After DVD" edited by James Bennett (Senior Lecturer in Media Studies and admissions tutor for Media Studies and Mass Communications Undergraduate degrees) and Tom Brown [ more ]
	"Digital Information Culture" The individual and society in the digital age by MSc Digital Information Management Course Leader Luke Tredinnick [ more ]
	"Intelligence: Investigation, Community, Partnership" by Harfield, C. (Deputy Director of the John Grieve Centre) and Harfield, K. (2008), Oxford, Oxford University Press
	"Handbook of Intelligent Policing" by Harfield, C ., MacVean, A., Grieve, J. and Phillips, D. (Eds). (August 2008)., Oxford, Oxford University Press which contains the following papers by DASS staff and students: Grieve, J. - 'Lawfully audacious: a reflective journey' Harfield, C. and Kleiven, M. - 'Intelligence, knowledge and the reconfiguration of policing' Kelly, C. - 'Knowledge management and the effective working of crime and disorder reduction partnerships' Kleiven, M. and Harfield, C. - 'Europol and the understanding of intelligence' MacVean, A. and Harfield, C. - 'Science or sophistry: issues in managing analysts and their products' Ridley, N. - 'Pan-European law enforcement strategic analysis: trends and concerns' Sohi, K. and Harfield, C. - 'Intelligence and the division of linguistic labour'

DASS Postgraduate Information and Knowledge Management , Student wins SLA Europe Dissertation Prize
[ more ]

Catherine Kelly received the ‘Outstanding Reviewer 2007' award from Emerald publishing for peer reviewing articles within the journal ‘Aslib Proceedings'.

Luke Tredinnick's article entitled "Post-structuralism hypertext and the World Wide Web" published in Aslib Proceedings has been chosen as a Highly Commended Award Winner at the Literati Network Awards for Excellence 2008.

	May 2008 European Science Foundation's Exploratory Workshop: 'Access to Communication and Democratic Media Infrastructures in the Digital Environment: the impact of Convergence Digitalisation On Community Media Policy and Practice' [ more ]
29-30 May 2008 - EFMD Conference on Public Sector Management Development " Empowering the Public: Management Development Implications of Further Public Services Reforms in Personalising Services, and Applying New Management Tools to Create Public Value " Irish Management Institute, Dublin, Ireland [ more ]
	1st May - Meeting on Information, Society and Justice Shiraz Durrani invited for a Meeting on Information, Society and Justice on Thursday, 1st May, 2008 at the London Metropolitan University on Holloway Road, N7. Monday 19 November 2007 Lecture by Professor Vernellia R. Randall author of "Dying while Black" speaking on disparities in health and health care for minorities in USA Lecture by Professor Vernellia R. Randall