Videos, values and a vacancy

Call-out

Have you asked your representatives for a change, and seen it happen?

If you've brought about a real change that began when you contacted an MP, councillor or other representative through WriteToThem, we would LOVE to hear more.

We're collecting stories to share with young people who are just learning about the power of democracy. It might be something as simple as getting some help with a personal problem, or as big as getting the law changed — whatever you asked for, please do tell us all about it.

Vacancy

Marketing and PR Manager

Our vacancy for a brilliant B2B Marketing and PR Manager closes this Monday 9 November — so if you were planning to apply, you'd better get to it!

You'll be promoting FixMyStreet Pro and SocietyWorks to (mainly) local government clients, along with wider tasks across mySociety's many activities.

There's lots of potential for new ideas, self-direction and strategy-building. And, if that doesn't sound like you, please pass this on to someone more fitting!

Transparency

No boundaries to FOI

The UK's Freedom of Information Act is "applicant blind" — that means that an authority mustn't discriminate based on what they may know about the person making a request.

That's why we were shocked to see this principle thrown open to question, with a forthcoming tribunal asking whether non-UK citizens have the right to use the Act. Our position is clear: of course they do.

Events

Digitising parliaments: it took a pandemic

The second in our series of hour-long TICTeC Seminars saw some deep discussion around the pros and cons of digitising parliaments, and what happens when such innovation is, of necessity, a scramble to respond to lockdown conditions rather than a slow decision taken with ample time for preparation.

If that sounds interesting, you're in luck: we recorded the whole thing and you can watch it again here.

Next month's Seminar will be on the climate and the pandemic: more details can be found on the TICTeC website.

Help shape future TICTeCs

If you work on, use, fund or research civic technology, we would be really grateful if you could spare some time to help us shape the future of TICTeC by filling in this survey.

Re-experience LocalGovCamp

And if TICTeC videos haven't satisfied you, you can also enjoy recordings of all the LocalGovCamp sessions, including ours.

In the first of these, SocietyWorks Designer Martin took participants through a thoroughly enjoyable Consequence Scanning exercise.

And in the second, Mark and Zarino led a discussion on legislating for shared data standards. Both are well worth a watch!

SocietyWorks

Keep up with all our new developments

The SocietyWorks team have been busy as ever, working on our new Waste and Noise services, and adding features galore to FixMyStreet and FixMyStreet Pro.

If you'd like to keep up with every development, the SocietyWorks blog is the place to be. You'll find sprint notes, announcements and all the news in one place. Oh, and our brand new video:

What we're reading

• Here's a new take on Open Government: the beauty of the back.
• Involve says: Democracy has always had a problem with time.
• Essential reading from the Institute for Government, on what needs to be done to reach Net Zero
• We dislike fly tipping but we're also pro-peace, so... where does this leave us?
• Sadly, the faith in government declines when mobile internet arrives, finds the Economist.
• RSI? Hands-free coding could be the answer, says Josh W. Comeau.
• This is pretty: a map of all geotagged Wikipedia articles.

And finally...

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