HackDay at Mozilla – Citizen Social Science
On 13th May 2014 Louise posted in Featured
At the end of March Mapping for Change were successful in having our challenge chosen for a “swarm” event around the theme of Citizen Social Science at the Mozilla hackspace in London. Ours was one of four challenges that were selected that had the potential to meet the aims of the event:
“To explore the potential of applying citizen science approaches to solving persistent social problems through rapid prototyping”
And have the potential to produce a prototype within a day!
Citizen Science – What difference does it make?
On 27th February 2014 Louise posted in Featured, News
Whilst showing a resident how to use a particulate air quality monitor, he told me that he would “never walk in Beech Street Tunnel again”. This statement was based on his involvement in Science in the City, a citizen science project that we are currently running to support communities to measure and map air quality. Based on the data gathered by the local community, between October 2013 and February 2014, this particular resident decided that there are cleaner, ‘healthier‘ and less polluted routes he could take to and from his home. When we at Mapping for Change are asked what impact our work has, or how involving non-professional scientists in community based scientific research makes a difference – I guess here’s the answer! This chap might even live an extra few years – who knows!!
AirProbe International Challenge
On 22nd October 2013 Louise posted in Featured
The AirProbe International Challenge (APIC) is an international competition between citizens of four European cities: LONDON, ANTWERP, KASSEL and TURIN, who will compete to build the most complete map of air pollution for their city. People from each city can become Air Ambassadors, to measure the levels of air pollution with a custom built sensor box, or Air Guardians, to provide air pollution level estimations in various locations in the city.
The competition starts TODAY! Help London win the challenge by playing the online game http://www.everyaware.eu/APIC/
Mapping for Change wins UCL Social Enterprise Award
On 16th May 2013 Louise posted in Featured, News
Mapping for Change has won the 2013 UCL Social Enterprise Project of the Year Award for its’ innovative work using on-line mapping with local communities and on ‘citizen science’.
Mapping for Change to host Air Pollution conference in April
On 13th March 2013 Louise posted in Events, Featured
Concerned communities, and organisations that work with them, including councils, academics, and public health bodies are invited to a conference being run by Mapping for Change on the 17th April at UCL.
A Look at Housing and New Ways of Working in Udine
On 1st March 2013 Louise posted in Events, Featured
Late January saw members of the MfC team travel to Udine to participate in a series of seminars under the Active Citizenship in Social Housing (ACts) project, funded by the Grundtvig Life Long Learning Programme. Over the course of 3 days visits were made to communities in the area and a number of presentations covering a diverse range of perspectives were shared. Several interesting issues surrounding citizenship and social space were raised for discussion:
Social Workers and Participatory Mapping
On 23rd January 2013 Louise posted in Featured, News, Training
In September of last year Louise Francis, Director of MfC, went out to Udine to deliver a seminar and training session to students from the University of Udine, visiting students from the University of Oulu and employees of Vicin di Casa, a local not-for-profit organisation whose aim is to promote and facilitate access to housing by migrants. Students who attended came from courses on social work, and technology and education.
Mapping Thamesmead for Change @ the Leisure Centre
On 14th June 2012 Louise posted in Events, Featured
Looking back to some photos of Thamesmead, we realized we did not post about the last Mapping Thamesmead for Change session, which happened on Friday 4th May.
This time, thanks to the Thamesmere Leisure Centre, which provided us with a space that afternoon and big thanks to Ms Averil Lekau, a Thamesmead resident who took us on a tour around some remarkable places, our day was very productive. Have a look to some of our pictures below.
Participatory Mapping – a tool for informal learning
On 22nd May 2012 Louise posted in Featured, News
Partners from the University of Udine and University of Oulu joined us for a two day seminar that ran from the 17th-18th May and formed part of the ‘Active Citizenship in Social Housing (ACts)‘ project, funded under the Grundtvig Life Long Learning Programme. The seminar provided an opportunity for partner institutions to learn more about Mapping for Change’s use of participatory mapping with communities in the UK.
Thamesmead International Women's Day Event
On 1st May 2012 Louise posted in Events, Featured
Thanks to Trust Thamesmead and to the Business Academy Bexley, Mapping for Change had the chance to do a mapping session at the Thamesmead International Women’s Day event last Wednesday (25th April).