A good thing is about to happen. Localgovcamp is taking place in Birmingham.
Local what?
Localgovcamp. It first happened in 2009 and has happened sporadically since.
You put more than 100 people in a room and you let them to set the agenda about what’s discussed. Ideas, connection and inspiration emerge and ideas, magpie others and make connections.
For one day job titles are left at the door and everyone has a say in working out how the internets plus people and enthusiasm can make a difference. I learned more about the social web in its early days from people who went to localgovcamp than I did from anyone from PR.
So much has happened…
The first one made me think differently. It was a Road to Damascus moment. I realised my view counted and that the future was going to be digital. We could see the future and that we could shape it.
But not all for the good…
And yet change hasn’t happened as quickly as it needs to. Some of those early travellers have fallen by the wayside gone but not forgotten. The revolution didn’t happen overnight and austerity has stopped much innovation in its tracks. Yet the pace needs to pick up. Change in a sector shouldn’t be left to enthusiasts doing things in their spare time.
And the trajectory is onwards….
Some bright people are doing good work in part because of the freedom of thought and network attending a govcamp has brought. The Localgovdigital group is one of those heading forward though not nearly as fast and with none of the resources the sector needs.
And a bunch of freelancers emerged…
A long while back talking to Al Smith on Twitter I tried to guess how many from the first event had left local government. A while later using the orginal eventbrite and LinkedIn I worked it out.
118 went.
28 were from local government itself.
Of the 28 from local government 13 have left and 8 now run their own businesses. I’m one of them.
The Google doc with the attendees from localgovcamp 2009 and what they are doing is here.
I used to think unconferences like localgovcamp would change the world. I was wrong. Not on their own they don’t. They can provide the ideas and inspiration. But it’s the action that counts. Yet, if they do things like this they must carry on…
@danslee it gave me the confidence to chuck a well paid secure job to go it alone and do something different (ish) 🙂 I’ve never looked back
— Mrs Douglas (@drama_mama_7) Juneh 20, 2014
Hi Dan, govcamps are pretty blokey affairs already, so need to claim more (‘Vicky Sargent is still running HIS company’) ……… 2009 though – blimey !
Eek! Edited. Sorry, Vicky!
2009! Goodness me! Time does fly. I kind of wish I was there on Saturday – I’ve been out of the loop for so long I don’t feel like I know what’s happening in the public sector any more…
However! I has a new job (just to point out, for yer document like) at the University of Lincoln, developing their Research Information Systems. There’s a lot of work around open, connected data here so it’s entirely possible you may see me at future events like this.
Would also be nice to catch up with the old crew.