thinkpublic

Yesterday I watched Paul Watson’s documentary “Rain in My Heart”. Toni, a 27 year old alcoholic from Medway in Sheffield says “If I’m not the best advertisement for why not to drink then I don’t know what is.” He’s right, I’ve never seen something that has so powerfully portrayed the negative medical effects of alcohol. Two of the film’s four characters die during the making of the film.

The fantastic clinical care of the NHS is steadfast throughout the documentary, but is not shown to be supported by social services or psychiatric care. The characters are intent on destroying themselves through drink. Watson documents this destruction, while reflecting on his role as a film maker. He hopes that the value of the film as a deterrent will outweigh any potential interventions that he could have made while making the film.

I wonder who this film would work best as a deterrent for, and what would make them watch it? We need to find ways of integrating this type of work into the places/systems in which they can be most effective. What are the ethical implications of hospital staff having tools like this on hand, and would patients watch something like this if it was offered to them?

We’ve just launched The Good Gym website.

The Good Gym aims to connect people who want to get fit with good causes in a way that is mutually beneficial. The site aims to encourage people to engage with the idea and to allow organisations and individuals from within Tower Hamlets to get involved.

Last weekend Jeorg came over from Berlin to do a video piece for Der Spiegel. This has resulted in some students wanting to set up the project in Germany. Exciting stuff. I hope it works!

If you live or work in Tower Hamlets and think this is something you might be interested in, please get in touch.

On Thursday 23rd-Friday 24th July I attended the 2008 Britdoc Documentary Film Festival at Keble College in Oxford. It was a lovely, sunny and friendly affair, packed full of people bursting with documentary ideas they wanted to make happen.

I was particularly excited to watch the “Good Pitch”, offering filmmakers to pitch socially focused films and associated campaigns, aiming to result in real social change. Eight filmmaking teams pitched their projects to an invited audience of observers, comprising film funders, NGOs, campaigners, advertising agencies, brands and media.

Whilst there were many great ideas pitched at the festival, there was a particular buzz over “Erasing David”; a personal and funny film, directed by David Bond, who hopes to wake people up to the potential dangers of Britain’s surveillance culture.

I am also intrigued to follow the progress of Marc Silver’s multimedia project “Resist”, which aims to explore resistance to social injustices around the world. The film will be on-the-road with Gael Garcia Bernal as he goes on a quest to find the alternative utopia that follows resistance. Good luck to them, I say; I hope they can tell us all how to get there!

Yesterday I volunteered for The Friends of Arnold Circus charity, and helped set up a sharing picnic event. It was filled with carom, donkey rides, music, picnic blankets and punch & judy shows!

It was an exciting day, and it was great to feel the buzz of the circus community. I think what The Friends of Arnold Circus are doing is inspiring. While the roads were closed for a few hours, it was exciting to see the local community come together and make the most of such a fabulous bandstand, in the middle of a roundabout!

Last Friday I sent an invitation to my grandmother asking her to join me on a “UK Road Trip Holiday”. The plan is to share stories, time and skills, some cooking, visits to memorable places, learning from each others company and any local people that we may meet along the way!

My recent trip to Crofton Park Local Assembly and seeing the film Gallivant has made me really interested in how we can create better intergenerational relationships that harness the knowledge and expertise of different people.

In response to the invitation, I received the most amazing letter from my nan last night! She has accepted the invite and is overwhelmed by the proposition! I’m so pleased that she is up for the adventure!

Our next step will be to think about exactly (or not exactly!) what we are going to do and where we going to go. We are also thinking about how we can get other people involved in planning and shaping our journey. I will be documenting the planning of the trip over on my personal blog, www.aliceosborne.com. Any ideas or suggestions would be gratefully received!

On Wednesday 2nd July 2008, I attended Crofton Park Local Assembly in Lewisham, London. Adopting the same format as the Brockley Local Assembly in May, the event (attended by at least 100 people), was dynamic and full of ideas to solve problems in the local community.

Sitting around tables, the attendees were challenged to discuss issues they wanted to change or improve in the Crofton Park community. Pleased to be surrounded by a group full of big ideas, my group challenged potential solutions for two key problems; the ‘lack of activities or amenities for teenagers and young people’, and the apparent ‘lack of respect between different generations’.

Over the course of an hour, my group discussed ideas for how to get younger and older generations respecting one another. We develop an idea to design a space (clinic/park etc), where people of all generations could come and share their stories, skills or knowledge with others. We felt this idea could also impact other problems realised at the assembly meeting, such as litter, dog mess and conflict between young people. You can read more about these and other themes raised at the assembly over on the Brockley Central community weblog.

Whilst at the assembly, I also signed up as a Crofton Park Volunteer Co-ordinator, meaning I will now be a part of the steering group that puts the assembly ideas into action. I look forward to the months ahead, and will keep you all updated!

On July 1st, as part of the NHS 60 celebrations, the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement presented the annual conference NHS Live: energising innovation.

Thought provoking talks about the future of the NHS and Lord Darzi’s new enabling report “High Quality Care for All”, were given by NHS chief executive David Nicholson, Lord Darzi, Don Berwick, Bernard Crump and Ann Keen, MP. There was also a large interactive exhibition throughout the day.

Don Berwick, President/CEO of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement in the United States, offered a transatlantic view of the NHS at 60. In awe of the NHS, he commented how the UK recognise healthcare as a human right, which he further explained “…is something that my own country does not see.” Crediting the NHS system Berwick notes how it “leaves no one out” and through the tax based system redistributes wealth through both the rich and poor. Berwick continued to make 10 points of advice, for the NHS moving forward: Read the rest of this entry »

The New Views 2: Conversations and Dialogues in Graphic Design symposium and exhibition opens at London College of Communication this week (9-11 July 2008).

With introductory speeches from Design Council Chairman Sir Michael Bichard KCB and Live|Work Founding Director Chris Downs on Wednesday evening, the symposium running through Thursday and Friday will bring together leading academics, professionals and students to explore the practice of graphic design for the future.

Co-ordinated by Professor Teal Triggs (LCC) and Dr. Laurene Vaughan (RMIT), New Views 2 is structured with intent to allow open dialogue. Over the two-day symposium, six topical clusters - formed from the selected paper submissions, allow attendees to join discussions specific to their interest areas:

• Cluster 1: Design Writing/Criticism: Repositioning the Debate.
• Cluster 2: Graphic Design: Interdisciplinary.
• Cluster 3: Graphic Design: Practice and Methods.
• Cluster 4: Research/Innovation: New Critical Thinking.
• Cluster 5: Responsive Curricula: Shifting Paradigms.
• Cluster 6: Graphic Design: Changing the ‘Real World’.

The clustered group propositions are now available for download from www.newviews.co.uk

Today in the studio, we have been celebrating the NHS’ 60th birthday!

thinkpublic will be running eight ‘Design Clinic’ sessions, at Channel 4’s 2gether08 Festival today.

Projects wishing to pitch for funding of £50million must run their idea through the thinkpublic Design Clinic! Members of the thinkpublic team will be designing and building prototypes for the pitches at the end of the festival.

It is set to be an exciting day and we are looking forward to seeing what projects are brought to the clinic. If you are coming to the festival at the Rochelle School in Shoreditch, please drop by and say hello, we are right by the entrance, just look for the shed!

For more 2gether08 fun, you can keep up to date at www.twitter.com/2gether08 or watch live video coverage at www.2gether08.com