We have a new website for the area of East Salford. At the moment it’s called Chalk Talk but it needs a new name  (see link to our competition) -

The idea of the website is to collect views and information of projects and events that are relevant to the people of East Salford and beyond. 

Some of the latest content features video reports by Colin Blaney, Music footage by Tricia Thornborough, a mapping of Community groups by the PCT and lots of photos from all over.

We would really like to get you involved. You can do this over the Interent or by coming into any of our drop in sessions. Get in touch if you want to find out more.

Mick, Michelle, Jess or Teresa on 0161 743 3537 – or mick at peoplesvoicemedia.co.uk

New Courses at the Social Media Centre, Salford.

Community Reporters Course – Start Monday; 11th May 4pm
This training programme will teach you numerous skills, including blogging, film making, audio recording and story-telling. All participants will complete their training with a visit to the BBC for two masterclasses.

Introduction to Internet TV – tbc
This summer we’ll be teaching people the skills to make Internet TV. You’ll learn how to use camcorders to make short reports of what’s happening locally, and how to interview and record people in a studio set up. We’ll be using low cost equipment to make high quality films.

Digital Photography and the Internet – Friday 15th May 1pm
Learn how to make the most of your digital camera and share your photos using the internet

Happening now!
Open access Computer Drop Ins – Tuesday 2-6pm Wednesday 1-4pm
You can access the full range of our facilities in this time and take on Blogging, Radio production, Video making and digital photography.

Please contact mick on – mick at peoplesvoicemedia.co.uk or 01617433537

On Monday 16th February the BBC are screening some films that different Community Reporters have made on the Big Screen in Exchange Square, in front of the big wheel. To celebrate, we are going to congregate in front of the screen and – what else – take some cameras and audio recorders to mark the occasion and interview passers-by on their thoughts!

We’d love for you to come and be involved – either to watch the films, show moral support or to have a go at the interviewing. It’s a little bit of fun for half term (unless it starts to rain and then it’ll be a LOT of fun for half term!!!) Channel M have said they might come along and record us too so the more the merrier – Channel M with their big cameras recording us recording others with our small cameras……it’s reporting gone mad!

We’re meeting in Exchange Square from 11.30am and films will be shown from 12pm – 2pm. If you’d like to find out more, then please call 07794 362173. Hope to see you there

PS Feel free to bring the kids. We’re having a young reporters team so they can get involved too.

A short video of how the Social Media centre is working together with Salford Uni to give people skills to use the Internet to tell their stories.

At the social media centre we are looking at creating Online CVs and Skills blogs with young people. We are also happy to do this work with anyone who would want to get employability skills and represent themselves in this way when they are looking for work.

In this audio clip you will hear Marvin from Salford Foundation talking about how he thinks that Online CV’s can benefit the young people not in employment and training that he is working with.

This one-day course will teach you everything you need to make exciting and visually powerful mash-ups. We’ll show you how to find source material, re-edit it and create a new video.

Saturday 11am – 5pm 15th November. One-day course plus a follow-up session.

If you’re not sure what a video mash up is, here’s one of our favourites.

Image created by Alf Rollings

Shot on a Canon digital compact – a620 and then 4 images were merged and cropped to create this Panorama. Great Job!!!

On Saturday 20th September I attended an event at St Sebastians, with a Social Media Centre volunteer, to promote the range of volunteering opportunities that are available for people in the local area. It was a great day, lots of fun, and the organisers very kindly supplied us all with plenty of doughnuts and muffins to keep us going!

Even beter was the lunch! We had ‘Subway’ style sandwiches with vegetables that had been freshly picked from the St Seb’s planters – absolutely delicious. The veggies are being grown as part of the Grow It, Cook It, Eat It project that is running in the area – do check out their blog for latest news.

Many thanks to Tricia for helping out on the day – there’ll be a film of the day coming soon from Tricia so call back soon!

If you’d like to become a volunteer at the Social Media Centre contact us on 743 3537.

On Friday 26th of September we got a visit at the Social Media Centre from Andrew Bigsmoke, a native american spiritual leader who is travelling Europe. He took part in the photography club and said that he was keen on to learn more.

Also one of the photos that we took as part of the club was used in the programme of events at the Ordsall Arts Theatre where Andrew spoke and introduced films from the Sioux community.

These were films which were found by a partnership of groups who came together to try to form a link between the Salford community and the community of the Lakota native americans in South Dakota. The groups were Orsdall Arts Theatre, SALT, Orsall Community Arts, CRIIS and the Cornerstone.

The Social Media Centre helped the screening take place and a video of the event is on the way.

We also helped make a video with community members which wanted to establish contact with the Sioux community. Which you can see below.

Interestingly Andrew came into town by chance on the day before the event. His tribe the Cree, are neighbours of the Sioux and are spiritual brothers and sisters.

Find out more about our Photoclub here on our events page

On 27th August, some young people from Manchester and Salford descended upon the Cumbrian town of Ulverston as part of the ‘Switched’ media project.

Stuart Blair from Lower Kersal attended the event, with support from the Social Media Centre and funding from the NDC.

He said, ” The Switched! Project was a chance for a group of young people from Manchester to visit with young people of Cumbria and learn new skills in media and music production, as well as team building skills and ultimately, learn about themselves in the process. Myself and Teresa were lucky enough to have been able to attend the 4 day get-together, which I have to say was brilliant. The Young People were all very enthusiastic, and all of the staff were brilliant, even though we were camping! Here’s to the next phase when the Cumbrians come to stay down here!”

Stuart is currently editing a documentary of his time on the residential. Check out this site for clips soon.