Tech For Good

In this episode of the Tech for Good report hosted by Peter Day, we'll explore whether the blockchain is hype or real hope. Hear from our guests, who are all looking at the transformative powers of the blockchain and let us know your thoughts over at techforgood.global.

This is the second episode of the Tech for Good Report with Peter Day, a podcast series about people and enterprises using technology for good supported by Bethnal Green Ventures. This episode features Tech for Good ventures Ally, Mind Moose and TalkLife all working on tech solutions that help vulnerable children and youth, ranging from a chatbot to reduce the risk of homelessness, a peer-to-peer support network to help young people address mental health and more. You’ll also hear from Matthew Reed and Kirsten Naudé from The Children's Society talking about the potential of digital for good and the disruptions they embracing in the nonprofit sector.

Welcome to the first episode of the Tech for Good report with Peter Day, a podcast series about people and enterprises using technology for good supported by Bethnal Green Ventures. This episode features Tech for Good ventures The Hard Yard, How Do I, Mental Snapp, as well as BGV’s own Paul Miller. You’ll also hear from Vicky Hearn from Nominet Trust talking about the potential of digital for good and NT100, Cassie Robinson tackling the question if tech is inherently benign and Dan Sutch from CAST telling us more about Tech for Good in the nonprofit sector.

The annual UN Climate Change Conference of Parties (COP) will be held in Paris this year, it’s the 21st UN Climate Summit and this year they (once again) hope to come to a new international agreement to minimise global warming. Feeling deluded by the failed attempts at agreeing on very much over 20 years – in which time C02 emissions have doubled – instead of a COP, OuiShare and Open State banded together to propose a different type of meeting, a Proof of Concept (POC): “a proof of concept of the disruptive impact that collaborative production, open source and the maker movement can have on mainstreaming the means of sustainable living."

Ben Vickers is a curator, writer, network analyst, technologist and self described luddite. Currently Curator of Digital at the Serpentine Galleries, he co-runs LIMAZULU project space, and is a founding member of unMonastery, a new civically minded social space based on contemporary monastic principles. In the first of a two-part interview, Jo Barratt talks to Ben about Digital Nomadism. Economic nomadism of one kind or another has been the norm for humans for much of the the last million years which may seem surprising. Ben discusses the reasons he chooses not to rent or own a home why he and others are choosing to adopt this lifestyle. Produced by Jo Barratt Music by Chris Zabriskie

This is the second in a mini-series of interviews curator and technologist Ben Vickers. Last time, we chatted with ben about his experience living nomadically. In this episode we are concentrate on the UnMonestary Project. The unMonastery is a place-based social innovation is aimed at addressing the interlinked needs of empty space, unemployment and depleting social services by embedding committed, skilled individuals within communities that could benefit from their presence. Developed in collaboration with EdgeRyders, UnMonestary It is an EU funded project that aims to challenge existing dependency chains and economic fictions and it had now developed into an international, community-run social enterprise. In this Podcast Jo Barratt talks to Ben about the aims of the project, how an ancient monastic tradition is updated for current age and where the project is headed.

Can an App Stop a Bullet? Our latest podcast explores how groups are using tech to help build peace around the world. It is framed around a recent discussion (link to http://talkingpeacefestival.org/event/peace-talks-can-an-app-stop-a-bullet/) at Google Campus London (link to site), organised by International Alert (link to their site), one of the largest peacebuilding organisations in the world with over thirty years experience. We talk to some of the leading people in this complex but promising new field, who are bringing innovative approaches to problems old and new, through improved communications, data and networks. Chaired by Helena Puig Larrauri, co-director of Build Up and an International Alert Trustee, the panel included peace builders and technologists with John Ridpath, Head of Product at Decoded, Mariéme Jamme, co-founder of Africa Gathering and Nikki Philline de la Rosa, Deputy Country Manager, International Alert Philippines as well as a specially recorded response from Jimmy Wales, founder of

City Lab – in its third year following on from past events in Los Angeles and New York – took place last month in London’s city centre. Attending the 3-day event were city mayors, urbanists, architects and innovators from across the globe. Taking a step back from the second day’s headline speakers including current London mayor Boris Johnson and former New York City mayor, Mike Bloomberg, Jo Barratt spoke with Elana Berkowitz, a strategic advisor to startups and philanthropic investors. Elana speaks about what City Lab offers in terms of behind the scenes technology and diversity among the litany of important speakers, buzzwords and data, smart cities and innovation soft talk.

In the latest podcast for Tech for Good TV’s series on homelessness we’re talking to journalist, filmmaker and activist Daisy May Hudson. Daisy, fell into homelessness when her family lost their house and it has been a formative experience. Daisy speaks about her time struggling with the system, and how she became on of Britain’s hidden homeless. We also discuss her filmmaking practice and explore the ways she uses technology, and her existing networks to get her message out and campaign for awareness of homeless issues.

Has the world of commerce encroached irrevocably on our civic spaces, and how much do we care? How much is civic exclusion growing because of what participation demands or expects of us? Civic Radio is on the road, seeking out the people and organisations that are exploring these topics in different ways. In this episode we meet Zara Rahman. Civic Radio is part of the Civic Shop and is published by Tech for Good

In 1999, when he was twenty years old, Duane Jackson was sent to prison for trafficking drugs from England to the United States. Ten years since his arrest, and a two and half year stint locked up, Duane has started, grown, and successfully sold his own business. By 2013, his company, Kashflow (a cloud based accounting software business) was employing 40 people, bringing in £2m a year in revenue, and providing its accounting services to around 20,000 start ups.    How did he do it? Drawing on his passion for coding, and his life experiences in both children’s homes and prison, he cultivated a persistence and hustle that drove him forward. 

Has the world of commerce encroached irrevocably on our civic spaces, and how much do we care? How much is civic exclusion growing because of what participation demands or expects of us? Civic Radio is on the road, seeking out the people and organisations that are exploring these topics in different ways.   In this episode we meet Kate Krontiris.  Civic Radio is part of the Civic Shop and is published by Tech for Good TV

What does homelessness mean in our increasingly connected, so-called digital age? We’re on a journey to find out.Recent research shows that 91% of the homeless  have a working mobile phone and 46% have a smartphone.How aware are we about how the homeless use technology in their everyday lives?  How could it make things easier? How might it enhance our understanding of different forms of homelessness and challenge misconceptions? And how is it changing the way homeless charities and organisations work?In the second of our podcast series, we talk to Gaia Marcus, from Centrepoint and Gerard Lemos, partner in social research firm Lemos & Crane about how we can use tech to understand and tackle homelessness more powerfully.Gaia is overall Project Manager for the Google Impact Challenge-funded Youth Homelessness Databank - the UK's first open data resource which aims to end youth homelessness through gathering data and lived experience.Gerard leads the research team at Lemos&Crane and is the author of sever

This is the first podcast in a new series of films, podcasts and writing from Tech For Good TV that will be exploring themes of housing, home, homelessness and technology.This first episode in our podcast series started by looking at the the interconnection between technology and homelessness. We’d heard of people attaching go-pros to people sleeping on the streets to reveal the realities of their daily lives so as to build empathy of their lived experience. But it lead to us thinking about the bigger issue of homes and technology. In many ways, we’re more connected than ever before - wireless digital technology makes it easier for us to create new identities, and be active members of all sorts of different groups. It also increases our physical mobility and our sense of what it means to be part of a group… a state, a company even a family has become blurred.So how do we actually use our home today? What do we get out of it? What does it mean to be so Networked?Perhaps we don’t even need a home, although most

Has the world of commerce encroached irrevocably on our civic spaces, and how much do we care? How much is civic exclusion growing because of what participation demands or expects of us? Civic Radio is on the road, seeking out the people and organisations that are exploring these topics in different ways. In this episode we meet Alistair Parvin.    Civic Radio is part of the Civic Shop and is published by Tech for Good TV

Tech for Good TV headed down the river for the Impacts of Civic Technology (TicTec) conference hosted by MySociety a few weeks ago. We wanted to find out more about what's going on in the Civic Tech space globally and how people know that the technologies they are using have an impact. We talked to MIT Media Lab's Ethan Zuckerman about how he proposes to allow people to kick the but of institutions so we can trust them once again, Catherine Bracey of Code for America about the success of their volunteer networks and Blair Glencourse of Accountability Lab about the effectiveness of some of their low-tech civic solutions in Liberia and West Africa, plus many others. We also chatted to a selection of attendees from around the world to get their perspective on civic tech and how it's working in their countries.

Has the world of commerce encroached irrevocably on our civic spaces, and how much do we care? How much is civic exclusion growing because of what participation demands or expects of us? Civic Radio is on the road, seeking out the people and organisations that are exploring these topics in different ways. In this episode we meet Jon Alexander and Irenie Ikkeshis from the New Citizenship Project. Civic Radio is part of the Civic Shop and is published by Tech for Good TV

This podcast covers, 'Making the Makers, young people and digital making' which happened earlier this month at the Kano offices in Whitechapel.Four great speakers talk about how they inspire the young makers of tomorrow. It is thought that in 20 years time manufacturing will once again be a big part of British industry thanks to increasing accessibility to technologies such as 3D printing, so how do we empower the children of today with the tools of the future…and why is this term ‘maker’ suddenly echoing from all corners? Plus why is 'making' important in the first place? They also answer some tough questions about how possibie it is to pass on this notion of 'good' to mini-makers and how they are thinking about new manufacturing paradigms such as the circular economy.

Has the world of commerce encroached irrevocably on our civic spaces, and how much do we care? How much is civic exclusion growing because of what participation demands or expects of us? Civic Radio is on the road, seeking out the people and organisations that are exploring these topics in different ways. In this episode we meet Bryan Boyer.    Civic Radio is part of the Civic Shop and is published by Tech for Good TV

Abbey Schlageter visits the Tech City International Women’s Day event for 2015, a collection of women-led ventures both in the creative and tech industries, based out of east London.   Technology is a power source, and any power source should have equality. In the general startup environment, women’s voices are often lost in a male-dominated sector. This event was about connecting with other women and others in the sector, but also to highlight to younger people and those coming into the sector that gender equality is possible and that the startup space is open to women as well.   What draws this group to technology? What is exciting about the people working in a fast moving and changing environment? How are women collaborating and working together to create a better future for us all? How does Tech help us understand ourselves and the world around ourselves?   The event featured a mix interesting and inspiring, great women. We spoke to the likes of Katy Beale from Articulate, Megan Lucero, data editor at The