Here is the full CivicSurf documentary.  It’s in two parts to get round the 10 minute limit to YouTube movies.  Please enjoy and give us feedback in the comments below.

Part One

Part Two

Of course if you want a copy on DVD please email shane@civicsurf.org.uk.

I had a tweet yesterday from a friend saying how a certain DVD had appeared on their desk with instructions to watch and digest.  I’m assuming it is the CivicSurf DVD because one was sent to every CEO of every local authority in the UK due to arrive yesterday and today.

I’m glad that the CEO from the council above actually opened the package and saw that it was relevant to my Twitter-friend, but I’d be far more pleased were we to get comments here saying that the CEO had watched it themselves (only 15 minutes long) and found it so interesting and inspiring that they visited the site to get more information.

So for those of who who are visiting this page because you’ve received the DVD - you may be asking what next?  The answer is: Show it to your councillors and senior colleagues.  Let them see what some very typical councillors thought about blogging.  Let them see and hear what some of the most experienced bloggers thought of it.

We can help too.  If you let us know you want to show the film we’ll arrange for an experienced blogger to attend and answer any questions that arise.  Just drop me a line at shane@civicsurf.org.uk or call on 01225 869413.

So many people have asked for our documentary on DVD (it’s called “Blogging - a new way to lead”) that we’re adding a super-quick request link from this website. Click the button marked “Click here for a CivicSurf DVD”, on the right side of this page, to ask for a copy.

You can embed the CivicSurf DVD button into your own blog or webpage using this code:

Large button:

<a href=”mailto:shane@civicsurf.org.uk?subject=Please send me a CivicSurf DVD”><img src=”http://civicsurf.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/bigcivicdvd.png”></a>

Small button:

<a href=”mailto:shane@civicsurf.org.uk?subject=Please send me a CivicSurf DVD”><img src=”http://civicsurf.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/smcivicdvd.png”></a>

The link will generate an email to Shane - shane (at) civicsurf.org.uk.

That’s the first minute of the film. 14 more to follow. We ‘re almost ready to send out copies of the documentary and booklets to Local Authorities and public bodies around the country. The recipient CEOs are invited to show the film to senior officers and members. We’ll also help out with 25 events by arranging for a local blogger to attend and answer any questions about what the reality of blogging is like.

If you would like a DVD copy of the documentary (including 3 booklets), extra booklets or to arrange for us to get a blogger to you then please email.

It’s an area all bloggers would rather not get involved in, but it is best to be aware of the principles of libel and how it applies to you as a blogger.  Mike Butcher, has written a very useful and informative guide to Libel and Defamation Law for bloggers.  Read it and bookmark it.

Councillors should of course pay equal attention to the Standards Board Code of Conduct and your own council’s code of conduct.  ICELE produced some useful guidance which you can download.

Council officers might also refer to the Civil Servant social media guidelines recently published by the Cabinet Office.  They are succinct but useful.

The Cabinet Office released “Participation online Guidance for civil servants” today. It has been some time in gestation but the really good news is that it is only one page long. In fact the guidance has been boiled down to 5 main points and a paragraph on how it relates to the Civil Service Code.

Mary Reid has pointed out that David Buckle, CEO of South Oxfordshire District Council has started a blog to keep people informed about the by-election caused by the standing-down of Boris Johnson.

Hats off to David for starting a blog at a time that will no doubt be busy and very high profile.

Rob Rees from Gloucestershire Trading Standards has started a blog to lead the debate on food.

Fantastic! At last one central point for the county to have a say about all the food issues of today and the future.

This is civic leadership even though it isn’t senior management or an elected representative doing it.

As part of the changeover from Cllr2.0 to CivicSurf we’ve moved the blog to the civicsurf.org.uk domain and changed the design to fit in with the other material we have produced.

There will be a lot of new material appearing here over the next few weeks so please do subscribe by RSS (using the nice orange icon to the right) or by email (using the box on the right) to ensure you don’t miss something useful.

Channel 4 News carries an intriguing story from Malaysia:

Candidates contesting some posts in Malaysia’s ruling party will be required to set up blogs, an official has said.

The move was a surprising turnaround for governing politicians who until recently derided online political writing as lies and rumours.

Abdul Rahman Dahlan, secretary general of the United Malays National Organisation party’s youth wing, said all those vying for national youth posts must have blogs to introduce themselves and their programs ahead of party elections in December.

“All candidates must have blogs,” Abdul Rahman said. “If not, they are not qualified to be leaders.”