DFID Blogs Website

Just over twelve months ago we were frantically getting the first set of DFID Bloggers up to speed on using Wordpress and the difference between blogging and drafting briefing documents.  We were working hard to make sure they had posts up in time for Blog Action Day.

Blog Action Day is an annual event that unites the world’s bloggers in posting about the same issue on the same day. Our aim is to raise awareness and trigger a global discussion.

Last year it was on poverty and therefore very relevant to DFID’s agenda.  This year – today – the issue is Climate Change.  Again DFID has Climate Change very high on it’s list of priorities.  They are working to help advise the developing world on how to reduce their carbon footprint and supporting it in dealing with the effects of climate change.

So we’ve been working with a group of DFID staff working on Climate Change to get them started this week and to keep them going in the run up to Copenhagen in December and hopefully beyond.

But it isn’t just the Climate Change group that are contributing to Blog Action Day.  Already Sarah Sanyahumbi has posted about late monsoons in Nepal and Neil Squires reflects on how the floods in 2000 that left much of Mozambique underwater make the country understand the need to be prepared better than most.

One week until Blog Action Day, the day in the year where bloggers are encouraged to post about a specific subject.  This year the theme is poverty.

The Blog Action Day site helpfully gives some examples of what various types of blog might post about.  Strangely enough it doesn’t mention Civic Leader blogs so here is some advice for blogging councillors about what to write on Blog Action Day – Poverty.

1. Highlight the work that has been done /needs to be done to alleviate poverty in your area.  Even the richest boroughs of London such as Kensington and Chelsea have very deprived areas.  The ranking of neighbourhoods on the DCLG Deprivation indices varies from the 1390th most deprived neighbourhood to the 32440th (out of 32,482).  I’m told the difference in life expectancy between parts of K&C vary by ten years.
2. Tell a story of local residents who have escaped poverty.  The Big Issue introduce some of their vendors. Write about someone local to you.
3. Write about and link to a charity you support that helps people in poverty either in the UK or abroad
4. Write about work you do as a school governor or member of council to help school help children from poor households
5. Write about your experience working with people from disadvantaged backgrounds.

You’ll have your ideas so please register at the Blog Action Day site and use your blog to help highlight what can be done about poverty.