Globalnet21

Cycling From London To Istanbul

In this Podcast Hannah Dyson interviews Ozgur Korkmaz on his epic cycle journey

Ozgur Korkmaz put the breaks on his old way of life by buying a bike and embarking on an epic journey from London to Istanbul in 2018. Cycling through 11 countries, covering a cool 2115 miles overall, averaging 45-50 miles per day with one day off per week, mental and physical strength was just one of the requirements.

We explore why Ozgur chose to cycle to Istanbul, his experiences cycling through 11 countries and what those countries taught him. We will discuss what Ozgur’s concerns were before the journey, what went through his mind during the highs and lows and how this has changed his life for the better.

Ozgur is a huge advocate for the benefit of cycling and how it can improve our mental and physical health. He is also a driving instructor so will give us this unique insight on both road and cycle safety and how we incorporate cycling into our lives and still use the car.

We explore why it is so difficult to get people to give up their car and the idea driving makes people feel good.

Gender & Active Travel

In this Podcast we discuss with Julia Valentine & Catriona Leggat the issue of gender and active travel.

The active travel and gender report of 2018 shows that women’s journeys around cities are typically shorter than men’s, use different modes of transport and are more likely to involve ‘trip-chaining’ (multi-stop journeys) which tend to be for a balance of child care, work and household responsibilities.

And, whilst women are motivated to travel actively for physical and mental health reasons, worries about their personal safety, convenience (particularly when taking multi-stop trips) and appearance are all barriers to preventing them from cycling and walking.

Julia Valentine & Catriona Leggat are in the Women’s Equality Party and have been concerned for some time about active travel for women especially women travelling alone. In this webinar we are going to explore their concerns and what the solutions might be.

A tidal wave of change: flexibility in the workplace and widening participation in politics.

In this Podcast Hannah Dyson interviews Enfield Councillor Clare De Silva about widening participation in both work and politics. Clare De Silva , Conservative Councillor for Bush Hill Park will explore how society is surfing a tidal wave of change.

Widening participation in politics is something Clare is passionate about and believes that the option of working remotely can widen access to all kinds of jobs and careers, ensuring the best possible pool of talent

Mapping Your Local Community

In this Podcast Emma Rigby and Francis Sealey interview Cormac Russell where we discuss enriching local communities through community mapping and asset based development.

In this Podcast Emma Rigby and Francis Sealey will be interviewing Cormac Russell one of the leading experts in Europe on asset based community development where we will be discussing how you can map your local community by using the assets based community development principles

We will look at how community mapping can enrich a local community and create new connections as well as build on its strengths

Cormac is Managing Director of Nurture Development and a faculty member of the Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) Institute at Northwestern University, Chicago.

Over the last 20 years Cormac has worked in over 30 countries around the world. He has trained communities, agencies, NGOs and governments in ABCD and other strengths based approaches in Kenya, Rwanda, Southern Sudan, South Africa, the UK, Ireland, Sweden, the Netherlands, Canada and Australia.

He is passionate about the proliferation of community-driven change and citizen-centred democracy, and has supported hundreds of communities to make ABCD visible through what he calls ABCD Neighbourhood Learning Sites.

Cormac has just published his book “Rekindling Democracy: A Professional's Guide to Working in Citizen Space”

Developing Community Energy Locally

In this podcast we interview Duncan Law about the importance of community energy in local planning around climate change

In North London there is much controversy over the Edmonton Incinerator and their claim that using waste to make heat is a form of community energy. But is it and what really is community energy.

Well in this podcast we will be joined by Duncan Law the Policy and Advocacy Manager of Community Energy England to discuss community energy and its contribution to tackling climate change.

Community Energy England represents and supports those committed to creating the conditions within which the community energy sector can rapidly scale and grow across the country. Community energy includes the delivery of community renewables, energy efficiency, demand reduction and energy supply projects.

In this podcast we will discuss how community energy has developed in other parts of the UK and how it can do that in Enfield. Together with the help of Community Energy England it would be great to develop a Community Energy group in Enfield as part of the Enfield Climate Action Forum.

Local and community energy is becoming increasingly important and it seems essential that it should be included in any local authorities climate action plan

Tackling Structural Racism In British Society

In this webinar we interview Roger McKenzie the Assistant General Secretary of UNISON and a candidate to be their General Secretary.

Here we interview him on the problem of institutional racism in society and the role of Trade Unions in combatting this.

We will talk about how years after the McPherson Report following the death of Stephen Lawrence racism is still widespread in our society. Roger believes that there is increasing abuse suffered by union members and public service workers who are migrants or who are Black, including himself.

How do we combat this and how do we go further and address the racial discrimination that there is in our public services, in companies and in the criminal justice system.

Recent opinion polls have shown the British public are more tolerant towards our diverse communities so why does racism still exist. This we hope to explore in this interview.

The Inspirational Theo Sergiou

Theo is a cancer survivor has won the Rotary Young Citizen Award after being nominated by Enfield Chase Rotary Club.

Theo Sergiou, 19, was diagnosed with eye cancer aged two and, aged four, was told it was terminal. But the tumours stopped growing and although he remains partially sighted, Theo survived.

A UK Youth Parliament representative, the Enfield teenager is committed to community work such as tackling knife crime. During the pandemic, Theo has written to the prime minister about the lack of provision for children with special educational needs, who he says are suffering mental health problems and not getting an education.

He is passionate about reducing knife crime, Enfield being one of the worst boroughs. He was recruited to the Youth Advisory Forum which reports directly to the Cabinet. This is the first ever youth civil service body and Theo is the youngest person in British history to contribute to a No. 10 Cabinet meeting. He compiled an academic report on ‘Our Generations Epidemic: Knife Crime’ in the hope of producing a more accurate policy.

Theo was instrumental in forming the Youth Violence Commission document which was delivered to former Prime Minister Theresa May leading to a Knife Crime summit last April with a variety of professionals

Theo said: “As my motto goes, I don’t need a reason to do things, I need a reason not to. I hope this Award inspires other people to try the same outlook. With the recent outbreak of Covid-19, I draw even closer to these principles, knowing how precious life truly is. This Award has allowed me to reflect over my life experiences and have hope that growth behind barriers is always possible; never before has this message been so importance to us all”.

Climate Change, Future Generations & People Of Colour

In this Podcast we interview Jasmine Sanders in our Conversation Across Borders series. Jasmine is the CEO of Our Climate based in Washington DC.

Our Climate mobilises and empowers young people to educate the public and elected officials about science-based, equitable climate policy solutions that build a liveable world.

In this interview we will discuss the intersecting effects of climate change and how they disproportionately impact communities of colour, the importance of youth climate change advocacy and the impact climate change has and will increasingly have on migration in the United States and around the world.

Our Climate empowers young leaders to advocate for equitable and science-based climate policy.

Asylum Seekers & The Welcome Card

In this Podcast one in our “Conversation Across Borders” series we will talk to Veronica Polinedro about how Sweden dealt with the influx of migration that swept Europe after 2015

During 2015, a record 1.3 million refugees crossed into Europe. Between 2015 and 2016, more than 2.5 million people applied for asylum in the EU.

Sweden is considering a “Welcome Card.” Upon arrival in Sweden, asylum seekers place a request for asylum and get registered with the national migration agency. Registered asylum seekers receive one Welcome Card per individual (based on age) to be used during the asylum application process, as both an identification card and as a key to their case status.

 

The card is to ensure the well-being of asylum seekers during, and after, the asylum seeking application process, revise the asylum seeking decision-making process for the national migration agencies and  foster connection between asylum seekers, refugees and the local communities:

The story of the "Welcome card" began on May 20, 2016, when a team of experience designer, software developer, social entrepreneurs and business administrators came together during a 12-hour workshop to tackle the refugee crisis through design

Veronica is Polinedrio is a product UX designer working with transdisciplinary research and empathy to answer complex systemic challenges. In 2016, she founded The Welcome Card, where she lead product, design, and research. She has served as an advocate and coordinator for several community development projects, non-profit organizations, and start-up companies between the United States, Honduras, Sweden, and Italy. She is passionate about immigration and social dignity, designing solutions that build empathy and promote ethical practices for socio-politico-economical change within our communities

Living In China Through The Covid Pandemic

In this Podcast we will be interviewing Dan Scrimgeour who sometime before the Covid outbreak chose to live in China and is still there.

 

In this interview we will look at the experiences he went through as the pandemic started there and then spread across the globe. How did they handle it and what measures did they take. Did their institutional structure make it easier to institute track and trace than it did in the UK and how did they engage their own population.

 

There were differences of approach that are worth exploring and discovering if there are lessons to learn.

 

We will also discuss with Dan the re emergence of China on the world scene. China has always seen itself as the “middle kingdom” and perhaps is now reasserting itself as the “centre of the world.” What does that mean to us all?