News and Press - 2005

1st November 2005 - 'Digital Solutions to Social Exclusion in London' Office of the Deputy Prime Minister

A challenge to the traditional view that new technology will widen inequality in the future comes today from the Government's Social Exclusion Unit. The report shows how technology is already improving life chances and public service delivery, and is being embraced by excluded groups. For some the telephone can be as significant as a computer in helping to improve the life of a disadvantaged person.

The report Inclusion Through innovation: Tackling Social Exclusion Through New Technologies shows examples of how modern technology can improve public service take-up, reconnect the isolated and provide a lifeline for those groups on the margins. Seven examples highlighted in the report are in London:

ICT is being used to improve the employment prospects for socially excluded groups by helping them to develop social networks. The majority of jobs are found by networking - people using the help and knowledge of friends and 'friends of friends' to find work. 'MegaNexus' is a web-based social networking tool, which operates in a number of areas in London. It aims to connect socially excluded people and provide access to people, organisations, opportunities and information to find employment. 'MegaNexus' also connects local support agencies to enable job brokerage. So far, the service has over 2,500 users, of which 1,700 are jobseekers. Over 150 people have found work, over 300 have been connected to training opportunities and around 300 people made use of local services through the network.

Click here to download the complete press release.Top

28th October 2005 - Social Enterprise East Midlands (SEEM): Information Management System

SEEM has commissioned MegaNexus to develop an information management system as part of the BEST Procurement project (Benefiting the Economy and Society through Public Sector Procurement). The Best Procurement is a major new initiative led by SEEM, the project is predominately aimed at social enterprises with the objective of helping them gain public sector procurements as well as providing training and business support.

The information management system will enable SEEM to monitor the project's progress right across the 18 partners that are involved in delivering the project. In addition to the above the system will also be used as a networking tool and as a means of sharing information amongst the partners.

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7th September 2005 - Construction Web Event: Annual General Meeting

Construction Web an organisation that is working with MegaNexus as part of the Employ UV project, invited MegaNexus to their annual general meeting. The meeting which focused on construction was held on the 7th of September 2005 at the Alexandra Palace. Please click here to find out more. Top

25th June 2005 - 5E becomes a Haringey MegaNexus Support Centre

The Haringey MegaNexus, a free online employment network, has today announced it is working in partnership with Haringey-based employment-based learning provider, 5E, to provide the local community with access to job vacancies, training and job-seeker support.

Dominic Pinkney from Haringey MegaNexus presented 5E with a certificate confirming its status as a MegaNexus Support Centre in Haringey.

At the presentation, Dominic said, "We are extremely pleased to be working with such a respected provider as 5E who assist large numbers of people in Haringey. Partnering with 5E offers their students the opportunity to easily find local jobs as well as promote their skills and experience across the MegaNexus network allowing local employers to find and match them to vacancies."

5E offers a range of employment-based learning activities. The philosophy underpinning these activities is to motivate and provide life skills to all learners progressing them into and closer toward employment and employability.

5E Managing Director, Raj Doshi, said, "We feel the Haringey MegaNexus is an excellent initiative by Haringey Council and fits in well with our support programmes as it offers our students the chance to learn and develop basic IT skills as well as assisting their activities in our job-search workshops. Many of our students have already been assisted into employment through MegaNexus and I look forward to seeing this successful partnership continue."

At the date of this publication, the Haringey MegaNexus has more than 300 local job opportunities posted on its network and has helped over 30 local people to find employment in the last three months. More than 50 others have been connected to training opportunities or support providers within Haringey. Dominic Pinkney added, "The more people who use the Haringey MegaNexus the more useful it becomes for everyone. It is free service to all users and we encourage local residents, employers and support providers to register."Top

14th March - New Islington Social Networking Project

In an effort to improve access to local services, support and employment, Islington Council are using a new online social networking system called MegaNexus. This free-to-use network will become available to Islington residents and businesses from the 21st March.

Islington Council's Deputy Head of Regeneration, Janet Drysdale, hopes the project will assist local people into employment, training and connecting people to the support that they need. Socially disadvantaged people often have what is described as a negative social network where they do not know the right people or information to overcome their challenges. This can be for many reasons such as language, environment and physical or mental disabilities.

The Islington MegaNexus hopes to overcome the barriers for socially disadvantaged people by opening up their social networks. Just one connection to someone else on the MegaNexus can create a new social network of hundreds of people who could offer support, useful information or help find a job. As well as those offering support and guidance the Islington MegaNexus will also be a tool for local employers to access local jobseekers and provide a job matching service based on skills and experience.

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14th Feburary 2005 - Haringey MegaNexus and Sure Start

Sure Start and Haringey Council are working together in a new project called MegaNexus, an online network (www.haringey.meganexus.com) that will offer Haringey residents free access to support services, training courses and in particular employment opportunities in the local and surrounding area.

This social networking tool that is based on the theory of 'six degrees of separation' (stating that everyone in the world is linked though just six social ties) connects people together to help them overcome whatever challenge or goal they are facing.

Dr Daniel Brown, MegaNexus founder, says, "It's not what you know, but who you know - MegaNexus helps us all to know the right person". This online network, which has been created through an initiative at University College London, has already proven a success in Waltham Forest and in Liverpool and hopes to do the same for the people of Haringey. This resource will be available to Haringey residents 24/7 over the internet and not only will offer useful information but will offer users the chance to contact people who can offer real help and guidance on a wide range of issues.

If you want to find out more about this project and/or be one of the first to benefit from it, please contact Daniel Cowley from MegaNexus: dominic@meganexus.com or call 0207 843 4343.'Top

8th Feburary 2005 - Haringey Social Referral Network Kicks Off

Haringey Council has commissioned a Social Referral Network in order to promote social networking in Haringey.

Four job brokerage centres will be working on this project: Positive Employment, Sure Start - Park Lane, Mencap Pathways and 5E. Over 200 jobseekers will be using the MegaNexus and one of the aims of the project will be to engage 100 local employers in using the system to promote job vacancies and work placements to the local labour market.

The Haringey MegaNexus is a free service to employers and jobseekers alike and offers employers a quick and easy way to find local people with the right skills and experience to fill vacancies. All jobseekers can create their own account to automatically search for jobs they are looking for but also to promote their skills and experience by creating an online CV.

It is hoped that through Project EMPLOY (a project promoting employment in the Upper Lea Valley) the Haringey, Waltham Forest and a new Enfield MegaNexus will be linked together at the end of the three month project.Top

4th February 2005 - MegaNexus rolls out across Waltham Forest

Following the success of the first phase of the Waltham Forest MegaNexus the MegaNexus network is now being rolled out across the whole of Waltham Forest. This is being funded partly through Waltham Forest Council and through Project EMPLOY. The rollout will ensure that more information and support is available to the residents of Waltham Forest and the MegaNexus team will be working with many more Centres within the Borough.

The Waltham Forest MegaNexus (www.waltham.meganexus.com) is available to all residents of Waltham Forest and currently has over 300 jobseekers registered on the network and over 350 local job vacancies. 21 people have been assisted into employment and many more have been connected to training courses and support providers.Top

20th January 2005 - 'Online help for jobseekers?' Waltham Forest Guardian

Job Vacancy lists, training and support for Waltham Forest residents looking for work is being provided through a free-to-use internet service. Walthan Forest MegaNexus, a free online network, is working in partnership with Leyton Community Cyber Link to give the community access to a range of job-hunting services.

The Leyton Community in Cyber Link in Capworth Street has recently given status as a MegaNexus support centre. The link also offers help with CV's, application forms and employment advice. Jane Brueseke, Project office at Cyber Link, said: "we are happy to support the MegaNexus project and many of our users are already signed up. Anyone wanting to find out more can come to our centre and use the facilities free of charge." Waltham Forest MegaNexus has more than 350 job opportunities listed on its network. In the past 8 weeks it has helped 10 people to find employment. More than 20 other people who have visited the centre have been given details of training opportunities in the borough.

More information is available by calling in at Leyton Cyber Link at 37-39 Capworth Street, or visiting the website at www.waltham.meganexus.com Top

13th January 2005 - 'Learning for life' Waltham Forest Guardian

Jobs will be listed and training advice will be available for jobseekers at the Waltham Forest Asian Centre. Waltham Forest MegaNexus, a free online network with listings of more than 350 jobs, can be accessed at the centre in Orford Road, Walthamstow. Information about how to apply for jobs, fill in application forms and write a good CV will be provided.

MegaNexus will also be working in partnership with the IT training and job advice organisation O-Regen. Both organisations were recently presented with certificates confirming their status as MegaNexus support centres.

Shabana Qadir, project Co-ordinator at the Asian Centre, said: "we have already used the network to help people find employment and training opportunities and it has had the added benefit of drawing people into the centre where they can participate in other events such as educational courses and other activities." Geoffrey Ocen, O-Regen's Director of operations and economic development said: "This resource enables our employment advisors to use modern technology to match local resdienbt to local jobs and will also help the community become aware of the many services that O-Regen offers."

Anyone who would like more information about MegaNexus should visit www.waltham.meganexus.com . To find out more about O-Regen you can visit the website site www.o-regen.co.uk or contact 020 8988 8800.Top