The Communities of Interest (CoI) Project, has facilitates the development of over 40+ on-line communities in Sunderland for the last 8 years. The COI Project is unique in local government in that it offers ongoing support within the Sunderland area. The Project also provides ongoing support covering a wide range of related subjects, which combine together to allow communities to effectively market and manage their own site on a day to day basis.

  • How to write in a web friendly way
  • How to use social media
  • Search engine marketing, what works and what doesn't
  • Online and offline marketing and networking skills
  • Easy to maintain content
  • Easy to use navigation
  • Search engine friendly design
  • Online protection issues
  • Visual styling to fit community branding
  • Creating and preparing images for the web
  • Web Accessibility Standards

On average over three and a half thousands people visit pages from one of the coi websites every week.


Active Community of Interest Sites
Pennywell Youth Project Sunderland Carers Special Olympics Sunderland
Sunderland Children's Centres Safeguarding Adults Bluewatch Youth Group
Indian Welfare Association Friend of Copt Hill Sunderland Bike Project
Breast Cancer Survival Beckwiths Wearside Small Holders
Headway Trust C.H.A.N.C.E Penshaw Community Association
Disabled Children's Network SVSYF Sunderland PPS
East Area Forum FUSHIA South Forum
Sunderland BME Mental Health in Schools EBC
Language Point Sunderland Arch ELCAP
SNYP Southwick Sunderland Women's Centre Health City
Volunteer Centre NERS TWICT
Sunderland Compact Supporting People Children's Trust
Families Info Service Sunderland Partnership Youth Offending Service
Invest in Sunderland Pennywell-Today Business-Net
Youth-Net
Plains Farm The Green Gym
Sunderland Learning Bangladeshi-Today Sunderland IAG Newsletters

http://www.specialolympicssunderland.org.uk/
Special Olympics seeks to uphold the spirit of sportsmanship and love of participation for their own sakes. Special Olympics also believes that every athlete should participate to his or her fullest potential. Special Olympics are for those with a learning challenge rather than a physical disability (paralympics).

Special Olympics believe that regular training, under the guidance of appropriately qualified coaches is essential to the development of sports skills. Competition among those of equal abilities is the most appropriate means of testing those skills, measuring progress and providing incentive for personal growth.

Special Olympics provides a year - round coaching programme for all levels of ability in 23 sports ranging from athletics and swimming to judo and tennis.

headwayhttp://www.headwaywearside.org.uk/
Headway Wearside launched in November 2009 by the Mayor of Sunderland the Sunderland Football Club’s Stadium of Light in Sunderland.

Headway Wearside aims to provide support, information, social and learning activities to individuals who have an acquired brain injury in order to promote and increase social independence, empowerment and social inclusion and in tern reduce isolation and issues in relation to depression, anxiety and reduced confidence.

Long Term Goals for the development of the group are:

  • Appoint salaried worker – Community Development Officer to raise the profile of the group and develop Frequent sessions and activities for the group
  • Provide an Advocacy Service
  • Provide support to families and carers
  • Hold annual Headway Wearside conference to raise awareness and publicise the impact of acquired brain injury in tern alter people perceptions
  • Have something specific for brain injury survivors within the region
  • Establish website providing in depth information on brain injuries and the impact on a client and family, promote services and raise awareness of support available
  • Work with other Headway Groups and Branches to increase awareness and promote the creation of social networks for the client group

svsyfThe visual design of any COI website can be as simple or as creatively complex as needed.

Almost all the site use a simple "click and go" software. No complex databases and no need to learn html. Community groups need only purchase their own simple low cost website hosting.

The project supports groups to use technologies such as e-voting and video blogs alongside traditional methods such as flips charts.View example here.

Visit this site www.svsyf.org

The COI project is kept fresh by the use of new and emerging online tools which enhance ways to engage and inform.


Video has long been used to capture and record major events to be viewed by those not able to attend on the day. View the full day here http://www.twca.org.uk


evoting
COI is not just about websites. View information on how SVSYF and Save the Children worked with us to use a range of consultation techniques, including the use of E-voting equipment. The full day can be viewed HERE >>


Breast Cancer Survival Trust use Facebook to build up a support network www.breastcancersurvivaltrust.co.uk/