Employment
I get up in the morning,
Slaving for bread, sir
So that every mouth can be fed.
Desmond Dekker - Israelites-
Ethical New Media Director
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Date: 2007 - Right now
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Employer: Dharmafly
Dharmafly is a new startup - providing web media solutions for organisations and individuals striving to make a positive change in the world. -
Summary: Watch this space :o)
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Location: UK
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Web Designer for Schools Social Network
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Date: 2006-7
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Employer: Gemin-i
Gemin-i is an educational charity that seeks to break down cultural divisions and barriers to learning, through the application of IT. -
Summary: On a three-month contract with the charity, I helped the team set up a social network for secondary schools across the globe, called Rafi.ki.
Students and teachers access the Rafi.ki community through a Flash environment, from within their standard browser. They collaborate on school projects through video conferencing, instant messaging and email.
My main role was to design and implement the architecture of the community site and the user interface. Most pages on the site are private to schools, however the top-level pages of each section may be explored: the Rafi.ki Community.
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Location: London, UK
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Duties:
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Architecture
I expanded the site overview that had already been prepared, and mapped out the architecture for each section of the community.
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Design
A simple, clean design was required. It needed to run on minimal internet bandwidth, work within the constraints of the platform software, appeal to a teenage audience, with little maintenance beyond adding new content.
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Construction
I constructed Rafi.ki's pages, implementing the architecture and design, and brought the community to a launch-ready state.
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Documentation
A Help section provides tutorials and videos for community members, as well as guidance for the volunteers who maintain the site.
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Management
I managed a small number of freelancers and volunteers who contributed text, illustration and video.
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Software Development
I worked with the software developers to assist with bug-fixing and new feature development.
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Web Design & Marketing Tutor
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Date: 2005 & 2006
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Employer: School of Sound Recording
The School of Sound Recording provides training courses for musicians, sound engineers, producers and DJs. -
Summary: I taught classes weekly during my studies at SSR, plus two intensive courses in the following year.
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Location: Manchester, UK
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Duties:
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Teaching
I gave a series of classes to teach students how to promote their music online. This included setting up blogs, submitting music to community websites and networking on the Web.
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Creating Tutorials & Materials
I set up a reference wiki for students to access relevant information and add their discoveries for the benefit of others.
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Assessing Students
I created an assessment project, in which the students could demonstrate their new skills and gain credits for their media courses.
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Web Developer
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Date: 2004-6
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Employer: Microvita Media
Microvita Media is a small web development group, designing websites for individuals, projects and organisations. -
Summary: I created several websites with Microvita Media, working with illustrators, writers and other developers. See my web portfolio for more on that one :)
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Location: Manchester & London, UK
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Duties:
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Web Development
Site design, MySQL database architecture, PHP backend scripting, JavaScript and AJAX wizardry, XHTML and CSS.
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Client Liaison
From initial contact, through detailed site specifications, delivery and on-going communication.
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Site Management
Someone has to keep the boat afloat!
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Old & New Media Marketing
Devising wily marketing and advertising strategies.
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Community Cultural Centre Manager
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Date: 1999 - 2004
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Employer: Ananda Marga
Ananda Marga is a charity, with grassroots projects around the world. They coordinate social service work (such as disaster relief and community development), cultural programmes in music & the arts and education from early childhood to university level. The organisation promotes ecological awareness, physical & mental health and the teaching of meditation and yoga. -
Summary: With assistance from charity volunteers, I established and managed a community cultural centre in Manchester, which continues to hold classes and events to this day.
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Location: Manchester, UK
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Duties:
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Web & Graphic Design
Creating leaflets, brochures, posters and websites for concerts, classes, seminars and such.
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Music & Arts Events Management
I coordinated many successful multi-cultural concerts, which brought together musicians, poets, dancers and other artists from the local community.
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Marketing
I constructed a CRM system to manage contacts, along with snail- and e-mail marketing of the centre's activities.
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Fundraising
Obtaining funds from grants bodies and local companies for our community activities, as well as organising collections for disaster relief work in other countries.
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Teaching
I taught yoga postures and meditation at our centre, the University of Manchester and several other local venues.
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Earlier Work
Yeah, I've done some other stuff... but you don't want to know about that :o)