Passionate Blog

Social media apprentices for hire!

 By Terri-Anne Whitehouse
Picture shows Andy, Anthony, Joe, Mel, Lauren, Ian from SSC Learning, and  trainer Carol (standing) from Passionate Media, Terri-Anne, Bethan, Abi and Sammy-Jo. 

Midlands businesses interested in finding out more about taking on a social media apprentice are invited to an employers' event in Birmingham on Friday.

Trainers SSC Learning are set to explain more about their innovative social media scheme to would be employers at the Birmingham Small Business Centre, Newhall Street, where presentations are being held at 8.30am, 10.30am and 12.30pm on Friday October 14.

You’re hired! School leavers pioneer social media management apprenticeship

 
Picture shows Andy, Anthony, Joe, Mel, Lauren, Ian from SSC Learning, and  trainer Carol (standing) from Passionate Media, Terri-Anne, Bethan, Abi and Sammy-Jo. 

Ten young people from around the West Midlands are blazing a trail as social media marketing apprentices.

And this Tuesday (September 20) there's a chance for businesses interested in finding out more about how an apprentice could boost their company,  to come and meet them.

The school leavers are the first to sign up for a brand new management course where blogging for business, Facebook and Twitter are key elements.

Time-saving training for busy journalists

By Carol Garrington

AN acclaimed journalist and agency director is offering telephone training to help time-strapped freelance writers maximise their income.

Linda Jones, author of The Greatest Freelance Writing Tips in the World, and whose blogs include www.freelancewritingtips.com, has been training journalists for a number of years, winning fans through her honest, no-nonsense approach to writing and running a business.

Workshops run through Linda’s company, Passionate Media, offer realistic advice on everything from pitching editors, to ensuring you get paid and how to boost a specialism.

Now writers can share this wisdom without leaving their office, thanks to newly-introduced telephone training.

Authors for Japan auction tops £13,000

By Linda Jones

THE total raised in the Authors for Japan auction launched by Keris Stainton topped £13,000 (including Gift Aid.)

Out of that, I'm delighted to say that donations sent for training sessions or mentoring I was offering, added to money I pledged for two lots came to around £650.

Thank you to the kind people who paid money to the Red Cross for some of my services. I snapped up coffee and cake with literary agent turned author Alison Bond and all four Skate School books signed by Kay Woodward.

What a fantastic achievement by Keris. It was an honour to be part of it.  

Kick start your freelance writing career workshop, July 2, Birmingham

WE are now taking bookings for the following workshop. Places are limited to ensure individual feedback and value for money.

Kick start your freelance writing career workshop Saturday, July 2, 2011

Friends House, Bull Street, Birmingham B4 6AF

Cost: £154.80 inc VAT

There are five early bird places available at £118.80 inc VAT.* 

The working mums' guide to making the most of social media

By Carol Garrington

ACCORDING to a recent article on Mumsclub, our director Linda has a reputation for being something of a guru when it comes to social media.

I know she won't be happy about that as she insists at our workshops there's no such thing.

But it's an excellent article by Heidi Scrimgeour which also includes advice from other mums in business.

Freelance mentoring, workshops and book proposal critique in Authors for Japan auction

By Linda Jones

 AUTHOR and freelance journalist Keris Stainton has pulled off an amazing feat.

Keris has, within 48 hours, brought together some of the UK's best known popular fiction talent, as well as some overseas writers, in an auction to raise funds for the Red Cross Japan Tsunami Appeal.

Authors taking part include:

• Jenny Colgan
• Dorothy Koomson
• Andrew Crofts
• Jill Mansell
• Adele Parks
• Sam Baker
• Caroline Smailes

New media training link up with Chase Chamber

By Carol Garrington

Great news for our training programme as we've been asked to provide the first social media training provided by the Chase Chamber, in November and December.

The training for all Chase Chamber members will take them through all of the aspects of new media with practical, straight-talking help on things like using blogging, Facebook, Twitter and podcasting in business.

The all day workshops are on Thursday November 25 and Thursday December 9 at Point East, the chamber's offices in Heath Hayes. Chase Chamber is now part of the Birmingham Chamber Group.

Passionate Media directors Carol Garrington and Linda Jones will also give an introduction to social media at an extended Chase Chamber breakfast networking meeting at the Ramada Hotel in Cannock on Friday November 5.

'Blogladesh' highlights how social media can make a difference

HAVE you seen the wonderful work of Save the Children who recently took three UK mum bloggers to Bangladesh to report on why so many youngsters are needlessly suffering?

Every one of us can help play a part in saving children's lives.

Through blogs, facebook, Twitter, social bookmarking and photo sharing sites, not to mention YouTube, we're better equipped than ever before to help get the word out. The days when those messages only jostled for space in a packed news schedule are thankfully long behind us.

Bloggers Sian, Eva and Josie are now backing calls to supporters to Press for Change by leaving their thumbprint on a global petition calling on leaders to help end world poverty.

We're backing the petition and these remarkable mums all the way, especially as our director Linda used to work as a voluntary Save the Children media adviser.

An introduction to freelance journalism workshops, London and Midlands

SINCE running workshops for writers in how to diversify and survive and receiving such brilliant feedback from those attending, we've also been asked to consider running training sessions for aspiring freelancers.

In response to these queries, we've booked four training dates for 2010.

These are:

Saturday March 13, 9.30am-4.30pm

Friends House, Euston Road, London NW1 2BJ 

Saturday March 27, 9.30am-4.30pm

Passionate Media, 2 New Street, Cannock, Staffs WS11 0DD

The itinerary will include practical exercises to highlight the skills, aptitude and realism needed to have any chance of making it in this most highly competitive of fields.