About the Network
The One Community Network brings together people who have a shared interest in being part of the lifelong Newcastle University community.
What is the One Community Network?
We aim to capture and mobilise our rich diversity of skills, experience, perspectives, contacts, enthusiasm and intellectual capital. This is through collaborative projects, participation, and mutual support. One Community Network members will explore ways of harnessing the power of their collective intellectual capital. They will utilise life experiences and shared support of the University for positive impact. This is both within the University community and more widely.
Who can join the One Community Network?
- current students at Newcastle University
- current staff members of Newcastle University
- alumni of Newcastle University, living in the North East
- retired staff members of Newcastle University
How can I join the One Community Network?
To join, you need to set up an account on the VOICE platform. Instructions for setting up your VOICE account are below:
Joining the One Community Network Group via VOICE
Step 1:
Create an account on the VOICE platform
You will need an email address*, and you will need to set a password. You will also need to give some basic information about yourself. When you submit your request to join VOICE, this will be approved by the VOICE Administrator, and your account is then live.
*Newcastle University current staff and students should use their University email address. Retired staff who still have a University (‘@newcastle.ac.uk’) email address should use this if possible, but if not, please supply an alternative email.
You can then log into the VOICE platform using your email address and password. (Please note: if you are already a member of the Newcastle University Retired Staff Association (NURSA), it is possible that you already have a VOICE account. You do not need to create another one if that’s the case!)
How to join VOICE:
- Visit Voice Global. Click 'Get Started' in the top right hand corner
- Select ‘Voice Member’ from the drop-down menu and click ‘Next’
- Fill in your details on the following page and click ‘Agree and Continue’ to confirm your account
Once you’ve submitted your details VOICE will contact you via email to verify your VOICE account. They will send you an email (to the address you registered with) containing a verification link. Click on the link to complete the verification process.
Step 2:
Once your membership of VOICE has been approved (you will receive an email to tell you it’s approved), log into the VOICE platform, select ‘browse’ and then select ‘groups’.
Once you’re within the ‘groups’ page, select ‘private’ and scroll through until you find ‘One Community Network’. Then click ‘view group’.
Step 3:
Once you are inside the group, click ‘join group’.
Step 4:
You will then be asked to answer a series of questions. Please respond to all the questions and submit your responses. Your request to join the group will then be verified by the group admin and (provided you are eligible) you will be granted access to the One Community Network Group.
What information is required to join the One Community Network Group?
Membership is open to the following groups:
- retired Newcastle University staff
- urrent Newcastle University staff
- Newcastle University students
- Newcastle University alumni who live in the North East
When requesting to join the group, prospective members will be asked a series of questions:
- Which category of participant are you? (current/retired staff, student, or NE Alumni).
- What are your main reasons for wanting to join the One Community Network?
- Please provide some additional information to help us verify your eligibility to join the group. This can include your job title, academic discipline or professional services area, year of graduation, year of retirement from the University, alumni ID (if known).
All prospective members are requested to answer all three questions. The group administrators will then review your responses and verify your details before granting you access to the group.
For question one, simply select which group(s) you belong to, as appropriate. More than one category may apply, in which case, please indicate all of these.
In question 2 we also ask all prospective members to tell us in brief why they are interested in joining the One Community Network.
To help the group administrators to verify your eligibility, please provide as much information as possible within question 3. This includes the following:
- Staff – job title, academic discipline, or professional services area. Please also use your University email address when creating your VOICE account.
- Students – degree programme and year of entry. Please also use your University email address when creating your VOICE account.
- Alumni – degree programme, year of graduation and Alumni ID* (if known).
- Retired staff – former job title, academic discipline or professional services area, and Alumni ID* (if known). If you still have a University (@ncl.ac.uk) email address, please use this when creating your VOICE account.
*Alumni ID can be found at the top of any emails from NU Advancement (Newcastle University Alumni Office). You can also contact advancement@newcastle.ac.uk and a member of the team can provide this for you.
Why am I required to share all my information before being accepted into the One Community Network Group?
We want to ensure the One Community Network is a safe and secure space for all members to use and enjoy. This is based on a genuine connection with Newcastle University. It is important that all members fall into one or more of the categories and have an interest in promoting a spirit and ethos of ‘One Community’. As the Network includes current students, we also need to be compliant with relevant data security and safeguarding procedures.
We are also keen to understand what members are interested in to support the planning of future activities and events.
How do I use the One Community Network Group?
You will need to log into the VOICE platform each time you wish to access the One Community Network group.
Once you’re a member of the group, you will be able to access all resources, news and updates relating to the One Community Network. This will include:
- information about upcoming events,
- a newsletter
- opportunities to participate in sporting or social activities, consultations, projects, and special interest groups
- volunteering opportunities
We really need your ideas and opinions to help the ongoing development of the Network.
Within this space, the Network Administrators will keep members updated about any upcoming One Community events, activities, and initiatives.
The group is also a space for you, as a member. You can share any opportunities and news, contribute comments or ideas and submit questions or ideas. We encourage all members to utilise this resource and to increase cross-strand collaboration.
How can I engage in One Community activity?
We do hope that all members of the One Community Network will wish to contribute to increasing opportunities to engage with one another.
You will hear about One Community related events, opportunities, and initiatives via the group. The extent of your involvement is entirely up to you. There is no expectation that members must engage with everything (or anything!) that is circulated via the group. Please feel free to engage in as much or as little as you wish.
For those looking to take a more active role in the Network, a steering group of advocates will be responsible for growing, shaping, and developing the Network. Further information about this opportunity will be posted in late October under the ‘opportunities’ section of the group page.
Why do I need to log into VOICE each time I want to look at the One Community Network site?
The VOICE platform is a secure site which hosts the Network. It is the mechanism through which all communications will be issued. It will also contain information about activities and opportunities relating to the Network. It enables you, as a member, to contact the Network administrators and share information with other members.
To make the log-in process a little simpler, it is possible to save your password for automatic use. If using a laptop, mobile phone or similar device, your web browser should give you the option to remember your log in details upon logging into the platform. Ensure you select yes and your log-in details will automatically appear the next time you access the VOICE log-in page.
How often should I log into the One Community Network site?
To ensure you stay up to date with the latest news, updates, and upcoming events, we’d recommend checking the One Community Network site at least once a week. You will receive an automatic update about all VOICE opportunities every Friday (unless you opt out of this). From this you will be able to access the One Community Network group. You will also receive email messages direct to your inbox if we have news, information, or new opportunities to share.
The One Community Network site is also a resource for you – the members! Please utilise this space as a way for you to communicate any information to other members or administrators.
What things could I post to the One Community site as a member?
We encourage all members of the One Community Network to post any news, questions, and opportunities that they’d like to share with other members. This could include (but is not limited to):
- upcoming events that are open to One Community members
- feedback, surveys, polls to gain feedback from One Community members
- opportunities for One Community members to join voluntary roles, focus groups, collaborative projects.
- University news – relevant to all One Community members
About VOICE
VOICE (Valuing Our Intellectual Capital and Experience) is a global network. Founded in 2007 by Professor Lynne Corner and Emeritus Professor Jim Edwardson. This was part of a UK Government Office for Science report on Valuing Mental Capital through the life-course. It now has about 1800 members across the world.
The VOICE organisation seeks to capture and mobilise the immense wisdom, intellectual capital and experience of older people (members of the public and professionals). This is primarily to inform and help shape health research and the design of new products. VOICE members are from all generations and backgrounds, many of them representing older members of the population. They, have the opportunity to be involved in:
- cutting edge research projects
- trials or focus groups
- new research ideas
- supporting the development and design of new products to promote healthy ageing
VOICE members are eligible to apply to take part in opportunities, subject to relevant participation criteria for the project concerned. View current VOICE opportunities.
VOICE also supports a wide range of groups on a variety of topics. Some of these are open groups. Others, like the One Community Network and NURSA, are gated groups, open only to members of the relevant network.
Why does the One Community Network use the VOICE platform?
The VOICE platform provides a secure way for staff, students, retired staff, and local alumni to interact with one another and communicate in an effective way. It provides a reliable tried and trusted platform for the operation of a Network. It enables documents and resources to be stored in one place that is easily accessible to members.
It also provides a mechanism for two-way communication, rather than an outward-only mailing list.
How do I join VOICE?
Visit Voice and click get started in the top right hand corner.
To log into VOICE click log in in the top right-hand corner. Enter your log in details (email address and password) to gain access to your personal dashboard.
Will I receive any other information from VOICE?
VOICE will send you a weekly email, containing links to all the current opportunities within the platform that members can get involved with. Please be aware that these are opportunities across the VOICE platform and not just those relating to the One Community Network. As a VOICE member, you are welcome to apply to be involved in these if you wish.
Even if you are not interested in the wider VOICE opportunities, the weekly email can be a useful reminder to check what’s new in the One Community Network.
If you would prefer not to receive this weekly email, log into your VOICE account. Click your name in the top right-hand corner and select settings from the drop down list of options.
Once in settings, scroll to the bottom of the page to the subheading notifications. Unclick the weekly newsletter button.