Fresh writing - only one session left this season
May 29, 2008
| 15 July, 2008 | ||
| 10:30 am | to | 12:30 pm |
Wherever you write, whatever you write, our Fresh Writing sessions are designed to get your words flowing and connecting. Authentically. Great for anyone looking to deepen their ability to communicate, personally or professionally.
Find out more…
Zero Budget Blogging
May 29, 2008
| 17 July, 2008 | ||
| 5:45 pm | to | 8:45 pm |
Brighton & Hove Chamber of Commerce evening event on Thursday 17th July.
Relevant to all, with a special emphasis on very cost-effective resources for smaller businesses, non-profits and social entrepreneurs. It’s primarily all about blogging, which is a speciality of ours. (We coach people in how to blog effectively and blogging is a feature of our social media learning programmes.
- Get seen & heard
- Attract the customers and employees you are meant to have
- Create authentic, loyal relationships with your key stakeholders
- Research markets in low cost ways
- Share your insights and good news
- Be reflective
- Create creative collaboration that opens up possibilities
- Inspire positive word-of-mouth referrals
Plus - your questions answered…
Time 5.45pm Venue Hilton Metropole Hotel Brighton, Kings Road, Brighton
Cost Free to members, £15 for guests
Let’s make our minds up for the future
May 23, 2008
I love Howard Gardner, as only a pedagogy geek can. I love the way his mind works, about how he helps me see others for who they are. His theory of multiple intelligences has been helping personalised learning develop for decades.
Howard’s work first came to me attention when studying early learning in Italy - in the Reggio context. The fact that he has maintained a deep, ongoing dialogue with the Reggio teachers makes my faith in his wisdom as solid as gold.
Today, I was delighted to hear of a lecture series he gave at our new “guild” - the RSA in London last April. Thanks to Teachers TV, Howard’s examination of “the mental capacities needed for the future in a globalised world” is available to all.
The kinds of minds he suggests should be cultivated are three cognitive ones: the disciplined mind, the synthesizing mind and the creating mind, and two that deal with the human sphere: the respectful mind and the ethical mind.
Gardener discusses how these can be best nurtured, and points out some of the inevitable tensions created between them.
After the lecture a group of teachers discuss how these ideas are used in practice in the classroom today.
Advertising, Networks & Nodes
May 20, 2008
Cynical Yew Norker is our Hugh, but usually right on topic. Here’s another. But what does it mean to you Gra?
Opportunities & Risks for Third Sector & Online Communities
May 20, 2008
A thoughtful piece of research from Megan Griffith, David Wilcox and many other fine folk at NCVO.
While it concentrates on community and volunteer organisations, the implications are there for others in the Third Sector, including charities and social enterprises.
We were impressed by the clarity of their executive summary - looking at the risks and opportunities presented by the rapid growth and expectations of online communities - along with other web 2.0 behaviours (eg. the expectation of participation and dialogue).
To download or purchase a printed copy of the executive summary (2 pages) and full report, click here.
Their suggestion is these trends apply to younger stakeholders, but it is also interesting to note the increase in social media uptake by the 50+ group.
“Boomers, silver surfers, 50+, third agers, the mature market - whatever you call them, they’re a group that can’t be ignored. They have good incomes, great social networks and they’re getting online like never before.” New Media Knowledge
They also have more time on their hands and are closer to the age when bequests and other forms of giving and participation become more poignant.
Coming soon… latest analytics on who is actually online, what they are doing and how the trend forecasters are suggesting we look ahead. Important stuff to share and consider.
The Hedonistic Company
May 20, 2008
I keep banging on about designers Zentrale Intelligenz Agentur and the presentation they gave at LIFT08.
Their “Seven Rules of Working Together” keep coming to mind when we talk about ways forward for the co-working movement here at The Werks and all around.
7 NOs:
* no office
* no employees
* no fixed costs
* no pitches
* no exclusivity
* no working hours
* no bullshit
Their presentation is well worth watching - very dry and fruity, like a crisp, clean Trochen. Their website is in German, but being designers, it still works without direct translation. Perhaps even better…
All about Social Media Integration
May 15, 2008
Avatar-a-rama - it’s a family affair
May 14, 2008
Many thank’s to our Bea (7). Might end up using this as an avatar all over the social media world. Here’s an even better one she did of Mum/Jen/Nanny.
Here’s Gra, my partner and co-conspirator (aka Super Dad). Fortunately the nose survived the explosion.
Bea’s working on the logo for the new website/name/branding thingy now. She get’s really annoyed when she has to stop drawing and go to school. All shall be revealed…
Third Sector - Is The Internet Friend or Foe?
May 14, 2008
Despite what some might think, even Africa is getting online.
(Click the image to access individual site links.)
Nick Aldridge, CEO of MissionFish helps charities raise money on eBay. He also writes inspiring, informative pieces about the potential and pitfalls of social media and web 2.0.
On the Social Enterprise Magazine website, Nick talks about why social enterprises (and by extension you could add other Third Sector organisations - charities, non-profits, community organisations and other social/eco innovators) should be thinking hard about how to handle the new paradigm emerging.
Authenticity, yet again, is seen as a priority. Something we need to explore more in practical ways. In essence, think “do what you are”, “be who you are”. A congruent, human, appropriate identity emerges.
“The fundamental idea is that the Internet is now a huge forum where people can interact with each other and generate their own content. A bundle of technologies, such as blogs, feeds and widgets (check Wikipedia!) have grown up to catalyse and spread user generated content.
“The result is that customers or donors are no longer passive recipients of marketing messages, which many now actively and vociferously challenge…
“This undoubtedly makes things more complicated for social enterprises, but also more exciting. A real-life supporter or client talking authentically about your work to a large network of friends is worth a dozen beautifully crafted press releases.”
Thanks for your perspective Nick. Thanks to all at Social Enterprise Magazine for putting together a great publication and website.
As an aside… Would be good to see some appropriate social media / interactivity come into Social Enterprise Magazine. I know this is going on in other places (eg. UnLtd World and Ammado), but there is still a chance here to engage on your specific content, even just to the degree that the Guardian, Times and client-specific publications like the RSA Journal are doing… but different. Perhaps focussing interaction between readers not between readers and editors.
Continues on the Social Enterprise Magazine website here…
Other items you might find useful:
Social Media for the Third Sector - at Shine Unconference 08
Social Media for the Third Sector
May 12, 2008
Gra Sutherland and I ran a session at the Shine Unconference for social entrepreneurs yesterday in London. What was billed as Authenticity in the Online World became Social Media/Web 2.0 for the Third Sector on Day Three, as the event unfolded and our awareness of what might be most useful came into focus.
Given it was one of the last sessions on a sunny Sunday afternoon, after nearly three days of the great shiny “happening”, we were delighted by the number, passion and knowledge of the people in the room.
Many were there to start scratching the surface of this new paradigm, this new way of making things happen in the world, others had already begun to engage more deeply and several were card carrying members of the converted and critically aware. Perhaps half were actively making part or most of their income directly through engagement with the social media space, which might explain the vested heat in the room. All were passionately involved in the debate that unfolded, whether they were talking or listening.
Questions People Asked
Initial questions asked included:
Why bother? Is it worth the 3rd sector getting into social media (back question here is about what is relevant to 3rd sector)
What is the current diversity of the internet? Who’s online.
Data on growth of social media for various groups, 3rd world, stakeholders of 3rd sector
What about reputation issues. How can we put stuff out there without losing our rights, our control of our message?
How do we build trust in each other online?
What are the sensible things to do in social media? How to start, put a toe in the water etc?
Why is there so much pressure to get onto facebook etc?
What will be left when the social media hype is over?
How can you make introductions safely online. How to replace the 20 min face to face ‘intuitive trust’?
Essence & Consensus
The key points we wanted to get across follow. Consensus was not sought, but to a large extent was experienced.
1. Web 2.0 / social media is a new paradigm emerging, not another internet fad or buzz word. It is changing the way we do things - potentially for the better. The pace of change is speeding up. New ways of collaborating, new economic models, new ways of building engagement and participation (think: fundraising, recruitment, contracts), new ways of communicating.
2. There are challenges and opportunities. It’s not utopia (yet). There are significant gains to be made, with wisdom and caution. Some often overlooked opportunities are for individual and group learning, collaboration and innovation. But it can be as simple as building dialogue tools into your website and partcipating in key online conversations that matter to you.
3. There is essential learning and initial or further exploration to be done by third sector people - leaders, communications/ fundraising people, HR and others. Case studies and other elements in a body of knowledge are already emerging to help in this (see UK Catalyst Awards for example). Professionals from a range of backgrounds are emerging to help.
4. The tools will keep changing but the key conceptual space is already starting to become clear (see We Think and CommonCraft for simple animated examples). Learning needs to focus on concepts first, tools second. This knowledge can be learnt and experienced without undue risk or brain drain, but a commitment is required to build capacity and embed the knowledge in specific contexts. There are no magic bullets or one size fits all.
5. Authenticity has never been more important.
6. Experimenting with tools like blogging, forums, flickr, facebook, YouTube, MySpace twitter, discussion lists etc is essential. You need to get your hands in there having real life experiences to get a feel for things. That doesn’t mean you have to be on facebook nor reveal all, anywhere at anytime.
7. We can now more easily be thinking and connecting with words, images, music, videos, photos, animation. It’s good to explore when and how to use a range of media to communicate. Different tools are more or less supportive of different media.
8. It can all be very confusing and time consuming! Even for seasoned specialists.
9. Small steps might be all it takes. One step at a time. As long as the path is clear.
10. Social media should work in support of, not as a substitute for, face-to-face, “real world” interaction.
We are well aware real consensus cannot be achieved in such a short time, nor was this an intended outcome of the session. To ensure your views at this point become clearer to yourself and others, participate in the ongoing debate.
Who Was There
Some of the people and organisations represented in the discussion included the very knowledgeable Dave Dawes (Foundation of Nursing Leadership), David Wilcox (Social Reporter. Much involved with building up social media around the Shine event and very active in this space. Do check out his blog and coverage of the event), Angela Walker (Neru - Brand & Marketing), Parag Shah (Art Switch), Alison Coward (social entrepreneur), David Floyd (Social Spider), Chris Prior (Franklin Waugh), Eszter Kun (social entrepreneur), Ben Matthews (Bright One Communications),
In the true spirit of the unconference and web 2.0, we collaborated with whoever turned up, rather than delivering a one-way, “we have the knowledge, sit there and eat it” presentation. Which of course can be very useful and inspiring to receive. But not empowering, nor making the most of the opportunity rare “face time” offers for deeper human interaction.
Social Media for the Third Sector Video
We see our job as offering time and cost effective training and ongoing support to help the Third Sector find out what is really worth knowing and doing within their own context.
To find out more about the approach we are offering in our next learning programme in Social Media for the Third Sector, view this short interview David Wilcox invited me to do.
At the end?
We were all intent on making sure the Third Sector (social enterprise, charities, non-profits) are not left behind in gaining this knowledge, if it can be used in meaningful ways that lead to genuine social impacts. No-one’s in it just to get “friends” in facebook or waste their time, to be sure.
How will we create these impacts? Well, we might need to dip a toe or two in the water. Maybe even plunge in at some point.
Let’s continue the conversation…
…in our social network to explore these ideas further… If your questions need expanding or clarifying, if you want answers or to help others find them, get in there. All with an interest are welcome. There are already many posts and discussions in the Ning that start to cover some of the question above.
Never joined one before? No time like now to experiment… You can watch for a while, explore when you are ready.
Recent Comments