For our fifth guest blog post, we hear from Howard Lake with his take on NFPtweetup events, what to expect and what you might get out of coming along or taking part:
Who do you go to when your PC or printer stops working? If you’re lucky, it’s the tech person in your office, whether that’s their job title or they just seem to know lots more about tech than you do. If not, it’s your tech friend or neighbour. We all have useful contacts whom we turn to when our computers and related kit stop working.
But it’s always a person. Of course we can search online for advice, but nothing is more reassuring as you stare at an alarmingly blank screen or search for that document that was in that folder than a calm, friendly tech person who has sorted out this kind of problem many times before.
The same is true of the headlong rush that is social media and all that it seems to offer to charities and voluntary organisations.
Which is why I’ve attended almost all the NFPtweetups that have taken place, and will be at the seventh one this week.
Don’t be put off by the jargon: NFP = not for profit, and tweetup = a meeting of people arranged via Twitter. Once you are through the doors of these increasingly popular (and free) events, you’ll find a room full of people from all kinds of charities who are keen to learn from each other. And, given the frenzy of activity around social media, there is always something to learn.
NFPtweetup events are always slightly different, which keeps them engaging.
Previous events have included collaborative slideshows of ideas, thoughts and lessons learned (where each slide is sent in by a different contributor), breakout groups and workshops to discuss specific areas of work, objectives or challenges many charities share, and there are always a selection of short presentations – usually case studies – from charities about their use of social media, sharing what has, and hasn’t worked for them.
But, above all, it is an opportunity to chat with people facing the same issues as you, and a chance to ask the ‘silly’ questions‚ that you think would mark you out as far too behind the times with social media.
It’s a genuinely supportive event, and I leave every one with a list of new ideas and solutions to try out. I also always meet interesting people, some old friends and some new contacts. Even better, we stay in touch after the event via Twitter. So, I end up boosting my list of helpful people whom I can ask next time I get stuck.
Howard Lake
UK Fundraising
@howardlake
