But surveys can be a bit flimsy (especially for charities who pride themselves on hard, reliable data) and they do cost money, which we all know is beyond scarce at the moment. So is there another way to get that hook without getting into sample size and question structure discussions? Well, Freedom of Information (FOI) requests might be one answer that we’ll have a look at now. They’re usually free (sometimes photocopy costs are charged) and the information should be reliable as it’s from a public body.

I should say that I have never put in an FOI request, not for work nor pleasure, but a friend mentioned that their charity uses them and it struck me as potentially a great idea.

FOI requests are possible because of the Freedom of Information Act which gave the public the right to “ask any public body for all the information they have on any subject”. Unless there’s a good reason, the organisation must provide the information within 20 working days.

For PR people that do use them the process is simple:

• you know a government department or public office has some information (it usually works best if you know what the information is but it’s just not been made public);
• you put in an FOI request;
• the public body releases the information;
• you publicise this new info and respond to it with whatever you want to promote off the back of it.

You can ask for information from a wide range of public bodies including:

• government departments;
• local assemblies;
• local authorities;
• hospitals and doctors’ surgeries;
• schools, colleges and universities;
• publicly funded museums;
• the police;
• non-departmental public bodies;

To actually make the request, write or email the public body, making sure you include your name, an address where you can be contacted, and a description of the information that you want.

As I said, I’ve never made an FOI request but would love to hear anyone’s experience in doing so? Also I’m not sure it’s something I’ll do but do any readers feel differently? I’m just really interested in the possibilities so would love to hear any and all opinions of it as a PR method or experience of doing it.

How we receive news is ever-changing, and these days it’s faster than ever and we’ve got access to more outlets than we’ve ever had. The reason for this is of course new technology and the fact that news can be posted in an instant, by anyone, on social media. The latest example is the news of Whitney Houston’s death which was reported on Twitter only minutes after she was declared dead with 2½ million tweets being tweeted within the first two hours.

New technology is changing the way we can record what’s happening around us and many spoke of 2011 as being the year of the camera phone with the Arab Spring being broadcasted to the world straight from the streets, and fashion designer John Galliano having his career ending because of a racist rant caught on a dinner guest’s phone.

As it’s Social Media Week at the moment there are events taking place all over London (check #smw12 and #smwldn for latest updates and events). I attended one organised by The Good Agency and MyNewsdesk where participants discussed journalism, social media, eyewitness news and professionalism. The panel was chaired by The Good Agency’s Head of Digital Charlotte Beckett.

Speakers:

• Jason Mills  –  Web and Techology Editor, ITN/ITV
• Lauren Wyper  –  Communications Strategist, The Good Agency
• Fergus Bell  –  Digital Newsgatherer and Senior Producer, Associated Press
• Adam Baker  –  Founder, Blottr
• Stephen Sidlo  –  Head Publisher, Demotix

All panellists agreed that social media has created change for news reporting, but Fergus argued that media always changes so this isn’t anything new. Jason agreed and stated that a good journalist is still doing the same thing. However, Adam argued that social media has transformed news more than perhaps TV did as it is now different for the public – people can contribute rather than just consume. The challenge for journalists as well as the public is to cut through the information overload, irrelevant reporting and actual lies. Blottr’s Adam suggested that if something is trending on Twitter it is probably true but others on the panel and most people in the audience seemed to disagree.

We live in a fast-paced society and we have learned to expect to know about events as they happen. Journalists have to, with reduced resources, keep producing news, fast. Nick Davies uses the term ‘churnalism’ to describe the result of journalists having to churn out news but whatever you may call it there is this constant worry that something has got to give in this quest for quick news. Can we still trust that thoroughly checks are being made? The recent phone-hacking scandal has done a lot of damage to journalists’ credibility and many more of us have probably started question what the consequences of ‘a good story’ are. We might sometimes doubt the accuracy of citizen journalism but it is traditional (professional?) journalists that are going through this media ethics inquiry.

Today’s diversity of media can create a challenge when charities are trying to reach out to their publics as it’s easy to get lost in the maze of different types of sources. But it can obviously also be seen as an opportunity – as long as you take the time to find the most suitable outlet for your cause/campaign. Tips from the panel on how charities can make it into the news included the importance of making sure you’ve actually got a story and understanding how readers/viewers might relate to it. There was emphasis on exclusivity with Jason arguing that today when everyone’s got a voice, exclusivity offers something different. The panel also suggested that communications professionals shouldn’t be relying too much on social media as 140 characters isn’t always enough – make sure you pick up the phone and talk to someone in person about your story. But in some cases using social media may be enough and it might be worth asking whether your story actually needs to be on the news or whether it might do as well going viral across social networking platforms.

What is social media’s role within professional journalism? Where do you normally pick up news stories – TV or your Twitterfeed? Are we more interested in eyewitness news and citizen journalism rather than traditional media these days? How do you get heard above the noise? 

We’ve seen a jump in new users to Bright Works, Bright One’s microvolunteering platform. With the increased interest, we asked one of the new volunteers about her thoughts on microvolunteering.

Hannah is a postgraduate student of social work, and was looking to develop her skills while studying. She claimed a Bright Works task from THOMAS, a registered charity that provides drug and alcohol recovery, rehabilitation, residential and support service. She is passionate about the value of volunteering but her timetable means that she cannot always commit to regular patterns of work.

Microvolunteering, in my case online research for a drug and alcohol charity, can be done at any hour of the day, and as the charity’s work is relevant to my degree discipline, I learned a lot about the different services available throughout the UK.

Distance volunteering also means that there is no waiting for CRB checks to be completed etc so work can begin right away. I would recommend microvolunteering to anyone looking to develop new skills and also those with skills that can be used for the benefit of others.

Hannah is just finishing up with THOMAS now, and hopes to take up another task in the near future. Which is lucky for us, as new projects are cropping up:

School Home Support are the only national organisation to specialise in school home support work and parental engagement. They are looking for help with press releases and social media engagement. Do you have the expertise to help them?

The Succeed Foundation‘s mission is to support innovative research and develop and fund new projects and programmes that promote wellbeing and good health as well as tackling the root of eating disorders and negative body image. They are looking for design help, to create a poster advertising a free lecture by a renowned body image expert. Are you able to share your skills?

If you have an experience to share as a microvolunteer, or have any questions about Bright Works, drop us a line at support@brightworks.me

At the moment, there aren’t nearly enough younger people going into charity trusteeship in this country. I’m going to try to convince you that it is something that you should consider.

Firstly, anyone can be a Trustee. You don’t ever have to have worked for a charity in any capacity, in fact in some ways you might be even more in demand if you haven’t because it is likely that you will bring a different set of skills for the role. Trustees are needed who have skills in such areas as finance, fundraising, PR, law and much more.

Secondly, you will be making a real difference. Trustees help to make sure that charities fulfil their charitable objectives- ie. what they were founded for. They keep charities fresh and full of new ideas and help them to reach out to the people who most need them.

Thirdly, it will teach you so much. Via my own experiences as a Trustee I have been involved with things as diverse as poring over architectural plans, representing the charity at the live screening of Children in Need and helping to set the pay levels of senior staff. You will have the opportunity to understand an organisation from top to bottom. Being a Trustee will be a great addition to your CV and will show employers that you are prepared to show real commitment to a cause that you believe in.

It shouldn’t be too hard to find a cause you do care about as there are thousands upon thousands of charities covering every area of interest imaginable. The chance of you finding something that you are attracted to is high and even if you have to travel a little the charity should be able to help you with expenses. It’s worth bearing in mind that some charities are very small and don’t have the time or resources to be very proactive in their recruitment. If there is a charity that you would like to be a Trustee for, just ask them. If they don’t have any positions they will at least have you in mind for the future.

Have a look around on the web and please think about applying to be a Trustee. Good Luck!

This guest post was written by Alex Swallow, founder of Young Charity Trustees. You can connect with them on Twitter @YoungTrustees or via their LinkedIn group where they post news, discussions and interesting trustee opportunities. If you think trusteeship could be something for you and would like to give it a try, we’ve got some roles going here at Bright One.

It has been a busy two weeks since the last update blog post on Bright Works, with new projects from both new and returning charities. Bright Works is Bright One’s microvolunteering platform that connects causes with skilled volunteers in a simple, effective and easy way. Volunteers work on projects that are broken down in to tasks that can easily be done remotely, and with a time commitment of as little as 15 minutes up to 4 hours.

Some amazing volunteers are busy snapping up tasks, offering their specialised comms skills to worthy causes. There are a few open tasks if you have a moment and fancy volunteering.

Esther Community Enterprise aims to meet needs of those in the community by redistributing food, clothing and other consumables that we receive from retailers. ECE feeds in excess of 8,000 people per month with food that would have been landfilled. They are looking for help with newsletter articles, and getting control of their databases.

THOMAS is a registered charity that provides drug and alcohol recovery, rehabilitation, residential and support services. They are looking for help both with writing grant applicatications, thank you letters and increasing their awareness on social media. Find out more here.

Inside ‘n’ Out is a national magazine for offenders, ex-offenders, criminal justice staff and anyone who is interested in the criminal justice system. They are looking for help of a media buyer. If this could be you, get in touch.

Team v are a group of young people who aim to change the world one campaign at a time. Currently, they are raising awareness of and combating old age loneliness. They are looking for a poster design. Do you have design skills and a few hours spare?

These, and a dozen other projects, are currently active on Bright Works. If you haven’t already, sign up and see if there are any tasks you can help out with.

Bloggers represent a powerful and influential online community, and the British parent blogging community is one of the most active around.

This blogging community has a history of amazing support for good causes, with high-profile campaigns to raise awareness by the likes of Unicef, Save the Children and, most recently, CLIC Sargent, which ask bloggers to share information, words, pictures and links.

That’s why Bright One are delighted to team up with Tots100 – the UK’s largest network of active parent bloggers with over 2,500 members – on Time To Share, where British parent bloggers are being invited to share an hour or more of their time with good causes.

What is Time to Share? 

The Time to Share programme will match bloggers with charities in need of volunteers. During March and April 2012, Tots100 will be providing their members with opportunities to share their time with local charities, lending a hand with everything from planting trees to handing out drinks to marathon runners and talking to school children about depression.

Why get involved? 

If you’re a blogger, Time to Share will give you a fantastic opportunity to support a charity that’s close to your heart, and close to home. Bright One has got a community of amazing charities already, but together with Tots100 we’ll be offering you the chance to meet new people and make a real difference in your community. Above all, we want you to be inspired to share your experience with your readers, friends and family.

 The Time to Share project aims to:

• Give bloggers, and their readers, a real insight into the work being done by charities across the UK, and the vital role played by volunteers. We hope that the programme will inspire more people to get involved in volunteering in their communities!
• Provide an insight into the wide range of volunteering opportunities available in the UK, by promoting blog posts about Time to Share volunteers on the Bright One and Tots100 website, and across other websites and networks
• Give charities (especially smaller groups with limited resources for media relations – the reason Bright One exists) the opportunity to raise awareness of their work by connecting with the hugely popular and influential parent blogging community

I’m a blogger – how do I get involved? 

If you’re a blogger and would like to be involved in Time to Share, all you have to do is fill in a short registration form telling us about where you live, what causes you support, and when you have some time to spare.

Register Your Blog Here 

I’m a charity – how can we get involved?

We have some amazing charities on board with Bright One already, but we’d love to add more charities to the Time to Share programme. If you work with, or represent a charity interested in working with bloggers, then you can register for more information by completing a short registration form.

Add a Charity

I’ve registered – what now?

Over the coming weeks, the Tots100 team will be working hard to match charities with suitable bloggers who have Time to Share, and we would be so grateful for your support.

What can you do?

• Sign up for Time to Share if you haven’t already, and share an hour or more of your time with a good cause
• Write a blog post about a good cause that’s close to your heart, that could benefit from our support
• Spread the word about Time To Share on Facebook, Twitter (#TimeToShare) and your social networks

We look forward to working with the Tots100 team on what should be a fantastic project to give small charitable organisations the chance to reach new audiences and get the word out about their great work!

This guest post was written by Neelam Shah, a Kingston University student studying Journalism with Media and Cultural Studies. Neelam shares her top tips on volunteering and where to find those opportunities that will give students and young people a chance to help out in the community and meet new people whilst gaining experience to put on that all important CV.

With youth unemployment hitting a record of around 1.6 million, queues outside job centres are increasing and university graduates are leaving with fewer prospects of finding their ultimate dream jobs. The prime minister’s new initiative to get approximately 500,000 work experience/internship or apprenticeship placements for the unemployed 18-24s in 2015 is in debate with some feeling skeptical about the government’s initiative and whether companies would hire.

Well the question is what shall young people do in the meantime, sit at home and be bored or consider other ways to gain experience, skills without a salary to start with. Volunteering is considered the best aid for job hunters with employers looking for people who have gained new skills, experiences in working for charities, organisations and social enterprises because it shows real initiative and entrepreneurial flair.

Volunteering isn’t just for the retired, people of any age can contribute little or as much as they like to their local communities, boroughs, or internationally by taking on a suitable voluntary role. If you are 18 and have decided to take a gap year, then travelling abroad and working for a charity is great experience, even volunteering in the UK is fantastic as there are many organisations just waiting for new hands to help out.

Here are my top five tips for finding volunteering work that suits your needs:

• Research organisations in your area that you would like to volunteer for and that you think would help you with your specialised career choice

• If you are in full time education and looking for some general practical customer related experience over the weekend, contact local charity/fundraising shops, which are sure to increase your employment prospects. For more info on how to locate charity shops, apply etc. check with Charity Retail Association

• If you are a traveller, why not look for opportunities or projects that you find meets your needs/interests in that country? Check out Do-it for details on volunteering opportunities abroad and in the UK

• If you are a sporty person, ask your favourite charity whether they’ve got any fundraising events coming up and you could take part in a marathon, hiking challenge, bike ride, canoe trip, triathlon etc. Or you could volunteer at adventure holidays with charities like The Newman Holiday Trust

• There are many flexible voluntary roles within the public sector available such as fundraising, marketing, advertising, admin, web design, finance, accounting, drama, dance, music, filming, writing, painting, mentoring, assistant teacher, youth worker etc. Check out Vinspired, a UK based voluntary organisation open for 14-25 yr olds, to get involved with any projects/opportunities on any interests, anywhere in the UK.

If you want to try something new, want to put your hobby or interest into practice, meet new people, gain practical working experience, something great to add to your CV then why not give volunteering a go.

February 20-26 is Student Volunteering Week which is a great initiative with loads of events taking place all over the UK – have a look and see what goes on in your town and how you can get involved. You can also search for volunteering opportunities via the links we’ve listed here, or you could microvolunteer in your own time on some of the new projects over on Bright Works. Happy volunteering – and do let us know about your own volunteering experiences, we love a good inspiring story!

If you’ve been looking for an interesting and rewarding trustee role in a friendly small-sized organisation, look no further! We are thrilled to announce that we will be offering the opportunity to become a Bright One trustee. This is a very exciting time for us and we are looking to get trustees onboard in order to develop and expand. Details below:

Trustee role description

• To actively contribute at board meetings and help to monitor the implementation of decisions taken at meetings
• Contribute to the setting of policy, objectives and adherence to, thereafter
• Help facilitate change and manage conflict
• Ensure the financial stability of the organisation and ensure sound risk management
• Contribute to the development of the organisation’s mission and vision
• Raise the public profile of the organisation
• To represent the organisation as necessary
• To regularly assess the environment and develop the organisation’s business strategy
• To review and agree any major changes to the organisation
• To ensure the organisation uses its resources exclusively in pursuance of its charitable objects

Person specification

• Experience of holding a strategic vision over a 2-3 year period
• Ability to exercise independent judgement and challenge constructively
• Good communication skills across all levels
• Excellent planning and organisational abilities
• Understanding of the voluntary sector (desirable)
• An understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of trusteeship
• Commitment to the organisation and willingness to devote the required time and effort
• A problem-solving ‘can-do’ approach
• Significant experience in at least one of the following areas:

Terms of appointment

Trustee appointments will be reviewed annually.

Trustees will be required to attend quarterly board meetings and there is also an annual AGM which trustees should attend if possible.

Communication between meetings takes place via email and phone calls.

The role requires dedication of between 8-10 hours a month (dependent on activity).

Interview process

Shortlisted candidates will initially have a phone conversation with a member of the current management team, followed by an in-person interview.

Application deadline is 10 February 2012, phone interviews will take place w/c 17 February, in person meetings will take place before the end of February, and a decision will then be made early March.

Notice: Bright One is currently not a registered charity, but forming this trustree group is one of the first steps and this group will be named trustees upon application to the Charity Commission.

If you are interested in being a trustee for Bright One please email your CV and cover letter to Tove Nordstrom at tove.nordstrom@brightone.org.uk

The High Tea Cast is an irreverent, savvy, monthly podcast combines music and popular culture chat, and great interviews with cool young leaders in fashion, food and third sector projects.

This month, Co-creators Sam Sparrow and Leanne Rice take a look at some worthy community ventures in 2012, finding ways their skills can help others and do some good.

We’re delighted that they picked out Bright Works and had some lovely things to say about the platform. Listen for yourself:

Thanks for the great feedback, ladies!

You can listen to the podcast at The High Tea Cast here or  subscribe via iTunes.

Oh, and you can find out more about Bright Works here.

Our microvolunteering platform Bright Works has recently had some great new projects uploaded that we are very excited about and they keep on coming in so there are plenty of tasks to get involved with if you’re interested in volunteering!

With new charities and other organisations contacting us about adding tasks to Bright Works we’re getting an increased amount of good questions in regards to what types of tasks are suitable for Bright Works. So we thought we’d answer some of them in order to help anyone who might want to know a bit more about how best to use Bright Works and how to get the most out of microvolunteering.

Ready to submit your project? Just fill out this simple form

Want to help these great charities with your PR and Marketing skills? Sign up now!

What makes a good microvolunteering task?

• All Bright Works projects and tasks should consist of work to be done entirely online
• The task description should contain all information needed for volunteers to complete the task.
• Your contact details are provided in case the volunteer should need to contact you to get started.
• Consider including links to useful sites with any background information.
• Giving a deadline adds some time pressure for volunteers to work to, so your task has a better chance of being completed.
• Define the key experience/skills the volunteer will need to have. This will help us find the best person for the job.
• Include a clear description of the task, and explain any specific actions you want the volunteer to take.
• Tasks should be a minimum of 15 minutes or maximum of 4 hours to complete
• Be clear about the duration of the task. If you expect it to exceed 4 hours, you should split the work between two smaller tasks. Divide your project into as many small tasks as you can. This makes each one easier to manage, and allows more volunteers to get involved.

Have you got any examples of good microvolunteering tasks?

• Find and list 20 newspapers/magazines/blogs in the charity’s related area, including contact details
• Write and distribute a press release for an upcoming fundraising event
• Produce a how to for uploading videos to YouTube or other video-sharing platforms, such as Vimeo
• Produce a how to for using social media to recruit volunteers, attract donors and promote success stories
• Set up a Twitter feed for the charity
• Set up a Facebook page for the charity
• Write copy for a certain page on your website
• Write up case studies or success stories for the charity
• Design a new logo for our charity

Any other tips?

• Make the task interesting – there are lots of tasks on Bright Works, so you’ll need to capture the interest of volunteers!
• Make the task specific – define exactly what you need done and what deliverables you expect, so the volunteer has a clear idea of what they need to do
• Make the task achievable – Our volunteers are fantastic, but they’re volunteering in their spare time. Don’t expect or ask for the world!

We hope this helps! Feel free to add more tips and comments – how could we improve these tips? What kind of tasks would you like to find on Bright Works? Let us know!