Steve Bridger, Aquent third sector forum May09

Our Digital Futures

1http://www.flickr.com/photos/charmermrk/3085808659/

Third Sector Forum - 6 May 2009Steve Bridger

(I know that you know) Web 2.0 meansth

ings

you

can

do

people you knowJessica Hagy 2

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The challenge: the boundaries of traditional charities are

under assault by new patterns of communication and

association... regardless of how the individual technology

pieces change

social media provides an architecture for participation - not just a new channel for more of the same

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beneficiarycampaigner / activist

volunteer donor / fundraiser

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but charities structured for ‘transactional’ relationships,

not for conversations

right now, we’re feeling some real pain

http://www.flickr.com/photos/davidmaddison/67234056/ 6

but we need to recruit people into roles like these...

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/ceruleandepths/1693238000/

while you were

sleeping

talk of doom & gloom

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This is not another cycle; it’s a

Image by Francis Tiangsun; reproduced with permission 9

people are more connected in a recession

http://www.flickr.com/photos/browners/3304257382/ with permission 10http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/feb/10/underground-restaurants-london

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and (still) have expectations of being able to change the landscape quickly

experiences

organisational dependency on hierarchygraphic adapted from Gobillot, 2006

digital team

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silos & turf wars

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s83RoxfwPFg 13

the social web is disruptive, but some members of the SMT are still resisting

original doodle by Dave Gray; remixed with permission

14the new normal - deal with it

original doodle by Dave Gray; remixed with permission

15perfection does not lead to participation

innovation from the

‘messy’ edges

As supporters increasingly want to mix giving their time, money, activism &

influence... the time has come for charities to re-structure

to reflect this 16

graphic adapted from Gobillot, 2006

networks will gradually replace institutions 17

we are becoming ever more focused on ourselves as individuals yet yearn to be members of communities

(indulgence + philanthropy)

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personal identity central to new rules of

engagement

need to focus on one-to-one, highly personal approaches; one person, one connection, one conversation at a time

(but how to scale?) 19

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“the message is not about the charity; it’s about why the

messenger cares” (Katya Andresen)

OLD WAY: join us because we kick assNEW WAY: join us because we want you to kick ass

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real engagement = when people do things for the

cause you didn’t ask them to do

http://www.flickr.com/photos/krypto/3321950347/ 22

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participation is marketing

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(scalable) conversations around your

appeals

role changing from broadcasters to

aggregators

individual goals realised through

your work

should all charities release an API?

adapted from a David Armano graphic | darmano.typepad.com

let your people work socially rather than assume in advance that none of it is any use to youmake resources go further by encouraging employees to embrace & develop their personal brandsthink about how programmes & communications can be articulated through grassroots networks to deliver your mission 25

trust the hiring decision

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jfchenier/428825569/ 26

I’m not advocating throwing the baby out

with the bath water... but

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/petereed/138369750/ 28

http://www.flickr.com/photos/russelldavies/375434178/ 29

what’s the Return On Ignoring?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/heather/976689760/

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Please let me know what you think :-)@stevebridger

mexicanwave@gmail.com