I have been busy since we moved to London last month, meeting with leaders of the local nonprofit technology community to hear what the biggest obstacles are facing consultants and staff working to help nonprofits adopt strategic technologies, biggest needs are for a group that brings the community together (Net Tuesday London!), and what I can do help. The conversations have been affirming, enlightening and enthusiastic. I’m ready to go!
Net Tuesday London is officially in the works! Put the evening of November 4th on your calendars folks – it should be a wonderful first event bringing together social changemakers of all kinds to discuss social media. More details will be announced soon.
Two great movers-and-shakers that I’ve had the opportunity to talk with include David Wilcox and Dave Briggs. David wrote up a fantastic intorduction for me on the SocialReporter blog. Here’s a bit:
A year ago a group of enthusiasts for web-enabled social innovation and change met in London committed to setting up Netsquared in the UK, loosely based on the Netsquared conference and community started in the US.
It didn’t happen like that, and although the social innovation landscape is now more highly populated, a bit more joining-up would be helpful.
Fortunately Netsquared has come to us, because community builder Amy Sample Ward has moved to London to start up Net Tuesdays like those common in the US and elsewhere. As you’ll see from the video, Amy is already networking furiously, and would like to partner up with others in the field for events and other activities. Read more…
Dave gave a wonderful shout out as well!
I also got the chance to catch up with Amy Sample Ward, who works with NetSquared helping non-profits get the most out of technology. She’s now based in London and will be doing her best to help UK NFPs catch up. Read more…
Thanks so much to all the people I’ve talked with so far about supporting the nonprofit technology community here in London and in the UK! I’m just thrilled to be working with you.
Here’s the interview David recorded with me yesterday:
Amy Sample Ward from David Wilcox on Vimeo.
It’s good to have you over here, Amy. Hopefully you aren’t just on loan 😉
One idea around Net Tuesday… maybe start it in London for the first one or two meetings, but then turn it into a bit of a roadshow, different city & venue each time, which will hopefully mix the attendees up a bit. Try and get as much online as possible so those that can’t make it can still interact…
Agreeing with everyone, it’s great to have you over here Amy! Left a comment on Davids Social Reporter site earlier too.
Great idea, Dave!
Actually, the plan is to get a monthly Net Tuesday event going in London and then start up monthly events in other cities. Net Tuesday London is just that – London’s Net Tuesday. Birmingham, Manchester, Devon, etc all deserve their OWN Net Tuesdays and I hope we can make it happen!
Thanks for the welcome 🙂
—
Thanks, Laura- Saw the comment on David’s post just now. I hope we can get a Devon event underway early next year!
Defintately so! Been raising interest down here, mainly coming from the orgs in need, and sharing the stories of Net Tuesdays in the US. 🙂