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Media140 Third Sector … The Virtual Version

images courtesy of Iain Weir Photography

We at Media140 are constantly raving about the greatness of the real-time web and its unprecedented ability to make photos, video and sound bites instantly available from any location equipped with an internet connection.

Given that, it would be absurd for anyone living say, in another hemisphere or in a warmer clime to miss out on what Media140’s speakers and panellists discussed – even if they were discussing it in, say, arctic ol’ London, as they were last week.

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On a freezing Thursday afternoon, a room full of good folks from charities and not-for-profit organisations braved icy roads to gather at Media140 Third Sector to enjoy a drink, a nibble and a chat about the real-time web.

The event was part of London’s inaugural Social Media Week, and gave everyone from newbies to experts a chance to talk about how online tools are extending the third sector’s reach in campaigning, fundraising and the recruitment of volunteers.

The Media140 crew have put our real-time skills where our mouths are to bring the event to you via online tools. Four fine audioBoo interviews and a whole roll of Flickr photos (courtesy of Shutteritch) from the meetup should give you the feeling you were at The Qube with a glass of wine in your hand last week, even if you were not actually in London and suffering the weather.

Media140 blogger Glenn Le Santo caught keynote speaker John Carnell for a candid chat about a different kind of organisation now making use of the online environment.

John was brave enough to found Bullying UK, but perhaps that is no surprise: John was bullied as a child but successfully overcame his ordeal.

John drew upon his own experience – he felt he was unable to access help when he needed it – when he set up the service. Bullying UK uses the web to make sure kids can always get in touch, right when they need to, rather than having to wait for a counsellor or a call-back.

Bullying UK proudly bills itself as the only UK anti-bullying charity which gives specific advice on how to go about removing abuse from social networking websites.

Here is John’s compelling story:

Afterwards, Simon Collister of We Are Social – who count Ford, Skype, The Economist and Absolut among their social media clients – talked to Glenn. Arie Moyal from Everyday Activists also joined the conversation. The three began talking about Media140 Third Sector, but were soon sidetracked into a discussion about which kind of events are now needed to help boost companies’ social networking skills.

The talk became so animated that Glenn went back for more with Arie to discuss whether brands should use personal or corporate identities when tweeting; they came up with some interesting examples of what works and what does not.

Finally, Glenn grabbed fellow Media140 blogger Stuart Witts over the aforementioned tea and biscuits for a gritty chat about whether the elusive return on investment (ROI) can or should be a relevant metric for charities using social media.