“For millions of years, human beings have been part of one tribe or another. A group needs only two things to be a tribe: a shared interest and a way to communicate.” ― Seth Godin, Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us
A sense of belonging. A shared purpose. People we can connect with. We all have our own tribes, whether it’s supporting a sports team or a social cause, and this is certainly true of the charity sector. Marketing expert, Seth Godin, points out that people have gathered into tribes since the earliest days of human history – back then it was for survival and, more recently, for a sense of belonging.
Working together towards a common purpose can be an important part of joining a particular community, and certainly, 91% of those in our CharityComms community say that networking with other comms professionals is one of the main reasons they are members.
Here are just some of the benefits of being in a community…
Connection and support
While offering an amazing amount of flexibility and increasing accessibility in multiple ways, working remotely can also leave us feeling apart, and not as connected to other people as we might have been previously.
A way to solve this is to be part of a shared space. It can help build valuable relationships and offer a sense of security and support to help us reach our goals. That could be an informal group of colleagues who meet for a virtual coffee or a collection of people working in similar roles you can check in with and ask advice from.
Being supportive of each other can also provide a huge boost to our wellbeing and mental health. Just to know that we’re not alone and there are others we can reach out to, even for a quick, reassuring chat, can make a world of difference.
Sharing ideas
We all need new inspiration at times and being part of a mission-driven community allows us to share our own ideas, motivate others and learn from other people’s insights and experiences.
Our tribes are made up of people who share similar challenges and opportunities. We can learn from people who have been there, done that – and in some cases, learn what not to do in a particular circumstance.
Whether it’s being a mentor, learning about a new way of working or finding out more about a new social media channel, being part of a network of people who are willing to share their knowledge is invaluable.
Making a difference
It’s only by working together that we can make a difference, however large or small our cause or goal. Being part of a community lets us feel more empowered to influence positive change, grow in our role and really feel that what we are doing matters.
Here are some resources about being part of and working with communities that will help you make the most of whatever networks you are part of or helping to support:
How to make our workplaces, communities, and lives more accessible for all
Diversity in our workforces makes us stronger and ensuring things are accessible for the talent we recruit should come as a given. So what does accessibility mean and what can we do to achieve it?
How using Facebook groups can build inspiring communities for your supporters
It is safe to say charities have been building online communities for a while, but since the pandemic, Facebook groups have unleashed their full potential and have become a place where supporters can cheer on their fellow fundraisers in virtual and socially distanced challenges.
Capturing the spirit of generosity in our communities: finding corporate partnerships that work
Insights into how Home-Start partnered with one of the nation’s most iconic brands, to amplify their voice and support families at Christmas.
How open and collaborative comms were core to UK’s new Covid-19 charity launch
covid:aid is the UK’s first Covid-19 charity. It places communications at its core to build a collaborative participatory movement.
A foray into Online Film Clubs – a peek into the future of community building
As part of a drive to keep community building going during lockdown, Women for Women launched their Online Film Club.
Comms lessons we can learn from #CharitiesAgainstHate
One year on since the #CharitiesAgainstHate movement was set up, this looks at some of the positive, powerful messages the sector has been sharing.
A celebration of community: co-creating content that is both beautiful and true
Encouraging and empowering older people and network members to tell their own stories for UN International Day of Older Persons (IDOP).
At CharityComms, we’re thinking of more ways we can keep you connected with each other and how we can continue to offer you the most relevant events and resources, so please do take part in our membership survey if you’ve not already done so. We really appreciate your insights on how we can make our community of charity communicators the best it can be!
No matter your charity’s purpose you can play a vital role in helping communicate the environmental crisis. So join us for the upcoming CharityComms conference: ‘Communicating to create change: tackling the environmental crisis’
Banner Image: Ankush Minda on Unsplash
