Results tagged “social enterprise” from The Sunday Mail - Third Sector Lab

Not long until the call for ideas for the wonderful Social Innovation Camp Scotland closes. Friday 22nd May to be precise.

Essentially the SIcamp weekend is all about using the net and technology for positive social change. They need the help of a huge range of people - from software developers through to business experts, from digital media lawyers to people with expertise in solving social problems - to help make the selected ideas a reality.

I could waffle on all day about how great an idea SIcamp is but the nicely animated video below does a far better job of explaining the concept.

I just need to think of an idea now...

Today is Social Enterprise Day! It's all about celebrating the inspiring entrepreneurs who are using their entreprising ideas for social or environmental change.

To coincide with Social Enterprise Day, I'm really pleased to announce the beta launch of a little project which I've been working on in my spare time...Third Sector Forums.

TSF is a friendly online community for UK charity professionals, volunteers and social entrepreneurs. The forums are a place for people to network, learn, debate and discuss third sector issues. Categories include funding, fundraising, governance, legal issues, internet, marketing, campaigns, social enterprise and beyond.

While the forums are third sector focused, private and public professionals are welcome too. We're especially keen to get ethical businesses onboard. The forums are 100% free to use and run by volunteers.

The forums would not exist without private sector support. The purchase of the forum software was sponsored by Sure Languages. The wonderful Third Sector Forums and Third Sector Lab logos and various graphical elements across the website were created by Nothing Does graphic design and branding consultancy. Last, but by no means least, Clear Blue Designs provided the professional forum set-up and design as well as ongoing technical support and hosting.

That's my shameless plug over, hopefully see some of you on the forums soon.

I'm Ross McCulloch, a 28 year old, recently married, Fifer living in Glasgow and working in Hamilton. I've had a fairly varied career since leaving university. I've worked for a bank, run my own business selling trainers, co-ordinated an education programme and developed services for looked after and accommodated children. I'm now a Development Officer managing a partnership between three Lanarkshire charities. I also volunteer for Scottish Community Foundation and sit on the Big Lottery Fund's Fair Share Scotland Panel.

Third Sector Lab will look at volunteering, charities and social enterprise. From your local bowling club or community hall to the latest celebrity endorsed idea that will supposedly change the world. The blog isn't just for people working or volunteering in the third sector. I hope to show people where their donations go and cast a critical eye over the big issues being tackled by the sector.

As well as all the hefty stuff mentioned above I want use this blog to dispell the myth that everyone working in the third sector is a Guardian reader who wears shoes made out of tofu. As with all blogs there will be lots of personal opinion so it's worth noting that what I say doesn't necessarily represent the views of my employers or the organisations which I volunteer for.

Heart of Scotland is an excellent idea and I feel privileged to be taking part. There's a great range of blogs covering topics as diverse as journalism, living with a disability and traffic cones.

Let the gibberish commence.