Below are links to Blogs, News Feeds and Podcasts covering issues of interest to people in the voluntary sector. Plus charity or campaign blogs produced in this country, to raise awareness or cash, communicate with the public, volunteers or members.
We’ve also added examples of Open Source CMS (the next step up from blog software?) being used by British charities, and some blogs from beyond the UK under BlogWorld.
See VoluntaryNews for News Sites by or for the non-profit sector. And see VolResource main site for more on issues such as IT in the voluntary sector, sector support bodies, why taxonomy matters.
Please NOTE
This page was compiled some time ago, and the links aren’t being fully checked or updated. Links with a cross-through have been identified by an automated link checker as likely to have problems. Give us a nudge and we’ll follow up suggestions for changes – use the Contact form.
Blogs at Work
- Ask Charity putting journalists in touch with charities
- Ed Mitchell: Platform neutral Community advisor with an information focus
- Free Charity Free IT (web) services to UK non-profits.
- Idealware Blog of US non-profit which reviews relevant software.
- Many Pies An ITer in a Christian charity.
- Non-Profit Tech Blog Confessions of a non-profit IT director (US)
- Nonprofit Online News American view on technology, knowledge, communication
- Sarah Hughes on UK Fundraising Guess what?
- School for Social Entrepreneurs Not just academic thoughts
- Social Catalyst From social business consultants Camberwell Project
- The Hub Global platform for human rights media and action
- Third Sector Foresight Blog of NCVO’s strategic planning and analysis project
- Volunteering England Discussing volunteering and risk management
Issue Blogs
- A Cambridge Co-operator Co-operation locally and wider
- cch chief executive The boss of Community Central Hall Glasgow
- Designing for Civil Society David Wilcox on technology, engagement, governance
- Developing News News and thoughts on planning and regeneration
- Neighbourhoods .. and neighbourliness, social capital, citizenship, space and place…
- UnLtd Award Winner Blogs Comments from social entrepreneurs
- YouthNet Youth issues, volunteering, charity life and technology
Charity Pundits
- Bubb’s Blog Thoughts from Stephen Bubb, Chief Exec of Acevo
- Intelligent Giving Blog from fundraising analysts
- Poverty News Blog An individual’s international round-up
- Social Care: Up in the air A voice for the voluntary sector in Edinburgh
Charity Blogs
- HVA Director’s Blog Hastings Voluntary Action
- Mount Florida Community Council Glasgow residents group, hosted on Civiblog
- Mumbles Matters Online community newspaper and forum of the Mumbles Development Trust
- Overseas Development Institute independent think-tank on international development and humanitarian issues
- Paces
- Solvent and Volatile Substance Abuse from charity Re-Solv
- World Land Trust international conservation charity
- Zoomers Monday morning group at Henshaws Society for Blind People, Trafford
Campaign Blogs
- Action Network (BBC) Not a blog, but a way of creating campaign pages
- Boycott Nestlé – protect infants by Campaigns and Networking Coordinator at Baby Milk Action
- Carno Station Action Group A Drupal based campaign site
- Free Our Data Campaign instigated by The Guardian on ‘public’ data
- Generation Why An Oxfam blog
- Greater Manchester Cycling Campaign Promoting bike use
- Jamie’s Big Voice A voice battling for homeless people
- Kings Cross Local Environment Street level action in central London
- Living Streets Sutton New April 06
- OPEN Dalston Saving Dalston Theatre and more
- Stand Up For Seaton (SU4S) Community action on Blogspot
BlogWorld
- Association for Progressive Communications social justice, sustainable development through ICT and internet
- Audeamus – how dare we Social enterprise, CSR, sustainable development
- Center for Global Development International development news
- Civiblog Central A voice for global civil society
- Civicus Blog International civic society – alliance for citizen participation
- green LA girl – starbucks challenge An example of blogging activism
- Groupings / Webguide Kiwi site on using communications technology to activate community groups and non-profits
- iPienso Development and economics
- NetSquared blogs Remixing the web for social change – some interesting stuff
- NewPR NonProfitBlogs section US Wiki – Non-Profit Blogging, Podcasting and Social Media
- Nonprofit Blog Exchange Largely American site for charity blogs
- Radio 2.0 Local & community broadcasting and new ICTs
- Vancouver Social Enterprise Forum Canadian take on social enterprise
Podcasts, audio
- Big Vision podcast from Have Fun Do Good in the States
- Cancer Research UK Podcast archive The first from a UK medical research charity?
- Christian Aid Aimed mainly for use by staff and partners
- Community Radio Broadcasting and on the net
- Dialect Radio Bristol community internet shows
- Grassroots Channel from Podnosh Stories from active citizens in Birmingham
- International League for Protection of Horses Horse Welfare podcast, launched July 06
- Médecins Sans Frontières Monthly humanitarian news and emergency updates
- Sex and Podcasting Reflections on community podcasting (in archive)
- TheSite Podcasts on youth issues.
Open Source CMS Examples
- 3tc Voluntary sector ICT support, Liverpool. Now in Joomla!
- ABCtales.com Community for writers and readers, Drupal
- Aid Workers Network Enables sharing of practical advice and resources – Drupal/CiviCRM
- Amnesty International Running under Drupal with CiviCRM
- Association of Volunteer Managers Launched June 07 using Drupal with CiviCRM.
- Campaign against Climate Change Taking action with Drupal.
- Carnegie UK Trust Independent commissions of inquiry, open CMS Drupal
- Changing Faces facing disfigurement – mambo
- Charity Trustee Networks Drupal
- forum4e Drupal based online community for people with epilepsy
- Icons of England More Plone here
- Kent Wildlife Trust Conservation using Mambo
- Open Source CMS Info and opportunity to try demos
- Oxfam International Now Drupal, was Plone.
- Oxford Health Alliance Developed on Plone, fighting pandemic of chronic disease
- Rugby CVS Local sector support site with VoluntaryNews ticker! Drupal
- Shakespeare Birthplace Trust Not an obvious place to find Joomla!
- South Hams CVS (Devon) An AAA accessible site in Modx (modxcms.com)
- Spitalfields City Farm Animal delight with Joomla
- UK Psoriasis Help Forum Open Forum For Psoriasis Sufferers, running Joomla
- Yorkshire and The Humber BME Information Service Drupal
Sector wikis
- UKeiG From professional body on electronic information resources
- VCS JargonBuster Deciphering sector TLAs
- VCSWiki for IT in the charity, voluntary and community sectors
Platforms
- Big Picture TV Vdeo clips of experts and activists in environmental and social sustainability
- green.tv environmental news and feature videos in various formats
- The Hub Global platform for human rights media and action
Social Change 2.0
- Blog post on NetSquared Newman Arms New UK initiative for web-enabled social innovation
- internet.artizans Tracking the Internet, Human Rights & Social Change
- New Media Open Innovation Exchange (possibly)
- Technology and Social Action Practical Design for Social Action
- Web2fordev Web 2.0 for rural and agricultural development
Hi there,
We loved your list of links here – really useful stuff. We have a charity blog which we wonder if you would be able to list here too?
The site has an overview of top UK charities and lots of information on how to donate to charity online.
The website is called Want2Donate.org.
Thanks very much,
Linda