Bright One has got a crackin’ team of volunteers who do some amazing work with charities all year round. But as all of our people are volunteers there is one person with that extra bit of responsibility – the Volunteer Manager, a special kind of person who will go the extra mile for our volunteers.

This year, we want to help support more organisations with their communications needs. For that we’ll need more volunteers who work in teams and help these clients achieve their goals. But we also need to look after our current volunteers as we want to make sure our current clients continue to get a fantastic level of service. And for that to happen we’ll need a Volunteer Manager to look after all of these brilliant people.

The Opportunity

We’re looking for someone passionate about the third sector, volunteering and volunteer management who is friendly, sociable, highly organised, self-motivating and a pleasure to work with. You will be a ‘volunteer’ Volunteer Manager, which means that you’ll need to not be afraid of the challenge that this gives rise to. Volunteers managing volunteers is a difficult relationship to balance and we’re working on making these relationships as smooth as possible through our daily work with Bright One’s various teams. You would work closely with the Bright One management team and come up with ways to make our volunteers work together effectively.

The Role

The Volunteer Manager has got the main responsibility for our volunteers and a typical week includes:

• Responding to new volunteers enquiries
• Getting to know new volunteers in regards to their previous experience and learning what causes they’re interested in
• Capturing their details on our volunteer database
• Liaising with the Bright One management team to place the volunteers on to suitable accounts

The role is expected to take around 4-6 hours each week and preferably you’ll be based in or around London as this is where the majority of our clients and volunteers are based, although remote working is possible.

For further information and a role description please see CharityJOB

The process

If you think this role could be something for you then we’d love to hear from you! Please send your covering email with your CV attached to ben@brightone.org.

The deadline is 18 May 2012 and we’re aiming to do interviews w/c 28 May.

The Bright One team

We’ve had a great year working with some fantastic organisations such as Centrepoint, Blind Veterans UK, London Green Fair, Digital Disruption and Spacehive, launching our microvolunteering platform BrightWorks has been brilliant, and we truly enjoyed the PR Prom!

Since Bright One is entirely run by volunteers we would obviously not have managed without our amazing volunteers – so a massive thank you to all of you that have given your time to a Bright One or BrightWorks project in the last year.

Have a look at our Annual Report to find out a bit more about what we’ve been up to…

Bright One’s inaugural PR Prom took place on Thursday the 23^rd of February at Shoreditch Town Hall in London with UK’s top communications professionals rocking their most fabulous prom outfits! The Bright One team had a great night and we would like to thank you all for coming and for supporting the work we do – we’re highly grateful for all the positive feedback we’ve had and we’re also very happy to see our Bright One stickers finding new homes…  ;)

We truly enjoyed getting glammed up (I for one can’t remember the last time I was that dressed up or was wearing that amount of make up!), it was lovely seeing old and new friendly faces and crowning Kat Shenton and Robin Davies PR Prom Queen and King was one of the highlights of the night! They won a bottle of champagne each thanks to Realwire and the rest of us were treated to Brite Fizz cocktails by Katie McPhee at Eventbrite and yummy food from our fantastic caterers.

We’d like to take this opportunity to thank all those lovely people that made the PR Prom possible:

• Tracey Milham for her amazing event management skills
• Andrea Davids for her fantastic design work
• The fabulous volunteers who helped out all afternoon and all evening: Laura, Oana, Dumi, Jaz, Irina, Anna, Chloe, James, Chris, Ruth, Issi and Louise
• GPS Lighting for their sound and lighting work
• Eat. St: Stewed & Baked, The Rib Man, Banhmi11 for the delicious food
• Laura Kidd from She Makes War for playing live on stage
• Matt Brawn for his DJ set
• The Hoxton Pony for hosting the after party
• GetTaxi for making sure everyone got home properly afterwards
• Our great sponsors: Realwire, DWPub, Meltwater, Eventbrite and Communicate Magazine

The fabulous PR Prom-goers from Speed Communications

She Makes War live on stage

Glamorous guests 'Under the Sea'

UK's future PR stars from University of Gloucestershire

For more photos from the night and a brilliant selection of ‘Under the Sea’ themed prom photos of our glamorous guests and their octopus mates, have a look at Bright One’s Facebook page.

Thanks again for coming and for making the inaugural PR Prom such a great night!

 -  Tove and the Bright One team

But surveys can be a bit flimsy (especially for charities who pride themselves on hard, reliable data) and they do cost money, which we all know is beyond scarce at the moment. So is there another way to get that hook without getting into sample size and question structure discussions? Well, Freedom of Information (FOI) requests might be one answer that we’ll have a look at now. They’re usually free (sometimes photocopy costs are charged) and the information should be reliable as it’s from a public body.

I should say that I have never put in an FOI request, not for work nor pleasure, but a friend mentioned that their charity uses them and it struck me as potentially a great idea.

FOI requests are possible because of the Freedom of Information Act which gave the public the right to “ask any public body for all the information they have on any subject”. Unless there’s a good reason, the organisation must provide the information within 20 working days.

For PR people that do use them the process is simple:

• you know a government department or public office has some information (it usually works best if you know what the information is but it’s just not been made public);
• you put in an FOI request;
• the public body releases the information;
• you publicise this new info and respond to it with whatever you want to promote off the back of it.

You can ask for information from a wide range of public bodies including:

• government departments;
• local assemblies;
• local authorities;
• hospitals and doctors’ surgeries;
• schools, colleges and universities;
• publicly funded museums;
• the police;
• non-departmental public bodies;

To actually make the request, write or email the public body, making sure you include your name, an address where you can be contacted, and a description of the information that you want.

As I said, I’ve never made an FOI request but would love to hear anyone’s experience in doing so? Also I’m not sure it’s something I’ll do but do any readers feel differently? I’m just really interested in the possibilities so would love to hear any and all opinions of it as a PR method or experience of doing it.

If you’ve been looking for an interesting and rewarding trustee role in a friendly small-sized organisation, look no further! We are thrilled to announce that we will be offering the opportunity to become a Bright One trustee. This is a very exciting time for us and we are looking to get trustees onboard in order to develop and expand. Details below:

Trustee role description

• To actively contribute at board meetings and help to monitor the implementation of decisions taken at meetings
• Contribute to the setting of policy, objectives and adherence to, thereafter
• Help facilitate change and manage conflict
• Ensure the financial stability of the organisation and ensure sound risk management
• Contribute to the development of the organisation’s mission and vision
• Raise the public profile of the organisation
• To represent the organisation as necessary
• To regularly assess the environment and develop the organisation’s business strategy
• To review and agree any major changes to the organisation
• To ensure the organisation uses its resources exclusively in pursuance of its charitable objects

Person specification

• Experience of holding a strategic vision over a 2-3 year period
• Ability to exercise independent judgement and challenge constructively
• Good communication skills across all levels
• Excellent planning and organisational abilities
• Understanding of the voluntary sector (desirable)
• An understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of trusteeship
• Commitment to the organisation and willingness to devote the required time and effort
• A problem-solving ‘can-do’ approach
• Significant experience in at least one of the following areas:

Terms of appointment

Trustee appointments will be reviewed annually.

Trustees will be required to attend quarterly board meetings and there is also an annual AGM which trustees should attend if possible.

Communication between meetings takes place via email and phone calls.

The role requires dedication of between 8-10 hours a month (dependent on activity).

Interview process

Shortlisted candidates will initially have a phone conversation with a member of the current management team, followed by an in-person interview.

Application deadline is 10 February 2012, phone interviews will take place w/c 17 February, in person meetings will take place before the end of February, and a decision will then be made early March.

Notice: Bright One is currently not a registered charity, but forming this trustree group is one of the first steps and this group will be named trustees upon application to the Charity Commission.

If you are interested in being a trustee for Bright One please email your CV and cover letter to Tove Nordstrom at tove.nordstrom@brightone.org.uk

This is why ChairtyComms, the membership body for charity communicators, yesterday began a campaign to exempt charities from copyright licensing fees. This campaign is backed by NSPCC, Cancer Research UK, British Heart Foundation and us here at Bright One.

We’re supporting this campaign because times are tight for all charities and. I know of at least one large charity press office which was having to cut back on weekend newspapers and some of the more expensive broadsheets at the same time as having to pay their NLA fees.

This makes little sense for the NLA which is owned by eight publishers of national newspapers, including News International and the Guardian Media Group. In the example above the charity’s NLA license was not huge so by cutting back on the broadsheets published by the NLA’s owners they were seeing the amount of money from this customer fall.

The NLA pricing structure for charities, which was agreed in 2003 with the NCVO, does give charities a discount and personally when I’ve dealt with the NLA they’ve been very helpful and understanding. The problem is what was mentioned above: 90% of the coverage charities monitor is of themselves, they’re not using it for commercial gain and have often played a big part in writing any piece. The current system misunderstands the way charity communicators work and treats them like their commercial (and profit-making) colleagues.

For those interested in the campaign see charitycomms.org.uk/charity_media_licensing and Vicky Browning, CharityComms Director, explains their position very well in this Guardian Voluntary Sector blog guardian.co.uk/media-licensing-charities-exempt. For anyone worried about your own licensing CharityComms has put together a great guide charitycomms.org.uk/guidelines/charity_media_licensing.

It’s a new year, and with it comes new opportunities and challenges. If you’ve been looking for an interesting and rewarding volunteering role we’ve got one for you!

In order to expand and grow in 2012 Bright One is in need of knowledgeable and experienced individuals to assist with clients and project management. We are looking for volunteers who would like to make a difference by using the experience and skills they have already.

Specifically Bright One is in need of voluntary account consultants to oversee and manage live projects with charity and not-for-profit clients, managing them and a dedicated volunteer team efficiently while delivering realistic targets on time and on budget. Many aspects of the position do not require you to come into the office every week and many tasks can be completed remotely for those with time constraints and other commitments.

Working with your Bright One account team you will:

• Manage the scoping of the project and briefing process with the client
• Manage team resources and where required assist with client deliverables
• Retain good working relationship with client on a monthly basis (day to day responsibility will lie with the account manager)
• Ensure client and project goals are achieved
• Deliver project according to pre-set objectives and metrics
• Oversee project and provide input at crucial milestones
• Contact relevant people for progress reports, agreeing next steps of plans and dealing with any issues that may arise with the account team or client
• Maintain a great working relationship with the clients

 Relevant skills and competencies:

Essential:

• Experience of project management
• Experience of managing a small team
• Good time management
• Working to deadlines
• An understanding of PR and Marketing in any capacity
• Able to commit a minimum of 2 hours per week

Desirable:

• PR and Marketing experience specifically in the charity sector would be useful but it’s not essential

To Apply

To apply send a CV and Covering Letter to sarah.jason@brightone.org.uk or for more information on Bright One contact ben@brightone.org.uk.

Interviews will be held in January 2012

This is a guest post from one of our new Bright Workers, Jessica. Want to join her? Head over to Bright Works now!

If it wasn’t for Twitter I wouldn’t have discovered Bright One. In my follow-happy early days as a novice tweeter, I scoured Twitter for any organisation that consolidated my two main interests; charities, and PR. And Bright One appeared.

I read the description of Bright One as a ‘volunteer-run communications agency for social ventures’ without really taking it in (more fool me). It wasn’t until recently that the ‘volunteer-bit’ really sunk in. I spend 50% of my working day volunteering for a homeless charity, so I know the importance of a voluntary workforce, especially for start-ups and businesses that need low overheads.

Volunteering has given me a mass of experience and boosted my CV in so many ways, and most importantly has given me a sense of purpose and a feeling that I have really made a difference. I’ve volunteered with quite a few different charities over the last few years, so the idea of volunteering with an organisation that can put me in touch with even more causes in an easy and accessible way seemed ideal.

The Bright Works app is perfect for me. I volunteer in the mornings, and work as a Receptionist in the afternoons, which is generally very quiet apart from the odd visitor and phone enquiry. It means that I can spend time online exploring other interests (don’t tell my boss…) and trawling Facebook for hours on end is hardly the most fulfilling of pursuits.

So as long as the project isn’t too extensive and I can pick it up/put it down at will then I can do it!

I’m looking forward to the Bright Works app adding the same sense of purpose to my afternoons that I already get from my voluntary work in the mornings. I’m also looking for more experience so I can one day get my dream job of working in PR/Marketing for charities, so Bright One ticks another box there.

Join Jessica and our other Bright Workers in completing small tasks for charities – whenever you can and wherever you are. Head over to Bright Works and sign up now!

We’re very excited to announce the date for Bright One’s inaugural PR Prom that will take place on February 23rd 2012. The PR Prom is a fundraising event in support of Bright One and will be held at the fabulous London venue, Shoreditch Town Hall. There will be food, drinks, live performances by She Makes War and The Olympians, dancing, the opportunity to take classic prom-style photos, a silent auction and other surprises.

According to Ben Matthews, founder of Bright One “The PR Prom promises to be a fantastic event and will provide some much needed support to the valuable work that Bright One does. We want to see the industry come out to support their own and have fun while doing good.”

The night is looking to be a lot of fun – and there will even be a Prom King and Queen that you’ll be able to nominate and vote for on Twitter ahead of the night, like this: ‘I nominate @xxx for #prpromking’ or ‘I nominate @xxx for #prpromqueen’.

We’ve had some fantastic support in organising the PR Prom, especially from Amanda Rose, founder of Twestival and advisor to Bright One. Amanda said: “For our inaugural Bright One fundraising event we wanted to put together something special and quirky that everyone in the UK PR industry would look forward to each year. Many of the events out there are limited to those PR companies winning awards or at a price that only a few staff can attend – we hope to see lots of new faces out for PR Prom.”

The campaign to promote the event features well-known faces from the PR and communications industry, who Bright One thanks for their support; Kerry Bridge (Dell), Jon Silk (Waggener Edstrom), Kate Matlock (Ketchum Pleon), Reda Haq (Cohn and Wolfe), Jordan Stone (We Are Social) and Nik Thakkar (Exposure). Stephen Waddington, MD of Speed, has also lent his support to the event, “Bright One makes a huge difference to the reputation of charities through the work of its volunteers. PR Prom is a chance for everyone in the PR industry to contribute to Bright One’s work – and have a great night out. Have you booked your ticket yet?’

Details:

Date: February 23rd 2012

Time: 7pm till late

Venue: Shoreditch Town Hall, 380 Old Street, City of London, EC1V 9LT

Tickets: £25 – on sale at www.prprom.eventbrite.com

Follow @prprom for more info or check out the website www.prprom.org

We can’t wait and we hope to see you there!

Last Friday saw the launch of a new section of the, still relatively new itself, Huffington Post UK. The new Impact section is “dedicated to issues, charities and making a difference” — so that’s up our street, right? Well yes, it definitely is and so I’d urge everyone to take a look and see what people are writing but more importantly think about getting in touch with them and writing something about your campaign.

The launch saw some big names pen blogs about themselves and their current campaigns – including people from Gingerbread, Barnardo’s, UNICEF and my boss at Citizens Advice – and if the US version is anything to go by it may well become an important campaigning platform.
If you’re thinking about pitching your idea to the Impact team (details of how to do that are here) then here’s our three top tips for writing a blog:

1. Say one thing

This is a useful tip for any writing but when you’re blogging try and just say one thing. Of course you can have a multi-faceted argument but throughout you should have a single common theme. You also don’t have very long (the Huffington Post recomend blogs between 500-800 words) so you just won’t have the room for that 30-page policy consultation you’ve been working on.

2. Write it as you, the individual

If you pitch to the Huffington Post you’ll be doing that as an individual so when you write a post don’t revert back to being an organisation. This can be tricky, especially if you’re used to talking as part of a bigger organisation, but once you start it’ll get easier.

This is also a good time to think about who blogs. You should start by thinking about who has the most interesting story to tell – your Chief Executive will have a great insight into policy but your frontline workers will be much better placed to talk about other areas.

3. It doesn’t end when you see your blog on the screen

Last week I heard the Huffington Post UK editor-in-chief, Carla Buzasi, talk about their model and one of the main things she stressed was the importance of using blogger’s networks to promote blogs. In short, when you blog, tell your friends and contacts to read it!

Also, whereas if you write an opinion piece for a newspaper you may, at the most, get a letter from a reader in response. With blogs feedback is more immediate and part of the process so keep an eye on the comment box and if anyone asks you a questions, answer it.