“Social media is constantly evolving – with new algorithms and updates making it more difficult to keep up to date and achieve cut-through. To maintain the same level of engagement, communicators need to find different ways to use each channel, for instance, Twitter chats.” Read more here.

“Social media is now widely accepted as a crucial part of any organisation’s comms strategy. But what does ‘good social media’ look like? Not just on particular platforms, but across all of them? It’s a question I hear a lot and it might be something that you, your team, or, perhaps, your whole organisation struggle with.” Read more here.

While many of us enjoy the lead up to the festive season, and spending time with friends and family until the New Year, January can often bring a bit of a slump in our mood. 

Taking care of our mental health is absolutely vital – especially those working and volunteering in voluntary and community services that our clients are so often highly dependent on.  It’s is really important to take care of your own wellbeing, in order to better support those who are turning to you for help, advice and assistance.

The cost of living crisis is beginning to bite, the post Christmas credit card bills are landing on our doormat, and the continuing short days, damp and cold weather without the sparkle and glow of Christmas lights can make January a bit of a low season.  However, for many, the January blues could be seasonal affective disorder (SAD) –  a type of depression that comes and goes in a seasonal pattern.

SAD is sometimes known as “winter depression” because the symptoms are usually more apparent and more severe during the winter.  Symptoms of SAD can include:

• a persistent low mood
• a loss of pleasure or interest in normal everyday activities
• irritability
• feelings of despair, guilt and worthlessness
• feeling lethargic (lacking in energy) and sleepy during the day
• sleeping for longer than normal and finding it hard to get up in the morning
• craving carbohydrates and gaining weight
• difficulty concentrating
• decreased sex drive
• For some people, these symptoms can be severe and have a significant impact on their day-to-day activities.

Read more

Are you one for making New Year’s resolutions, or do you ignore this tradition as you know you’ll have lost all motivation to stick to it, a few short weeks into the new year?   How about we shift the focus from individual, to organisational resolutions?

One thing I’m regularly asked in January, is whether I’ve made any New Year’s resolutions.  I’m not a New Year Resolutions person!  Ok, in the past, I’ve said I’ll lose weight, get fitter, decorate various parts of the house or overhaul the garden, cut out chocolate, attempt a 5k “fun run” (in my opinion, never has an activity been less accurately named!) or some other such personal ambition – only to either fail to start them completely or given up only a week or two (if that) in to the new year.  Willpower was never my strong suit!

However, I’m not alone in this.   According to research, only about 16% of people are able to stick to their resolutions, with the majority giving up within 1-6 weeks of starting.  Despite our best intentions, it can be difficult to persevere, whether it’s to start a new good habit, or give up a bad one – it comes down to motivation and opportunity. 

However, perhaps we in the voluntary and community sector could consider instead, the opportunity to make some “organisational resolutions” – plans to create better habits for our organisation, our people and ultimately, those we support. Read more