Building a vibrant and supportive community requires continuous improvement, and your feedback from our member survey has provided invaluable insights into how we can foster deeper connections and collaboration among members.
We received 54 responses and we are incredibly grateful for each and everyone of you who took the time to share your thoughts.
Here are the key themes that emerged from your suggestions, and how we aim to address them and what steps we have taken so far:
Creating More Opportunities for Engagement
Structured Events:
Members expressed a desire for more networking opportunities through evening socials, themed events, peer learning workshops, and sector-specific meetups. These events could provide a balance of informal and professional settings to foster relationships. Training, workshops, and storytelling sessions (e.g., short presentations on challenges or successes) were suggested as a way to learn from one another.
Currently we have our yearly SIDCN Fest and AGM. The next AGM will be on 31st January 12.30 - 2.30pm (GMT) and SIDCN Fest is usually in June during Small Charity Week. At the AGM we will have speakers from within the network, with donations given to contributing organisations, as well as member networking opportunities. Please save the date!
Proactively connecting members:
A member has expressed that you would like us to proactively put you in touch with other similar charities.
We have proactively put our members in touch with other similar charities - when we see a member-led event on our Facebook group we have notified people working in the same field about the event.
Flexible Timings:
Suggestions included hosting non-daytime calls or events to accommodate those with daytime commitments, ensuring inclusivity across different schedules.
We set up weekly Tuesday Connect calls at 9:00am UK time as a result of surveying our members and finding the most popular alternative day of the week and time. Reminders get posted in the Facebook group the day before, like with the Friday Connect calls or email admin@sidcn.org if you would like a calendar invite and Zoom link sent to you.
When we surveyed our members for a weekly connect call, evening/non-daytime options were not popular choices for our members so if you would like a time that is more accessible for those with other work commitments during the day then we would encourage you to set up a Connect call via the Facebook group. Let us know if you need support.
Encouraging Peer-to-Peer Collaboration
Special Interest Groups:
You said you would like knowledge about existing networks and better information about special interest forums.There’s also strong interest in creating sub-groups and forums focused on specific topics, such as fundraising, strategy, and trustee support. These groups could enable members to share expertise and collaborate on mutual goals.
Currently we have two forums, the Education Forum and the Governance forum led by members. We also have two country-specific groups, Working in Bangladesh and Working in Kenya. Event organisers post event details in the Facebook group, you can also email admin@sidcn.org if you would like a calendar invite and Zoom link sent to you.
SIDCN is a volunteer-led organisation and at the heart of everything SIDCN does is member-led. Therefore we encourage members to set up their own sub-groups/Forums in other fields. If you would like to host your own sub-group/Forum we can support with that and feel free to reach out. Some ideas for forums we had are:
Rural and/or Agriculture
Vocational training/apprentices
Grants/trusts and foundations
Marketing and communications including ethical storytelling
International volunteering - could include: how to ensure it's ethical & how to promote it
Health - could include: WASH, Menstrual health management, Mental health, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), Health and Social Care, maternal health
Environment - could include: Sustainability, Climate Change, conservation, Sustainable Agriculture
… and many more that we could include but didn’t as then this blog would be 10 pages long!
One member suggested designing KPIs for your Mission - reach out if you would be interested in this. If you have any other ideas feel free to reach out on the Facebook group or to us directly at admin@sidcn.org and we can help support you create a Forum and connect you to people in your chosen field.
Peer Mentorship:
At the moment a lot of informal mentoring comes about as a result of the different networking opportunities, but you told us that you would welcome more structured mentoring programmes where experienced members support smaller organisations or newcomers could help address knowledge gaps and build confidence.
Facilitating Better Access to Resources
Centralised Information:
Members highlighted the need for a dedicated platform or online directory to access core content, identify potential collaborators, and share challenges and solutions. This could include a matchmaking tool for partnerships or a “problem-solving exchange” space.
When you sign up to become a member of SIDCN you gain access to a centralised platform with a wide range of resources, including legacy training by Foundation of Social Improvement (FSI).
Connecting members:
Members emphasised the importance of connecting organisations working in or based in the Global South with potential partners and donors to leverage shared resources and expertise.
As you said you would like easier ways for members to find each other and opportunities to message members on specific issues, we are working on a master spreadsheet to connect members to one another.
Enhanced Communication:
Regular emails, newsletters, and a system to promote recurring events and mark attendance were recommended to keep members informed and engaged.
We also started to reach out more proactively via our admin@sidcn.org email account to connect members and also invite members to calendar invites. We also plan to send bi-monthly newsletters to update you more regularly. Please ensure to keep us in your safe list so that our emails don’t go to your spam/junk folder!
Bridging Gaps Through In-Person Interactions
Face-to-Face Meet-ups:
While virtual sessions are effective, members believe that arranging in-person gatherings, such as conferences or casual meetups in cafes and pubs, would strengthen bonds and foster more meaningful connections.
However, given that our members are based in various parts of the world, we encourage everyone to use the Facebook group to coordinate and arrange such activities.
Acknowledging Challenges and Constraints
Time and Capacity:
Many members mentioned the difficulty of balancing workloads and finding time for networking. Volunteer-led initiatives should continue to provide flexible and accessible options to engage when possible.
Navigating Intimidation:
Some members felt intimidated by the expertise within the group. We aim to create a welcoming environment where all voices are valued, regardless of organisation size or experience level. There's no such thing as a 'silly question'!
Next Steps: Our Commitment to You
SIDCN is a volunteer-led organisation and at the heart of everything SIDCN does is member-led. We encourage members to set up their own networking and collaboration opportunities, whether that’s sub-groups/Forums or socials, and we are here should you need support. We will also endeavour to provide flexible and accessible options to engage when possible.
We’re inspired by the passion and commitment within this community and look forward to working together to make it even stronger.
Let us know your thoughts and ideas as we implement these changes. Together, we can create a network that truly thrives!