Monday 5 January 2009

Tweet tweet! Social entrepreneurs to follow on Twitter

If you make only one resolution for 2009, I'd advise to you do more tweeting!

If you're not aware of the phenomenon that is Twitter, then this video will explain. Basically the microblogging services allow users to share with their 'followers via posts or ' tweets' in just 140 characters their thoughts, experiences, rants and opinions.

Twitter has grown massively in popularity in recent years and social entrepreneurs and those interested in social enterprise are among them.

I've been using Twitter for a few months (you can follow me via @socialbusiness) and have found it hugely beneficial. As well as the selfish reason of promoting this blog I have also learnt lots from some amazing people.

There are thousands of individuals with a liking for social enterprise using Twitter and I couldn't possibly list them all but here are some of favourites:

@socialentrprnr - Nathaniel Whittemore, the founding director of the Center for Global Engagement at Northwestern University, tweets on behalf of the social entrepreneur channel of the excellent website for non-profits Change.org

@rogerhamilton - Based in Bali, Roger Hamilton updates his 1,000+ followers on his thoughts on social enterprise as chairman of the XL Results Foundation, described as the world's largest network for social entrepreneurs.

@AlbertoNardelli - Alberto Nardelli is CEO of UnltdWorld, the internet social network offshoot of social enterprise funding charity Unltd. Alberto was also key in last month's launch of @tweetminster which encourages MPs to use Twitter to communicate with their consistuents.

@socialactions - The combined feed of several representatives of SocialActions.com, the not-for-profit organisation based in Canada and the US which makes it easy for people to make a difference.

@childsi - Showing that the charity sector is flying in the face of its behind-the-times image, this feed is from new charity Child's i Foundation, set up to build a babies' home in Uganda. And it's not just Twitter; the charity's website is positively bursting with Web 2.0 tools!

@ThirdSectorLab - Ross McCulloch tweets on issues related to the third sector. He recently founded Third Sector Forums, the UK's first internet forums for non-profits, social enterprises and charities where you can also often find me!

@rosettathurman - While growing up in the housing projects of Cleveland, Ohio, Rosetta Thurman and her family were helped by the local community non-profits. Now a writer, fundraiser and leadership development consultant, she uses Twitter to encourage the next generation of individuals who will drive social change.

@endeavor_global - Elmira Bayrasli tweets as she travels around the world in her work for Endeavor which aims to transform the economies of the globe's emerging economies by identifying and supporting high-impact entrepreneurs.