Bloggers represent a powerful and influential online community, and the British parent blogging community is one of the most active around. The Tots100 is the UK’s largest network of active parent bloggers – with over 2,500 members, who have a combined audience of more than 2m readers every month – that’s amazing!
Our community has a history of amazing support for good causes, with high-profile campaigns to raise awareness by the likes of Unicef, Save the Children and, most recently, CLIC Sargent, which ask bloggers to share information, words, pictures and links.
Now, the Tots100 is asking bloggers to share something else – their time.
What is Time to Share?
We’re inviting British parent bloggers to share an hour or more of their time with good causes. The Time to Share programme will match bloggers with charities in need of volunteers. During March and April 2012, we’ll be providing our members with opportunities to share their time with local charities, lending a hand with everything from planting trees to handing out drinks to marathon runners and talking to school children about depression.
Time to Share is being run by the Tots100 but we’re inviting all bloggers to get involved – whether you’re a member of our network or not. We’re being supported by the brilliant Bright One, a communications agency for voluntary organisations that is supported and run by volunteers from across the PR industry. Bright One will be helping us spread the word about Time to Share among voluntary organisations and the wider media.
Why get involved?
If you’re a blogger, Time to Share will give you a fantastic opportunity to support a charity that’s close to your heart, and close to home. We’ve got some amazing charities on board already, and we’ll be offering you the chance to meet new people and make a real difference in your community. Above all, we want you to be inspired to share your experience with your readers, friends and family.
Don’t have any time?
If you don’t have any free time just now, don’t worry. You can still support Time to Share by displaying one of our lovely blog badges, and telling your readers about the programme. We’d love you to let people know about how they can take part in Time to Share, and how people can find out about volunteering opportunities in their area via Time to Share.
The Time to Share project aims to:
- Give bloggers, and their readers, a real insight into the work being done by charities across the UK, and the vital role played by volunteers. We hope that the programme will inspire more people to get involved in volunteering in their communities!
- Provide an insight into the wide range of volunteering opportunities available in the UK, by promoting blog posts about Time to Share volunteers on the Tots100 website, and across other websites and networks
- Give charities (especially smaller groups with limited resources for media relations) the opportunity to raise awareness of their work by connecting with the hugely popular and influential parent blogging community
I’m a blogger – how do I get involved?
If you’re a blogger and would like to be involved in Time to Share, all you have to do is fill in a short registration form telling us about where you live, what causes you support, and when you have some time to spare.
I’m a charity – how can we get involved?
We have some amazing charities on board already, but we’d love to add more charities to the Time to Share programme. If you work with, or represent a charity interested in working with bloggers, then you can register for more information by completing a short registration form.
I’ve registered – what now?
Over the coming weeks, we will be working hard to match charities with suitable bloggers who have Time to Share, and we would be so grateful for your support. What can you do?
- Sign up for Time to Share if you haven’t already, and share an hour or more of your time with a good cause
- Display one of our Time to Share badges on your blog, and let your readers know about Time to Share
- Write a blog post about a good cause that’s close to your heart, that could benefit from our support
- Spread the word about Time To Share on Facebook, Twitter (#TimeToShare) and your social networks
Badge B: 160 x 160px
To use Badge B, copy and paste the code below onto your blog:
<a href=”http://www.tots100.co.uk/category/time-to-share-2012/”><img src=”http://www.tots100.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Time-to-Share-e1327996897729.jpg” alt=”Tots100 Time to Share”></a>
About Sally
Sally Whittle is founder of the Tots100, Foodies100, BlogSummit and the MAD Blog Awards. When she's not working, she can be found blogging at Who's the Mummy, or having fun with her 7 year old daughter, Flea.
So looking forward to being lnvolved with this. Its another inspired idea Sally ! xx
Thanks, Karen. We’d love to get 50 bloggers signed up, and we have some brilliant experiences open for people who get involved!
Great idea! (read about it in Mammasaurus’s blog and hopped over here). Have filled in the form – hope to be involved.
Fantastic idea, Sally, and we look forward to working on it with you!
All signed up! Count me in – such a great idea and what an opportunity for valuable experience.
Off to sign up now
)
Wow that’s quite a task. Don’t think you’ll be covering Ireland but happy to loan my blog out for what it’s worth…
Not sure I have time to go anywhere but I’ll sign up & if necessary just limit it to blogging & showing the badge! Great idea!
Signed.
Sally, this is an utterly, utterly, fantastic idea and I’m so excited about it.
I realise I’m a bit remote for many charities, but I’d love to help somehow and if I’m distant I can, within reason, travel.
Do say if you need any practical help in co-ordinating too.
What a wonderful thing to organise. Have signed up
What an AMAZING initiative!!!
wonderful idea- signed!
Fantastic idea. I have signed up.
Have signed up but realised I forgot to put down an important cause that I am interested in….can I add it anywhere?
I am in receipt of charity lovelies for my special needs children and I volunteer already every week for a group of disabled children so physical time is not an option, but I will happily lend out my bog for a few posts.
x
What an absolutely super idea! Not sure who I can help but am off to sign up now.
I am physically unable to help as I have a disability but I work for a charity on a telephone helpline. I’m happy in any way I can otherwise and have displayed the badge on my blog. Lovely idea!