I think this is a marker for all membership organisations faced with the task of re-inventing themselves, in an age when people can simply leave and form their own groups and networks online. We can also use this capability more positively to add some push from the outside.
Malcolm Forbes has done this by following through from our RSA and social media event on Monday and set up a Facebook group called Open RSA, which you can find here if you have joined Facebook (it's free).
Open RSA London is a group for all those interested in the RSA, its people, its projects, its aims, its challenges, its vision. This is an open group, anyone can join, not just 'fellows' or staff of the RSA, but we would like as many of them as possible to join in.
This is exploratory - seeing what value can emerge from the use of social networking software such as Facebook.
We have started as a London group but again you can still be a member if you are not in London. We want to encourage discussion, ideas, action, meetings and linkages to other networks and groups. Maybe other Open RSA groups set up in other areas.
The RSA by the way is the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures & Commerce and 'works to remove the barriers to social progress'. Lets see what happens and also have some fun!
I'm pleased that a previous blog post of mine helped promote the idea. However, the really interesting thing for me was the way that once messages started circulating within Facebook it was possible to organise a meeting (thanks to Ian Delaney), follow up the discussion, check out with people what they felt about a group, and then move forward, all in a couple of weeks.
I hope that Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the RSA, will welcome the idea. He wrote on his own blog about Very many networks following an event in Manchester, saying:
Between now and the start of our new engagement strategy we need to have a substantial and clear headed dialogue across the RSA about how Fellows working together really can make a difference.
Anne Johnson, in response, asked if there was a Facebook group for Fellows. Matthew's reply: "No, but there soon will be - watch this space".
I hope the RSA does set up an "official" group. Meanwhile we can get started in our space.
Previously:
Why bother with "membership" in future?
Other items here on the RSA
Mike, you are right about FB group functions of course. What seems to me different is the ability to get people into a group through friends and other connections. I can hear some cries of "now what do we do ..." Take the party somewhere else?
Posted by: David Wilcox | July 17, 2007 at 05:57 PM