Can Social Networking Help Us Better Connect to Social Causes?

Causerific is a new social networking platform that, in the words of founder Tolu Babalola, hopes to "connect all the people with any sort of need around the world with people who have a passion for helping." It's a remarkably simple yet bold idea:  just post what help you need and check in to see what help is needed.  And that help can come in the form of donating time or donating money.

The site is in partial beta, with plans for a full release next week. But as it stands, the interface makes it easy for users to add causes and to pledge their support. One of the key components of the site is the location and maps feature. This allows you to check in at your current location and find causes nearby. After all, while some causes are "global," there is much to be done at the local level. The causes listed on the site aren't just major charitable organizations. Anyone can add a cause: small neighborhood projects, for example. Causerific isn't responsible for verifying causes -- that's up to the user. But it does serve as a means to connect people so that can help make a difference.

Babalola said he's long been interested in doing charitable work. But he came up with the idea during a roadtrip when he and some friends came across a charity looking for support to build a playground for an orphanage. Fundraising efforts had failed. Babolola convinced his friends to do the physical work themselves, and doing so realized "how many people i didn't know about that needed help but had no way of getting to people who are willing and able to help.

The Internet, and social networking in particular, is the ideal platform to connect people for undertake socially conscious projects. The ability for people to rapidly share information with friends and family allows people to mobilize quickly. Also, endorsement from a friend can really make the difference in convincing someone to "give." As Babalola notes, "when something is recommended by a friend, it carries so much more weight than traditional advertisements and marketing."

Babalola is also the founder of Generation-Y Startup, a blog where Gen-Y entrepreneurs can share resources on building new companies and projects. A self-described "startup nut," he splits his time between these projects. Causerific is a labor of love at this point, and Babalola admits that bootstrapping a startup like this might prove difficult. "I think non-profits generally face the challenge of growing a large user base and sustaining solid traction," he says, but he thinks Causerific can catch on.

Photo credits: Flickr user Josep Rosell