Social Networks for Social Responsibility

Social networks are amazing platforms for citizens interested in doing social good. The coordinated collective efforts of communities on Facebook and Twitter can yield results previously unheard of, taking democracy to a new level of public engagement by leveling the playing field.

This week London Mayor Boris Johnson stepped in to cancel an anti-gay advertising campaign due to appear on London buses next week. The adverts were booked by a conservative Anglican group that believes "homoerotic behavior is sinful." The story was broken by The Guardian newspaper, which is widely read through its Facebook app. Therefore it's very likely the Mayor heard the complaints the article generated on the social networks and acted swiftly. Amazing or what?

Recently a new social network launched with the intention to promote civic engagement, corporate social responsibility, and social good through "a new kind of social networking." The network is called NobleHour and was launched last month.

"NobleHour was developed as an alternative to current social communities that merely encourage the "me" generation. In the hopes of acknowledging and developing the "we" generation, our dynamic team of individuals has spent four years listening to the needs of an assortment of organizations who genuinely desire to count the "good" that exists within all of us," said Managing Partner, Scott Fore.

NobleHour was designed for non-profits, schools, businesses, municipalities, students and volunteers. It streamlines membership management, content management, event management, hour tracking, and impact measurement solutions. It helps organizations, employers and educators to save valuable time, so they can better spend it creating a social impact.

Individual volunteers can use NobleHour to find and post news, events, opportunities, organizations and resources. They can also track their community involvement and earn credit for their service hours.

NobleHour expands upon the services offered by SweatMonkey.org, a student-focused volunteer website. While SweatMonkey focused on youth and education, NobleHour caters to the entire civic-engagement community.

"Rather than be an also-ran, we have successfully created a first of its kind software that adds value to our everyday lives. Elegant in design, Noblehour will provide a platform which enables the user to safely and effectively measure their impact while working with others," said Fore.

Image credit: NobleHour