====== Networking situations ======

* [[networks/2006index|Guide to Networking index]]

Some online resources are no longer available

The networking [[networks/netmethods|methods]] you use will depend on the who, where and why of networking - the situation. For example:\\
If you aim to **provide network services** to members, supporters or volunteers, you might:

  * Set up a contacts database with profiles of members
  * Carry out an audit of skills
  * Create an events calendar
  * Develop a newsletter - print and/or email
  * Run surveys and polls to find what people are interested in
  * Run workshops and other events If you wish to **create a collaboration network** for a project or programme:
  * Map who knows who, and what they are doing
  * Run a co-design workshop to plan together what you aim to do
  * Hold telephone conferences
  * Set up an online workspace
  * Visit each other and socialise In order to **improve communications among core staff** and/or committee members:
  * Organise some social events - if you aren't doing that already
  * Run a planning workshop so that everyone is involved in thinking through what's needed
  * Develop action learning sets to help people learn from each other
  * Apply internally some of the networking methods that you are using with members and other organisations To **develop a wider range of personal contacts**
  * Read a professional networking guide - see resources - which may recommend for example …
  * Widening your range of contacts through events
  * Nurturing your contacts and relationships
  * Identifying who can help - and then asking. People usually respond well
  * Understanding people's differences - see also People section
  * Making use of the Net