Hi everyone,

It’s great to be in touch with you all. Some of you might already know me from Innophoria or my Facebook page. Innophoria is a new online game (coming soon) that aims to help charitable organisations all over the world to become more innovative. The word refers to that ecstatic feeling that happens when you’re on the verge of discovering an idea that could really rock the world. I’m always getting them, which is why my colleagues nicknamed me Lucy Innophoria.

I‘ve been working in the third sector now for almost 13 years, just after I graduated from university and, although I love my job, I’m absolutely fed up with the internal obstacles involved in getting new approaches approved. It would be great if I could spend more of my time finding creative ways to engage supporters with the cause and raise funds without drowning myself in paperwork.

Fortunately, help is just around the corner.

Some good friends from SOFII recently asked me to write my own monthly column; I like to think of it as a sort of ‘Sex and the City’ for fundraisers but without the sex – or the city. And a lot more innovation and fundraising than shoes and make-up. We’ll be kicking off next month with an article about the latest trends in gaming and how games can be used to increase supporter involvement in charities and their causes.

Did you know, for example, that recent research shows that nearly one third of the time that Americans spend online is devoted to gaming, or that the South Korean government will invest US$ 200 billion into its video games industry over the next four years?

While you’d be forgiven for asking what on earth this has to do with NGOs, perhaps if I told you that gaming is the only digital medium to offer experiential learning – and fun – it might seem like a far more attractive way to educate and involve your supporters.

Next month, I’ll be taking a much deeper look into the gaming industry and even checking out some organisations that are already reaching supporters with online games: There’s Innophoria, of course, due to be released soon, and in the meantime I’ve become quite a 'nuclear tetris' addict during my lunch breaks thanks to Greenpeace International’s pretty extensive games archive. I’m really looking forward to sharing some of my ideas with you all and getting your feedback.

For those of you who are feeling particularly 'innophoric' and would like to receive the latest trends and innovations from the voluntary sector and beyond, as well as all the gossip on what I’ve been getting up to (including some snaps from my recent trip to Thailand), check out my Facebook fanpage and ‘like’ me to receive updates to your news feed.

See you all soon,
Lucy xx