Join Us in the Community BackChannel

If you've ever been part of an active, healthy community online, you know what a valuable experience it can be. If you've ever led or managed an online community, you know what a challenging and rewarding experience that can be. What if there were an online community where anyone working in or interested in community management and development could find supportive peers, expert advice and a wide array of educational and professional resources? It seems natural, even obvious, that community management professionals should be able to form an exemplary community of their own.

And now we have: The Community BackChannel officially launched on May 1, 2011. The Community BackChannel is a community of peers focused on the management and development of online communities. It's a no-fee, non-profit private group founded by four community management professionals: Claire Flanagan, Ted Hopton, Megan Murray and Jamie Pappas. Our mission is

to advance the art and practice of community building by gathering active and engaged people together in a vibrant, trusting, no-sales-zone where we can learn from each other and from the experience of participating in a model community of our own.

If you're interested in joining our more than twenty charter members, then check out our full vision and mission, and see whether you qualify for membership. We'd love to hear from you! And you can hear from us on Twitter @cmtybc.