When I first met Silvana Gambini, who is in her fifties and worked as a careers adviser for 12 years, she had never considered using the internet to earn an income. Like many unemployed women, she used the web to look for work and stay in contact with friends and family through email and Facebook.

Comic Relief's success lies in its canny combination of entertainment and fundraising. Great entertainment from upcoming or much loved personalities has proved itself a potent counterpoint to the emotional, heart-tugging films about the issues.

There's no doubt that policy makers, youth workers, and other professionals in this space have worked tirelessly to offer solutions to youth unemployment. However, in reviewing the outcomes of these efforts, from the Work Programme to apprenticeships, it's clear that these initiatives are not going far enough to change the fortunes of Britain's younger generation.

Why should the internet and social media matter for charities? Giving to a charity or getting support from one has been going on for hundreds of years. However, there are some distinct opportunities for third sector organisations to get online and further their work towards their charitable objectives.

There are about 9.7 million people, 16% of the entire UK population, aged 65 and over. This figure is set to rise by 2033 to about 16.4 million people...