The New Networking scene is an alternative to the old elite networks. In days gone by, you had to belong to clubs like Soho House or The Groucho to be on the circuit. But now, the old power is being devolved and democratised. New informal groups are being set up to cater for every need.

For example, for the "cash rich, time poor" professional hungry for social intercourse, there's "Club 6", a new networking dining club that will set up a dinner with five other people who share your interests. Or how about "book clubs", which are amazingly popular following the cult television series, and a great way to meet people outside your usual circle.

Sara Walpole set up a networking group of her own. "I heard London's 'media mistress', Carole Stone, being interviewed on radio and I said to my friend 'What a great idea!' she says. "Then we thought why not set one up ourselves." So Sara set up "Mosaic". The idea, she says, "was to create a community of people from different backgrounds. We meet every month and get a real variety of people from charities, IT, media and other industries. We stress the social side of it - it's not just people sitting around talking about business."

Other New Networks are far more socially haphazard - which, they claim, adds to their charm. Take camdengirl.com - designed for women who want to meet new people, party, and collect the odd phone number. Julie Menzies who recently joined up says, "There's none of that mwaa-mwaa-here's-my-card falseness about it here. Everyone mixes and there's not so much posing. Everyone genuinely seems to want to meet one another."

New Networkers' doors are open to a greater variety of people than those found in established network centres. Their success is based on an entirely new ethos from that of the 1980s - summed up in the motto of one based in Liverpool: "Make friends through business, not business through friends."

And even women at the very top need a bit of sisterly support. One of the most exclusive networks is the newly launched "City Women's Club" which draws its membership from the highest ranks of the City's 10 biggest investment banks. It's based on New York's famous "Women's Bond Club", which has a membership of 300, its members all being at vice president or director level.

For the equally important but less valued there's Netmums. Set up by Soibhan Freegard, Netmums aims to link up mothers feeling isolated and alone while looking after their own small children. It has 45,000 members, including former PAs, businesswomen and lawyers. The idea is that people have somewhere to go to make friends and build a new life when work as a forum for friendship is left behind. (Clearly, Networks are not only about getting a helping hand up the promotion ladder, they're about forming friendships when you fall off it!)

It's good to know that networking opportunities exist, but it's all pretty superfluous if you're a network-phobic who suffers a chill of dread at the mere thought of entering a party room, solo. What to do? Well, you'll find the answer in the words of the Networking Queen herself - Carole Stone.

Stone has a stunning flat full of white sofas in Covent Garden, to which the rich and famous flock for her glamorous Monday evening salons. If you blag an entry you'll quite likely bump into the likes of Michael Portillo, Rory Bremner and Selina Scott. In her book "Networking: The Art of Making Friends", she analyses exactly how you make a splash in the social pool. Here's her message in a nutshell:

•	Make small talk with sentences starting, "how, why, when, what, etc". Keep a list of simple opening lines, for example, "How do you know our host?"
•	Don't talk about your allergies or ailments - or trouble getting to work
•	Think of any social occasion as an opportunity, not a nightmare. Brief yourself - have something of interest to talk about to guests. Circulate, smile, circulate.
•	Aim to have a social event of your own to offer to potential friends. Don't rule out busy or important people. They need friends too.
•	Keep a pen and paper handy - don't trust your memory. Debrief while you can still read your scribbles.

Broaden your horizons! Why not check out these other networks, or see what's available to you locally: * Aurora www.auroravoice.com * Business and Professional Women www.bpwuk.org.uk * Women's Business Networks www.wbn.org.uk * Women's National Commission www.thewnc.org.uk (includes a comprehensive list of useful women's organisations on its "Links" page) And for a list of top secretarial organisations, see our feature in this issue