Since we began posting to Twitter in July, we broke 500 followers in September and just recently passed the 1,000 follower mark. Thanks, everyone, for following us!
It's safe to assume that most of us desire to contribute to the "greater good" in some capacity. From the simplest gestures to the grandest commitments, we can always find a way to lend a hand.
I'm no Mother Teresa (or Jimmy Carter) but Social Actions is helping me capitalize on good intentions. At the moment, Social Actions aggregates 20,000+ actionable opportunities from "over 30 sources like Care2, Change.org, DonorsChoose.org, DemocracyinAction, GlobalGiving, Idealist, Kiva, SixDegrees and VolunteerMatch," and in 2009, they want to make volunteering even easier.
This coming January, Social Actions will be launching Change the Web, a "competition to build the best web applications that embed opportunities to take action on the websites, blogs, and social networks that we already visit online." What I like about the project is that they're bringing the opportunity and the context to you.
Before they launch in January, Social Actions needs your help and I'll get to that in a second.
Jumping ahead a moment, Idealist and The Art Director's Club recently began a partnership "to bring like-minded creatives & causes together for social change." Together we created DesignismConnects.org, a site where nonprofits in need of creative services can connect with those that provide them. We think creatives and causes go together like chocolate and peanut butter, and we're glad to have helped create this space.
And this brings me back to Social Actions and Change the Web. Social Actions needs your help. They've set up a profile on DesignismConnects for a Change the Web logo. They're looking for an interested designer to help create a logo that makes the challenge & participants shine. The logo will also be displayed on the "contest homepage and on badges, widgets, videos, presentations, and everywhere people learn about Change the Web!"
By Flickr user Benno Hansen
The results are in for the first day's matches: England, Ethiopia, Ireland, Kyrgyzstan, Malawi, Poland, and Portugal have blown away their opponents in the first round of the Homeless World Cup 2008, which is taking place in Melbourne, Australia, from December 1 to 7. The tournament features over 500 football (soccer) players, men and women, from 48 different countries. All of them are homeless.
From the tournament website: "The Homeless World Cup is an annual, international football tournament, uniting teams of people who are homeless and excluded to take a once in a lifetime opportunity to represent their country and change their lives forever. It has triggered and supports grass roots football projects in over 60 nations working with over 25,000 homeless and excluded people throughout the year.... The impact is consistently significant year on year with 73% of players changing their lives for the better by coming off drugs and alcohol, moving into jobs, education, homes, training, reuniting with families and even going on to become players and coaches for pro or semi-pro football teams."
Also this week, turn your attention to Chile for the South American Football for Hope Festival. Over 200 boys and girls from around South America (as well as Costa Rica and South Africa) are meeting in Santiago de Chile from December 1 to 7 for a street-football tournament and cultural festival. The event aims to demonstrate football as a medium for intercultural dialogue and community development.
I learned about both of these exciting events from an organization called streetfootballworld, which I blogged about earlier this year.
This Friday, December 5th, is International Volunteer Day. On this day, designated by the United Nations in 1985, volunteers worldwide are honored for their extraordinary contributions to communities around the globe.
So how exactly does one celebrate International Volunteer Day? One obvious way is to spend some time on Friday volunteering; click here to search our 14,000+ volunteer opportunities to find one that’s right for you.
Another way is to simply thank those who volunteer around you: friends, family, the person shelving books at the library, the tutors and mentors at your child’s or sibling’s school, the AmeriCorps members cleaning up local parks and waterways.
Have you volunteered in another country? Celebrate the day by sharing your story at WeVolunteer.net, a website powered by Idealist for the Building Bridges Coalition, a consortium of leading international volunteer organizations, colleges and universities, corporations, and government agencies working collaboratively to increase both the numbers of international volunteers and the positive impacts of volunteers abroad.
Finally, if you’re in Buenos Aires, be sure to attend Idealistas.org’s first ever International Volunteer Day event to learn more about getting involved in Argentina, Latin America, and around the globe from prominent nonprofit sector speakers and volunteers alike. Not in Buenos Aires but interested in getting involved in Latin America? Consider joining our Do-Gooders in Latin America group on Facebook to share stories and ideas with like-minded individuals.
Our humble blog has been added to the "online magazine rack" at nonprofit.alltop.com, a page where you can peruse dozens of headlines related to corporate social responsibility, philanthropy, social media and technology, fundraising, marketing, and more.
The Alltop creators explain: "we are trying to enhance your online reading by both displaying stories from the sites that you’re already visiting and helping you discover sites that you didn’t know existed." We're thrilled to be included and hope you'll check out their site, not just for nonprofit news but also for articles on topics from A (autism, AIDS, Afghanistan) to Z (Zoology).
Whatever your gift giving or merry-making philosophy, the holidays can be a time to spread the green. While there may be more consciousness about the greenback these days, there are frugal and thoughtful ways to make your festivities more green.
By Flickr user africankelliHere are some ways to get started:
Got kids? There are lots of family- and kid-friendly options. So while your seven nieces and nephews are hankering for some neon colored, graphic laden gizmos, skip the shopping bag, gift wrap and gas to the mall and consider a donation to an organization that works on an issue of interest to them or make a contribution to their savings account. While instant gratification may be more subdued, it's one less toy to trip over and less packaging in the landfill.
Party Planner? If your place is the center of gatherings, try greening your celebrations. Make it a BYOP (bring your own placesetting, including cloth napkins) to cut down on paper products; or use ones that you can reuse or recycle. Ask guests to supply their own take-home containers for leftovers to cut down on other disposable-ware and not waste food.
Office gift exchange? While another coffee mug may be a green gift, how about something that's actually green – like a plant? An oxygen giving, air purifiying desk accessory may be quite welcome. Or show off your recycling knack by making notebooks from the discarded (non-confidential) paper by the copy machine. Or scrap the gift exchange and holiday party and instead pool the cash and/or time that would have been spent and donate it to a local organization, sing at a children's hospital, or swap out all the old lightbulbs for more energy efficient ones.
Must wrap? There are many products with an earth friendly and
community focus. If using the Sunday comics is too old school for you, try a reusable shopping bag as gift wrap!
Love your mat? And if your yoga mat seems more inviting than spending for new threads and toasting bubbly at the hottest club in town, many
studios hold special New Year's Eve yoga events from 2-24 hours complete with community meals, service projects, music and asana practice.
However you choose to celebrate, Happy Greening!
This entry is by Kara, who will make merry in the San Francisco Bay Area this year.
I drink a lot of bottled water. Every day. But I don't normally associate bottled water with making a difference – in fact, quite the opposite. So I was pleased to learn that Project 7, a brand new Texas-based company, not only uses 100% recycled bottles but is also going to give a portion of its proceeds to nonprofits. Why? Because they want to "change the score."
Photo courtesy Project 7
Project 7 is now accepting applications from nonprofits whose work fits within these seven areas of focus: Heal the Sick, Save the Earth, House the Homeless, Feed the Hungry, Help Those in Need, Build the Future, and Hope for Peace. So if your organization is striving to reduce gang violence or increase the existence of renewable energy, for example, you have an equal chance to receive $15,000 from Project 7's "community piggy bank." Consumers vote on which organizations receive the prize, and they can then stay connected to your cause and see the money in action. During this economic crisis, it's a safe bet to say some extra cash couldn't come at a better time.
Funding is open to any US-based charity or nonprofit that works both locally and abroad. Finalists will be selected by September 2009.
Remember that video project called Where the Hell is Matt, with the guy dancing all over the world? If that gave you goosebumps, you need to watch this right now:
This montage of street musicians from four continents playing "Stand by Me" is just one of several produced by Playing for Change, a foundation "dedicated to connecting the world through music by providing resources (including but not limited to facilities, supplies, and educational programs) to musicians and their communities around the world." Plans include a creative writing center in Johannesburg, two Tibetan refugee centers (one in India and one in Nepal), and a music school opening in early 2009 in Gugulethu, South Africa, but artists can get involved no matter where they live. Learn more about the big plans at playingforchange.com.
Posted by Julia, who wishes she knew how to play an instrument.
By Flickr user Zach Bonnell
The Career Tracks exercise is the best way to see what jobs are out there that resonate with you. It is real, it is current, and it is relevant.
In late November, Meg talked about The Four Lenses activity created by David Schachter at the NYU Wagner School of Public Service. The goal of the Four Lenses activity is to give you a framework to think and talk about what exactly it is that peaks your professional interest. Once you figure out what lens (or lenses) through which you view the nonprofit sector, the Career Tracks exercise (also developed by the amazing David Schachter) is a great next step to take. This exercise is in for parts:
Part One: Data Collection
Look at online or newspaper job postings, and copy or cut out any posting (a “clip”) that appeals to you either by (A) the type of organization or by (B) the job description. Remember, the only criteria you are using to select clips are either organization or job description. The location of the organization or job should not be an issue for now. Nor should the pay range, qualifications, experience, or any other aspects of the job be a issue. The point of this search is not to explore jobs for which you are qualified. Rather, you are looking at jobs and organizations that appeal to you.
By broadening your search outside of the area where you live (or plan to live) as well as searching jobs outside of your qualifications and pay demands, you get a much fuller sense of the opportunities that are out there. For now, you are not concerned with finding a job with a ten minute commute. Repeat this activity until you have at least 50 clips. The more you collect, the better. Remember, when collecting, you do not evaluate along the way, you just collect ideas. Once you have a minimum of 50 clips, continue to the analysis phase.
Part Two: Analysis
Take the clips out of your folder and see if you can find any patterns or common themes. Points to look for might include: issue, population to be served, approach to the work, geography, kind of organization, unit or department within an agency, and role and responsibilities. For example, you might notice that a large number of your clips focus on direct service with homeless teens and adults, and most of the organizations you are drawn to are large organizations located in urban areas.
Part Three: Synthesis
Using the data gathered from your collection and analysis phases, create at least one and no more than five potential career tracks for yourself. A career track is a way to put parameters around and frame your potential career interests, and can include any of the following attributes that have meaning for you: issue or field of interest, approach to the work, kinds of organizations that do this work, roles that you aspire to play, and requirement of skills, experience, education, and knowledge to fulfill those roles.
Take stock of your qualifications and experiences as they relate to your potential career tracks. Your track should inform which groups you join, the people you seek out, the internship/job experiences you look for, and how you present yourself in a resume, cover letter, and interview. (See Chapter Eight for more advice on cover letters and resumes, and
Chapter Nine for a discussion of interview techniques.) Remember to reflect along the way to determine if this track feels like a good fit for you. If it does, continue on this path. If not, seek out additional tracks.
Part Four: Application
After you identify your possible career tracks, draft a different resume for each position you identify that fits into each of the tracks. This can be an entry-level position or a “dream job”; the point of drafting a mock resume is to get a clear view of the skills, experiences, and qualifications (which can include certifications or licenses) you will need in that particular job. Now, fill in the resume with the skills, experiences, and qualifications that you already have for the position. Look at any areas that are blank. Do you need more management, direct service, fundraising, professional, and/or educational experience to qualify for a job on this career track? If yes, start to explore ways to fill those blanks. Whatever the blanks are on your resume, you can find a time and place to fill them. While it is unrealistic to fill all the blanks in all of your resumes in a relatively short amount of time, many of the skills you wish to have should be transferable between resumes.
Ideally, you will have at least 12 months for the Career Tracks process. Realistically, you will only have three to six months. See Chapter 3 to see how a three-, six-, and twelve-month schedule looks.
Like your career search, the Career Tracks exercise should be an ongoing, ever-evolving process. Successful job searches almost never happen overnight.
Happy little Give List bird! The Give List is a growing and timely collection of "ways that you contribute without spending or buying. Or maybe giving while buying and spending a little less than usual." Through blog posts, Twitter, and del.icio.us, individuals and organizations are suggesting alternative "gifts" this holiday season:
On Twitter, @kanter suggested donating your out of date equipment to a computer recycler like Free Geek.
@cybersibesk recommended donating blankets to an animal shelter. Shelters are being overwhelmed because people are losing their homes and can't afford pets.
The Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra blogged 16 great ideas, including "If you are a cafe/restaurant/bar owner, create a signature dish or drink and name it in honor of your favorite organization."
We thought we'd chime in with just a few ideas for how you can use Idealist this season:
Organizations can...
Post volunteer opportunities: it's free, people want to be involved, and with one or two group volunteer orientations, an organization can round up a big new group of volunteers ready to assist in their holiday work. Serving the community means a volunteer gives twice: once to the organization and once to the community or individual.
Post events. Hosting a holiday happy hour, new year fundraiser, training, lecture, or other gathering? Give your neighbors a chance to learn about your work and expand their networks.
Another event idea: if you have a bunch of old office furniture or supplies, why not hold an Open House and invite staff from other nonprofits to come claim what you don't need?
Individual users can...
Look for an organization in the neighborhood that does work you admire and stop in to say "thank you, job well done". You can also offer a gift, or a donation, or some volunteer time – but even a thank you can make a big difference.
Look for an org that does work your friend would admire and tell them about it in a way that doesn't impose any burdens ("I know you like classical music so I thought you'd like to hear about this group that puts on concerts in the parks"). You can also do this with events.
If you know of organizations in your community that aren't on Idealist, let them know that they can post volunteer opportunities for free!
Gift somebody the Idealist Guide to Nonprofit Careers if they don't already know about it already. It's easy and free – and a great resource! You can also buy them the book in print if they prefer to read something tangible.
If you know someone who's deeply engaged in service through the Peace Corps, AmeriCorps or some other intensive volunteer program, check out Amy's list of ways to show your corps member some love this holiday season. As a Peace Corps and Americorps vet, she knows what she's talking about.
A couple of months ago, a user of ours wrote in asking us why Idealist didn't have a presence on LinkedIn.
Hm. A good question.
I didn't have an answer, but after some research, we thought it would be a good idea to launch a group on LinkedIn and shortly after, we started Idealist.org for Professionals. With more than 90 members and many signing up everyday, we're off to a good start!
"Many professionals advance their careers and business goals by counting on industry and professional groups, alumni organizations, industry conferences and corporate alumni groups to help them make vital new business contacts. LinkedIn Groups offers extra features to group-based organizations to help their members stay in touch with one another and discover powerful new business contacts within their groups and beyond." (Read more in the FAQs.)
After you pay your cell phone bill, where does all that money go? A good chunk of it probably goes to supporting various political campaigns and some nonprofit organizations. But do you know exactly which politicians and causes your service is connected to, and whether those are the ones you want to be funding?
By Flickr user Gaetan LeeCREDO Mobile is a U.S.-based wireless phone service that lets customers weigh in on which causes they're funding with their business. First, customers nominate their favorite nonprofits that are changing the world; then, when the list is complete, they vote on what percentages of profits should go to which organizations. In 2007, over $3.5 million was given to 48 different nonprofits through the CREDO network. To give some examples, $115,776 went to the Natural Resources Defense Council, $38,156 went to the New Voters Project, and $60,718 went to the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network.
Whether or not you're thrilled with the causes they've supported so far, you've got to give them credit for letting their customers have a say, and also for making this information so readily available to the public. CREDO Mobile provides other cool features, such as solar-powered phone chargers, and action alerts on selected social and environmental issues. I hope that more cell phone companies will catch on and start to live up to their potential as "networks."
C'mon, admit it. You watched that guy disappearing into a giant balloon. You helped land Miley Cyrus, T.I., and The Jonas Brothers among the top viewed videos. How much time have you wasted on the guilty pleasures of YouTube this year?
Darfur is just one of the issues that will be in the spotlight on Wednesday.
You're not alone. But check out Project 4 Awesome, a rather sweetly subversive annual campaign set to unfold this Wednesday, December 17. The organizers explain: "we’re all making videos with the same screenshot, the same titles, and the same theme: We want to make the world a better place, and so we’re thanking people who have dedicated their lives to do that, and promoting their cause with our time and our money."
After the videos are made, members of the YouTube community will comment on and rate them, causing videos that otherwise may have been overshadowed by the likes of Miley Cyrus to rise to the top of the most-discussed and to-rated pages. Hopefully, then, these changemakers and their causes will reach untapped YouTube audiences, spreading positive messages and drawing new support. And the P4A organizers have pledged to donate a nice chunk of change to the subject of their favorite P4A video.
Visit the website to follow the progress throughout the day Wednesday; help promote videos; or learn how to make and submit one of your own. Or watch one of the P4A organizers explain the effort in this video.
The Building Bridges Coalition—a project of the Brookings Initiative on International Volunteering and Service—asks today that all U.S. citizens “who believe that Peace Corps is an important part of our outreach to the world” sign the petition urging President-Elect Barack Obama to double the number of Volunteers serving through Peace Corps, as well as to support Peace Corps in specific ways.
The petition will be presented to Obama in a little over a week. If you'd like to sign, click here.
More Peace Corps means having the resources to respond to the more than 20 countries that have requested programs for which Peace Corps has insufficient funds. It also means having the resources to give the many highly qualified Americans who would like to serve overseas the chance to do so.
More Peace Corps does not mean a simple expansion of the numbers of Peace Corps volunteers, although that is part of it.
More Peace Corps may mean revising the Peace Corps model in ways to take better advantage of the significant technological and demographic changes that have occurred in the 46 years since Peace Corps was launched.
More Peace Corps will consider how to make Peace Corps so much more effective at addressing the problems of poverty. This will probably require significant innovation and some risk.
The Building Bridges Coalition works to double the number of volunteers serving internationally by 2010 and includes groups such as Idealist.org and the NPCA (the independent group of Returned Peace Corps Volunteers).
One of the Coalition’s policy recommendations is to double the number of Peace Corps Volunteers, something President-Elect Obama also included in his pre-election stance on service. (Their other policy recommendations include the Global Service Fellowship and permanent authorization of Volunteers for Prosperity.)
I recently discoverd Alltop.com's nonprofit section and it's huge list of popular nonprofit blogs (including the Idealist blog!) and thought it would be fun to find the most interesting stories from those feeds and make a new rss feed with those entries.
So I went through each nonprofit blog on Alltop and collected most of the rss feeds (though not all, some of the rss links were dead). I then imported that list of feeds into PostRank, which looks at statistical information related to each story, like comments made on a post, popularity of the website, how many times a story has been Dugg, and using that info, a rank between 1 and 10 is given to each blog post.
I decided that I only wanted to see stories with a high PostRank score, around 8 - 10 and was given a new rss feed combining all the high rated stories from these different nonprofit blogs.
I imported that combined rss feed into Feedburner, which allows me to keep track of how many people are checking out the feed as well as add new features to the feed that aren't normally included, e.g., FeedFlares, which let people share a story on Digg or Reddit or email it to a friend.
Below you'll find the consolidated feed of relevant and popular updated nonprofit news from 40+ websites. Check it out!
On Monday we blogged about Project 4 Awesome, an effort to spend one day each year promoting YouTube videos that spotlight changemakers and their causes. We applaud Project 4 Awesome for having inspired new videos covering topics from breast cancer to the Buy a Goat Project, but we also want to point out that you can watch and post important videos related to social change all year round.
Increasingly, nonprofits are using video to raise awareness about their programs. Comedy, tragedy and bold images illustrate organizations' missions, help them to make asks, and educate the public about current issues. And since posting a YouTube video is cheaper than trying to buy commercial ad space (read: it's free), it can be a great option for organizations to promote their work during these tough economic times.
Every month Ramya, our friend over at YouTube, highlights the best examples of nonprofits using video. My personal favorite this month is the cheeky True Luxury by ChangethePresent.org:
Here are some other notable nonprofit videos for this month:
Zimi's Story: One Laptop Per Child shows the power of their project.
Easing the Burden: Ramya notes, "This video from the World Food Programme about the DR Congo is only 30 seconds long and doesn't have any spoken words, but uses images to deliver a very powerful message. Has received great pickup on YouTube – over 150,000 views!"
I was talking with my neighbor the other day and he told me that at this time of the year, he reminds himself that it’s okay to be a bit more lethargic, introspective, and even inclined to just stay in bed. Apparently, it’s residual from when we used to hibernate. So while I don’t usually get sick or feel down during the winter, I have been noticing I’m a bit slower these days. And apparently it’s not just in my head. Well, it is, but in a very real sort of way.
Hibernation (by Flickr user Dano)
So this seasonal slowness is partly why I’ve been procrastinating on writing this blog post. But I’ve also been procrastinating because I’ve had a hard time wrapping my head around a career post when unemployment is at its highest in anywhere from five to 26 years, during a time of the year when most organizations don’t post new jobs due to holiday schedules as well as waiting on end-of-year giving, and when our current economic situation is making nonprofits even more risk averse than they usually are.
So based on the current situation, what can you do right now to make sure you’re in the right place at the right time when that next great job comes along?
Lots.
Assess your situation.
If you have a job, you may want to hang on to it for a while. This may not be the best time to give two weeks notice and begin your search for a more fulfilling job.
If you don’t have a job, find one that will pay the bills. While the typical job search takes from 4 to 6 months, there is nothing typical about today’s job search. Spend your energy finding something that will allow you to support yourself (and your family) so that you have a bit more flexibility as you continue your search for a different kind of job.
Figure out how you will stand out in an incredibly competitive job market.
While knowing that you want to “work in the nonprofit sector” or are looking for “a career that does good” or need “a job that means more than just a paycheck”, these are not compelling reasons for a nonprofit to even give you a second glance.
One of the best ways to stand out as a candidate is to be able to clearly and concisely explain why you are a great fit for each job you apply for. The only way to get to this point is to know not only what you want but what are your strengths and qualifications.
Give yourself the gift of some introspective time this holiday season. Yes, it may feel like a luxury. But actually, it’s the “socks and underwear” of the job search; it’s an absolute necessity. Check out this post or this post for two self-assessment exercises that will help you move from “I want to work in a nonprofit” to a statement such as, “I am seeking a job in a small- to medium-sized nonprofit that focuses on educational advocacy on an international level.” Your next line should be, “Do you know anyone I should talk to?”
Know who you know.
Networking is the way to find and get a job. Period. For some of the best and usually not-the-same-old-same-old networking advice, do a search on Penelope Trunk’s Brazen Careerist blog for “networking.” Peruse the post titles and read at least five. At least. Then read this Idealist Guide chapter for nonprofit-specific networking stats, advice, and techniques. If you’re still hankering for more, here’s a podcast to tune in to.
What you will read and hear over and over is that it’s all about who you know. This is why the holiday season is a perfect time to begin, continue, or focus your job search. With a specific ask (see above section), your family, friends, colleagues, coffee shop baristas, bartenders, grocery store baggers, pet walkers, and children’s teachers will be thrilled to tell you about their friend/partner/sibling/neighbor who you just “have to talk to.”
So as the seasonal slugginess sets in, the economic crisis continues to dodge and weave, and the nonprofit sector regroups after a rough end-of-year giving season, take advantage of the next few months to identify your career goals, hone your message, and utilize your network. And every once in a while, give in to the hibernation urge at this time of the year and take a power nap.
By Meg who blames the fact that she’s a bit slower these days on the season. Really.
If you are graduating from college soon and worried that your career options are limited due to your staggering student loan burden, you may find some relief.
Partnering with American University's Washington College of Law, Equal Justice Works has launched its first podcast show on the topic of student debt relief. Equal Justice Works is the organization for public interest law and law schools, and has been a long-time co-sponsor of Idealist's Graduate Degree Fairs for the Public Good.
One of the biggest hurdles for any person entering a public service career is student loan debt – and law school grads may face the worst of it. In 2007, Congress passed the College Cost Reduction and Access Act (CCRAA) which forgives certain federal student loans for people in qualified public service – after they've made 120 (about ten years' of) loan payments.
But understanding the law, and how it applies to you, is challenging. Equal Justice Works already offers information on its website and blog to help people wade through the morass of complicated fine print. The podcast—The Student Debt Relief Series, available on iTunes—gives you the nuances of the Act in plain English. EJW's Heather Jarvis, a public interest lawyer herself, knows the law inside and out. She offers answers to some frequently asked (and frequently overlooked) questions about using the Act for people coming out of school in the past couple of years.
Although EJW focuses on law school issues in general, the first podcast episode is clearly accessible to any person pursuing a public service career. Its creators hope to feature a new show monthly on topics like loan repayment assistance programs (including statewide and law school programs, etc.) and the tax implications of the CCRAA.
After the New Year, we're excited to announce that the EJW blog—led by Aaron Pickering—will join the Idealist Grad School Blog Project.
We've heard of recycled paper and soy-based ink. But what about an environmentally-friendly font?
The Guardian's Environment Blog broke the news about a new font, aptly named Ecofont. It was developed by a Dutch communications company to use less ink than a regular font; this was achieved by spreading small holes throughout each letter. As the designers say, "After Dutch holey cheese, there now is a Dutch font with holes as well."
Sometimes, nothing makes me more excited than being handed something for free. A lollipop or a sample piece of cake can make my day. Holiday time, especially, 'tis the season to be generous. And in this time of global economic crisis, free is nothing short of amazing.
Free texts for teens? Photo by uberculture
Thanks to the social entrepreneurship website Springwise, I've learned about a few cool business ideas that embrace the simple concept of sharing. Just in time for the ice to come, Austrian clothing company Northland Professional has decided to give away samples of hats, gloves and scarves – by attaching them to a public billboard in the city of Graz. Every other day the stock is replenished. Perhaps less practical, but still pretty sweet: a city in the Philippines is experiencing a twist to the old Secret Santa concept. Delifrance, a cafe chain in the capital city of Manila, is allowing friends to surprise one another with free almond cookies and chocolate chip biscotti.
But who says giving only needs to be during the season when tinsel and candles abound? In Dublin, Ecocabs are a year-round variation on the rickshaw. Pedal powered, the small golf cart-like cabs shuttle people in the city center everyday from morning until night without cost. Sure, the exterior is slightly sore on the eyes as they're plastered with product ads, but they're a great alternative way to get from place to place. Across the Irish Sea, some teens in Britain are using free cell phone service thanks to mobile operator Blyk. With 217 texts and 43 free minutes each month, it's a perfect way to get all of those New Year's calls in to friends and family.
What can you give away to others to make the holiday jolly this year?
1. Green-collar jobs went from being a buzzword to being a movement. This year, Van Jones published a book and went on the Colbert Report, Green For All hosted the first-ever Dream Reborn conference, and the U.S. presidential candidates even talked about green-collar jobs on the campaign trail.
By The Wandering Angel on Flickr2. Service was headline news. Thanks to the efforts of the Service Nation coalition and new programs like The Corps Network's New Orleans Conservation Corps project, service became a hot topic. Even CNN got in on the action, airing a primetime conversation on the subject featuring Barack Obama and John McCain.
3. Malaria was recognized as a global crisis. For eight years, April 25th has been known as Africa Malaria Day. In 2008, it was finally recognized as a global emergency when many countries came together for the first World Malaria Day to reaffirm commitments to fighting the disease.
5. We recognized the power of design. In October, we blogged about The Designers Accord, whose members agree to reduce their environmental impact. This year we also noticed the Design for the Other 90% traveling exhibition by the Cooper-Hewitt Museum, which showcases low-cost products and solutions, each one aiming to address basic challenges to survival and progress.
6. The Encore Careers movement gained momentum.Civic Ventures led the way by hosting their first Encore Careers Summit earlier this month. The trend towards "purpose-driven work in the second half of life" takes advantage of the skills and experience of baby boomers looking to make a difference. Can we get an encore?
7. First timers were inspired to vote. The world paid attention throughout a long and grueling U.S. presidential election campaign, and in the end, young people and old, idealists and cynics, faced the long lines and truly believed they could make a difference.
This list is not exhaustive. What other noteworthy campaigns happened this year? Please share your thoughts in the comments section!
Is your organization's website only viewable on Windows 95?
Sketchbook by Flickr user Santi Siri
Does your organization have a training video that's shot on a Super 8?
Is your promotional brochure a black and white word document that hasn't been updated since 1989?
If you answered 'yes' to any of the above questions, your organization's communication materials are in desperate need of a facelift. But fret not, now you can now post your Pro-Bono Design Projects on Idealist.org. We are doing this in collaboration with the Art Directors Club. Our side of this partnership is to get your projects online; then the Art Directors Club will reach out to designers all over the world to get them involved.
Posting a Pro-bono Design Project is free and there's no deadline to posting your projects! To start your makeover:
1. Log in to your individual account from the right side of the homepage.
2. Click on the "Groups and Listings" tab from your Control Panel.
3. To the right of your organization's name click "Edit & Post."
4. On the next screen you will see your Organization's Entry & Update Menu. Underneath "Add, edit or delete" you will see a list of all the types of listings you can post on Idealist. Click on "Pro-bono Design Project."
5. Create your listing and then click "Submit" at the bottom and you're on your way to a swanky new website, a clean PDF brochure, or a sophisticated new logo.
Diaspora volunteering connects Diaspora communities with their countries of origin through strategic volunteer placements. Many people in Diaspora communities have a passion for helping their communities back home, and Diaspora volunteering is one of many ways they can help. Sometimes Diaspora volunteering can also counter the effects of out-migration of skilled workers and bring entrepreneurial energy to isolated communities.
By Flickr user KofoedThe Volunteer Service Organisation (VSO, the U.K. counterpart to Peace Corps) is one international volunteer-sending group that offers Diaspora placements for long-term, stipended assignments. For example, VSO Canada—which accepts U.S. citizens—works with partners to match the skills of Canada's Diaspora communities with the needs of "under-resourced social development sectors in their countries of heritage. VSO Canada (now called CUSO-VSO) works with people of the Guyanese, Filipino, and Ethiopian Diasporas.
Indicorps is a fellowship program that recruits young professionals of the global Indian Diaspora to Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India, to serve for one or two years with a grassroots organization. The program aims to nurture social conscious leaders "to transform India and the world." (Indicorps is also recruiting semester-long interns who can be of any ethnic heritage.)
People of the Jewish Diaspora have many opportunities through which to volunteer with communities in Israel. Some places to start are the Jewish Coalition for Service, and also the National Council for Volunteering in Israel which lists volunteer opportunities for residents and non-residents of Israel.
Do you know of other international volunteer-sending organizations that focus on Diaspora volunteering? We'd love to hear!
Courtesy Flickr user {Platinum}
I'm of the school of thought that New Year's resolutions should be simple, concrete, and easy to fulfill—those things that you have wanted to do, but just haven't gotten around to it because you haven't had any sense of commitment before. Last year I resolved to schedule appointments with the dentist and eye doctor, even though I didn't have any pressing issues with my teeth or eyes. Although I kept putting it off due to lack of urgency, I did succeed at getting it done by the end of the year because I had promised to.
This year, I'm considering some simple eco-friendly resolutions, like saving electricity by unplugging my cell phone charger, computer, TV, coffee maker, and toaster whenever I'm not using them; and either joining my local CSA or buying from the farmer's market more regularly. (I've heard that the more people you declare your resolutions to, the more likely you are to complete them. That's why I'm sharing mine with the world! And you can, too, by leaving a comment.)
On the work-related side of life, here are some suggestions for simple, concrete New Year's resolutions you or your organization could commit to:
Update your organization's website and all your pages on social networking sites that you may have forgotten about—including your personal profile and your organization's profile on Idealist!
Go through the stack of business cards or pile of sign-up sheets from all those events you've been to and start a system for managing those contacts.
Post all of your organization's events and campaigns on Idealist this year (it's free!).
Share more photos and videos to bring attention to your work.
If your resolutions involve work, volunteering, or taking action, remember that Idealist can help!
Please share your personal or work-related resolutions in the comments below. Happy New Year!
