Idealist aims to help people work across all kinds of borders to turn their good intentions into action. That's why we love the concept behind Pangea Day.
http://www.pangeaday.org/index.php
Pangea Day seeks to overcome differences and conflict by helping people see themselves in others – through the power of film.
Starting at 18:00 GMT on May 10, 2008, locations in Cairo, Kigali, London, Los Angeles, Mumbai, and Rio de Janeiro will be linked for a live program of powerful films, live music, and visionary speakers. The entire program will be broadcast in seven languages to millions of people worldwide through the internet, television, and mobile phones.
The 24 short films to be featured have been selected from an international competition that generated more than 2,500 submissions from over one hundred countries. The films were chosen based on their ability to inspire, transform, and allow us see the world through another person's eyes.
The program will also include a number of speakers and performers including Queen Noor of Jordan, CNN's Christiane Amanpour, musician/activist Bob Geldof, and Iranian rock phenom Hypernova.
Pangea Day is a global event - meant to be watched together by people in every corner of the world. If you have a television or an internet connection, you can gather your friends, family, and members of your community to watch on May 10th.
Check out the guide to hosting an event, then list your event on the Pangea Day google map.
Will you be in Cairo, Kigali, London, Mumbai, or Rio de Janeiro on May 10th? Reserve your free ticket to a live Pangea Day event today. And if you'll be somewhere else, check the website regularly for updates on television broadcasters that will be showing Pangea Day live.
Each week we bring you a roundup of what you can find on Idealist.org related to a specific country, region, or city. Today we spotlight Uganda.
Photo by NG Swan Ti/Oxfam International via Flickr
There are 324 Ugandan nonprofit organizations listed on Idealist so far, working on a wide range of issues, many related to the ongoing conflict in Northern Uganda. Some are creating economic development opportunities in rural communities; others work to empower children orphaned by HIV/AIDS; others are providing affordable health care.
391 people in Uganda have created volunteer profiles to offer to contribute their skills to a good cause. And 328 people have created personal profiles. If you live in Uganda or have ties to a community there, you can create a personal or volunteer profile and let the world know!
Would you like to help make more connections among people, organizations, and resources in Uganda through the Idealist network? Visit Spread Idealist or start a local Idealist Group.
Most of us know more than we think. And so do our friends. Whether it's tango dancing, personal finance, knitting, basic yoga poses, how to change a bike tire, or converting a car engine to run on vegetable oil, we all have skills and interests that can be shared with others - and similarly, many people would love to learn a new skill or hobby, but aren't sure where to start.
This Saturday in Washington, DC, a unique event called Learn-A-Palooza is going to help rectify the disconnect between the supply of collective community knowledge and skill and the demand of curiosity and desire for learning.
www.learnapaloozadc.com
Classes on everything from greening your home or apartment to how to dance at a party will be taught. You can come by our Washington, DC office where our staff will offer workshops on volunteering internationally and finding the right nonprofit job.
You don't need an RSVP to attend; simply show up to the workshops taking place around town that you find most interesting. Have a skill you want to share with the world? Sign up to teach in one of the venues provided by local businesses and shops.
One of our favorite things about Learn-A-Palooza is how easy it would be to stage anywhere in the world. A small group of volunteers is organizing this year's event in DC, and we know if you ask them, they'd be happy to let you know how to organize Learn-A-Palooza in your town!
According to research conducted by the Bridgespan Group, Meyer Foundation and Annie E. Casey Foundation, there will be a significant deficit of executive leadership available to the nonprofit sector in the next decade. At least three out of four Executive Directors plan to leave their jobs within the next five years according to their surveys, and about half of current younger leaders plan to leave the nonprofit sector altogether.
In the midst of this potential leadership pitfall, though, a new report produced this year by the same cohort (in conjunction with CompassPoint and Idealist) suggests that the next generation of nonprofit executive leadership could be "Ready to Lead" given the proper training and preparation.
With this in mind, various organizations are stepping up to fill the gap and train young nonprofit leaders to be future executives.
The Center for Social Leadership will be conducting their Executive Certification Program in Nonprofit Leadership June 2-7. Applications are due this Friday, May 9 and scholarships are available!
Similarly, the Nonprofit Roundtable has recently launched its Future Executive Directors Fellowship; a nine-month program that begins with an intensive six-month series conducted over 11 days and concludes with three months of ongoing support for young leaders. Applications are due May 30.
Both programs will allow for visibility and networking, skills development, advising and peer coaching, executive director modeling, and mentoring. If you're an aspiring nonprofit executive, be sure to check out these or other great leadership training programs in your area. If you know of others, please leave them in the comments below!
On the weekend of May 2-4, Myanmar (also known as Burma) was struck by the powerful Cyclone Nargis. A resulting tidal surge killed at least 23,000 people, and another 41,000 people are missing. At least a million more people are now in desperate need of clean drinking water, food, and shelter.
Historically, international aid agencies have been granted limited access to work in Myanmar by the country’s ruling junta. The scale of the disaster has prompted the regime to make an unprecedented request for international assistance. As such, many leading international NGOs are now collecting resources they hope to distribute to cyclone victims as soon as possible.
If you are looking to assist with the relief efforts, please see the following links.
Network for Good has a list of aid agencies accepting donations for Myanmar cyclone relief.
http://networkforgood.blogspot.com/2008/05/help-victims-of-myanmar-cyclone.html
International Federation of Red Cross/Red Crescent Societies has launched an emergency appeal for Myanmar.
http://www.ifrc.org/
World Vision is one of the international NGOs already on the ground in Myanmar.
http://www.worldvision.org/news.nsf/news/myanmar-cyclone-20080505?open&lid=20225&lpos=emg_txt_LearnMore
UNICEF is another aid agency with staff on the ground in Myanmar, and is collecting resources to distribute.
http://www.unicefusa.org/
Save the Children has been on the ground in Myanmar since 1995 and is collecting resources for distribution to affected families.
http://www.savethechildren.org/emergencies/asia/cyclone-nargis-myanmar-response.html
Globalteer is an organization in the United Kingdom that is looking for volunteers to go to Myanmar and help out.
http://www.globalteer.org/news/21/15.html
Architecture for Humanity is raising funds to assist with reconstruction efforts.
http://www.architectureforhumanity.org/
Do you know of other organizations or people who could use volunteers or resources to aid Myanmar? Leave a comment below.
Here's your chance to get your voice heard, put those writing skills to use, facilitate online community, and cover issues you're passionate about!
Photo by ekai on Flickr
Change.org, a website that facilitates social action, is currently hiring part-time bloggers to write and edit for its new network of social action blogs. Each blogger will focus on one issue area, such as gay rights, microfinance, prison reform, the war in Iraq, or universal health care.
You can apply from anywhere in the U.S. and set your own blogging schedule. Click here for more information.
Yesterday we blogged about ways you can donate, volunteer, or otherwise support relief efforts after this weekend's cyclone in Myanmar. According a New York Times article this morning, some are estimating the overall death toll to be near 22,000.
A protest in Myanmar (also known as Burma) last September.
Photo by Flickr user racoles
An article in today's Philanthopy News Digest notes that the extent to which the Myanmar government will cooperate with international aid efforts is unclear. In the meantime, however, many foundations, agencies, countries, and organizations - from GlobalGiving to the United Nations World Food Programme - have begun to establish emergency funds and ship food and supplies to the region.
Not sure how you can help? Click on this link to read our blog entry from yesterday for some ideas on how you can pitch in:
http://www.idealist.org/if/i/en/h/blog/help-cyclone-victims-in-myanmar
Since over 70 different countries celebrate Mother's Day in the month of May, we thought we would take this time to honor mothers and the work that they do. Let's take a look at some impressive groups of moms taking action in their communities!
Photo by Erica Simone on Flickr
Cool Moms Care is an online community for parents who want to engage in do-gooder activities with their kids. On the website, you can get practical tips to help you and your kid make a difference every day; learn about cool projects you can do with your kids, like setting up a rain barrel; and find a group of committed parents in your area. Another organization, Mothers Acting Up, "inspires, educates and engages mothers—a gigantic force to be reckoned with—to prioritize children in our corporate and public policies." The mothers involved are encouraged to find their political voice, whether it's to advocate for public education for girls around the world, or to divert military spending in favor of women's and children's health initiatives.
Many mothers are using their various creative talents (besides raising children) for the social good. Radical Mother's Voice is a radio show in Austin, Texas, where the hostesses—moms, of course—perform songs, discuss social justice issues, and interview community activists. On the blog Anti-Racist Parent, contributors write about their experiences with some of the race-related issues of raising children. And Artsy Mamas aims to improve self-esteem by creating networks of mothers based on their love for dancing, crochet, and other arts.
For even more inspiration, read about the legendary human rights activists in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo.
This Friday, in lieu of our usual Spotlight installment (when we bring you a roundup of what you can find on Idealist.org related to a specific country, region, or city), we continue to look toward Myanmar and the determined aid workers and agencies working to support the victims of Cyclone Nargis in the face of great difficulty.
On Wednesday and Thursday, we began to list ways you can offer time, money, or other resources. Several of you added suggestions to the comment boxes and we encourage you to continue to do so:
Wednesday's entry: Help Cyclone Victims in Myanmar
Thursday's entry: Update: Cyclone Nargis Victim Assistance
The New York Times blog The Lede also compiled a list of NGOs and programs that could benefit from your support.
Tim Costello, an aid worker in Myanmar and the chief executive of World Vision Australia, was interviewed for this BBC News article today:
Mr Costello said the Burmese government did not have the capacity to run the relief effort required, adding that the impact of Cyclone Nargis could be worse than the effect of the Asian tsunami on Sri Lanka and Indonesia.
He urged donors to continue giving, saying the aid teams already in the country were helping make a difference.
Photo by maxw on Flickr
In honor of the last Idealist.org Community Podcast (we sometimes call them the "Com-casts"... oh wait, no we don't) about open source software, Ubuntu and community, here are some other podcasts you might be interested in:
- UbuntuOS: Check out the self-proclaimed first Ubuntu podcast. They keep you up-to-date on the latest Ubuntu news and topics.
- Fresh Ubuntu: This weekly podcast is also full of Ubuntu news, how-to's and tutorials.
- Linux Reality: A podcast for people who are transitioning to Linux or considering such a move.
Enjoy, and feel free to leave a comment below if you know of other webtacular podcasts or resources!
The Conference Board, an independent business research and membership group, is reaching out to learn more about the challenges and successes of Baby Boomers and experienced workers, age 50 and over, who have moved, or want to move, from for-profit or government jobs into the nonprofit sector, as well as the experiences of nonprofits that recruit and/or hire boomers and experienced workers from other sectors.
Photo by Marcin Wichary on Flickr
The Conference Board Research Working Group on Managing an Aging Workforce at Nonprofits, part of the Mature Workforce Initiative, is surveying boomers and experienced workers to better understand the key challenges (cultural, generational, intergenerational) they face, and which pathways they find most effective in moving to the nonprofit sector. They are also surveying nonprofit organizations to better understand how they reach out to this talent pool and which recruitment and “crossover” strategies work best.
Experienced workers who have moved or wants to move into the nonprofit sector from a for-profit or government job, or senior level staff responsible for human resource policy decisions (including recruitment and hiring practices) from organizations that have recruited and/or hired experienced workers from these other sectors are both invited to participate.
There are three survey links on nonprofit transitions.
Employers at nonprofit organizations can click here: http://tcb.qualtrics.com/SE?SID=SV_9XGVpr4XRDWdc0I&SVID=Prod
Non-Profit Job Seekers can click here: http://tcb.qualtrics.com/SE?SID=SV_3DbQDp66Nbt1XAE&SVID=Prod
Non-Profit Job Holders can click here: <http://tcb.qualtrics.com/SE?SID=SV_b7uKwOX8eVN1Emo&SVID=Prod
The surveys will be up through Wednesday, May 21. Please note: Idealist is just the messenger! For further information, please contact jill.casnerlotto@conference-board.org.
Jason McArthur posted this Google Earth image to Flickr
A devastating earthquake hit Sichuan province in western China on Monday. Almost 15,000 deaths have been reported, and serious damage has been done to dams, schools, and other infrastructure. Slowed by heavy rains and mountainous terrain, Chinese soldiers finally reached the epicenter of the earthquake this morning.
Want to know how you can help?
Network for Good lists several organizations accepting donations for emergency aid to the region, so you can make the choice yourself.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies provides one of the main ways to donate. The international organization will be supporting the local Red Cross Society of China to manage the disaster relief effort.
Community organizations throughout the world, like the New York Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association and the Seattle-Chongqing Sister City Association, are raising money and channeling the donations to the Red Cross. Throughout China, corporations, students, and others have been making donations as well. People in Shanghai, Nanjing, and other cities are also giving blood to help survivors.
If you know of any other ways to help out, please leave a comment below.
On June 19, Baby Boomers and seniors are getting together in New York City for the Volunteer Ventures Expo. The Expo is a free one-day conference about volunteering put on by the Jewish Association of Services for the Aged (JASA), in collaboration with UJA-Federation of New York, New York City Department for the Aging, ReServe, Retired Senior Volunteer Program, and Idealist.org.
Photo from the Jewish Association of Services for the Aged
If you attend, you'll have the chance to meet with representatives from over 60 local nonprofit organizations to find out about opportunities to volunteer. You can also attend an array of workshops to learn about different ways to volunteer, how to find these opportunities, and what to expect from them.
Idealist.org will be leading a workshop called "The World Wide Web of Volunteer Opportunities," where you can learn how to search for and evaluate volunteer opportunities on the internet, and find out about some volunteer projects that can be done entirely online.
Click here for more information and to register for the event. We hope to see you there!
Looking good and helping the environment was never so easy. Don't believe us? Read on to find out how fashion and social consciousness are being threaded together in new ways.
You can plan a clothing swap in your community! Photo by interrobang.
If you're like most people, you probably have a pair of ill-fitting pants or an outdated dress sitting idly in your closet. Instead of your clothes becoming throwaways, try Rehash, a website that thinks somebody else might look good in your unused duds. From bandanas to socks and everything in between, Rehash encourages trading of apparel and accessories with anyone in North America. By signing up on Rehash, you may not only discover a new look, but you'll also help save unnecessary landfill space.
Over in western Australia, the volunteer-run Belmont Clothes Library takes the concept of lending to a whole new level. The library replaces books with professional attire to help relieve some of the stress of the job interview. If you're unemployed, you can pop in for a new suit and some confidence to make a good first impression—all for free. Another answer to wasteful wear comes from the nonprofit La Leche League in England. For a small fee, their Maternity Clothes Library allows moms-to-be to check out pregnancy clothes and keep them for the whole nine months.
On the same page as these innovative ideas? Browse our list of related organizations for some more inspiration.
A couple of months ago we launched a new project - the Idealist Extreme Data Makeover - because as we approach Idealist's 12th birthday, it has become clear to us that some of our data desperately needs to be updated. This is a massive task, and we can’t do it alone. That's where you come in!
photo by Scott M
Volunteering for this project can be done from anywhere in the world, at any time, and for as long as you’d like - you can make a big difference in just a few minutes. Just imagine: if 1,000 Idealist users help us contact and revive 10 organizations that haven't used Idealist for a while, we will update 10,000 organizations very quickly, and get many more listings and opportunities on the site.
To learn more and get started, please click here.
After you sign in on that page with your email and password, fill out the form to let us know that you'd like to help. Once you have done this, we will contact you with instructions on how to begin. Also, if you’re not yet a member of the site, or if you know anyone else who would like to help, just have them sign up on Idealist and then go to the link above.
Thanks in advance and we look forward to having you participate in this project!
Idealist's databases are filled with opportunities, resources and people from all over the planet. Each week we bring you a roundup of what you can find on our site related to a specific country, region, or city. Today we spotlight Panama.
Photo by Rita Willaert
So far, there are 34 organizations listed on Idealist in English and French that are based in Panama and working on a variety of issues related to the environment, sustainable tourism, women's rights, and more. Meanwhile there are 4 opportunities to volunteer in a range of capacities.
So far, 61 Idealists in Panama have created personal profiles, and 86 have created volunteer profiles.
Would you like to help make more connections among people, organizations, and resources in Panama through the Idealist network? Start or join an Idealist Group or visit our Spread Idealist page to get connected.
This year in the United States, low and middle income taxpayers will be receiving economic stimulus payments meant to boost the national economy. Not sure yet what you'll do with your economic stimulus check? Consider using some of it to support a cause you believe in!
Photo by Flickr user kittykatfish
Britt Bravo at Have Fun, Do Good has already provided a round-up of what various social-change bloggers plan to do with their checks. Many of them propose donating to nonprofit organizations, or purchasing goods and services from nonprofit-run programs.
Another initiative that caught our eye is the 100 for Justice campaign, which encourages people to donate $100 (or whatever they can afford) to community-based social justice groups. The website lists grassroots organizations in various parts of the U.S. that could use your help, and makes it easy to spread this message: "We could all go out shopping for plasma TVs and hand the money to corporations. Or, we can see this as an opportunity to give money back to our communities, support local economies, and stimulate the kind of world we really want to live in."
A more locally-focused campaign urges residents of Vermont to keep their economic stimulus spending within the state. At the Keep It in Vermont website, residents can pledge portions of their checks towards supporting social and environmental causes and local businesses. So far, for example, Vermonters have collectively pledged $33,706 to spend at locally-owned stores, $16,725 to spend at local farmer's markets, and $12,905 to donate to local nonprofit organizations.
Whatever you use the money for, we hope you're able to spend it on something that's important to you. If you have any plans you'd like to share, leave a comment below!
If you're like a lot of young internet users these days, you may think you spend a little too much time on Facebook, MySpace, or other social networking sites. But there's a way you can continue your habit...without feeling like a total waste of space.
Photo by LarimdaME
Believe it or not, all those hours spent on Facebook and MySpace mean that you have acquired valuable skills: so valuable that many nonprofit organizations are actively recruiting volunteers, interns, and even full-time employees to handle social networking tasks. Maintaining a presence on social networking sites is an important part of many nonprofit organizations' outreach and fundraising strategies these days. But most staff members are too busy to deal with all the new friend requests, comments, groups, and applications; not to mention figuring out how to use these sites in the first place. That's why consultant DIOSA Communications strongly recommends that its nonprofit clients hand off the responsibilities to volunteers or interns who already have the experience managing their own online presence.
Nonprofits are posting volunteer requests like "Internet Geek to Use MySpace and Facebook," internships with descriptions like "Social Media Marketing," and job titles such as "Online Outreach Assistant." Just search for keyword "facebook" on Idealist, and you'll find dozens of jobs, internships, and volunteer opportunities!
If your nonprofit has chosen collaboration over competition -- that is, if you have worked with another organization that would otherwise provide the same or similar programs or services and compete for clients, financial resources, and staff -- you may be eligible for The Collaboration Prize.
Photo by Flickr user ChrisL_AK
According to the website, "The Prize also seeks to build an information base of effective practice models that can be studied and used by academics, nonprofit leaders and grantmakers to inspire and advance their work." We can't wait to learn more about the winners and runners-up!
Visit the website to...
Find out how to nominate a nonprofit collaboration for The Collaboration Prize:
http://thecollaborationprize.org/Nominate.aspx
Get the answers to frequently asked questions:
http://thecollaborationprize.org/About-the-Prize/FAQs.aspx
And learn about the partnership of organizations involved with The Collaboration Prize:
http://thecollaborationprize.org/About-the-Prize/Partners.aspx
Don't delay! Nominations will be accepted from June 1, 2008-July 21, 2008.
Idealist's databases are filled with opportunities, resources and people from all over the planet. Each week we bring you a roundup of what you can find on our site related to a specific country, region, or city. Today we spotlight the Netherlands.
Photo by Flickr user Stuck in Customs
As of this morning, there are 188 organizations listed on Idealist that are based in the Netherlands, many of which are focused on international development and solidarity with projects in other countries. Meanwhile there are 14 opportunities to volunteer with Dutch organizations in a range of capacities.
So far, 580 Idealists in the Netherlands have created personal profiles and 337 have created volunteer profiles.
Would you like to help make more connections among people, organizations, and resources in the Netherlands through the Idealist network? Start or join an Idealist Group or visit our Spread Idealist page to get connected.
All at the same time, Jen Chau was running her own nonprofit, working 45 hours a week at another organization, starting a small business, and taking three classes. And a lot of activists and nonprofit professionals find themselves with similar lifestyles: by following their passion to make change in the world, they often over-commit their time and resources. Is it healthy?
By Flickr user Miss Gong & The Flickers
Chau recently changed her approach and was inspired to write "Activism—now for the sane and healthy too!" on her blog, The Time is Always Right—because, she believes, "Activism needs a serious make-over. I am living proof." She recounts how she came to realize that while she does need to work (and work hard) for change in order to lead a happy and healthy life, she also needs to balance that work with more time spent with her family and friends; more purely fun activities, like allowing herself to read novels instead of only reading books about the issue she's working on; and getting eight hours of sleep a night.
In a WireTap article, "Calling Activists to a Higher Standard," Adrienne Maree Brown writes that she knows a lot of activists who work themselves too hard, become burnt out, and as a result, can't produce high-quality work anymore. But "what is the standard of living we want for everyone? It's not excess, and it's not martyrdom. We must perpetuate a new vision for a lifestyle of plenty—taking care of ourselves and our communities, giving adequate attention to our health and our children, living according to the values we are fighting for every day. That means sleeping well, eating right, understanding your piece of the work and working it."
Responding to the same issue, Julie Fiandt suggests—in "Creating a Balanced and Sustainable Activist Life" on ThinkGirl.net—to take up spiritual practices such as yoga, meditation, and spending time in nature to complement and enhance one's social justice work. She also lists several books that activists can use as resources to help them take care of themselves while working for change.
How do you balance work and life? Share your stories or tips in the comments below.
Net Impact, an international nonprofit organization whose mission is "to make a positive impact on society by growing and strengthening a community of new leaders who use business to improve the world," is hosting its first Europe Conference June 12-14 in Geneva, Switzerland.
Click here to learn about the conference, "Sustainable Prosperity: Taking On the Global Challenge."
At the conference, hundreds of international business graduate students, professionals, academics, and leaders in corporate responsibility will focus on how economic and social factors can contribute to improvements in the welfare of the global population. Visit the conference page to learn more about logistics, keynote speakers, and programming.
In addition to their conferences, Net Impact offers a number of resources for people who want to change the world through business, from conference calls addressing global issues in depth to happy hours for members and interns to publications on how to green a college campus. If you can't make it to Geneva, you can still get involved - check out their site to learn how.
By Flickr user rauchdickson
Browsing through Idealist's database of nonprofit organizations is almost as inspiring as attending a pride parade in a cosmopolitan city—the diversity, innovation, and sheer quantity of organizations that are represented here is eye opening! Take a look at some of the almost 1,500 organizations offering services, resources, or programs related to LGBT issues.
There are LGBT organizations all around the world, from Sayoni in Singapore, to the Belfast Queer Space Project in Northern Ireland, to Las Diversas, lesbianas feministas in Santa Fe, Argentina. Immigrants in the United States can get support from the Queer Immigrant Rights Project and Immigration Equality.
For children of LGBT parents, there are organizations such as Camp Ten Trees, Rainbow Rumpus, and COLAGE (Children of Lesbians and Gays Everywhere). For parents of LGBT children, there's PFLAG. And LGBT parents can tap into Gay and Lesbian Parents Coalition International.
Music lovers may be interested to know about D.C.'s Different Drummers and the New Century Singers.
Those working for social change can check out the Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice or the LGBT Committee of the National Association of Social Workers.
With this list, we barely even cracked the surface of LGBT-dedicated nonprofits out there. We recommend searching by geographic location, keyword, and area of focus for more specific organizations and opportunities you may be able to tap into. You may be surprised at what you find!
Each week we bring you a roundup of what you can find on our site related to a specific country, region, or city. Today we spotlight Mali.
By Flickr user Trees for the Future
As of this afternoon, there are 7 organizations listed on Idealist that are based in Mali, and 34 nonprofits and NGOs working from other countries on issues affecting communities there. If you'd like to volunteer in Mali, you can peruse these opportunities to volunteer with Malian organizations in a range of capacities.
Want to connect with Idealists in Mali? We found 8 people with personal profiles and 39 volunteer profiles. Why not reach out and make friends?
Would you like to help make more connections among people, organizations, and resources in Mali through the Idealist network? Start or join an Idealist Group or visit our Spread Idealist page to get connected.
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