• UPDATED: Myths About Online Volunteering (Virtual Volunteering)
  I launched a page listing "10 Myths About Online Volunteering" back in June 2005. Now, more than three years later, the page is up to 15 myths regarding online volunteering/virtual volunteering. I gather these myths from comments sent to me by email or brought up at workshops, by articles or blogs I read, or from conversations with people.

• Talk to my colleagues!
  You can use an online profile/account that you ALREADY have, via Google, Yahoo, AIM or OpenID, to network with others and to post messages on my web site and talk to my colleagues. No need to create yet another online profile in order to participate! You can create an online conversation about whatever you read on my web site or in Tech4Impact or on my blog or a recent presentation I've made. Or you can talk about your own work and invite collaboration from others.

• The Early Days of Nonprofits & the Internet
  I'm a bit annoyed at some of the things I've been reading online lately about nonprofits and the Internet, as though nonprofits started using the 'Net only a few years ago. I'm also annoyed by all the claims that nonprofits are doing things now with the Internet that they NEVER did before. Many nonprofits were far ahead of their time regarding use of the Internet, even farther ahead of most businesses at the time. So I'm attempting to set the record straight: I've prepared a web page that talks about the early history of nonprofits and the Internet, through 1995. It's a constant work-in-progress, and additional information is welcomed.

Early History of Nonprofits & the Internet
I'm a bit annoyed by all the current claims that nonprofits are doing things now with the Internet that they NEVER did before: they are not. The Internet has always been about people and organizations networking with each other, sharing ideas and comments, and collaborating online. It has always been interactive and dynamic. And there were many nonprofit organizations who "got" it early -- earlier than many for-profit companies. So I'm attempting to set the record straight: I've prepared a web page that talks about the early history of nonprofits and the Internet. It focuses on 1995 and previous years. It talks a little about what nonprofits were using the cyberspace for as well at that time and lists the names of key people and organizations who helped get nonprofit organizations using the Internet in substantial numbers in 1995 and before. Edits and additions are welcomed.

Talk With Other Coyote Communications Users!
You can use an online profile/account that you ALREADY have, via Google, Yahoo, AIM or OpenID, to network with others and to post messages on this web site. No need to create yet another online profile in order to participate! You can create an online conversation about whatever you read on this web site or my blog or a recent presentation. Join the conversation.

On Monday, 16.February.2009, I will present a full day, in-depth seminar on online volunteering in Berlin for the Akademie für Ehrenamtlichkeit Deutschland (www.ehrenamt.de). The seminar will be in English, with German translation. The seminar is from 9 am to 4:30 pm.

The seminar will cover:

- an introduction to online volunteering
- myths about online volunteering
- elements for success in working with volunteers online
- basic and advanced tools for working with volunteers online
- introducing online volunteering to your organization
- integrating the Internet into ALL volunteer support and management
- online culture
- safety and confidentiality
- creating online volunteer assignments/opportunities
- screening and matching volunteers to online assignments
- accessibility and online volunteering
- recruiting online volunteers

Paid staff members admission is 75 €,
Volunteers (unpaid staff) admission is 60 €,
Drinks and a small snack are included

Space is limited. To register contact the Akademie für Ehrenamtlichkeit Deutschland
Tel. [030]275 49 38
E-Mail: anmeldung@ehrenamt.de

 
January 5, 2009:

• Your NYE Resolution for 2009: Using RSS
  This is it! 2009! The year you reduce the amount of email you receive, organize all the web sites and blogs you need to read regularly, and make media monitoring a breeze. This is the year you start using RSS!

• View my public calendar to see when I am booked and when I am available for presentations, including online presentations. Consider creating your own public calendar to share your organization's events with the public, share important dates with your volunteers or clients, etc. -- there are all sorts of ways you can share your work with others online (your calendar, files, databases, online polls, and more); with free tools, you can get started right away.

• Subscribe to the Tech4Impact Newsletter
  Almost eight years and still going strong: my free monthly email newsletter Tech4Impact provides information to help nonprofits, non-governmental organizations/NGOs, civil society organizations, public sector agencies, and schools to use computer and Internet technology to benefit individuals, communities and the environment. Tech4Impact is less about techno-jargon and more about the human factors in using tech successfully. The email newsletter also provides updates regarding the Coyote Communications web site relating to nonprofits and technology (for those of you who don't use RSS to subscribe to my blog. To sign up to receive Tech4Impact by email, send a BLANK e-mail to:
  tech4impact-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
  or, visit: the Tech4impact YahooGroup

• Building Staff Capacities to Communicate and to Present
  Marketing and public relations is never just one person's responsibility at an organization, regardless of everyone's job titles; everyone at an organization will interact with other staff, partner organizations, potential supporters and the general public at some point. Therefore, everyone needs to be able to talk or to write clearly about his or her own work and that of the organization overall. This new resource describes various activities I undertook to improve the communication capacities of Afghan government staff. This resource links to various slide presentations and materials used for this endeavor in Afghanistan that can be adapted by others in different countries and situations. Included is a workshop on helping women in strict relgious cultures to cultivate their presentation and public speaking skills, a workshop and tip sheet to help staff write better reports, and a slide presentation to help staff take photos in the field that will serve a variety of communications and reporting purposes.

• View my public calendar to see when I am booked and when I am available for presentations, including online presentations.

• Being an Online Mentor: A Real Relationship, A Real Commitment
  (What I've Learned as an Online Mentor)
  In addition to researching and compiling information online mentoring for many years, and helping to create online mentor programs, I have also had the pleasure of serving as an online volunteer mentor on several occasions. Mentoring someone online takes real time and commitment. The work required for online mentoring doesn't happen only at the most convenient time for the volunteer. I have learned a lot by being a part of these online mentoring programs and share my experiences and advice for online mentoring here.

• Evaluating Online Activities: Online Action Should Create & Support Offline Action
  Hundreds of "friends" on an online social networking site. Thousands of subscribers to an email newsletter. Dozens of attendees to a virtual event. Those are impressive numbers on the surface, but if they don't translate into more volunteers, repeat volunteers, new donors, repeat donors, more clients, repeat clients, legislation, or public pressure, they are just that: numbers. For online activities to translate into something tangible, online action must create and support offline action. What could this look like? This resource can help organizations plan strategically about online activities so that they lead to something tangible - not just numbers.

An upside of the current economic situation is that there are more people with a lot of computer and Internet expertise who have time to volunteer for short-term assignments with mission-based organizations (nonprofits, non-governmental organizations/NGOs, schools, etc.). As people who have been laid off are looking for a job, including people with tech expertise, they often are very open to undertaking special volunteering assignments with nonprofits that utilize their expertise, in order to keep their skills sharp, to further build up their CV, and to network with others. But most organizations have trouble identifying such short-term tech volunteer projects. I have just updated my long list of one-time, short-term projects that nonprofit organizations and others can offer to tech volunteers. These short-term assignments might takes a few days, a couple of weeks or a couple of months to complete. Each have a definite start date and end date, and do not require a volunteer to make an ongoing, long-term commitment to the organization. These qualities make such volunteering opportunities exactly what so many tech expertise volunteers are looking for.

I've lived in Germany for almost eight years, and love it dearly. But I plan on moving back to the USA in April 2009. This move will greatly affect my availability for speaking engagements; I will not be able to undertake any in April at all, even online. My schedule fills up fast, so if you are thinking of my presenting a workshop or class for your organization or conference, then contact me soon!

I'm back in the office, back in front of the computer (and, hopefully, it will keep working), and plowing through email after more than a month away and several months of tech problems. Blogging has also resumed.

I will be away from Internet access for most of the month of September. I will read and respond to all messages when I return, probably starting October 1. I will not be reading nor responding to email or phone calls in September.

Sharing Your Work With Volunteers (and Others) Online
This resource reviews how (and why) to share your work -- your calendar, files, databases, online polls, and more, with volunteers, remote staff and other groups -- as part of your work for a nonprofit/NGOs/civil society organization. It's easier than you think! And with free tools, you can get started right away.

Did You Contact Me between January 1 & June 1, 2008?
I had a catastrophic data loss in early June. While some data has been recovered, I lost all of my emails, and any attachments, between January 1 & June 1, 2008. If you contacted me in that time, or if we corresponded in that time and planned some activity, and you are now wondering why you haven't heard back from me, please contact me ASAP.

I'm now offering résumé & curriculum vitae (CV) advice for people looking to work in aid, relief and development. I have screened résumés for a variety of aid, relief and development agencies and nonprofits, and I have helped many professionals, from people just getting started to seasoned professionals, to improve their résumés and overall presentation, with excellent results.

• Me, Live From Germany, Presenting in Australia!
  The online presentation for the folks "down under" was a success! See screenshots from this online presentation to the Northern Volunteer Managers Forum (for volunteer managers in the Northern suburbs of Adelaide) and learn more about how I can present online, live, for YOUR organization.

• Update: Research On (or relating to) Online Volunteering
  Though the practice of online volunteering (also known as virtual volunteering) has been around for more than 30 years (it is a practice that could be found on the systems that pre-dated the Internet), there's relatively little research about it. I've tried to compile and maintain a list of all of the research available about online volunteering -- publicly-available studies and evaluation reports regarding online volunteering, online activists, online civic engagement, online civil society, and online mentoring (not PR pieces but, rather, reviews and research that more than mention these subjects). In addition, this page now includes a list of various research documents and articles relating to telecommuting, virtual teams and Internet culture that were used to produce resources at the Virtual Volunteering Project and remain highly relevant to anyone interested in studying online volunteering in-depth. The page also still includes a list of possible angles for researching online volunteering, primarily to benefit practitioners (those involving online volunteers, or want to).

• Jayne 2.0
  (Me on YouTube & Tips For Using Video to Support Volunteers
  If you subscribe to my blog, then you already know that I've started my own YouTube channel (but then, hasn't everyone?), and my first video is on Using Video to Support Online Volunteers/Remote Volunteers. It's just nine minutes long. It goes well with my first podcast, "For Nonprofits Considering Their Own Podcasts: Why It's Worth Exploring, and Content Considerations." These are really simple products; the video was done in less than 30 minutes, not counting the time it took to write the script and upload it to YouTube. The podcast was made using my iBook running OS 9, to show that such can be done with even old technology. And the lesson from both, I hope, is that truly, anyone with a decent computer can do this. Also see these suggestions for using real-time tools with volunteers (VoIP, chat, instant messaging, etc.).

• Most Popular Pages on My Web Site
  What are the top pages on my web site, the ones visited the most, except for my home page? Let's have a look:
  1. Camping With Your Dogs (I struck a chord with this page when I launched it years ago; I don't promote it at all anymore and, yet, it gets traffic like crazy)
     
  2. Very basic tips for an American Moving to Germany (including information on bringing in dogs, because dogs are good)
     
  3. Marketing Your Organization's Web Site
     
  4. Prison-Based Dog Training Programs: Rehabilitation for Canine and Human (another page I struck a chord with, and it's just a page-in-progress)
     
  5. Listing of Volunteer Management Software
     
  6. I still love my lime iBook! (info on using an "antique" computer)
     
  7. Nonprofit Organizations and Online Social Networking: Advice and Commentary
     
  8. On Volunteerism & Volunteer Management (index of all my resources related to such)
     
  9. Consulting by Jayne Cravens (list of my services)
     
  10. Reality Check: Volunteering Abroad
      

I regularly contribute to various civil society/mission-based-organization-related online discussion groups, such as the AidWorkers Network. As of today, I'm the top contributor (most answers voted "best") on the Yahoo!Answers Community service and among the top five on Yahoo!Answers Careers & Employment/Government & Non-Profit. It would be great if more of you with expertise in volunteer management and nonprofit careers would participate in these two Yahoo!Answers platforms; many more voices of reason are needed!

• For the last four years or so, in my spare time or through my work, I've been collecting examples of how folklore, rumors and urban myths interfere with development and aid/relief efforts, as well as collecting recommendations for preventing folklore, rumors and urban myths from interfering with development and aid/relief efforts. I've just greatly expanded both the examples and the recommendations for prevention pages. Further examples, recommendations and resources are always welcomed.

• I don't just advocate that people should volunteer; I'm also a volunteer myself. One of my many activities is as a volunteer with the Aid Workers Network, an all-volunteer online community for people working in aid, relief & development. The people who help maintain AWN are professional aid workers who donate their time and expertise, often while they are working in a developing country under contract with an aid agency, to help keep AWN operating (I was able to volunteer for AWN while in Afghanistan). For AWN, I recruit and support volunteers who maintain the AWN site and its operations. I'm using the network itself, as well as the UN's Online Volunteering service to recruit additional online volunteers to support AWN. I've got five opportunities posted there right now (as of February 2008). You can go directly to the AWN account to view the opportunities. If you are interested, just to see how one all-virtual organization recruits its online volunteers or if you want to join in as a volunteer, please check out those aforementioned links.

• I'm updating my Blog regularly, with notices about when my web site is updated, as well resources or announcements I want to pass on to others and my availability for consulting. The blog provides a way for readers to post comments as well. Also, you can use Technorati to monitor my most recent activities online -- or anyone else's. Just click on my name: Jayne Cravens.

• I finally got my Nabaztag working. Her name is juanabunny. If you have a Nabaztag, drop me a line on the network. If you don't, then you have no idea what I'm talking about and, truly, it's just a geek toy -- no worries.

Happy New Year! I am in the middle of transitioning from my beloved lime clamshell iBook running OS 9.2.2, to a MacBook running OS X. Part of that transition is figuring out what the software on my MacBook isn't just a demo and what such is actually for. I have a page that lists everything I used my iBook for, all of the software I was using on the iBook, and what I have upgraded to or switched to for the MacBook, if anything yet. Please note that in several cases I am still looking for suggestions, and yours would be welcomed. And if, after looking at the list, you think there's a better choice for a particular function, please let me know.

 

• Me in the USA, May 2008
  Looks like I'll be speaking at a private conference in Chicago May 15. Around May 18, I'll fly down to Austin, Texas for several days. I'm available for leading other workshops and consulting in the USA during that time, so if you are interested, please contact me (my schedule fills up quickly .

• Simplifying Life with RSS
  RSS... another hip tech acronym to learn. What is it and why should your nonprofit / NGO / government office care? This latest resource describes RSS in very simple terms, to show how it can make media monitoring easier and reduce clutter in your email inbox.

• See You in November:
  I'll be presenting at the Institute for Advanced Volunteer Management (IAVM) 2007 Residential program, November 14 - 16 at the Paramount Imperial Hotel, North Promenade Blackpool, England. This three-day retreat presents 45 workshops by a variety of trainers; mine will focus on online volunteering and using the Internet to support volunteers. SEATING IS LIMITED. More information about the IAVM Residential.

• Volunteer Management Software Index - UPDATED
  Some of the most frequently-asked questions to me are about volunteer management software: what's available, how different packages compare with each other, the cost of each, the features of each, and on and on. I do not have the resources to create a comparison of the different volunteer management software out there. But I do provide a list of all of the volunteer management software geared towards nonprofit organizations (as opposed to corporate volunteering programs) that I know about, or nonprofit-related software/community relationship management software that has substantial volunteer management functions. There are more than 30 software options available. I believe my list is the most comprehensive list available anywhere.

• Advice for Taking Photos in the Developing World
  While working in Kabul, Afghanistan for most of this year, I developed a MS Powerpoint for staff on taking photos in the field. I relied heavily on all staff, particular Afghan staff, no matter what their job titles, to take photos whenever possible at events and workshops and during project site visits. This is because many staff are prohibited from traveling to certain parts of Afghanistan; international staff are sometimes prohibited from leaving Kabul altogether. This presentation/training touches on both the kinds of photos needed and how to take photos in a culturally-sensitive manner. This presentation is focused on a specific program and a specific country (Afghanistan), but maybe by changing the photos and a bit of text, it could work for you?

• Questions to Ask for a Major Report from the Developing World
  Most people who write reports about their projects in the developing world rely heavily on field staff to provide information. Often, however, field staff aren't expert report writers (that includes native English speakers), and struggle to provide meaningful, timely information in a coherent written form. Many report writers get around this by interviewing field staff about their work, so that needed information is provided through answers to questions. This method can also build the capacity of field staff to provide written information themselves. This is a list of questions I used to interview staff at an initiative in Afghanistan that was focused on rural projects. I based these questions on previous monthly and quarterly reports, suggestions from donors, the initiatives stated objectives, and my own need for information that could lead to stories in which the press might be interested.

• UPDATED: Basic Fund-Raising for Small NGOs serving the developing world
  This free document provides very basic guidelines for small NGOs in the developing world regarding fund-raising, and points to other online resources. By small NGOs, I mean organizations that may have only one paid staff member, or are run entirely by volunteers; and may not have official recognition by the government. When I began offering this more than a year ago, this document was 15 pages long; now, it's 23 pages long.

 
August 22, 2007

Back from Afghanistan for Good
I returned last night. Quite an adventure. So much to say... more soon.

 
As of February 20, 2007

• Electronic Waste is EVERYONE'S Responsibility
  When computers, stereos, VCRs, iPods, walkmans, video games, software, and cell phones are put into land fills, they leak poisons and heavy metals into the ground, endangering our lives and the health of our planet. With 48.5 million computers discarded each year, the USA is a particularly poor recycler and global citizen, exporting its hazardous electronic waste to developing countries, often illegally, and with horrific impacts on human health and the environment in these countries. This page will help your organization dispose of its electronic waste in an environmentally-friendly manner.

• Me in Afghanistan, late Feb.-Aug. 2007
  Yes, you read that right. I'm off to Afghanistan, to serve as Communication and Reporting Advisor for the United Nation's National Area-Based Development Programme (NABDP), part of UNDP. And, yes, this changes significantly my availability for consulting assignments.

• In both 2005 and 2006, every Tech4Impact issue included a brand new topic, never-before presented in a previous issue. In 2007, even more brand new topics and resources will be presented! To subscribe, send a blank email to:
  tech4impact-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
  or, visit: tech4impact yahoogroup

• Listing of Volunteer Management Software
  Some of the most frequently-asked questions to me are about volunteer management software: what's available, how different packages compare with each other, the cost of each, the features of each, and on and on. I do not have the resources to create a comparison of the different volunteer management software out there. But I do provide a list of all of such software, or nonprofit-related software/community relationship management software that has substantial volunteer management functions, that I know about. I believe it is the most comprehensive list available anywhere. I also offer criteria to help organizations choose volunteer management software, and to help someone who might want to create a comparison of such software.

Volunteering, Civic Engagement & MySpace
For a few months now, I've been fiddlin' with MySpace to see how young people were using the site for activities relating to volunteerism / civic engagement -- if at all. There is, indeed, information here and there from individual users, some of it quite inspiring, but there's no overall guidance or encouragement for users on this subject. So, I decided to use my blog on MySpace (every user gets one) to focus specifically on volunteerism / civic engagement for MySpace users -- most of whom are in their teens and 20s. Please note that this MySpace blog does NOT replace my main blog.

Also see Nonprofit Organizations and Online Social Networking (OSN): Advice and Commentary, which offers a realistic set of possibilities and considerations for nonprofits regarding OSN platforms like LinkedIn, Friendster, FaceBook, MySpace and Care2.

Real-Time Communications With Volunteers
A growing number of nonprofit/civil society organizations are using real-time communications tools -- including video conferencing, online phone calls, chats and instant messaging -- to hold online meetings with volunteers, to allow volunteers to interact with staff, clients, or each other, or to involve volunteers in a live, online, real-time event. Using Real-Time Communications With Volunteers provides more information on using these real-time computer, audio and video tools with volunteers -- what the various tools are, how agencies are using them to interact with volunteers, and tips to encourage and maintain participation in synchronous communications.

• COMMENTARY: The Growing Digital Divide Among Nonprofit Organizations /
  Civil Society in the USA (and maybe it's not just digital)
  I'm seeing a disturbing trend: a gap between those organizations who are using the Internet in a myriad of ways to support their missions, and those who are still largely on the sidelines and not using network technologies in working with their volunteers. The question is, are these sidelined nonprofits there because of lack of access to resources, of lack of will to embrace them?

• Community Relations, With & Without Technology
  This section of the Coyote Communications web site has been greatly updated. It offers a range of advice and examples regarding community (public media, volunteer, donor, government, etc.) relations, both with and without technology. The advice is focused on nonprofit staff (paid and volunteer) who aren't the most tech-savvy people in the world, and who don't have intensive training in media relations or using tech-related tools, but are expected to master these activities as part of their jobs. It's also focused on those who need to think about and explore emerging technologies as part of their outreach efforts, but who need advice written in very human, accessible, non-technical language.

• Recognizing Online Volunteers & Using the Internet to Honor ALL Volunteers
  Recognition helps volunteers stay committed to your organization, and gets the attention of potential volunteers -- and donors -- as well. Organizations need to fully recognize the efforts of remote, online volunteers, as well as those onsite, and not differentiate the value of these two forms of service. Organizations should also incorporate use of the Internet to recognize the efforts of ALL volunteers, both online and onsite. With cyberspace, it's never been easier to show volunteers -- and the world -- that volunteers are a key part of your organization's successes. This new resource provides a long list of suggestions for both honoring online volunteers and using the Internet to recognize ALL volunteers that contribute to your organization.

• My next speaking engagement: "ICT, Social Capital and Voluntary Action," a seminar in London, to be presented on October 5, 2006, produced jointly by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and the UK National Council for Voluntary Organisation (NCVO). If you would like to set up a meeting with me while I am in London (I can be there at least two days before and two days after this conference), contact me. Please note that my schedule fills up *very* quickly. More information about my consulting services.

• Stages of Maturity in Nonprofit Orgs Using Online Services
  What does a networking technology-savvy nonprofit organization look like? To help nonprofits think about networking tech standards they should pursue, and possible goals for the future, I've created this assessment of the states of maturity for a nonprofit organization's use of networking/online technologies.

• Handling Online Criticism
  Online criticism of a nonprofit organization, even by its own supporters, is inevitable. It may be about an organization's new logo or new mission statement, the lack of parking, or that the volunteer orientation being too long. It may be substantial questions regarding an organization's business practices and perceived lack of transparency. How a nonprofit organization handles online criticism speaks volumes about that organization, for weeks, months, and maybe even years to come. There's no way to avoid it, but there are ways to address criticism that can help an organization to be perceived as even more trustworthy and worth supporting.

• NetSquared and the New Wave of Online Volunteering
  Tiny nonprofit organizations with very little staff are doing extraordinary things with volunteers, and making their volunteers feel included and energized, not with pins and t-shirts but through greater and more-meaningful involvement. This conference provided endless examples of such, and I summarize them here.

• Nonprofit Organizations and Online Social Networking (OSN): Advice and Commentary
  OSN is buzz phrase used to describe special web-based online communities that are accessible only for community members, like LinkedIn, Friendster, FaceBook, MySpace and Care2. Is there a value for nonprofit organizations to engage in OSN platforms? This resource offers a realistic set of possibilities and considerations.

• Volunteering To Help After Major Disasters
  Whenever a disaster strikes, hundreds -- even thousands -- of citizens in the USA start contacting various organizations in an effort to try to volunteer onsite at the disaster site. But what many of these people don't realize is that spontaneous volunteers with no training and no affiliation can actually cause more problems than they alleviate in a disaster situation, particularly regarding disaster locations far from their home. If you want to be a part of the mobilization for a future disaster, here are tips to help you get into "the system," get training, and be in a position to make a real difference.

• Reality Check: Volunteering Abroad (especially for citizens of the USA)
  Times have changed drastically in the last 30 years regarding Americans and other "westerners" volunteering in other countries. The emphasis in local relief and development efforts is to empower local people, and to hire local people, whenever possible, to address their own issues, build their own capacities, and give them employment. This strategy is much more beneficial to local communities than to bring in an outside volunteer. That said -- the days of international volunteers are NOT numbered: there will always be a need for international volunteers, either to fill gaps in knowledge and service in a local situation, or because a more neutral observer/contributor is required. This new page provides tips on gaining the skills and experience that are critically needed to volunteer overseas.

• My Upcoming Travel Schedule
  I'll be in San Francisco, California, May 29 - June 4 (leaving on June 5), for the NetSquared Conference, and then I'll be in Washington, DC: July 7 - 17 to present at the UICC World Cancer Congress regarding emerging trends and innovations in volunteer management. If you would like to meet with me while I'm in either city, or arrange a workshop at your site regarding one of my areas of expertise, please contact me with your ideas. And please note that my schedule on USA trips fills up very quickly!

• For Nonprofits Considering Their Own Podcasts: Why It's Worth Exploring, and Content Considerations
  I present my first podcast about... podcasts. Specifically, I talk about how podcasts can be used by nonprofits, and just how easy it is to do. Download this mp3 file and listen to me chatter for seven minutes and 20 seconds. I speak slowly, for those of you who are non-native English speakers. The file is 3.3 MB. The transcript of the podcast is also available.

• Why Should the Poor Volunteer? It's Time To Re-Think the Answer
  Editorial: When volunteering is so often presented just one way -- as a state-sanctioned free labor activity -- reluctance and even hostility by the unemployed, the cash-strapped and the disenfranchised are completely justified. If governments and donors want volunteerism campaigns in poor communities to lead to more volunteering, they must radically update their message.

• In 2005, every Tech4Impact issue included a brand new topic, never-before been presented in the almost five years I've been publishing this monthly email newsletter. In 2006, even more brand new topics and resources will be presented! By subscribing, you can read all of the 2005 issues of Tech4Impact. To subscribe, send a blank email to:
  tech4impact-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
  or, visit: tech4impact yahoogroup

  Tech4Impact will continue its focus on helping mission-based organizations to use computer and Internet technologies to benefit people, communities and the environment. Resources for those using lower-end computers and older versions of software will get particular emphasis, acknowledging that mission-based organizations often do not have access to the latest and greatest tech. And Tech4Impact will continue to be presented in as much non-"techie" language as possible.

• Vetting Organizations in Other Countries
  One of the frequently asked questions I receive is: "how do I know if a mission-based organization in another country is 'for real'? I want to volunteer/donate to such, but first, I want to make sure it's a credible organization, that it's not some sort of scam, or an 'organization' of just one person." I'm also seeing more and more organizations in developing countries posting their requests for volunteers directly to public online forums. This list of suggestions for anyone who is interested in such organizations.

• Hosting International Volunteers
  More and more local organizations in developing countries are turning to local expertise, rather than international volunteers, to support their efforts. However, the need for international volunteers remains, and will for many, many years to come. This resource provides tips for local organization in a developing countries interested in gaining access to international volunteers.

• Mission-Based Groups Need Use the Web to Show Accountability
  The number and tone of media stories regarding mission-based organizations/civil society and how they spent contributions in the wake of various disasters have done little to help such organizations better serve people in need. Rather, by concentrating on a few bad cases, or by misrepresenting administrative expenses as somehow unnecessary, they have made potential supporters suspicious of all charities, and those these organization's serve pay the ultimate price. There has never been a better time for mission-based organizations to use technology to show their transparency and credibility, and to teach the media and general public about the resources needed to address critical human and environmental needs.

• Theater as a Tool For Development
  For my Master's Degree in Development Studies (as in human, institutional and community development), I conducted an investigation of what elements need to be in place for an organization engages to successfully use live, in-person performance as a development tool, excluding performer training and theater techniques. Research focused on the experiences of people and organizations who have used live, in-person performance as a development tool. I have now posted descriptions of and, if possible, links to, all of the resources that I used for this research project, which will be turned in later this month. I hope others find these resources helpful, and that the initiatives who shared information can get some positive exposure for their efforts as a result.

What are good blog topics for mission-based organizations?
The word "blog" is short for "web log", and means keeping a journal or diary online. Blogging is NOT a new concept -- people have been doing it long before it had a snazzy media label. The appeal of blogging for an online audience is that it's more personal and less formal than other information on a web site. Readers who want to connect with an organization on a more personal level, or who are more intensely interested in an organization than the perhaps general public as a whole, love blogs. Blogs can come from your Executive Director, other staff members, volunteers, and even those you serve. Content options are many, and this list reviews some of your options

• Please, No More Volunteer-Matching Web Sites
  Please, no more volunteer matching sites for North America. There are plenty. In fact, in my opinion, there are too many. If you insist on launching such a site, I offer this advice.

A new look
After almost 10 years, a new logo and a new color scheme. But the same easy-to-download/easy-to-print pages and, I hope, worthwhile content.

Jayne Cravens