Transcript of NPC Meeting with the Brain Energy Support Team

Here is the full transcript of our last Nonprofit Commons Meeting on March 2 with the Brain Energy Support Team. Enjoy!

AGENDA

8:30am Introductions
8:40am TechSoup Announcements
8:45am Mentors Central
8:55am Brain Energy Support Team (BEST)
9:25am OpenMic/ Announcements

[08:30] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): morning all!
[08:30] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): welcome
[08:31] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): just one sec as I send out last minute notices
[08:31] bulaklak: Hi!
[08:31] Panny Bakerly: phew…made it.
[08:31] Panny Bakerly: Moring all
[08:31] bulaklak: Nice camo
[08:31] Buffy Beale: Hi Panny 🙂
[08:32] Jen (jenelle.levenque): Hi Glitter

[08:32] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): welcome to the nonprofit commons

[08:32] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): I assumin are you all there, even as you are still rezziing.

[08:33] Jen (jenelle.levenque): /me waves at Rik

[08:33] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): I’m Rik Panganiban, community manager around these parts.

[08:33] Jerry Buchko MA AFC (jerrybuchko): good morning 🙂

[08:33] DyVerse Steele (dyverse): Mawnin

[08:33] Jen (jenelle.levenque): Mornin Dyverse

[08:34] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): If this is your first time, the Nonprofit Commons holds weekly meet ups for the nonprofit community and our friends to talk about relevant issues, developments and projects

[08:34] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Today we are fortunate to have Namaara McMoragh with us to tal kabout her new project.

[08:34] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): But that’s coming a bit later…

[08:34] Namaara MacMoragh: 🙂

[08:34] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): First up, we start with introductions

[08:35] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Please type into the text chat your real life name, organization, location in the world,website and twitter handle, if you like

[08:35] Buffy Beale: Buffy Bye, Bridges for Women, Victoria BC Canada, http://www.bridgesforwomen.ca @bridges4women

[08:35] HB Eternal: Harold W Becker, The Love Foundation, Florida, http://www.thelovefoundation.com , @lovefoundation

[08:35] Zinnia Zauber: Renne Emiko Brock-Richmond, Sequim Humanities and Arts Alliance, Sequim, Washington. http://www.sequimartsalliance.org http://www.facebook.com/sequimartsalliance @renneemiko

[08:35] Panny Bakerly: Jeanne Booth, Freeport Historical Society, Freeport, NY www.freeporthistorymuseum.org

[08:35] DJ Earnshaw: Don Singleton, Tulsa, OK (DJ Earnshaw, Professor Viper) HelpingTulsa and APCUG, http://snipurl.com/tk41d @donsingleton

[08:35] Eme Capalini: Virtual Ability, Inc. www.virtualability.org

[08:35] Brena Benoir: Brenda Bryan, Preferred Family Healthcare, Kirksville, Missouri, www.pfh.org, @brenabenoir

[08:35] Gentle Heron: Virtual Ability, Inc. www.virtualability.org, now enhanced with blog, Facebook, and Twitter all available from that URL.

[08:35] Dancers Yao: Kara Bennett, Elder Voices, Los Angeles, Health Care and Human Rights

[08:35] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): its for our use now and for the chatlog for later

[08:35] Chayenn: monique richert, protect yourself 1, inc, baltimore MD , protectyourself1.org, @PY1USmonique richert, protect yourself 1, Inc , baltimore MD, protectyourself1.org, @PY1US

[08:35] Jen (jenelle.levenque): Bruce Hestley, Transgender American Veterans Association, Akron, OH, http://www.tavausa.org

[08:35] alebez: Ale Bezdikian, Online Community Coordinator, TechSoup Global, San Francisco, Ca. @TechSoup, @alebez

[08:36] Glitteractica Cookie: Susan Tenby, Online Community and Social Media Directior, TechSOup @suzboop @techsoup San Francisco, CA USA

[08:36] CarynTopia Silvercloud: caryn Heilman Topia arts center Berkshires MA www.topiAarts.org @topiaartscenter

[08:36] bulaklak: Michael DeLong, Online Community Manager, TechSoup, San Francisco, CA, USA, @MichaelDeLongSF @TechSoup, www.techsoup.org

[08:36] fate Paule: Penn Condoll, www.brainenergysupportteam.org, Brain Energy Support Team BEST, located in Tacoma Washington

[08:36] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Rik Panganiban, Nonprofit Commmons, TechSoup, oakland CA, http://nonprofitcommons.org , @npsl @betterverse

[08:36] DyVerse Steele (dyverse): Ricky Davis, San Antonio, TX @Dyverse_Steele DJ for Common grounds and Restore Center for Heatlhy Living www.restorecenterforhealthy.com

[08:37] Jerry Buchko MA AFC (jerrybuchko): Jerry Buchko, Private Practice Financial Counselor, Personal Finance Coach & Tutor, @jerrybuchko, http://www.linkedin.com/in/jerrybuchko

[08:37] Anastasios Aurotharius: Ben Linson, Boston, www.entrepreneurclubboston.org

[08:38] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): great to see you all here!

[08:38] Carl Solutionary (carlicann): Carl Icann, Guest Lecturer, Rockcliffe University

[08:38] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Next up is the TechSoup Update

[08:39] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Bulaklak?

[08:39] bulaklak: Hello!

[08:39] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): TechSoup is the sponsor of the Nnprofit Commons

[08:39] bulaklak: Great to be here today.

[08:39] bulaklak: So, I want to report the great news that we have had a super successful Digital Storytelling Challenge. We got more than 250 submissions!

[08:40] Anastasios Aurotharius: wow…fantastic!

[08:40] HB Eternal: yay!

[08:40] bulaklak: So a huge THANK YOU to all who submitted. We are going through those now and there are so many amazing stories.

[08:40] Buffy Beale: wow

[08:40] bulaklak: Community voting for the Audience Choice Award begins on Monday, March 5 and runs through March 12

[08:40] bulaklak: So come cast your vote for your favorties.

[08:40] Buffy Beale: that’s a lot from the first year of 100 or so, well done

[08:40] bulaklak: Thanks, Buffy!

[08:40] bulaklak: It’s a great feeling.

[08:40] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Who here submitted a story?

[08:40] bulaklak: I know Buffy did!

[08:41] Chayenn: PY1 did

[08:41] bulaklak: And Chayenn, of course!

[08:41] Brena Benoir: PFH

[08:41] Buffy Beale: yes, I did 🙂

[08:41] Dancers Yao: we did

[08:41] bulaklak: PY1 does great things with video.

[08:41] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): WOOT!!!!!

[08:41] bulaklak: Video and George Clinton

[08:41] Chayenn: thank you

[08:41] bulaklak: hehe

[08:41] HB Eternal: we did and have already had over 500 views in 36 hours

[08:41] Buffy Beale: yay HB!

[08:41] bulaklak: Wow, HB!

[08:41] Buffy Beale: hiya Jac 🙂

[08:41] bulaklak: Super cool.

[08:41] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): /me sheds a tear of joy

[08:42] DyVerse Steele (dyverse): I did

[08:42] bulaklak: So please do come vote March 5 – 12 and the winners of the Audience Choice Awards will get an iPad and a Lytro camera, respectively. Courtesy of Blazon and SurveyMonkey.

[08:42] bulaklak: www.tsdigs.org

[08:42] bulaklak: Just a few other quickies here.

[08:42] jacmacaire Humby: Jacques Macaire HUMANBE http://www.humanbe.com Action Tank and Council on Sustainable development France and International @Humanbe

[08:42] bulaklak: Two free webinars coming up.

[08:42] bulaklak: One on March 6 with our partner SAP who makes Business Objects.

[08:43] bulaklak: They will be teaching you how you can report your data and make it dazzling.

[08:43] bulaklak: Register for that here

[08:43] bulaklak: http://bit.ly/w1lTTD

[08:43] bulaklak: It’s on March 6

[08:43] bulaklak: Sorry, March 8

[08:43] bulaklak: On March 6 our TechSoup for Libraries program is putting on a webinar about bridging the digital divide

[08:44] bulaklak: A really interesting and important topic

[08:44] bulaklak: It’s also free and you can register here

[08:44] bulaklak: http://bit.ly/xREkOs

[08:44] bulaklak: And lastly, in case any of you don’t know about it, our TechSoup for Libraries program is pretty awesome

[08:44] Gentle Heron: /me hopes you are reaching out to the library community in SL for that one

[08:44] bulaklak: Learn more about it here

[08:44] bulaklak: And follow them on Twitter

[08:45] bulaklak: http://www.techsoupforlibraries.org/

[08:45] bulaklak: @TechSoup4Libs

[08:45] bulaklak: And that is all I got for today!

[08:45] bulaklak: Thanks all.

[08:45] bulaklak: Have awesome weekends.

[08:45] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): /me has been so far unsuccessful at bring someone from the SL library comunity to talk here at the NPC

[08:45] Buffy Beale: thanks bulaklak

[08:45] Glitteractica Cookie: what about Sarah? She would do it

[08:45] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): so if you have friends and contacts, that would be great

[08:45] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): who is Sarah?

[08:45] Glitteractica Cookie: yes, Sarah Washburn… our techsoup libraries person

[08:45] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): sorry fromthe SL community

[08:46] Glitteractica Cookie: or her colleague stephanie

[08:46] bulaklak: I can talk to Sarah

[08:46] Glitteractica Cookie: tweet at them

[08:46] bulaklak: And see if she’s up for it

[08:46] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): not TechSoup community

[08:46] bulaklak: I am sure she would love to do it

[08:46] Glitteractica Cookie: if not, stephanie will be

[08:46] bulaklak: Or Stephanie

[08:46] Glitteractica Cookie: they’ve done it before

[08:46] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Gentle was suggesting the SL community of librarians

[08:46] Glitteractica Cookie: And there’s always the info isle folks

[08:46] Eme Capalini: There is a Second Life Library 2.0 group you can join. You can talk to the officers about posting a notice for you.

[08:46] Glitteractica Cookie: we can make this happen

[08:46] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): yeah I haven’t found anyone there who has responded to me

[08:47] bulaklak: Seems like good network weaving to happen.

[08:47] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): so if anyone else can be in touch and connect them to to me that would be great!

[08:47] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): thanks!

[08:47] bulaklak: All right. Thanks, folks!

[08:47] Chayenn: thanks bulaklak

[08:48] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Ok now we are Mentors Central

[08:48] Zinnia Zauber: Eme Capalini, Vice President for Virtual Ability, will share the Loyola Marymount research on benefits of virtual world use.

[08:48] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Who speaks for the Mentors?

[08:48] Zinnia Zauber: Thank you Eme!

[08:48] Zazoom Zimminy: /me whispers Kyle Reis, Grants Managers Network, NYC

[08:48] Gentle Heron: Eme will, thank you.

[08:49] Buffy Beale: Cheering for Eme!

[08:49] Eme Capalini: Good morning, and thanks for inviting me here today to share with you about the benefits people with disabilities get from being in a virtual world.

[08:49] Eme Capalini: Just a quick reminder of why this is an important topic. One out of every five avatars you meet in SL belongs to someone with one or more disabilities – physical, mental, emotional, or sensory.

[08:49] Eme Capalini: I’m Eme Capalini from the Virtual Ability non-profit peer support community here in SL. We have over 650 members now, and we provide a variety of kinds of support, education, services, and a strong sense of community for our membership. I’m the Vice President for Development for our 501(3)c corporation.

[08:50] Eme Capalini: Until recently, when we spoke of the benefits of virtual worlds, we mainly had anecdotal evidence in four categories.

[08:50] Eme Capalini: I’m going to share with you some quotes I’ve heard from our community members that fit into these categories.

[08:50] Eme Capalini: Learning benefits abound in Second Life.

[08:50] Eme Capalini: Although people don’t typically come into SL seeking peer support for their disability, once they hook up with one of the over 120 different peer support groups here, they can learn quite a lot!

[08:51] Eme Capalini: Plus of course, all the formal (e.g., college classes) and informal (e.g., SL classes) learning opportunities here.

[08:51] Eme Capalini: You might not think of distraction as a benefit, but to people with severe disabilities, getting their mind off their pain is important.

[08:51] Eme Capalini: Doctors in burn clinics use virtual ice worlds, where the patient can throw snowballs at penguins and ice gnomes, to distract the patients from the agony of burn debridement, bandage changes, and the other painful treatments they must undergo.

[08:52] Eme Capalini: For medical benefits, there has been some research, so the evidence of benefits isn’t just anecdotal.

[08:52] Eme Capalini: Researchers confirm that people can improve their concentration, their social skills, even their spatial awareness, simply by interacting with others in a virtual world setting.

[08:52] Eme Capalini: I think that social benefits are probably the most important to people with disabilities, who are often socially and physically isolated. Imagine being able to make friends with people your own age when you’ve spent half your life lying in bed seeing only your family and nurses!

[08:52] Eme Capalini: It’s a lot easier to “be yourself” around other people if they aren’t put off by seeing your scars or withered limbs.

[08:52] Eme Capalini: We’re finally making progress on gathering research evidence to support what we hear from our community members.

[08:53] Eme Capalini: The psychology department at Loyola Marymount University in California recently gave a poster presentation about research they conducted in collaboration with Virtual Ability.

[08:53] Eme Capalini: The research consisted of a survey given to people who identified themselves as having a disability. The survey was given during their first week in Second Life, and repeated after 3 months here.

[08:53] Eme Capalini: It was a small study, but the results are significant, as they are the first of their kind to be done in SL.

[08:54] Eme Capalini: Participants in the study completed a variety of standardized measures that were selected to assess their psychological well-being and adjustment.

[08:54] Eme Capalini: There was no treatment in this study. The participants didn’t have to attend classes, report in regularly, keep a diary, or anything else regulated. They could do whatever they pleased.

[08:54] Eme Capalini: The majority logged in frequently, and for extended periods. They became immersed in their second lives.

[08:54] Kali Idziak: /me whispers Jessica Dally, Community Voice Mail, Seattle, WA

[08:54] Eme Capalini: When they first came into SL, the measures indicated that the majority of participants showed clinical signs of depression. That’s not unexpected, in a group of people among whom half were severely disabled.

[08:55] Eme Capalini: Overall, the research showed that simply being in a virtual world, doing whatever you wanted to do, was very helpful. Statistically, the newcomers after 3 months were less depressed, less anxious, and less lonely.

[08:55] Eme Capalini: They also were had a more positive outlook on themselves, were more satisfied with their lives, and had higher self-esteem.

[08:55] Eme Capalini: I’m happy to answer your questions now. I’d also like to encourage you to think about all the benefits you’ve received from being in a virtual world.

[08:55] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): godo to know!

[08:55] Eme Capalini: /me smiles

[08:56] Buffy Beale: clapping, thanks Eme

[08:56] Zinnia Zauber: This awesome!

[08:56] Eme Capalini: Thanks again for inviting me to speak with you today. If you have further questions, please send me an IM.

[08:56] Gentle Heron: Thank you Eme for giving this report.

[08:56] James at Lloud (lloud.laffer): clapping

[08:56] bulaklak: Wow, that is really fascinating!

[08:56] Jerry Buchko MA AFC (jerrybuchko): Are there plans to expand the research?

[08:56] Zinnia Zauber: Thank you Eme!!!

[08:56] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): good stuff

[08:56] fate Paule: Incredible work!! thank you so much

[08:56] Gentle Heron: @Jerry- VAI is working with several researchers at the moment.

[08:56] Brena Benoir: Thank you for sharing Eme!

[08:56] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): and a great transition for our featured speaker…

[08:56] Eme Capalini: My pleasure

[08:57] Rhiannon Chatnoir: /me popped in just a bit ago… hi all

[08:57] Buffy Beale: Question: Has there been an increase in the number of people joining you in Second Life for this use?

[08:57] Eme Capalini: We’d love to repeat it with a larger group.

[08:57] DyVerse Steele (dyverse): o/

[08:57] DyVerse Steele (dyverse): || Yaaaaaaaay n Stuff!!!!!

[08:57] DyVerse Steele (dyverse): /

[08:57] DyVerse Steele (dyverse): Eme

[08:57] Gentle Heron: @Buffy- We now number over 650 members.

[08:57] Buffy Beale: fantastic!

[08:57] Eme Capalini: Absolutely Buffy

[08:57] Jerry Buchko MA AFC (jerrybuchko): @Gentle, Would love to hear more as the research progresses.

[08:58] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): might be a full featured presentation rather than a Mentors Corner

[08:58] Buffy Beale: thanks Gentle and Eme

[08:58] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): ok we need to move on though right now

[08:58] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Namaara can you come on down?

[08:58] Namaara MacMoragh: good morning

[08:58] Zinnia Zauber: Rah Namaara!

[08:58] Buffy Beale: cheering for Namaara!

[08:58] Namaara MacMoragh: 🙂

[08:58] Gentle Heron: YAY Namaara.

[08:58] Namaara MacMoragh: Wow! What a great presentation Eme. Virtual Ability rocks!! And I’m so glad we’re collaborating on Brain Injury Awareness Month.

[08:59] fate Paule: *claps * 🙂

[08:59] Eme Capalini: Thanks 🙂

[08:59] Namaara MacMoragh: But I better stick to my notes or I’ll wander off into someone else’s time… hehe.

[08:59] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): We are happy to have Namaara MacMoragh here to talk with us about recent work being done to help people with brain injuries using VWs

[08:59] Namaara MacMoragh: Thank you Rick, and everyone here, for the opportunity to speak with you today.. I’d like to start by telling you a little about myself and my work. Then share with you about brain injury and brain injury awareness month in SL.

[08:59] Namaara MacMoragh: I am a consultant with GReat Kreations (http://greatkreations.com). which was founded in 1995 to meet the growing demand for services by nonprofit organizations in the US.

[09:00] Namaara MacMoragh: A lot has happened through the years and I now work collaboratively with colleagues and clients around the world as my work continues to evolve around issues of organizational sustainability and continuance.

[09:00] Namaara MacMoragh: But, in 2008 I was working on developing virtual staff and workplaces that allowed greater flexibility to meet the needs of my clients without increasing the burden of costs during an economically turbulent time.

[09:00] Namaara MacMoragh: That’s how I wound up in Second Life.

[09:00] Namaara MacMoragh: In late 2008 I began attending NPC meetings and events and met fate Paule at a Tuesday gathering at Wharf Ratz. fate is the Executive Director of a Washington State nonprofit; Brain Energy Support Team (BEST) .

[09:00] Namaara MacMoragh: fate is with us today to answer questions as they come up. Say hi, fate.

[09:01] Namaara MacMoragh: 🙂

[09:01] Zinnia Zauber: Rah fate!

[09:01] Gentle Heron: Hello Fate and welcome.

[09:01] fate Paule: hello everyone 🙂 thanks for letting us be here

[09:01] Namaara MacMoragh: I’ve been working with fate on a variety of projects ever since — at the BEST SL office on Etopia and in the RL BEST office in Tacoma WA.

[09:01] Namaara MacMoragh: BEST was founded in 2008 and is the leading organization of individuals with brain injury and their caregivers providing peer-to-peer support, resources, and access to services for those with brain injury and their caregivers.

[09:02] Namaara MacMoragh: BEST is a leader in training for support group facilitators, professionals, and educators. Through their mentoring program, Project PEER, BEST also offers a unique way of empowering individuals with brain injury and their caregivers. You can find out more at http://projectpeer.org

[09:02] Namaara MacMoragh: Our goal is to create engagement around the real issues of brain injury that go beyond the injury itself. An injury occurs in a moment. The cognitive, emotional, physical challenges that alter someone’s life often last for many years and often go unaddressed.

[09:02] Namaara MacMoragh: Second Life offered us an opportunity to work together building an organizational foundation for BEST while living 3,000 miles apart. It was 6 months after we began working together in SL that we actually met in RL for a board training session in 2009.

[09:02] Namaara MacMoragh: March is the official month for Brain Injury Awareness. BEST, Etopia, and the fabulous folks at HealthInfo Island (yay Gentle and crew!} have worked together to create a celebration and awareness campaign that includes presentations, displays, concerts, gift hunt, and more to raise awareness about, and raise dollars for, brain injury.

[09:03] Namaara MacMoragh: We are collaborating with others in SL who are providing support,information & referral, and social opportunities for individuals with brain injury as well as training and resources for professionals and educators.

[09:03] Namaara MacMoragh: I’m especially excited to work with Gentle Heron of Virtual Abilities. I’ve learned a lot and so appreciate the ideas, support, and … well … at the expense of gushing… everything. As an aside, it’s been wonderful to watch the growth of such a valuable organization here in SL.

[09:03] Gentle Heron: /me points to the VAI team!

[09:03] Namaara MacMoragh: Thank you again, Gentle, for the wonderful slide presentation about brain injury. I hope everyone will visit HealthInfo Island to learn about brain injury and more.

[09:03] Namaara MacMoragh: 🙂

[09:04] Namaara MacMoragh: you guys reall do rock!!

[09:04] Namaara MacMoragh: Another great relationship that has been forged because of our work in Second Life is with Zinnia Zauber. She is working with BEST to create an original branding element (hope I said that right) for the hospital bags BEST and Headstrong are giving families of individuals that are hospitalized with brain injury.

[09:04] Zinnia Zauber: Thank you, Namaara!

[09:04] Buffy Beale: Rah Z!

[09:04] Namaara MacMoragh: These collaborations would not have happened without a community such as Nonprofit Commons in Second Life and the commitment of TechSoup Global to support and foster nonprofits around the world. I was living in NY when I started working with fate. Zinnia and Gentle are also in other locations than in my neighborhood.

[09:05] Namaara MacMoragh: We have a lot of great events, presentations, displays, and builds across sims we are highlighting during Brain Injury Awareness month and throughout April and May, with a huge World-wide brain injury picnic day on June 16th.

[09:05] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): (wow fantastic!)

[09:05] Veri Oddfellow: *waves* Hi all … Brad Lewis, Great Strides, Damascus, MD, US http://www.GreatStrides.org

[09:05] Namaara MacMoragh: This is our collective opportunity to also showcase the work we do here to families, professionals, and funders.

[09:05] Namaara MacMoragh: When I started working with BEST we had a shoestring budget. BEST then became lead on a Support Group Infrastructure Project in the state of Washington.

[09:05] Namaara MacMoragh: This year they recieved independent funding from the state to not only continue their work with support group development, but to administer mini-grants to groups across the state. This increase in funding is because of the way BEST has used SL and other virtual work tools to communicate, train, and support facilitators and others.

[09:06] Namaara MacMoragh: These are just some of the ways we work with real people on real issues in virtual worlds.

[09:06] Namaara MacMoragh: We invite you to visit Etopia Eco-Communities, the BEST office, and HealthInfo Island throughout the month to learn more and get some cool gifts.

[09:06] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): (oo free stuff)

[09:06] Namaara MacMoragh: Please IM me and I’ll get our info giver to you to help us promote brain injury awareness throughout March.

[09:07] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): We’re happy to host signage here for the month

[09:07] Namaara MacMoragh: (note to self… don’t wear gesture hud next time you speak)

[09:07] Namaara MacMoragh: Visit http://etopiaisland.org for updates, clues, and event information.

[09:07] Gentle Heron: he he he Namaara!

[09:07] Namaara MacMoragh: thank you Rick

[09:07] fate Paule: hehe

[09:07] Namaara MacMoragh: Also, you can learn more about BEST at http://brainenergysupportteam.org and Virtual Ability at http://virtualability.org

[09:07] Namaara MacMoragh: And that’s all I wanted to say as far as canned speaches go.

[09:07] Namaara MacMoragh: Please ask questions

[09:07] Namaara MacMoragh: fate is here and so is Gentle

[09:08] Namaara MacMoragh: (hugs you guys for always catching my back)

[09:08] DyVerse Steele (dyverse): Question does Best offer support training here in sl or a class online somewhere?

[09:09] Buffy Beale: Question: Do you plan to or use any other virtual worlds?

[09:09] fate Paule: We have our support group facilitatorwebinar at BISGN.org

[09:09] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Question: can you say more about why Second Life was chosen for working with people w brain injuries over other kinds of technologies?

[09:09] Namaara MacMoragh: right now we’re only in SL Buffy, but I’ve looked at OpenSims

[09:09] Namaara MacMoragh: SponOn3D

[09:09] Namaara MacMoragh: and others

[09:09] Namaara MacMoragh: SL is the most robust so far

[09:09] Jen (jenelle.levenque): QUESTION: Do you have any support specifically for veterans

[09:09] Namaara MacMoragh: (even if the most expensive)

[09:10] fate Paule: In real life we work really closesly with local and state vet organizations

[09:10] DyVerse Steele (dyverse): Does BEST have a page on facebook we can like?

[09:10] Namaara MacMoragh: @Rik … we use GoTo to facilitate meetings and traingings. We chose SL because of robustness.

[09:10] fate Paule: as a vet myself, these issues are very close to my heart

[09:10] Zinnia Zauber: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Brain-Energy-Support-Team/165908016753065

[09:10] Jen (jenelle.levenque): Thank you Fate

[09:11] Namaara MacMoragh: @Rik… there are many reasons why a virtual world is appealing for briain injured indv

[09:11] DyVerse Steele (dyverse): ty Zinnia

[09:11] Namaara MacMoragh: A lot of the noise, lights, and cognitive overload triggers aren’t here

[09:11] Jerry Buchko MA AFC (jerrybuchko): The DoD has a SL sim focused on recovering vets, but I’m not sure how active it is…

[09:11] fate Paule: I actually came to sl to help the Washington Dept of veterans see if virtual worlds could provide support and couceling for returning vets with PTSD and TBI

[09:11] Buffy Beale: Thanks Namaara

[09:12] Gentle Heron: @Rik- The answers to that question of why virtual worlds appeal to those with brain injuries are as varied as the symptoms those injuries cause.

[09:12] Namaara MacMoragh: in addition in the case of multiple physical challenges virtual environments facilitate opportunities for success that RL situations may not

[09:12] Namaara MacMoragh: yes Gentle… thank you

[09:12] Namaara MacMoragh: (sometimes I get wordy)

[09:13] Namaara MacMoragh: DId I lose questions?

[09:13] Namaara MacMoragh: I’d like to make sure we answer you…

[09:13] fate Paule: As a person with a brain injury, i found sl perfect at many points of my recovery

[09:14] Jen (jenelle.levenque): I think Virtual Worlds work because they can be tailored with relative ease to provide the needed environments

[09:14] fate Paule: challenges with sensory overload, made activities like shopping impossible in rl

[09:14] Namaara MacMoragh: yes

[09:14] Jerry Buchko MA AFC (jerrybuchko): @Jen, Yes.

[09:14] Namaara MacMoragh: I work with clients in SL to collaborate on a number of sustainability issues organizationally

[09:14] fate Paule: in sl, I can control the stimulus and enjoy many activities that I can’t in sl

[09:14] Namaara MacMoragh: SL is a perfect collaboration environment

[09:15] Zinnia Zauber: It really is!

[09:15] Namaara MacMoragh: I was part of a caregiver group that shopped, “ate out” and generally had fun here

[09:15] fate Paule: as people who experienced brain injuries start to redefine their new selves and idenity after a brain injury, it has such potential to positively affect folks

[09:15] Namaara MacMoragh: often caregivers can’t leave a brain injured family memeber alone

[09:15] Namaara MacMoragh: SL provides a fun and social environment too

[09:16] James at Lloud (lloud.laffer): /-50 SKILL:3

[09:16] Namaara MacMoragh: in addition to working here I love living er playing here

[09:16] Jerry Buchko MA AFC (jerrybuchko): And those connections are enhanced by this experience of shared space…

[09:16] James at Lloud (lloud.laffer): /me says ooops

[09:16] Namaara MacMoragh: yes Jerry

[09:16] Namaara MacMoragh: 🙂

[09:16] fate Paule: i apologize if I missed any questions

[09:17] Namaara MacMoragh: any other thoughts? questions? experiences? to share

[09:18] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): are there things you wish you could do in SL to support your target audience that we could pass along to the Linden Lab folks?

[09:18] Jerry Buchko MA AFC (jerrybuchko): So did I hear that there are inworld support groups connecting those with TBI?

[09:19] Jerry Buchko MA AFC (jerrybuchko): Along with connecting caregivers…

[09:19] Namaara MacMoragh: @Jerry yes

[09:19] Gentle Heron: Yes Jerry, come visit the Path of Support and we can point them out.

[09:19] Jerry Buchko MA AFC (jerrybuchko): Excellent, thank you

[09:20] Namaara MacMoragh: I’ve loved being here today. And again, thank you to NPC, VAI, BEST, Zinnia… everyone for working with us this month (and for the past three years) to make SL such a vital part of how we connect

[09:20] Namaara MacMoragh: Oh

[09:20] Namaara MacMoragh: Rick… re LL

[09:20] fate Paule: I think that Gentle has created a great service through virtual abilities island

[09:20] DyVerse Steele (dyverse): Rah! Gentle

[09:20] Zinnia Zauber: Thank you guys! You do so much and it is wonderful to be part of the team!

[09:20] Namaara MacMoragh: There are a number of things I can share with you… I’ll IM or email you.

[09:20] fate Paule: sl can be somewhat ovwerwhelming at first, so ease of use is important

[09:20] Buffy Beale: Gentle rocks!

[09:20] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): for sure, fate

[09:20] Namaara MacMoragh: VAI has an easy way to bring new users into SL

[09:21] Christopher Saldana: Speaking of which I have redone the Wounded Warrior SL Vet Center, and would like to get with those whom would like to connect to the island

[09:21] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Christopher, that’s great

[09:21] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): what is the SLURL?

[09:21] Buffy Beale: It’s too bad they can’t ban the emoticons that spit out lines and lines of characters at events, I always remember Gentle saying how hard that is for people with disabilities

[09:21] Namaara MacMoragh: Chris, I’d love to talk more with you about March and mutual promotion, too.

[09:22] fate Paule: wonderful Christopher i’ll have to check it out again

[09:22] Christopher Saldana: awesome, sorry please I don’t want to take away from anything here, I would love to share what we do after this.

[09:23] fate Paule: yes buffy, things like flashing dancefloors and signs can give some of us migrains or seizures

[09:23] Namaara MacMoragh: great Chris…

[09:23] fate Paule: but the beauty of sl is that I can control this

[09:23] fate Paule: and still dance 🙂

[09:23] Buffy Beale: yes and yay for that 🙂

[09:23] Namaara MacMoragh: 🙂

[09:23] Gentle Heron: /me knows how to turn off particles because of visual issues in SL

[09:23] Namaara MacMoragh: I like techno… fate can’t do it

[09:24] fate Paule: hehe

[09:24] Namaara MacMoragh: I get to listen to my tunes. She to hers and we can hang out in the same clubs

[09:24] Namaara MacMoragh: lol

[09:24] Jerry Buchko MA AFC (jerrybuchko): lol 🙂

[09:24] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): nice

[09:24] Buffy Beale: lol

[09:24] Namaara MacMoragh: particles are the same thing, yes Gentle

[09:24] Zinnia Zauber: This are important issues that people might want to learn more about.

[09:24] Gentle Heron: That’s one advantage of virtual worlds…. adaptability.

[09:24] Namaara MacMoragh: okay… Rick is up

[09:24] Namaara MacMoragh: think I should sit

[09:24] Namaara MacMoragh: lol

[09:24] Namaara MacMoragh: thank you again for letting me present today.

[09:24] Namaara MacMoragh: 🙂

[09:24] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Thanks Namaara, that was really inspiring!

[09:24] Buffy Beale: Thanks Namaara, and to Eme and Fate and Gentle for all you do

[09:25] James at Lloud (lloud.laffer): Claps Very Loudly!!!!

[09:25] James at Lloud (lloud.laffer): clap

[09:25] bulaklak: Really great stuff!

[09:25] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): I love to hear these stories about how the NPC is facilitating collaborations among our members!

[09:25] Chad Mikado: applause

[09:25] Gentle Heron: Great information Namaara and Fate.

[09:25] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): as well as all the great work being done to help real people with real needs

[09:26] Jerry Buchko MA AFC (jerrybuchko): @Rik, Exactly!

[09:26] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): please be in touch with Namaara if you ahve further questions or want to help out

[09:26] Namaara MacMoragh: definitely IM me

[09:26] Namaara MacMoragh: and friend me… it’s the easiest way for me to keep up

[09:26] Namaara MacMoragh: (promise not to spam you)

[09:26] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): and now its your turn to share with the community any relevant events, news, announcements from your group

[09:26] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): its Open Mic

[09:27] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Who has something to share?

[09:27] Carl Solutionary (carlicann): Free Conference in SL starts March 15 (Thursday): Virtual Worlds Best Practices in Education – Register at: http://vwbpe12.eventbrite.com/ Many of us here today are speakers…

[09:27] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): please put up your appendage and I’ll call on you

[09:27] Gentle Heron: I do Rik. Three things, and one is an NPC collaboration.

[09:27] Zinnia Zauber: Yay! Looking forward to it!

[09:27] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): thanks for th reminder Carl!

[09:27] Gentle Heron: Thanks for sharing that Carl… I bet several NPCers are going to present.

[09:28] Zinnia Zauber: I have one, please.

[09:28] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): I’d love for someone from VWBPE to present here about plans for this years conference

[09:28] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Ok Gentle and then Zinnia

[09:28] Gentle Heron: OK then! Virtual Ability has lots of great events coming up this weekend and next week. Here’s a sample:

[09:29] Gentle Heron: SAT March 3, 10am PST/SLT

“For the Love of Chocolate”

a workshop presented by Vera Zhaoying, head of Ann Myers Medical Center, that explains the medical benefits of chocolate, and includes an exercise activity.

[09:29] Eme Capalini: Yum!

[09:29] Gentle Heron: he he he

[09:29] Gentle Heron: also SAT March 3, 2-4 pm PST/SLT

New artist at Cape Able Art Gallery: Taralyn Gravois

Come meet the artist, check out her work, and dance to the tunes of DJ Mateo Secretspy.

[09:29] Gentle Heron: **Special event WED March 7, 9 am PST/SLT

NPC’s own Jacmacaire Humby (JACQUES MACAIRE, founder and director of HUMANBE) will describe their project to develop an eco-positive house appropriate for people with disabilities. Housing is a significant issue for this group. This presentation is another in the “Waiting for the World to Change” series sponsored by Virtual Ability.

[09:30] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): /me applauds

[09:30] Buffy Beale: yay Jac!

[09:30] Gentle Heron: If you would like a notecard about the chocolate event, the art gallery opening, or the presentation on eco-friendly housing, please send me an IM. Thanks!

[09:30] Gentle Heron:

[09:30] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): thanks gentle

[09:30] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Zinnia?

[09:30] Zinnia Zauber: Thank you!

[09:31] Zinnia Zauber: CommonGround Networking Party is Thursday, March 15, 2012 5:00 – 7:00 PM SLT

[09:31] Zinnia Zauber: Please join us the Third Thursday of the Month for a CommonGround at Aloft Nonprofit Commons with DJ DyVerse Steele!

[09:31] Zinnia Zauber: CommonGround is a monthly, fantastical, color themed networking and fundraising event bringing community and causes together! Our color theme is GREEN for March! Dress up and join the party!

[09:31] Gentle Heron: YAY DyVerse!

[09:31] Zinnia Zauber: Enjoy networking and dancing among other nonprofits and supporters! Learn more about what nonprofits, educators, humanitarians, scientists, and artists accomplish in Second Life at the Nonprofit Commons at this fun and informative event.

[09:31] Buffy Beale: yay and I don’t have to change for this one 🙂

[09:31] Buffy Beale: my colours I mean

[09:32] Zinnia Zauber: This is where connections are made and teams are build!

[09:32] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): lol

[09:32] Zinnia Zauber: Yes, Buffy you are all set!

[09:32] DyVerse Steele (dyverse): and word is a lot of people from VWBE will be at the common grounds for this month so a great opportunity to come and spread the word

[09:32] Zinnia Zauber: These communuity events like CommonGround and Wharf Ratz are very important to support and attend.

[09:33] HB Eternal: and they are fun too!

[09:33] Zinnia Zauber: We have lots of different people from all over the grid join us.

[09:33] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): sweet

[09:33] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): any other annpouncements?

[09:33] Zinnia Zauber: They are not just NPC folks and we forge amazing connections dancing away.

[09:33] DyVerse Steele (dyverse): raises hand

[09:33] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): go ahead dyverse

[09:35] DyVerse Steele (dyverse): I now have 24/7 nonprofit oriented radio station that announces different actitiviies for non profits if you have an ad for your non profit in mp3 format or would like one created please get with me or if you would like the stream info for your land IM me

[09:35] Zinnia Zauber: Rah DyVerse!!!!

[09:35] Zinnia Zauber: It is so awesome!

[09:35] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): wow please send me the info on this

[09:35] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): that’s great

[09:35] Jerry Buchko MA AFC (jerrybuchko): Wow, that’s really cool!

[09:35] Buffy Beale: wow DyVerse do you have the link to it?

[09:36] Brena Benoir: Awesome DyVerse

[09:36] DyVerse Steele (dyverse): http://blue.neostreams.info:8219 that is the stream

[09:36] Brena Benoir: /me raises hand for open mic

[09:36] Buffy Beale: thanks, nice going!

[09:36] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): ok Brena with teh last announcement?

[09:38] Brena Benoir: PFH is increasing our use of social media tools. We have a Facebook page going where we will be sharing development and information about projects and upcoming things that people can get involved in. Please join our Facebook page for updates, click like and please post that I referred you to this page if you are just joining us on FB.

[09:38] Brena Benoir: https://www.facebook.com/pfh.org

[09:38] Brena Benoir: reference Brenda B as the referral please

[09:38] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): nice

[09:38] Brena Benoir: Thank you!

[09:39] Brena Benoir: Thanks for NPC members who are contributing to our page by sharing SL related posts

[09:39] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): okay thanks for coming to another interesting and informative Nonprofit Commons meeting

[09:39] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): as alwasy you can find us online here:…..

[09:39] Zinnia Zauber: It is great how we make connections here and support each other out there!

[09:39] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Here are the many ways to can get involved with the Nonprofit Commons in Second Life:

Nonprofit Commons blog: http://nonprofitcommons.org

Twitter: http://twitter.com/npsl

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nonprofitcommons