Written by: rikomatic
“Get Activated!” Leading Non-profits Discuss “Best Practices” for Activism, Collaboration, Education, and Fundraising in Virtual
Get Activated!
Leading Non-profits Discuss "Best Practices" for Using Virtual Worlds for Activism, Collaboration, Education, and Fundraising
Friday, February 8, 8:30AM PST, Plush Nonprofit Commons Amphitheater in Second Life
The year 2007 was a remarkable year for charitable and civil society activity in Second Life — from the launch of the 32-office Plush Nonprofit Commons to the record US$100,000 raised by the SL Relay for Life. On Friday, February 8, from 8:30-9:30AM PST, there will be presentation and discussion on "Best Practices for Non-profits in Second Life." Based on a report prepared by Global Kids organizer Rik Panganiban, the program will explore what are some of the lessons that non-profits have learned from their first forays into the virtual world.
Event Details:
TITLE: Presentation and Discussion on "Best Practices for Non-profits in Second Life"
DATE / TIME: Friday, February 8, 2008, 8:30-9:30AM PST
LOCATION: Main Amphitheater, Plush Nonprofit Commons sim (teleport SLURL )
From Education to Fundraising, Community Outreach, Collaboration and Activism, citizen’s groups are beginning to figure out how to spread their messages and support their causes using 3D multi-user environments like Second Life. Organizers from groups including the SL Relay for Life, the Alliance Library System, Global Kids, and YearlyKos will talk about their own experiences in each of these areas, followed by an open discussion.
This forum is particularly relevant for non-profit managers, activists, funders, and community organizers trying to decide if Second Life can help their organizations. And we encourage groups to share your own experiences (good and bad) with working in SL during the open discussion period. We’ll close the event with ideas for next steps in building up civil society spaces in Second Life, and beyond.
The full text of the report can be downloaded from this link. At the event a virtual "thinkbook" will be available, providing the main recommendations from the report.
Prepared on behalf of the Online Leadership Program of Global Kids, the report was made possible by support from the Digital Media and Learning Initiative of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.
A report and photos from the event will be available shortly afterwards for those not able to attend.
For more information, contact Rik Panganiban at rik@globalkids.org or in-world IM to Rik Riel.
Written by: rikomatic
Take a Quick Survey and let us know how the Nonprofit Commons is helping your organization
The Nonprofit Commons would like to know how it has helped your organization. Please take this quick survey. It’s only three questions long and will only take a minute or two. We’d really appreciate it as your responses will help us talk about the impact the Nonprofit Commons are having on nonprofits working for social change. So take a moment to fill out the survey–and thank you for your help.
Written by: penguin kuhn
Ideas needed for Non-profit track at SLCC 08
At the last Non Profit Commons meeting, Rhiannon, Glitteractica and I announced that the program for the 2008 Second Life Community Convention is being organized now, and that if there is to be a non-profit presence that we need to get in a Request for Proposals (RFP) very quickly. SLCC08 is scheduled for September 5-7 in Tampa, Florida.
We would like to strongly encourage groups to indicate their interest in organizing specific sessions or talks on different subject matter at SLCC. You don’t have to commit to being there (yet), but just indicate your interest in the subject area. Head to the wiki page here and put in your ideas.
The deadline has been extended for RFPs by the SLCC committee, but time is still very short.
Also, if you have ideas and suggestions for possible sponsors and financial supporters of non-profit activity at SLCC, please put it up on the wiki page as well.
Thanks so much for your contributions!
Written by: rikomatic
Robin Linden and Jack Balkin to talk on “avatar civil rights” on January 28
On Monday, January 28, there will be a public forum on the topic "Virtual Liberties: Do Avatars Dream of Civil Rights?" featuring Jack Balkin , First Amendment legal expert at Yale Law School, and Robin Linden, head of marketing and business development at Linden Lab. Part of the "MacArthur Series on Philanthropy and Virtual Worlds," the event is co-presented by the USC Institute for Network Culture and Global Kids . This will be a multi-verse event, taking place both in Second Life and Teen Second Life, as well as audio streamed to the web for the VW-impaired.
The complete announcement after the jump….
Virtual Liberties: Do Avatars Dream of Civil Rights?
MacArthur Series on Philanthropy and Virtual Worlds
The USC Institute for Network Culture and Global Kids present a discussion on Virtual Liberties: Do Avatars Dream of Civil Rights?
11:30a.m. PST on Monday, January 28, 2008
Please join the USC Institute for Network Culture and Global Kids for the first event in an upcoming series on philanthropy and virtual worlds.
The event, “Virtual Liberties: Do Avatars Dream of Civil Rights?” will be held on the USC Annenberg Island or on the Global Kids estate on Second Life at 12: 00 p.m. PST on Monday, January 28, 2008.
Jonathan F. Fanton, President of the MacArthur Foundation, will chair a discussion about avatar civil liberties. Joining him will be Robin Harper, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Business Development from Linden Lab, and Jack Balkin, professor of Constitutional Law and the First Amendment at Yale Law School.
Prior to their remarks, Douglas Thomas, Professor at USC and Director of the Institute for Network Culture, and Barry Joseph, Director of Global Kids’ Online Leadership Program, will give updates on and announce a dramatic series of programs as part of MacArthur’s year exploring philanthropy in virtual worlds. Thomas and Joseph are MacArthur grantees.
The live audio from the event will be available at this Web location during the event, to be followed the next day with an archived version.
Written by: rikomatic
NPSL on MSNBC
NPSL on MSNBC. Cool.
Written by: Creech
Kiva in SL’s Grand Opening Party at the NPC a grand success.
The Grand Opening of Kiva in Second Life’s office was a grand success. Our final avatar count was 41, which included the people who dropped in through the ceiling. There were several reporters there, including the editor from Prim Perfect.
There was dancing and champagne, and talks by Skeeboo Tammass (Joe), Elron, and Julles Boucher (Julia) about Kiva and Kiva Friends and all that is going on in Second Life about Kiva.
Daniel, who did the Norwegian translation, won the $25 Kiva Gift Certificate. Fletcher Dovgal won the Door Prize $25 Kiva gift certificate.
The largest linden donation during the official party was made by Parhelion Palou, and Mandee Odriscoll was the ‘newest’ avatar who made a donation. Mandee actually joined SL this morning just to attend our party, she read about it on myspace. Both our winners will get (real life) 2008 Kiva calendars (made by Kiva Friends).
The party lasted an hour longer than planned, and the donations kept coming in. Our neighbours in the NPC Bridges for Women donated enough for an entire loan. Our final count was 22,488 Linden, making this our largest fund raising day ever. To translate to real life, we made enough for about 2 1/2 Kiva loans.
Another success of the day was our increase in volunteer help, a few people offered to help us out and join our grassroots organization. So its been a great day for Kiva in Second Life at the Non Profit Commons.
Written by: julles
Using FaceBook to Raise Funds!
Got FaceBook? Then please help us to raise $1,000.00 to send school supplies to our students in Lesotho, southern Africa.
SOLID, the organization supporting the Gardens of Hope project, has a presence in Second Life. You can find us on Better World Island. With the Gardens of Hope project we support the building of food gardens, tree nurseries and greenhouses in Lesotho. One of our projects is at a disabled centre where, just last year, we built the 1st fully integrated school in Lesotho. This primary school meets the educational needs of 330 orphans and vulnerable children. Integration of special needs students into the classroom affords disabled and mentally handicapped children the opportunity to learn, and fosters a culture of tolerance and compassion. 40 of the students at Mamello English Medium School have special needs, from physical to mental handicaps. Enrollment in the primary school is free and the children are not required to have a uniform … more 1sts for Lesotho!
This month FaceBook is sponsoring a Razoo Speed Grant and the top prize is for $1,000.00! Please consider logging in to your FaceBook account and voting for our proposal “A New Year for African Students” which you will find here: http://apps.facebook.com/speedgranting/proposal.php?pid=553&ref=NTUzfDc3…
Then recruit your friends to vote!
In world you will find posters in the gardens at Better World Island, at the Prim Perfect offices and various other locations in Second Life. Saffia, editor and owner of Prim Perfect, Second Life Style for Home and Garden, has been a wonderful promoter and supporter of the Gardens of Hope project. You can find her blog entry for the FaceBook campaign here: http://primperfectblog.wordpress.com/2008/01/02/using-facebook-to-raise-… The posters contain a direct link to our proposal on FaceBook and are copy-able. If you have a space in Second Life please consider taking a copy and putting the poster up to promote our campaign.
This $1,000.00 will go a long way to provide our students with the tools they need for learning.
Contest closes January 14, 2008 so please vote soon. Thank you for your support of African students in Lesotho.
If you have any questions please IM Zeke Poutine in world.
Wishing you all the best to you and yours in 2008!
XoX Zeke
Written by: Zeke
KivaFriends Tour – Visit to the Ectopia Sim
KivaFriends in SL is starting to tour Second Life. These tours are social events open to everyone, they are very informal, we will just be visiting sims together to explore and learn about what’s going on in Second Life. When we can, we’ll have the sims owners join us and give us personal tours.
The first tour will be January 12th, 10:30am – 12pm SL (Pacific time). Details about the event are
here but please note the place is not correct. We will be meeting at the NPC commons and then going to Ectopia Island. Join us at any time. We’ll be riding the trains and gondolas and learning about goods and services which promote a socially and environmentally sustainable world. We’ll also be banging on drums and walking around and laughing a lot.
(ASIDE, as a word of caution – be very careful when you enter your event at secondlife.com/events because it goes to eventful but edits don’t).
Come by the Kiva office in the NPC (#23) for more information.
Written by: julles
Kickoff Party for the opening of Kiva in Second Life’s office in the Non Profit Commons Sim
Kiva has moved into the Non Profit Commons! We are located in office #23, in the top left of the sim. Our kick-off opening party will be:
Saturday January 5th, 2008, 10:30am-12noon
Tell all your friends!
Any new Kiva lender or anyone who makes a Kiva loan during the event can receive a Real Life kiva wristband.
The largest inworld Linden donation between 10:30-12 will relieve a 2008 Kivafriends Calendar .
The office is open now if you want to come by and have a peek. Hang out as long as you like!
You can see more pictures of the office at the Kiva Friends message board here
Written by: julles