Tag: npsl

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Events at Nonprofit Commons: Webinars, Earth Day!

Happy Earth Day from the green fairy of NPC! Over the past few months it has been a great honor and pleasure to host events at the Nonprofit Commons in Second Life, from informational webinars to celebrations of great organizations and emerging new success stories. We have some of this ready for you now at NPC in Second Life:

WEBINAR TODAY at 10AM: Listening Stations!
Join us at the Plush Nonprofit Commons amphitheatre to participate virtually in this event.

EARTH DAY: Friday April 23rd Celebration at ECO Commons

This Friday morning from 8:30 – 11AM PST at the ECOCommons in Second Life the Nonprofit Commons will be celebrating the one year anniversary of this earth-friendly collaborative effort within the virtual workplace. Avatar volunteers, organizational leaders, committed earth stewards and caregivers will join gardeners, green technology speakers and the nonprofit avatars of the NPC for this special Earth Day celebration. Teleport to http://bit.ly/ECOCommons to join the celebration!

Morning speakers will include gardeners, urban chicken caregivers, virtual workplace efficiency experts, organizations making the most of green materials and methods along with international nonprofits sharing their sustainable outlook for future collaboration. A networking party will be hosted from 10-11AM where guests new to the Nonprofit Commons can take a tour on a flying eagle while exploring the open lands of ECO Commons in Second Life.

For the last four years nonprofit leaders from technology to conservation have been meeting at the Nonprofit Commons in Second Life and activating new endeavors through @NPSL and the NonprofitCommons.org blog and website. Nonprofits can earn a free virtual office space within the commons in exchange for their participation as educators, volunteers, organizers and thought leaders within this dynamic international community. Over the last four years our resident avatars have logged thousands of hours of virtual work within our community, collaborating across borders without the cost of travel, conferences and summits while exploring the efficiencies of virtual work.

For more information browse through our site here and follow us on Twitter @NPSL for frequent updates from our avatar changemakers.

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Written by: InKenzo

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Tracking Praise and Addressing Concerns

We’re always tracking what people are saying about us on the web, tracking praise, and learning from criticism, and letting people know we’re watching and listening.
I thought it would be good for the community to see how these things are addressed, so here is a recent response that I wrote to this blog:
New Political Documentary

My response:

We here at the Nonprofit Commons would like to inform you that we have a very diverse community consisting of worldwide nonprofits and their enthusiastic volunteers and supporters. Hence the various ways in which our tenants express themselves, by sending you objects as you tour our areas, and the various ways in which they present themselves in their offices and the common areas. 

We apologize that the streaming radio station in our networking party area was not to your liking. Our residents use the music and the monthly party in that area to attract people who may want to meet members of our community in an informal manner at a time other than the weekly meetings. People who work for nonprofits still need times where they can relax and get to know their community, and meet new people.  

As a humorous aside, its not my type of music either, so I listen to other radio stations when I attend the parties. But many of the members of the community seem to enjoy it, so it works out for all of us.

We can assure you that our tenants take their work for their nonprofits very seriously, and at least 40 to 60 people attend our weekly meetings. 
Our purpose here is to network, collaborate, and learn from each other. We also feature guest speakers from time to time. 

Everything that you see in our community was donated or built by a member or a supporter. If it did not have real world impact, no one would participate in it. Its sole purpose is to give everyone something to take back with them into the real world. There are also many people who utilize Second Life to overcome physical and geographical limitations as well. 

Here is a blog I wrote about the impact that working in the Nonprofit Commons, which is owned by TechSoup, had on me: Social Innovation Awards Blog

And here are our latest visitor statistics: 
Second Life in Numbers

You are more than welcome to attend one of our weekly meetings, which occurs at 8:30am SLT every Friday. There, you can meet the people who make this great community what it is, feel free to speak to any of them and ask them about what they do.

www.nonprofitcommons.org is our website, where you can read blogs about what is happening at the nonprofit commons and other nonprofit related events around Second Life. 

I really hope that you will visit once again, and learn more about us and what we do. I appreciate your criticism and we will examine your comments and see how we can make our sims more user friendly for visitors. 

Thank you, 

Layal Rabat

So, everyone, what do you think of the blog that was written, and what do you think of our response to it? Would you have handled it differently?

Let’s discuss!

Written by: Layal

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Tech Awards Laureates

Many of us are hard at work day and night applying technological tools to help mankind. Some of us get acknowledged, others are working hard and just have not caught their break yet. If you know someone, and you want to help them get that break, there’s a great competition going on to select Tech Awards Laureates. You can nominate someone by going to their website here: http://www.techawards.org/nominate/

Their website says that you can nominate an organization or an individual, and they would be in the running for a $50,000 cash prize for each category!!

The people you nominate should be who respond to humanity’s most pressing problems by applying a technological solution. They must demonstrate that they have sought to profoundly improve the human condition.

You can nominate people for one the following categories:
-Environment
-Economic Development
-Education
-Equality
-Health

Nominations will be accepted through March, 31st, 2010.

We are a community of people that engage in this very thing on a daily basis, and all of us know a few people who rock at doing these things. So help these incredible people get the recognition they need by nominating them. Spread the word about the competition to all of your friends and let’s find those Tech Awards Laureates that remain undiscovered and bring them out into the spotlight.

Written by: Layal

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AVATARS RAISE MONEY FOR HAITI THROUGH VIRTUAL EVENTS, GOODS, CAMPAIGNS

2/26-2/28 THREE DAY EVENT in SECOND LIFE

Virtual Haiti Relief with TechSoup Global’s Nonprofit Commons to help Haiti

Avatars from around the world are coming together to honor the Haitian people with a cultural festival designed to raise money for Haiti relief and rebuilding efforts.

From February 26-28th the virtual world of Second Life will play host to a festival highlighting organizations on the ground in Haiti using emerging technologies for rebuilding and aid efforts. Events will include a live music festival led by Kathey Fatica (Katydid Something in Second Life) along with nonprofit organizers of TechSoup Global’s Nonprofit Commons and Virtual Haiti Relief, an online organization formed by volunteers and nonprofit staff members within the virtual world as a response to the devastation in Haiti.

Nonprofit Commons is a four-island cooperative community with representatives from over 100 charitable organizations in ten countries organized by San Francisco-based technology provider TechSoup Global. Avatars can visit the Nonprofit Commons islands in Second Life to the Help Haiti Hub where they can take action, make a donation and visit a makeshift aid distribution center (SLurl to location in Second Life: www.tinyurl.com/teleporttoNPC). Events on Friday February 26th at the Nonprofit Commons will include speakers from real-world organizations giving aid and a virtual goods auction to raise funds for Haitian relief.

”The Music & Arts Festival for Virtual Haiti Relief will be an example of the rich environment that Second Life® offers. Featured throughout the area will be a number of exhibits and artwork, a sculpture garden, and stage. Users can walk their avatars through a 3-dimensional exhibit depicting interpretations of the devastation of Haiti with a map, examples of broken landscape, and a field hospital with only rudimentary equipment. In addition, the event includes informational exhibits and speakers from organizations working to restore a balance to Haitian life, along with a general art exhibit and 40 consecutive hours of Live Music for our world audience to experience,” explains Kathey Fatica, Virtual Haiti Organizer and Creative Director at Needham Fatica Advertising Agency. “It’s our goal to create not only an environment of entertainment but also of education and empathy.”

A charity ball for avatars in Second Life will be hosted by Brenda Bryan (Brena Benoir) of the national nonprofit organization, Preferred Family Healthcare, from 7-10 PM PST/SLT on Saturday February 27th. This virtual Second Life® event will feature live music and dancing on the water while raising money for the Virtual Haiti Relief campaign.

Live music will be featured around the clock beginning at 5AM PST/Second Life Time (SLT), Saturday February 27th, and continuing through to 10PM PST/SLT on Sunday February 28th. Performances celebrating the diversity of music in Second Life® include folk, rock, jazz, and classical music from international performers based in Asia, Australia, Europe, and North and South America.

The Music & Arts Festival for Virtual Haiti Relief is being produced with the support of the Nonprofit Commons in Second Life and TechSoup Global. Visit the web for more information on TechSoupGlobal’s activities to help Haiti.

Linden Lab, creators of Second Life, have lent support to organizing and fundraising efforts within the Second Life community, providing space for memorials and outreach support. To date, dozens of events to help Haiti have been hosted within Second Life and throughout other virtual worlds.

Virtual Haiti Relief’s campaign in Second Life sends 100% of donations toward seven charities on the ground in Haiti:
The Clinton Bush Haiti Fund: www.clintonbushhaitifund.org
United Nations World Food Programme: www.wfp.org
Oxfam America: www.oxfamamerica.org
Partners in Health: www.pih.org or www.standwithhaiti.org
Red Cross: www.redcross.org
UNICEF: www.unicef.org
Yele Haiti Foundation: www.yele.org

Virtual Fundraising Success
Volunteers have already raised over $6,000 U.S. dollars in the short time the campaign has been live. The Virtual Haiti Relief Donation Package includes information on the charity, a Donation Kiosk to raise funds, a Donation Vendor to raise funds by selling items, a informational notecard explaining more details, and a Virtual Haiti Relief t-shirt for avatars to wear. Avatars share fundraising tools with others through gift bags or group gifts created by Joyce Bettencourt (Rhiannon Chatnoir of Global Kids).

To learn more about Virtual Haiti Relief events at the Nonprofit Commons contact Kathey Fatica, festival event producer (katydidsomething@virtualhaitirelief.org) or Evonne Heyning, Nonprofit Commons Interactive Producer (evoamo@gmail.com).

Social Actions for Virtual Haiti Relief

You Can Help by Fundraising
Pick up a Virtual Haiti Relief Donation Package in Second Life:
Put out a kiosk found in any blue Haiti gift bag to help collect donations or drop some Linden dollars in a kiosk near you.
Kiosks and Virtual Hait Relief Donation packages may be found in Second Life: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Vesuvius/100/164/25
If you are a content creator, use the vendors to sell items where proceeds go toward fundraising
You can pass along the Donation Package to others that might be interested in raising funds for Haiti relief

Other Ways to Get Involved:
Blog, tweet/retweet, post on Facebook to help share with others outside of SL, follow @VirtualHaiti on twitter and join the VirtualHaiti Facebook group
Distribute the Donation Package through your Second Life groups
Beyond the events planned here by Nonprofit Commons and others involved with the larger Virtual Haiti Relief group, you can plan your own events towards Haitian relief and awareness. Events ideas include talks on Haitian culture/history, dances, candle lightings, music or DJ performances, art exhibits and shows
For Second Life event listings, photos, blog posts, or social media posting beyond Second Life, tag with: VirtualHaiti
For more information visit http://VirtualHaitiRelief.org; IM or email us contact@virtualhaitirelief.org

Written by: InKenzo

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Free Online Event and Webinar with SL broadcast Feb. 18 : Straight Talk About Telecommunications for Your Organization

telecom equipment imageDon’t know your VoIP from your POTS or even what these acronyms mean? Scratching your head on all the phone system options out there? Then this event is for you.

Join us Thursday February 18 at 11 a.m. Pacific for an informative webinar and forums event to help you avoid the buzz-word marketing and get the real picture on telecommunications.

We’ll be joined by telecommunications expert and longtime TechSoup star and forums moderator, Chris Shipley of Nutmeg IT and Kevin Lo, Lead Technology Analyst for TechSoup Global. Our hosts will address the various voice communication options (VoIP, PBX hardware, voicemail, etc.) available and how these differ. We’ll explore the pros and cons of different solutions, cost considerations, and examine what kinds of organizations would best benefit from different systems.

This live webinar kicks off the official launch of TechSoup’s new Telecommunications discussion forum.  After the webinar, our hosts will continue the conversation in the asynchronous (not live) forums event. We’ve gotten the conversation rolling with topics like how telecommunications is changing nonprofit work, Google Voice, and what VoIP services organizations are using. Head on over and post your questions and get expert advice on your telecommunications needs!

Here are all the ways you can participate in the event! Feel free to take part on any and all of these channels:

If you have any questions, please email community@techsoup.org.

Spread the word via Twitter and other social media sites by copying and pasting the following:

Join in free #techsoup forums event & webinar: Straight Talk about Telecommunications, 2/18:http://bit.ly/d0QfsP 

Image credit: Peter Kamaninski via Flickr

Written by: penguin kuhn

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Nonprofit Commons Video Premiers on YouTube

TechSoup and the Nonprofit Commons have released a new video created by machinimatographer Draxtor Despres. Filmed both in real life and Second Life, it shows how nonprofits collaborating in the virtual world can make a difference in the real world, one avatar at a time.

Written by: DustyArtaud

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Member Spotlight: Layal Rabat aka Ninlil Xeltentat

Layal Rabat, otherwise known as Ninlil Xeltentat in Second Life is the Volunteer Manager for Nonprofit Commons in Second Life. I had a chance to chat with Layal about her nonprofit work in real and virtual worlds.

What organization do you work for?

I’m currently a student pursuing an MA in the Social Justice and Human Rights (MASJHR) program at Arizona State University. In addition to working with TechSoup and the Nonprofit Commons, I also work withNijel,an organization that seeks to help organizations tell their stories through maps.

How’d you hear about Second Life and the Nonprofit Commons?

I heard about nonprofits in Second Life through one of my professors here at ASU and through the Soul of the New Machine conference at UC Berkeley last May. I hear Susan Tenby speak about the Nonprofit Commons and that sparked my interest in getting involved.

How are you using Second Life to help achieve your goals and those of your organization?

I am using Second Life to help accomplish my personal mission of networking with people from all over the world, and learning together how to use technology to increase efficiency, and give a voice to the voiceless. I manage volunteers for the Nonprofit Commons and match them up with the roles that best fit their skills and interest.

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve found using Second Life for nonprofit work?

My biggest challenge is holding people accountable for work they volunteer for. I also have a hard time explaining the usefulness of Second Life in less than a paragraph. I want Tweet-worthy (140 characters or less) justifications to pass along!

What benefits have you experienced?

So far, my biggest success was arranging to have Kyle Reis (Zazoom Zimminy in Second Life) to speak to my grant writing class. He brought his knowledge from the Ford Foundation into my classroom, and gave us a jaw dropping lecture on innovations that the Ford Foundation has been working on. We learned about streamlining the funds request process, the usefulness of social media, and how the Ford Foundation is adapting to the digital age. If it was not for Nonprofit Commons, Kyle and I would not have never met.

Your favorite quote?

“Yea, death and prison we mete out To small offenders of the laws,
While honor,wealth,and full respect On greater pirates we bestow.”

-Gibran Khalil Gibran.

What social media tools besides Second Life do you use?

I’m using Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

How can others connect with you?

You can follow me on Twitter @layalzebub, and see more about Nijel.org and the NonprofitCommons on Facebook.

Written by: penguin kuhn

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Virtual Haiti Relief: Special Nonprofit Commons meeting tomorrow

[post by In Kenzo @npsl @amoration]

Have you wandered around the grid & web and wondered how you can directly support the people of Haiti?

At our weekly Friday morning at 8:30AM PST/SLT, the Nonprofit Commons in Second Life will be hosting a dialogue with groups working on the ground & across the web to ship supplies, communicate with loved ones and begin the design process for rebuilding Haiti. Many avatars have come together to join international aid efforts through a coordinated virtual campaign.

SLurl to meeting location in Second Life: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Plush%20Nonprofit%20Commons/88/126/26

From my colleague Joyce Bettencourt, aka Rhiannon Chatnoir of GlobalKids & Vesuvius:

“Virtual Haiti Relief is made up of a group of individuals, some affiliated with various social, cultural, nonprofit and other community groups, within the virtual world of Second Life.

We have come together to help in the relief efforts for those who have suffered in the Haiti earthquake disaster. Collectively we have named our group Virtual Haiti Relief and through this group we will conduct fundraising and promote events for Haiti relief, along with offering resources and cultural information on Haiti.”

We will do our best to aggregate relief efforts coordinated inworld and share them through these channels:

VHR Google group: http://groups.google.com/group/virtual-haiti-relief/
VHR Google calendar: http://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=3499jnujlgqkhb18h9752g31bs%40gr…
Twitter: http://twitter.com/VirtualHaiti
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#/group.php?gid=259449484227
inSL avatar: VirtualHaitiRelief Engineer (for direct donations)
inSL group: Virtual Haiti Relief

There are a handful of ways you can get involved:

  • Many fundraising events are being planned @npsl and beyond: benefit concerts, cultural celebrations, educational events within an integrated campaign available around the grid. Join the groups above if you’d like to get involved or share your fundraising event with the community and contact nonprofitcommons@techsoupglobal.org directly if you would like to host your event at the Nonprofit Commons.
  • A coordinated campaign will link your virtual items for donation/auction sale: please label all gift items to share with VirtualHaiti in the title. Common kiosks are being created to link events, donations and sales together with the www.virtualhaitirelief.org coordinated site.
  • To vote on which charity to benefit visit http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/C2TNFWP — it is possible that we will do a one month campaign for one charity followed by a second month for a second NGO. Your votes will help us determine who will make the most of our virtual donation efforts.
  • Listen to people on the ground in Haiti share their experiences.

    From Kali, aka Jessica from Community Voicemail:

    “Here is a link to the podcast my coworker did about her organization. It details why her organization is able to get aid to smaller communities (and get aid in at all) when larger organizations are failing in this effort.”: http://www.kuow.org/program.php?id=19212

  • Get involved with Crisis Camps around the world to develop the technology and tools needed to respond rapidly in Haiti. http://www.crisiscommons.org
  • Stay in touch with great nonprofits working on the ground: some suggestions include Partners in Health, We Can Build An Orphanage, Architecture for Humanity — some of these groups need bulk donations of medical supplies, consumable materials, energy & water purification systems. Mobilize your friends to help!
  • If you are on Twitter, please spread the word by copying and pasting the below tweet:

    Join @npsl & @virtualhaiti in SL 4 coordinating #Haiti relief efforts @ Nonprofit Commons mtg. Fri. 8:30AM PST/SLT http://bit.ly/8dc8mb

Thanks for your willingness to help others in need — we look forward to exploring with you how invisible networks and virtual communities can coordinate efforts in times of crisis. See you tomorrow at Plush to continue this conversation together.

Written by: penguin kuhn

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TSDIGS Event Followup Interview with Buffy Beale!

From NPSL

genesis Zhangsun: Hey Buffy!
Buffy Beale: Hi Hi HI
genesis Zhangsun: so this is Bridges! The colors match your outfit, in a good way!
Buffy Beale: lol sorry it took so long to get together
Buffy Beale: I tend to lean towards bright and cheery 🙂
Buffy Beale: so this is our office, I purposely built it not to look like real life
Buffy Beale: but kind of dreamy
Buffy Beale: and bright to attract visitors
genesis Zhangsun: yes indeed it really does get the imagination going 🙂
genesis Zhangsun: I definitely appreciate the effort to keep it from looking like a real world office
genesis Zhangsun: so how has your experience been like with NPC?
Buffy Beale: life changing
Buffy Beale: yes in that I have connected with like-minded people from all over the globe
Buffy Beale: and we share a common interest in the good in life for all
Buffy Beale: becasue we meet every week, I see some of these avatars more than I did when I worked
Buffy Beale: (I retired early yay!)
genesis Zhangsun: congrats!
Buffy Beale: so have built friendships I never would have imagined
Buffy Beale: but more to the point is the awareness for my nonprofit, Bridges
Buffy Beale: the opportunity to tell our story has been just amazing
genesis Zhangsun: so what types of outlets for raising awareness for your organization have you had access to through NPC?
Buffy Beale: many
Buffy Beale: first of all, we all get to tell about our nonprofits at the weekly meeting, one each week
Buffy Beale: then was the publicity about us joining, two years ago, had a 1/2 page spread in our newspaper as well as the Cdn Fundraiser online zine
Buffy Beale: and a few other lessor publications
Buffy Beale: then I connected with 4 other nonprofits for a joint project we’re working on for homeless called “Transitions, A Place for Dreams”
Buffy Beale: where two of our Bridges students will be able to take a university course on business skills
Buffy Beale: once we get the funding that is
genesis Zhangsun: wonderful! The TechSoup Digital Storytelling event must have also been another great outlet, especially considering your honorable mention award! Congratulations
Buffy Beale: yes!
Buffy Beale: I am still dancing on a cloud for that
Buffy Beale: two reasons, personally a real validation that I am creative, I’ve been feeling a little blue these past few months, a 25 yr breakup in process so needed the boost
Buffy Beale: but best of all, the link to our web site on the TechSoup community page
Buffy Beale: that is something
Buffy Beale: and it just felt good to be in the winners circle with all those wonderful orgs as well
Buffy Beale: I felt so excited and proud, and for those who have never tried second life it’s hard to explain
Buffy Beale: how thrilling it was to have my friends there cheer for me
Buffy Beale: when the announcement came
Buffy Beale: I may of well have been standing accepting an oscar or something 🙂
genesis Zhangsun: 🙂
genesis Zhangsun: that is so great! Could you tell me a little bit about how you got introduced to the event and became inspired to contribute?
Buffy Beale: sure
Buffy Beale: I’m on the NPC management team, and at one of our phone conferences, Susan brought it up
Buffy Beale: she was so excited about it, and I couldn’t help but be as well
Buffy Beale: then came the announcement at our weekly meeting
Buffy Beale: and I realized it wasn’t about the prizes, it was about learning how to use this as a tool for Bridges Communication strategy
Buffy Beale: so I decided right then to submit something
Buffy Beale: I attended all the webinars, and learned so much
Buffy Beale: especially some of the ways to get the word out
Buffy Beale: I couldn’t use GoldMail because I’m on a Mac, but that was my first choice to try
Buffy Beale: then they had a full session on Machinima, which I’ve always been interested in
Buffy Beale: InKenzo and Rhiannan and one of my favs, Drax
Buffy Beale: shared their knowlege and offered to help and answer questions
genesis Zhangsun: Could you say a little bit more about why digital storytelling seemed like a compelling way to tell your story?
Buffy Beale: sure
Buffy Beale: I think it’s the new way to reach an audience
Buffy Beale: and is important to practice having it simple and to the point
Buffy Beale: and because we are a very small nonprofit, but have huge potential to go global I can see this will help us in the future
Buffy Beale: because the audience we will reach will spare the 60 secs to learn about us
Buffy Beale: but it does take practice, unless of course you hire a pro
Buffy Beale: which the normal nonprofit cant afford
Buffy Beale: so its just the new way and keeping current to reach the next generation I believe
Buffy Beale: the ones who don’t read newspapers or magazines, but pour over the Internet
Buffy Beale: this make sense?
genesis Zhangsun: which is pretty much everyone 🙂
Buffy Beale: everyone under 30 for sure
genesis Zhangsun: yes absolutely, so what tools were your favorites?
Buffy Beale: I would have loved to try the machinima and will do for my next one
Buffy Beale: but I didn’t have the right tools, or the time to learn them so decided on the photos
Buffy Beale: after realizing GoldMail wouldn’t work for me
Buffy Beale: but I really liked the challenge to keep it within 5 photos to tell our story
Buffy Beale: that is hard to do, how to explain we train women who have been abused? but keep a positive message
Buffy Beale: so I think my fav tool right now is the photo challenge
Buffy Beale: because it’s easier to tell the story in moving images perhaps, but the photo’s give food for thought
genesis Zhangsun: so you used flickr to upload your pictures and share them?
Buffy Beale: yes, I had a flickr account but didn’t use it much
Buffy Beale: I also opened a YouTube account and practiced uploading a video before I realized I wouldn’t have time
Buffy Beale: and the main message I got from the training were to understand who my audience will be, and what message I want to leave them with
Buffy Beale: I wrote up a simple storyline, and sent it to the board for their approval
Buffy Beale: one agreement I made about being in SL was all communication would be approved
Buffy Beale: which is standard for us anyways
Buffy Beale: but we are restricted in what we can post, student photos etc
genesis Zhangsun: so in your case your audience is women who have been abused, is that correct or is there a broader audience? and what would you say was the message you wanted to convey?
Buffy Beale: Yes, I chose to speak to potential clients and the message was they can have help to change their life by graduating from our program
Buffy Beale: I say potential because we have a line-up, but are hoping to get our on-line program up and running again, which gives us unlimited space almost
Buffy Beale: funny enough, I worked for hours doing a powerpoint slide presentation type
Buffy Beale: using words, no photos
Buffy Beale: thats when I realized, lol, it’s not about the words, it’s about the image
genesis Zhangsun: well the pictures clearly did the job, a picture is worth a thousand words right? And I think you definitely were able to get your message across amazingly in 5 shots http://www.flickr.com/photos/dreampondercreate/sets/72157622491030305/
genesis Zhangsun: (for readers)
Buffy Beale: yes I think it helped having a ‘theme’
Buffy Beale: so there I was, two days before deadline
Buffy Beale: and was coming up with a blank because as I said we can only post limited photos
Buffy Beale: so I decided to grab some of the photos here in our office
Buffy Beale: the students or the classroom, and was just going to put them together to get something in
Buffy Beale: when a light went off
Buffy Beale: hahaha
Buffy Beale: I could build a ‘set’ and take SL photos
Buffy Beale: and the rest just came easy
genesis Zhangsun: the event as you know took place on several different platforms
genesis Zhangsun: webinars, the TS Forums, twitter in reporting the action, and Second Life for the mixed reality finale, it also utilized tools as we have mentioned like flickr, youtube, picasa, real talk, goldmail, adobe, photobucket, shutterfly, machinima, snapfish, and tinypic
genesis Zhangsun: how did you feel these different mediums and tools worked together in making this event useful/interesting for participants
genesis Zhangsun: particularly the SL mixed media event where you were awarded your prize from inworld!
Buffy Beale: I think using a variation of platforms was critical to the success factor
Buffy Beale: not everyone uses second life, so that was only good for those who are here
Buffy Beale: the webinairs were so valuable especially the ability to ask questions in real time to the presentors
Buffy Beale: and the presentations were all so well done and informative, I’m so happy I attended
Buffy Beale: and the idea to use photos or a video expanded the potential submissions I believe
Buffy Beale: not everyone us comfortable making a movie, but most have use of a dig camera
Buffy Beale: so that was important as well to include the smaller orgs
Buffy Beale: the mixed reality event was not new to me, but I think it really came across to the folks attending in real life
Buffy Beale: that there is a whole world in here, of very dedicated people
Buffy Beale: and it was in my mind, a very successful competition
Buffy Beale: in that I learned so much about other orgs I’ve never heard about
Buffy Beale: and they mine
Buffy Beale: and I think next year will be somehting to really look forward to
genesis Zhangsun: what was one organization that you had never really heard about before and connected with through the Challenge?
Buffy Beale: thats a tough one, I think Kramden for sure
genesis Zhangsun: either directly or with the message of the org
genesis Zhangsun: Yes they were wonderful! http://www.kramden.org/
Buffy Beale: my favourite was the Pelican one
Buffy Beale: yes thats it sorry forgot the name
Buffy Beale: the other was the global how to create peace message
genesis Zhangsun: connecting students with computers and other digital technology
Buffy Beale: yes
genesis Zhangsun: oh yes that was wonderful too
Buffy Beale: but there were so many both amateur and professionally done that were amazing
genesis Zhangsun: and in the end 56 Flickr stories, 47 YouTube/Goldmail, For a grand total of 103 stories
Buffy Beale: I believe we must stay current with technology if we are to reach the next generation
genesis Zhangsun: in general too those users have short attention spans, so a 60 second video or a five photo spread is really all people will take the time to look at
Buffy Beale: yes and really, it is sufficient although I had my doubts in the beginning I dont have any now
genesis Zhangsun: haha that came off sounding harsh that facebook users have short attention spans 🙂
Buffy Beale: nooo they do 🙂 anyone on the internet now does
genesis Zhangsun: what I mean is that in general in this age we are all bombarded with information so it really does count how well the information is presented
genesis Zhangsun: yes exactly
Buffy Beale: started with the remote control capability on the tv 🙂
genesis Zhangsun: well wonderful Buffy!
genesis Zhangsun: thanks!
Buffy Beale: my pleasure for sure
Buffy Beale: one last thing
genesis Zhangsun: oh sure
Buffy Beale: when I said the NPC changed my life, it is true
Buffy Beale: I joined SL to investigate for an org I worked for, and almost left given the seedy side
Buffy Beale: and little interest from my org (provincial government)
Buffy Beale: then happened upon someone with techsoup group
Buffy Beale: and wrote a thank you note, they have saved Bridges
Buffy Beale: we train women to return to work, imagine trying that on old software
Buffy Beale: and then Glitter invited me to join the nPC which was just starting
Buffy Beale: I convinced the board we should try it (believing it could be the future)
Buffy Beale: and it has been so rewarding for Bridges, and for me
Buffy Beale: thats it, just a huge thank you to Susan and Megan and the team at TechSoup for this opportunity
Buffy Beale: I learned recently U of Texas bought 50 sims and will soon offer real classes
Buffy Beale: and I know
Buffy Beale: Bridges Online program will have a place here someday too
Buffy Beale: and it’s becasue of TechSoup that this will be possible
Buffy Beale: 🙂
genesis Zhangsun: 🙂
genesis Zhangsun: that is such a great story Buffy
genesis Zhangsun: thanks for sharing it with me

Written by: Genesis

Posted on

Digital Storytelling Challenge Awardees Announced!

On October 21, we held our Digital Storytelling Challenge Awards Party here at TechSoup headquarters in San Francisco.


We screened highlights from the more than 100 video, image, and GoldMail submissions and celebrated the great work nonprofits and libraries are doing to tell their unique and important stories. These stories help convey the work they do, advance their missions, and highlight the communities they’re working within by giving a visual (and sometimes audio) story to help supporters connect with their mission and values.

If you missed the party, here’s the full line up of our awardees:

  • First Place: Kramden in 60 sec by the Kramden Institute awarded a Flip Video camera.
  • Second Place: Dragonfly Forest by Dragonfly Forest awarded Adobe Audition software and a Flickr Pro account
  • Third Place: Tabor Kalaka 2009 by The Community Foundation of Odorheiu Secuiesc awarded Adobe Production software.
  • Fourth Place: 30 Ways to Create Peace by Legacy International/Global Youth Village awarded a GoldMail Synergy account.

Honorable Mentions were awarded a Philips MP3 player:

  • MBYC Youtube edition by Mojave Basin Youth Corps
  • Faith in Practice TSDigs by Faith In Practice
  • Bridges Digital Storytelling by Bridges for Women

Thanks to all of the organizations and libraries who took part in the challenge by sharing their digital stories and a special thanks to our partners who supported the whole series of digital storytelling events and resources throughout the month. Learn more about the full series of resources here and join us in recognizing the support of these organizations in making it possible to highlight amazing digital stories from social benefit workers around the world:

  • Adobe
  • BAVC
  • Center for Digital Storytelling
  • Flickr
  • Flip Video
  • GoldMail
  • Lights. Camera. Help.
  • ReadyTalk
  • That’s Not Cool
  • See 3 Communications
  • Streetside Stories
  • WITNESS
  • Youth Radio
  • YouTube
  • Amoration (Second Life producer)

And special thanks to many staff and volunteers at TechSoup who had a hand in making the full Digital Storytelling Online Event a success!

Written by: Beth J. Bates