Blog vs. Book

It's my current intention to use this blog as a way of documenting my findings with regard to voluntarism. I've chosen this blog because I am convinced that most of those individuals who show interest in this topic at least as it is addressed by me probably will not have the motivation to wade through a book or a booklet for that matter, cover to cover, to learn what I have learned about voluntarism. This blog on the other hand, will give readers a chance to deal with each entry on its own merit. Let's see how it goes.

"Good for Nothing"

I've chosen “Good for Nothing” as my working title. I did a Google search on the phrase “good for nothing” and the results gave me second thoughts about using it. Overwhelmingly, when the phrase “good for nothing” is used it's used in the more commonly understood sense “not having any value or usefulness.” I chose the title “Good for Nothing” in an attempt to be clever and grab your attention. It also gives me a launching spot right from the get go.

An alternative meaning for the phrase “good for nothing”, and the one I am intending, is that individuals do what they consider to be good acts, without consideration of reward. That's pretty close to a definition for what it means to volunteer. It can be said that volunteers do good without regard to reward and specifically financial reward, they do good for nothing. A more accurate title might have been "Doing Good for Nothing", but without the ambiguity it might not get as much attention. So for now I'm stuck with "Good for Nothing", and my first task is to jump right into the whole issue of what motivates people to volunteer. I warn you there may be a bit of philosophizing in some of the posts that follow.

Doing well by doing good.

This is a long post. If you hang in you will come to some interesting links to people making a difference.

I am one of the lucky million or so individuals testing Google+, a new social networking software created by the folks at Google. I did a search on Google Reader using "volunteerism." I came up with a wealth of interesting information about the subject of volunteerism. One of the items that I came across was a news site. Here is how they describe there site.

What I am realizing is that there is an awesome, explosive development of web based efforts that do well by doing good. Here is a list of the eight finalist and links to their stories from the Mashable website at http://mashable.com/2011/08/19/startups-for-good/

Mashable is the largest independent news source dedicated to covering digital culture, social media and technology. Mashable reports on the importance of digital innovation and how it empowers and inspires people around the world.

Mashable’s 13 million monthly unique visitors and 4 million social media followers have become one of the most engaged online news communities. Numerous studies and leading publications have declared Mashable the most influential online news outlet and a must-read site.

Mashable also syndicates its content to top publications including ABC News, CNN, Forbes, Metro, USA Today and Yahoo! News, amplifying its reach to many millions of additional readers each month.

Pete Cashmore founded Mashable in 2005 in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. His passion for sharing how web tools and social networks were transforming human interactions and reshaping cultures drove him to create what would become Mashable.

Mashable is headquartered in New York City, with an office in San Francisco. Mashable’s growing team can also be found across the United States, United Kingdom and in Eastern Europe.

Mashable is an award-winning site and one of the largest and most popular destinations for digital, social media, and technology news and information with more than 50 million pageviews per month. Mashable has been named a must-read site by both Fast Company and PC Magazine and is ranked as the most influential media outlet by Klout. One article featured start-ups that he thought could be a positive influence on the future. Here is a link to that article. In the article he describes winners of a contest promoted by the Mashable, the UN Foundation, and some others. This is the logo you will find by going to the link above.

Below are brief descriptions and links to the winners of the Startups for Good Challenge contest.

Who: Awaaz De means “give voice.” Awaaze.De provides hosted and open source voice solutions that help organizations engage communities in any language, leveraging the power of voice and mobile phones to make social media accessible for everyone.

How are they changing the world?: Awaaz.De is empowering individuals and organizations in emerging countries to access and share local content. This enables farmers in rural India to get relevant and timely agricultural advice, and connect with local buyers through a voice classifieds application. Teachers in village schools use Awaaz.De to get tips on activities and lessons, ask questions and share experiences with other teachers in their region.

---

Who: Catchafire connects professionals who want to apply their on-the-job skills to non-profits and social enterprises that need their help in areas such as marketing, public relations, design, social media, strategy and finance.

How are they changing the world?: Catchafire believes that a great pro bono experience can transform someone’s life, help social good organizations realize their goals around the world, and make a global social impact.

---

Who: Kopernik provides life-changing technologies to the developing world. They connect technology providers, technology seekers and investors to provide local products that are proven to reduce poverty and disease but are often unavailable to the people who need them most.

How are they changing the world?: Kopernik has reached out to nearly 50,000 people across Asia and Africa that lack access to electricity, clean drinking water and other basic services. Within these communities, Kopernik has drastically reduced dependency on dangerous, inefficient, and polluting technologies by collaborating with donors on the web to provide products that will improve lives.

---

Who: em[POWER] is concerned about what happens to a population that is forced to pick through landfills to find food, shelter and a source of livelihood. They seek to revitalize waste scavenging communities by improving the sorting efficiency of recyclables, turning organic waste and waste water into electricity, creating high quality compost and providing the nucleus for a host of community-owned businesses.

How are they changing the world?: em[POWER]‘s vision is to convert a form of poverty into a mechanism that can be used by a community to improve living conditions and make a positive contribution to society.

---

Who: Prove My Concept is an online enterprise platform that allows young people to create, develop and test their business ideas.

How are they changing the world?: Prove My Concept is fueling the early onset of entrepreneurialism in young people. It is a community where ideas can be turned into reality, international networks are widened and new concepts are shared with small businesses, social enterprises and charities around the world.

---

Who: Sparked offers convenient online volunteerism for busy professionals who don’t have time to lend their expertise through traditional channels. They make volunteering as fun, social and easy to use as Facebook, Farmville, or Twitter. It’s volunteerism for the digital age, or “microvolunteering.”

How are they changing the world?: Sparked has channeled hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of skilled professional labor to charities that was previously unavailable to the social sector. Success stories include a volunteer from Ohio who helped a Maasai warrior build a well in Kenya (entirely online) and a volunteer from Jordan translate a document into Arabic for the Ronald McDonald House in Cincinnati.

---

Who: Simple Energy is changing how millions of people save energy by revolutionizing how utilities engage their customers. They combine energy industry experience, behavioral science, game mechanics and social networks to change how people save energy

How are they changing the world?: By driving customers to become more energy efficient.

---

Who: Roseicollis Technologies aims to deploy technologies that can disrupt both developed and emerging markets. Currently they are implementing the SunSaluter, an inexpensive solar panel rotator, to push solar technology to the forefront of the alternative energy in the developing world.

How are they changing the world?: Two SunSaluter prototypes were deployed in Mpala, Kenya, and reports indicate that they are improving the lives of one thousand Kenyans. These cost efficient and environmentally friendly solar panels have the capability impact developing nations around the world.

Become Involved. Pursue Your Interests. Share Your Talents.

Congregations that want to do a better job of matching the interests and talents of their members with the opportunities they provide need to consider getting more information on what those interest and talents are. One way to do this is to use a survey such as the one below.

Become Involved. Pursue Your Interests. Share Your Talents.

Generally, the more involved people become in the life and activities of UUSDBA, the richer their experience. But finding a way "in" can sometimes be difficult, especially if you don't know many people.

One way to get involved is to share your special talents and interests. With that in mind, won't you please take a few minutes to let us know something about you and the kinds of activities that interest you? The information that you enter here will be for church community use only, and your privacy will be respected.

Please also check the website (uuormond.org), The Jotter (our monthly newsletter), and weekly announcements for ways to become more active at UUSDBA.

Name:
Address:
Daytime Phone:
Evening Phone:
Email:
Website:

1. What originally brought you to UUSDBA?

2. What keeps you coming to UUSDBA?

3. What abilities/talents do you possess? (For example: Gardening, handyman, computer or technical knowledge of some kind, etc.)

4. What makes you come alive? What are you passionate about? If you do not know, but would like help finding that part of yourself, let us know.

5. In a barter system, what work would you be willing to trade? (Example: Yard work, massage, editing, organizing, playing music, etc.)

6. Please rank this list of social justice issues with “1” being the highest. Which has the greatest importance “Imp.” In which do you have the greatest interest “Int.”

Imp		Int
			a. Alcohol or drug abuse
			b. Children
			c. Corporate abuse
			d. Developmentally and/or physically disabled
			e. Domestic violence
			f. Economic injustice
			g. Education
			h. Environmental projects & issues
			i. Ethnic, racial diversity
			j. Fair elections
			k. Healthcare
			l. Homelessness
			m. Food (homeless shelter meals, food gardens, nutrition education, access, hunger)
			n. Immigration
			o. Job training for people with low income
			p. Literacy
			q. Non-violence
			r. Political parity
			s. Poverty
			t. Prison system
			u. Religious freedom
			v. Reproductive rights
			w. Seniors
			x. Sexual orientation/GLBT
			y. Veterans
			z. Other (Please specify in space provided below.)

7. Please rank this list of reasons for attending worship service with “1” being the highest. Which has the greatest importance “Imp.” In which do you have the greatest interest “Int.”

Imp		Int
			a. Celebration of common values
			b. Intellectual stimulation
			c. Fellowship after services
			d. Hearing, playing, or singing music
			e. Spiritual experience
			f. Personal reflection and meditation
			g. Sense of belonging
			h. Support and encouragement for social action
			i. Help us understand ourselves better.

8. Please rank this list of activities with “1” being the highest. Which has the greatest importance “Imp.” In which do you have the greatest interest “Int.”

Imp		Int
			a. Hospitality (greet visitors, kitchen)
			b. Caring (reach out to members in need)
			c. Lifelong learning
			d. Connect
			e. RE (Religious education for children)
			f. Social action
			g. Worship (organizing Sunday service)
			h. Music, performance, & video
			i. Art & aesthetics
			j. Fundraising
			k. Communications & publicity (writing, graphic design, photography, website)
			l. Church business (mailing assistance, data entry, technical support)
			m. Building & grounds (gardening, carpentry, cleaning)

9. Is there anything else that you’d like to tell us?