"building the capacity of public media and technology organizations"
hey all things it is still hective here at wildtech. i am now faced with trying to set up some A+ classes also some refurbishing classes on top of finding time for the ongoing classes doing the week so far it is all well here in washington we had some people here from hearts of fire this week at the shelter i work at. it was pretty neat to find out a little about all the talent that is in this place
Up until a couple of days ago, one could have said that I was just reading and learning and trying to catch up. But then I submitted my first change to the body of code that the organization maintains, and closed my first ticket. So, even though the code I contributed is trivial, I have officially produced something.
I'm beginning to feel like more of an actual part of HSTF, rather than just a guy who shows up and works for them (as opposed to with them). I've become more friendly with my coworkers and I'm starting to see how I think I'm going to fit in.
I've had a few things going since I last wrote. For one thing, I picked out a set of desktops to order for the computer lab which I actually just finished setting up yesterday. I'm also in the embryonic stages of developing a tech / software training curriculum for staff and youth - I sent out a survey last week asking everyone what they're most interested in learning, and once I get everything back I'll be figuring out how that's going to work.
Database stuff is still sort of on hold. I finally had a meeting with the Program Development Director about what he actually wants to track, but we still haven't chosen a database system we want to go with.
I just found out (hadn't totally been clear) that I'll be working directly with the Music Coordinator once he or she gets hired, which will be in a couple of weeks, so I'm super psyched for that. I really can't wait to start setting up music equipment and building the studio (and working with youth!).
Meanwhile I'm going to be taking some courses at CCTV to brush up on my software fluency so I can pass it on to my coworkers. This is something I'm looking forward to because it'll be good professional development and anyway it's stuff I'm interested in learning. That's more or less all for now. I still often feel like I don't have too much to work on, but that feeling is also fading more and more every day.
I now have a place to stay in Baltimore. So that's a relief; I shall enjoy shorter commute times, no more time consumed in househunting, and less ongoing expense.
Been a pretty hectic few days, I'm actually in the middle of a move from San Francisco to Oakland while planning for a conference - stressful, but I'm a bit excited about what's ahead in my life path...
Today, I have been contacting our VISTA Panel presenters, coordinating meeting up with them at the conference, answering any questions they may have about the panel and generally doing my best to make sure the presenters are good to go.
I've also been prepping a small one sheet handout for the project geared towards our audience of media arts-heavy folks.
The web site (which I was hired on to develop), has been on a bit of a hold lately with the conference and my RSI thrown in to complicate things, so not much to report on that - I forsee developing a cohesive taxonomy as a challenge.
Yesterday, I did my first task that actually made me feel like a volunteer - assembling a display board for our conference. A nice arts 'n crafts affair with some new copy printed with some fancy fonts (themed with NAMAC's new style guide for all our marketing) for the various pieces of our display board. I also made some great contact with other orgs on the phone to solicit them writing for our Media Arts Movement time line - mentioned in my last post:
http://www.mediaartsmovement.org/
Anyway, off to pack n prepare....
m
I feel a little better about Egleston Y right now because I am just getting used to how things are run here, inefficiently. So, i am going to try my best not to accept it and to get things done; this is what i am doing:
Ordering the stolen equipment for the computer lab hopefully the YMCA insurance will help us. We are going to change the lock to the door of the lab and buy locks for the computer screens. I am working on securing the place as best as possible, since nobody bothered to do that before.
I am starting up my creative writing program and math program for the school year.
Planning a family science and technology event for next year. Timothy Smith is trying to find funding to plan events for all the Timothy Smith computer labs.
For building capacity:
I am trying to network with the 826 Boston non-profit. They're basically a writing center for young kids in the Egleston community. I want to build a connection with them and hopefully when I leave the Y they will be involved with them long term.
I am starting to record everything down that i do from passwords to curriculum in a binder for the next person to use.
I am trying to figure out how to train at least one employee from the afterschool program on how I run the computer lab and what i think works best, ect. Also, to get them familiar with the programs i am running, so when i am gone they will continue. I need to find someone to continue going to the timothy smith meetings and to file the annual reports.
Open access for the lab needs to get started, the only problem is there are not enough people to monitor the lab, it's just me.
Recruiting volunteers and work-study people from North Eastern University. I have an assistant now, that's handy. The volunteer comes in to help kids with one-on-one tutoring/homework.
What are other people doing for capacity building at their sites?
Hello again,
Well, I just got back from a wonderful conference hosted by the Blue Cross Blue Shield, Healthy Community Institute on strategic planning and making the ask, for money, encase you were wondering. I learned so much in two days and they sent us home with tons of great resources and tools. I am working on posting some on those for everyone but I have to find out what I am allowed to make copies, which doesn't look like much but a little rewording and you still get the main ideas. I am sure the institute will make its way to your area and I encourage everyone to attend, it is so worth it!! It is expensive but they provide scholarships, which is how many org. got to attend. We are planning to develop a plan in the next couple of week at our board retreat, we realized there are a lot of bases we haven't covered, being such a new and small org. There are many issue that we need to have set in stone for example, our business processes, board expectations, by laws and visions are just a few core concepts that we need to put in writing not only to keep the org. inline with its mission but so everyone involved in the org. knows their roles and what they are responsible for. I think it is important to take care of the basics before with can effectively put future plans into action.
Right now I am getting ready for our big computer giveaway, I am proud to say the on Oct 20 &23 will are giving 225 computers to all the 7th graders and some outstanding 8th graders at one of our local middle schools!! So I have been planning how we are going to get all these computers to the right home and in a timely fashion, yeah right... I am interested to see how this plays out but all I can do is plan for the worst and hope for the best. Also I have been contacting several media relations to cover this event.
Of course I am always trying to find more computers, which is becoming some what frustrating, a lot of corporations and public institutions are leasing computers now and I found out the Good Will now has a truck that goes around collecting computer equipment from people and it has our same colors too, green and blue!!! I am really going to work hard to develop a partnership with Good Will to see if we can get some of their equipment because I know all they do is have them crushed for parts, which I see as such a waste, because most of them can be refurbished and placed in a home and help change someone's life. Also when I have extra time, I am trying to learn about Exceed (the new database program we just received for a great price) because all we have right now are excel databases and data all over the place! It is definitely a work in progress, you can pay 200 for the train but I am going to try to tough it out. Well I guess that is all for now.......
Comment from Jack Waugh on October 12, 2007 - 11:26am
Have you considered using one or another of the free and open-source database management systems, e. g., MySQL?
Comment from Kevin Palmer on October 15, 2007 - 10:49am
Hey Anna, whatever you can gleam (legally of course) from that strategic planning institute would be excellent. I'm definitely interested in seeing your progress on organizing your org, so I'll probably keep bugging you about that one. Good luck on the computer giveaway!
Here's a quick update on what I've been doing here at Tincan. Continue to work on our small museums grant from Humanities Washington. We've recently submitted two grants and are looking at some smaller local grant. I've been trying to get people together for our once a month after school club for one of the local middle schools. Have not been too successful due to the lack of interest from older generation to share their history with kids, or they believe they don't have anything interesting to say. Which is not true we all have a story to tell and can learn from one another.
One of my new projects is to plan a Veterans Day event.
Also need to be working on a fundraiser, hopefully a wine tasting so if anyone has and advice please give freely.
And now I'm starting to conduct oral history interviews myself.
Busy, busy, busy but that makes the time go by fast.
Comment from Morgan Sully on October 2, 2007 - 2:23pm
Elisha,
do you mind if i connect you to a women doing digital storytelling with queer veterans? She's actually working on an intergenerational veterans' oral history project currently. I also worked with her as a VISTA and she is VERY helpful and acclimated to the VISTA AmeriCorps program.
m
On 2007-08-16, Generation Five informed me that they could no longer hold up their end of the deal on keeping a CTC VISTA. I do want to write a little about how I wrapped up my work there, but not right this minute, so I'll leave it for an edit.
Now, I am working with the Center for Community Technology Services (CCTS) at the University of Baltimore.
Not surprisingly, the University of Baltimore is located in Baltimore, Maryland. So is CCTS. So, I'm in a different time zone now than where I was. Which VISTAs are in the region with me (the region that includes Maryland), and who is the leader? The leader should probably add me to the mailing list for the region.
The University of Baltimore teaches liberal arts, no engineering. I don't know the student body size, but the feel of the location and buildings suggests to me that it is one of the smaller universities.
CCTS helps nonprofits in the Baltimore area with their IT. There are two facets to its practice. One is more direct consulting and teaching, and the other is developing products. Most of the products are web sites. I think generally at least one of the purposes of each such web site is for the owning organization to address its public.
I count about six staff at CCTS, including the director and myself.
CCTS charges its clients for the services it does. Richer clients effectively subsidize poorer ones, to an extent. CCTS generally attempts to teach its clients to understand and maintain their own systems. There is at least one exception where it is more economical for the client to farm out the few changes they need to do to CCTS.
The technology CCTS uses for building web sites is invariably Ruby on Rails.
Ruby is an object-oriented programming language. It was invented in Japan and gained some popularity there before spreading to the US, where it has gained some additional popularity, although not nearly so much as Java and C# (so far).
Rails is a framework that provides comprehensive support for building web sites in Ruby.
I have not done the comparison for myself, but the head technical person here thinks that a tool like Drupal is both harder to set up and less flexible than Rails.
I am in the process of getting familiar with Ruby on Rails, working partway through a book on it. The development environment is in front of me and I can try out examples on it.
The project on which I'll probably make my first contribution, after this learning period, is "Maryland Commons", a web site that will offer some ways that citizens can participate in political thinking and discussion. In particular, it will offer "games" that let one model changes to the budget of the state government and explore what the consequences would be. Someone (outside CCTS) is writing these "games" in Flash. The games will report results back to the web site and it will calculate statistics on the results.
Comment from Morgan Sully on October 2, 2007 - 2:51pm
Awesome Jack,
good to know you're settling in. I'll still be your VISTA Leader (as there's a pretty heavy concentration of VISTAs for Kevin in the Eastern Region).
Ruby looked pretty cool. Do you have your own server to play with? I tried out some of the demo of RoR and it's looked really cool. No time to play with it though it is on a 'to do' list of things to learn.
Maryland Commons looks like an awesome idea. There is a HUGE filed of political virtual 'gaming' with conferences and such, though I am not sure where to look...
Comment from Jack Waugh on October 2, 2007 - 4:20pm
"pretty heavy concentration of VISTAs for Kevin in the Eastern Region" -- OK, but I'd sure enjoy a chance to attend if he should happen to plan any physical get-together around here. Or, all of you in the West can come on your bicycles to meet here where it would be convenient for me to join you, ha! I did drive across the country, thereby confirming by personal experience that the system of roads connects the coasts and it is possible to roll tires the whole way, heh! Also, I confirmed by personal experience that the Bonneville salt flats and the Great Salt Lake are both salty.
"Do you have your own server to play with?" -- Yes. Also, when you develop on Rails, you run an HTTP server on your own machine for testing. The book I'm studying is ISBN 0-9776166-3-0 (or, without hyphens, 0977616630) and it explains how to get a development environment going and how to program in Rails.
"Ruby looked pretty cool"
What's cool about Ruby:
- When you define a class, you can invoke custom-programmed methods that do big custom things to your class definition, such as for example including methods for access and validation. In Smalltalk, people sometimes use code to generate code, but the source code that remains is the generated code, not the original invocation that said to generate it. With Ruby, you can arrange that the source code is calling the generators and you do not see the generated code (although sometimes the other technique is also used, for when you want the automation to give you a start on some code but you have to modify it by hand).
- more convenient syntax for expressing some literal values than Smalltalk has (e. g., for arrays and association lists).
What's uncool about Ruby:
- strange syntax for passing closures for no good reason. A code block is not treated as an ordinary expression for an ordinary value to pass as an ordinary argument (as it is in Lisp and Smalltalk). But there is a workaround for this, so semantically, you can get hold of a closure as a first-class value.
- No existing development environment that quite matches a Smalltalk image in letting you query and change data, study relationships among the pieces of code, and debug on the fly. However, Rails comes close, in that while you are developing, every query (or post) to the server forces a check for whether you have changed any source files that would affect the answer and side effects.
I haven't updated in a while. Here goes a quick summary of the projects I have going on:
www.sflregionalequity.org I am still updating this website with new information regularly. In addition, I edit, write for, and disseminate a monthly e-newsletter for the website using Constant Contact. Finally, www.sflregionalequity.org and the Miami-Dade Affordable Housing Foundation Inc. have become involved in organizing a two-day symposium regarding Green Building and Affordable Housing. For this project I have set up their online registration and engaged in many hours (read: Saturdays and weekdays after work) of fact finding and organizing the fine details of flying speakers in from around the country, finding them hotel accommodations, setting admission prices, attracting vendors, attracting sponsors, finding trinkets, arranging a bus tour, arranging meals, and finding a room to house the event.
South Florida Computer Lab Mapping Project This is a project Victoria and I are working on jointly. I have spent 6 months and Vic has spent 3 months or so (since she started) on surveying every single public computer lab in the South Florida Region. South Florida constitutes Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach Counties and has a population of over 5.3 million people which does not include the millions of tourist who visit here every year. We identified over 180 labs and have successfully completed over 130 to date. We have put all this information in an Access datafile and are currently in the process of putting up a searchable, online database of these labs for public use to be featured on multiple community-based websites.
Miami-Dade CTC Volunteer Project This is another project Victoria and I are working on together. We are working loosely with the Center for Nonprofit Effectiveness (C-ONE) in Miami to create a volunteer network for the non-profit computer labs and other non-profits of Miami-Dade to offer help with computer lab staffing and tech support. This project builds on the mapping project as we are investigating in-depth the actual needs of local CTCs and deciding whether or not they have the capacity to utilize volunteers successfully. We are currently working on developing a centralized process with local labs and C-ONE that includes organizing background checks, creating volunteer descriptions, and setting up schedules. We've done a lot with this, but it is a long-term project with a lot of work still ahead.
Miami-Dade Social Networking Project This is a project Victoria and I are working on as well. What we've noticed in the field is that many labs refuse their students access to websites like Myspace for safety reasons, which we feel is a shame because the kids really enjoy it and it helps build community. What we want to do is set up a social networking website that is safe and promotes digital excellence. We are currently writing a Knight Foundation grant to hopefully free up some money to fund the project, while considering alternate plans of action such as setting up an account with Ning.com or having students from one of the local universities design it for us and having either www.sflregionalequity.org or YE-TEC possibly host the website. This is another on-going project that we hope to develop more fully as we devote more attention to it.
Homework Gap Policy Brief This is a project that has stalled on me due to technical reasons, ie not having a program that can read the LARGE census files.
We've been trying to get some census gurus to help open and trim this DAT file since April, but there’s been no luck. What Im trying to do is portray the difference in homework completion between K-12 students who have computers at home and those who do not. Preliminary data suggests that those who do not have a computer at home are much less likely to complete their homework in Miami Beach. I believe an in-depth paper on this topic for all of Miami-Dade County would help tremendously in freeing up some money to help K-12 students receive additional computer access at home or some place after school. So this is also an ongoing project that I hope to get completed before too long.
Muni-Wifi and Digital Inclusion This is a project that Im helping with my Collins Center supervisor, Mark Needle. We have submitted a grant to IBM's Center for The Business of Government yesterday (Oct 1) to help fund a paper that will investigate how different types of cities can best achieve digital excellence by providing a formula that quantifies local needs and offers a policy matrix. The paper proposes that we would use Miami Beach as a case example of how to assess local needs and prescribe a proper policy solution. I've already made a database of 80 or so cities in the country that have gone wireless and have contacted them about their wireless projects and what their digital inclusion plans are for them. So we have much of the research under way.
We have also formed a coalition with the Miami Beach Community Development Corporation to help push the city of Miami Beach to offer more in the way of digital inclusion for their residents. We’ve met with a couple city commissioners about our vision for the city, but it is a very slow process. This is another long term project that will continue for quite some time.
Miscellaneous I do stuff on the side too. For instance I am working with the Mattie Koonce Tech Center to help get their computers on a network, find some people to volunteer for their lab, help them out with their hours, and find them some money for a full time staff member. In order to do this I am contacting other people in the field to help out and relying on my field contacts to leverage as much help and expertise as I can.
I also help out co-workers at the Collins Center with projects they need assistance on as well. The Collins Center has some prolific academics and researchers, and I get to help them out with some of their research from time to time. I also have made Power Point presentations for their academic presentations at Conferences in Atlanta and Vienna. So that is always fun.
Overall, Im busy with stuff and I am oftentimes away from my desk doing the community organizing gig. I wish I had more people working with me on these projects because I can’t do it all myself. I’ve been pressuring the Collins Center to hire an intern for their website, www.sflregionalequity.org, so that its content can be broadened, but it’s hard to get someone to work hard down here for $10/hour. Oh well.
Comment from Morgan Sully on October 2, 2007 - 3:02pm
Hey Kevin,
just glanced over your report and thought of a few things.
Last year as a VISTA i set up a website with a searchable, Google mappified database (accessible publicly) of San Diego CTCs. Took quite some tweaking, but i soon got a workable database and had it all housed in CivCRM. i could help you out a bit with setting it up or at least consult with you and Victoria if you need. I did pretty much exactly what you are doing. Key thing is to HAVE CLEAN DATA.
Also, as far as social networking sites, ning.com offers and EXCELLENT and EASY interface for creating your OWN social networking sites and can even be given it's own URL for you to brand it with your org. My org has already utilized it to set up their own site for participants in these leadership institutes.
Anyone familiar with myspace can set one up - SUPER EASY.
Looks like you've got quite a lot of awesome work ahead of you. Myself and a few friends in San Diego were involved with work like you - getting MUNIWIFI can be quite an involved and LONG process - stick with it. I'm forwarding your post to my friend in SD who may or may not be able to offer some insight if you need it.
peace,
m
Comment from Kevin Bulger on October 2, 2007 - 3:39pm
What is CivCRM?
What we want to do is make a button where you can enter your zip code and a list of labs will show up with info about the labs (such as service provided, contact info, etc.). We want this button to be able to be featured on multiple websites/webpages.
We've got someone willing to design it for us, but we have to wait on them to program it.
Ning is an option we are considering.
well, almost...
Been a bit rough with the limited use i have of my hands due to some RSI catching up with me, but in the meantime, i have been learning a buttload about assistive technologies and alternative ways to navigate around the computer without use of my hands (or at least drastically reduced - typing is still troublesome though).
I'm a pretty avid Firefox user and have reprogrammed a few of the keys on my keyboard to open tabs, close tabs, click on links with just my voice, go back a page and go forward a page - he most basic and oft used actions one does when online.
if you're interested, you can read more about my findings here:
http://www.ctcvista.org/node/1097
Anita Lie also made a great post to the wiki on other assistive technologies here:
http://www.ctcvista.org/node/1098
Sitewise, my workplan has a adjusted a bit to compensate for less typing/web work so i have been on the phone a lot gearing up for our upcoming conference in October. I've had the wonderful opportunity to talk with media artists and arts org directors from around the country regarding their 'positive core stories' of the media arts field - some have been working with video for nearly 30 years!
I'm essentially collecting images to add to our Media Arts Movement Timeline. Feel free to browse and/or add stories here:
http://mediaartsmovement.org/index.pl?task=timeline_view
that's it for now. must. stop. typing...
Comment from Jack Waugh on October 2, 2007 - 12:04pm
Maybe those of us who haven't yet started to experience symptoms of repetitive motion problems should use the techniques you and Anita have found anyway, to try to avoid starting to have problems?
In my case, I work in a room with others, so talking to my computer would be disturbing to them.
Comment from Morgan Sully on October 2, 2007 - 2:20pm
absolutely. i wish i had followed some of these techniques sooner and stuck with them. It's certainly going to be a lifestyle change. I'm also going to takeup swimming as many computer workers tend to hae little upper body strength (i mean it DOES take endurance strength to be able to sit up at a computer all day) - breaks are always good too of course.
Hello CTC VISTAS. the Grand Rapids Community Media Center is involved with so many things, it is hard to keep track. Right now, I am in the editing process with my GLBT Digital Storytelling class. The kids are super cool. One girl is doing a documentary on her mother, a woman involved in the underground GLBT scene in the early 90s in GR. She has brought in footage from crazy fashion shows that her mom used to model at, and has done some interviews with her old lovers and friends. Her mom is a woman of wisdom, with a cigarette in one hand and a glass of wine in the other. This is turning into more of a documentary than a digital story, but I am totally ok with that. The student is enjoying the experience, learning about video, getting a story out there, and that is what is important. Other students are sticking to the original format, with topics like skateboarding and after school foam dagger fighting. Good stuff.
I have also starting working on a project with the Allegan County Mental Health Association. We are making a documentary on people with mental illnesses and trying to debunk the word "crazy". We have interviewed six people that are bi-polar and some who have dealt with schizophrenia. They are functioning in "normal" society just fine, and they are coming forth with their personal stories. It is awesome.
I am also working with the Mayor's Youth Council, a program where high school kids have a voice in the Grand Rapids community. We are following the kids through the interview process of getting on the council, and will continue to document events throughout the fall.
Kids from the summer programs are returning, and have taught them how to use Lunch Boxes, which are devices used for stop-motion animation.
Since the many churches of GR have a monopoly over our public access station, us gay ladies have decided to hop on the train. We are starting a queer tv show that will highlight issues on GLBT topics, and do movie and music reviews on GLBT culture.
Tomorrow we have a show at the theater called HipCool. It is a tribute to the Beat Generation where we will have poetry readings, experimental video, and live music. As the lighting director I have been setting the lights for the show, and have gather experimental video to project on various wall spaces.
So, overall the GRCMC has kept me busy and always learning. Soon I will be teaching a lighting class to youth and adults, and will begin an adult GLBT Digital Storytelling class.
Excited for the NAMAC conference, look out Texas, yeeha.
Comment from Kevin Palmer on September 22, 2007 - 11:04am
Hey Sarah! That GLBT documentary the girl is working on about her mother sounds awesome. Last year I remember a lot of digital stories students worked on in one of my after school programs would turn into documentaries by virtue of just putting in more time and passion. It's a weird line between documentary and digital story.
It's really good to hear GRCMC keeping you busy doing some awesome work. Is any of it online? It'd be great to check it out.
See you at NAMAC in Austin next month for a mini-VISTA reunion!
Comment from Elisha Durrant on September 26, 2007 - 11:45am
Do you have a site that the digital storytelling about GLBT is going to be posted? Here at Tincan we have what's called the Queer History Project as part of our online archive history.tincan.org . We work with a local youth center for the GLBT community and I think they would be very interested in your project.
Comment from Morgan Sully on October 2, 2007 - 3:26pm
Sarah
your work looks AWESOME. I'm slightly jealous. foam daggers, gay mamas and beat generation parties? sheesh. hip AND cool.
here's a link to the GLBT stories i helped with last year: http://www.thecentersd.org/digital/digitalquilt.php
I also worked with a gay man with bi-polar - he hopes to start a digital storytelling group for glbt folks with depression:
http://www.geocities.com/gayhope1/
have you thought of collaborating with the local churches? I know in rural communties, they can have a LOT of connecting power...
In SD (not that it's rural) we had SD Elements who worked regularly with us at the Center. In fact, they had their Sunday worship service at our center auditorium:
http://www.sdelements.org/faith_values.htm
anyway, looking forward to seeing you at the NAMAC conference!
Right now I'm doing the legwork for a grant that will allow us to build a social networking site between different computer labs. We don't really need a grant to do this, if we don't get it we'll use the templete off Ning, but we'd prefer to get the grant and use the money towards hiring a professional web designer and publicity events for the website. I'm excited about the social network because in my work researching different CTC's it seems as though the kids want to go on social networking sites like MYSPACE but with the questionable security procedures lab administrators (very rightly so) are barring these websites. OUr website will allow children in computers labs across Miami-Dade county to connect with each other. In addition it'll be a great place for them to discuss what computer projects they're working on as well as posting them up. In the future i'd like to expand this website to include the personelle of different non-profit computer labs, as a forum where they can discuss grant strategies, volunteer recruitment etc. I'd even like to add a space where volunteers and agencies can connect (similar to volunteer.com or something). So I've got a lot of plans for our website but the most important thing now is making sure we get the buy-in from different computer labs. Because it doesn't matter how amazing I think this website is if no one uses it. If we get the grant money, then we can throw pizza parties and cute little events that will further encourage these computer labs to use our website as a resource.
Not related, but in addition, I am very excited to get Kevin as my new Vista Leader, he helped me with volunteer coordinating and it'll be fun to work with him more regularly.
Comment from Kevin Palmer on September 22, 2007 - 11:19am
The site and grant sound great! How many labs is it going to connect up to? What kind of web software are you looking at?
There are a number of VISTAs dealing with a lot of what you're talking about in terms of getting community buy-in for web networking/database sites. Here's what I'm thinking for the volunteer management group, we could develop a "how-to" on both organizing and, most importantly, implementing a plan to ensure websites/volunteer databases are used by the constituency it seeks to serve (in CTC VISTA cases it's typically low-income communities and non-profit orgs). I think it'd be incredibly useful for current and future VISTAs to have that as a quick cheat sheet on best practices for getting user/organizational buy-in from the planning stages up through launching it and beyond. What do you think? I'll ask the rest of the volunteer management crew.
Comment from Jack Waugh on October 2, 2007 - 11:30am
"Put up a social networking site" -- fascinating requirement.
I am sure that if CCTS were going to implement it, they (we) would do it in Ruby on Rails.
Comment from Morgan Sully on October 2, 2007 - 3:12pm
awesome Victoria. Did you see my comment on Kevin's Field Report?
http://ctcvista.org/node/1103#comment-584
We've been using Ning pretty successfully AND you can also get your own URL for it (to brand it as your own).
Hello All,
Our conditional use plan has been approved at last!
Now things will go on a fast track. I am installing an NT server for the class. We are moving the present small computer lab over the the "West Campus" next week. In it there is a flat bed scanner, 6 recent HP PC's running XP pro and Office 2003, and numerous other registered programs.
I managed to scrounge a nice HP laserjet 5 priner and network adapter.
The new lab is in what I call our learning labs which is a 4 double wide modular classroom structure.Nice. We have numerous professional PC tables and can accomodate 24 seats. The room is already "punched down" for 24 PC's. Where to get more current PC's is an issue.
We intend to luanch the lab with a basic computer class in Spanish to meet the Latino community's expressed intrest. I will be assisted by a bilingual facilitator and will be using content generously offered by CTC volunteers. This will be within in the next few weeks.
In addition we have an excellent Digital Camcorder and a Mac with Final Cut Pro to work on digital story telling. I'll update with the progress as well as some a link to some footage in the next few weeks.
Jim Mora
Comment from Morgan Sully on October 2, 2007 - 3:08pm
awesome work Jim. would love to come and visit some time.
CTCs rock. what's a 'conditional use' plan?
m
So I’ve been working here at Appalshop for couple of weeks now. I’ve been doing a lot of simple things, like burning DVDs and I made a simple how to use DVD Studio Pro. I saw the email about screencasting. I would like use it as part of our teaching. I’ve started juggling working with AMI and the rest Appalshop. I’m really excited about that. Again I’m sorry this has taken so long.
Comment from Kevin Palmer on September 17, 2007 - 10:53am
Hey Mac! Welcome to the site. Could you explain a little about what Appalshop is and also some info on AMI?
Comment from Stewart Blair on September 17, 2007 - 1:44pm
here's some info about Appalshop:
Appalshop began in 1969 as an economic development project of the War on Poverty. The idea was to recruit a group of Appalachian youth and train them in media skills. The expectation was that the young people would use their new skills to find employment outside Appalachia. Instead, the trainees saw their media knowledge as a way to stay in the region. In looking at Appalachia through the eyes of the existing media, they saw little or nothing that reflected the reality they knew; so they began making films to document their own communities. Over the ensuing thirty-six years Appalshop has grown into a nationally recognized media center working in film, video, recordings, literature, theater, presentation of live performance, and radio. The subject matter of this work ranges from documenting traditional arts to exploring history to dealing with the social issues that affect the region today. The underlying philosophy has always been that Appalachian people must tell their own stories and solve their own problems.
info on A.M.I.
Through AMI young people in central Appalachia learn how to use video cameras and audio equipment to document the unique traditions and complex issues of their mountain communities. AMI is a program of Appalshop, a community-based arts and education center in the coalfields of Kentucky. Based in the community media model and the artistic resources of Appalshop, AMI offers an intensive summer institute and year-round media production training with youth, teachers and community groups in central Appalachia. AMI's goals are to develop the critical and creative skills of young people in central Appalachia and to involve them in their communities and the world by making and sharing media.
A.M.I. homepage- http://appalshop.org/ami/
Appalshops homepage- www.appalshop.org
they both have myspace pages as well.
Comment from Stewart Blair on September 17, 2007 - 1:44pm
here's some info about Appalshop:
Appalshop began in 1969 as an economic development project of the War on Poverty. The idea was to recruit a group of Appalachian youth and train them in media skills. The expectation was that the young people would use their new skills to find employment outside Appalachia. Instead, the trainees saw their media knowledge as a way to stay in the region. In looking at Appalachia through the eyes of the existing media, they saw little or nothing that reflected the reality they knew; so they began making films to document their own communities. Over the ensuing thirty-six years Appalshop has grown into a nationally recognized media center working in film, video, recordings, literature, theater, presentation of live performance, and radio. The subject matter of this work ranges from documenting traditional arts to exploring history to dealing with the social issues that affect the region today. The underlying philosophy has always been that Appalachian people must tell their own stories and solve their own problems.
info on A.M.I.
Through AMI young people in central Appalachia learn how to use video cameras and audio equipment to document the unique traditions and complex issues of their mountain communities. AMI is a program of Appalshop, a community-based arts and education center in the coalfields of Kentucky. Based in the community media model and the artistic resources of Appalshop, AMI offers an intensive summer institute and year-round media production training with youth, teachers and community groups in central Appalachia. AMI's goals are to develop the critical and creative skills of young people in central Appalachia and to involve them in their communities and the world by making and sharing media.
A.M.I. homepage- http://appalshop.org/ami/
Appalshops homepage- www.appalshop.org
they both have myspace pages as well.
Comment from Morgan Sully on September 27, 2007 - 3:13pm
Hey Mac,
i just spoke with Herb at Appalshop and also saw some of the videos that were made for Appalshop's recent Indonesian/Appalachian exchange. Being part Indonesian myself, i was deeply moved. Go cultural exchange. I'd love to come out and visit at some point.
talk soon,
m
Well it's been awhile since I've posted, and I know I could just copy and paste from my CCTV blog, which I'll do eventually (once I get back to writing longer blog posts instead of just the snippets I've had time to do lately). For now I must say: I am beat. I've never worked so many days in a row in my life, and it's all because I just held the orientation (Saturday, 9/8) and first training session (Sunday, 9/9) for citizen journalists for our new program, NeighborMedia. It went well, but I'm at the point of expiration. I will probably advantage of the Jewish New Year tomorrow to rest and restore.
We're starting to launch CEA programs too (the youth newscast component of my VISTAness), which is something I've been putting on the back burner that I really need to start focusing on. Thankfully there are some other staff members working on those projects with me, so I'm not alone in that endeavor.
Anyway, I'm thinking about posting some of my orientation materials on the wiki but I don't know how useful it would be to anyone else. I'd like to attach the file here but that's not working either (help?), so you can just check it out in my blog at http://www.cctvcambridge.org/node/1814. Does anyone know if there are other citizen journalism projects going on in the ctc vista world?
Comment from Kevin Palmer on September 12, 2007 - 10:04pm
Rest up and definitely post the orientation materials to the wiki. I created a Citizen Journalism space on the wiki at http://www.ctcvista.org/node/1084. You should be able to edit the main description and upload files. I hereby dub you the moderator of the citizen journalism section!
Comment from Meegan Kelly on September 14, 2007 - 3:52pm
Hey Julie! How's everything? My organization has a fledgling citizen journalism program that has existed for several years. I am aggressively seeking funding to hire a news editor to head up/jump start our operation and provide stipends to citizen journalists whose articles we publish. I'd be quite interested to see what your training program looks like. Ours is quite unique, since we publish print articles on our "web portal," and we also broadcast citizen journalism pieces on various radio shows our volunteers produce. Some have professional journalism experience, but most are local DJs who love music and support independent media. Those are the kind of folks who I think would benefit from the training program you described.
Comment from Julie Adler on September 15, 2007 - 1:13pm
Hey Meegan, what org. are you at again? We should definitely talk! Email me at julie.m.adler at gmail.
So I've been here for a couple months and right now I'm working on volunteer coordination. I'm trying to help community computer labs increase their productivity by helping them not only recruit volunteers but develop orientations and training to retain them. This all sounds very well and good, but so far we've had a hard time getting coorporation from non-profits. Now don't get me wrong, there is a definite need here in Miami, non-profits are by no means working at their full capacity. They are for the most parts the same as non-profits everywhere else -- overwork and understaffed. But still, although we're offering them free services and guranteeing to do all of their legwork, these non-profits don't want to cooperate. I'm left practically stalking them (and I know they're screening my calls at this point) to try to give them something I know they need. What am I doing wrong here? How can we develop an effective network of volunteers and agencies? I'd love some suggestions here.
Thanks
~Vic
Comment from Kevin Palmer on September 12, 2007 - 3:16pm
Sounds really frustrating. I can't tell you how many times I've googled "Non-Profit psychology solutions", but to no avail. Maybe someday...
In the meantime, I DEFINITELY recommend talking to CTC VISTAs Kelli Williams (at Triangle United Way) and Rian Graves (at the Davis Community Network). They're each working on creating and implementing Volunteer Management Programs (VMP's). Kelli is especially working on getting buy-in from various organizations using a centralized volunteer database. Rian is working on getting volunteer management software up and running (Plone specific). I highly recommend getting in touch with them.
Also, can I include you in the Volunteer Management working group? We're going to have a monthly call coming up soon and it'd be great to get you involved.
Comment from Victoria Edwards on September 12, 2007 - 3:50pm
Please do include me! My work number is (305) 377-4484 ext 23. Thanks for the advice I'll will definitely contact Kelli and Rian soon.
~Vic
Thought I'd fire off a quick Project HQ report from the 'field' of UMass Boston. Right now I'm gearing up to start the NTEN Webinar series for non-profit tech training in about an hour. It's running for several weeks so I'll have some more in-depth information coming next time.
Project-wise, we've been focusing on a lot of intern and service-learning recruitment to aid the Project continue to build its capacity. Thankfully without another Pre-Service Orientation (PSO) running until next summer, there is ample time to get the Project's ducks in a row to do some great things. For VISTAs looking for interns or volunteers to work on more 'capacity building' projects, I definitely suggest investigating local colleges and universities to see if any offer Service-Learning programs. Service-Learning is basically a way for students to utilize course work in real world situations. Students apply what they're learning in class to improve a specific aspect of an organization or program. From what I've come across, this includes everything from marketing to volunteer recruitment programs to Board of Directors development to systems development.
I've also been getting out of the office a little more these days thanks to you CTC VISTAs and the video doc project. I've been traveling around, doing site visits and interviewing CTC VISTAs about their work on-camera. The project is chugging along and will hopefully continue as an indefinite part of Project communications and marketing. Details can be found at www.ctcvista.org/node/1008. There's a very brief promo up on the ctcvista homepage now too.
Lastly, a big thanks to everyone keeping up on field reports and staying in contact with the Project. Seeing the sheer variety of VISTA projects and the hard work you're putting into them is easily the best part of being a VISTA Leader.
Comment from Meegan Kelly on September 12, 2007 - 1:45pm
I watched the video on the homepage...very cool!
I'm still doing a lot of the same stuff I wrote about in my last report: looking up software, meeting with program heads, installing ram, etc. But I'm starting to get a better idea of how crazy things are soon going to be. There's a lot of new software the HSTF has never used before that I think I'll be introducing (such as software for video, music, and digital portfolios). The task of choosing the right software - stuff that'll be versatile and accessible - is pretty daunting. They've had me looking into databases which has also been a serious challenge since I don't have much expertise there beyond working as a data entry grunt at Citizen Schools this past summer. I think I'll have more to write about when the after school programs start.
Comment from Kevin Palmer on September 12, 2007 - 10:40am
Hey Wes. Great seeing you yesterday at the Mass Area meet-up.
What kind of software are you looking at so far for media production? Is there digital portfolio software out there?
Good luck on starting the after-school programs. Last year I remember having this weird tension just before starting my after-school program that there was more planning and organizing I should be doing, but having no idea what specifically it was I should be preparing for.
Comment from Wesley Kaplan on September 12, 2007 - 10:56am
I'm starting to look into video production software which is totally daunting because it seems there are countless choices I could make. The other thing I'm not sure about is whether the programs want something simple like iMovie or something they can use to make serious professional looking videos. I have some background in music production, so choosing software for that won't be as difficult. I actually found a really useful guide to digital portfolios - if you're at all interested:
http://www.essentialschools.org/pub/ces_docs/resources/dp/getstart.html
This I think explains pretty well what one should look for in digital portfolio software and even suggests possibilities for making web-based ones. It lists different softwares at the bottom.
Comment from Jack Waugh on October 12, 2007 - 11:19am
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, nor prohibiting the free exercise thereof.
Comment from Kevin Palmer on October 15, 2007 - 10:25am
Awesome Leena! Building binders and documenting what you do is one of the best practices a VISTA can have since there is a good deal of 'reinventing the wheel' with high volunteer/employee turnover each year. Definitely need to give it up for the Northeastern service-learning program....Project HQ is working with them now too!