Week four at Project: Think Different is going pretty well so far. I adore everyone I work with and as you all probably already know, Colleen is a true doll! Always helpful, sweet and in a fab mood. Currently I am working on the Electronic Community. I installed Drupal and am skinning to mesh seamlessly with our existing site. During my first 4 weeks, I've been having almost weekly trysts with SevenCorners (they are not insurance) and doctor's appointments. I'm almost all taken care of now...The cool thing is that during one of my doctor's appointments the nurse actually knew what an AmeriCorps VISTA was--very exciting to not have to explain to a blank stare! 

Comment from danielle martin on October 2, 2006 - 10:39am

Hey Dina,

Good to hear that you're doing ok. Give me a call if you need anything, but I'll see ya on Wednesday too!

-Danielle

ps Have you used Drupal before? Are you interested in connecting with other VISTAs using it?

After a spent the week trying to catch up with all the VISTAs under my care, encouraging them all to blog and read the blogs, I realized I haven't really blogged myself.  What AM I working on?  Well the first three weeks as an official VISTA leader has been a lot about finding a balance between two new roles. 

Role 1 : VISTA Leader at CTC VISTA Project at UMass Boston

This role was a little easier to figure out, since I've got the Project pretty much figured out by now.  In fact, most of these first three weeks have been about helping the Project HQ staff get on the same page and think strategically about where the Project wants to go.  I hosted a little strategic planning retreat at my new apartment in Medford, where we compared assumptions, knowledge of the Project and whittled it all down into some concrete goals and actions for the Project.  Most of the fall will be consumed with populating the new CTC VISTA resource portal and putting the Digest together with Erin.

Role 2: Program Coordinator at massIMPACT

[I just got that title today, mostly because we had to figure out something to put on my new business cards.]  Now, working with massIMPACT is all new.  massIMPACT is a non-profit housed at MassHousing that works to provide support to technology in housing developments accross MA.  So far, it's done work in digital storytelling train-the-trainer projects and partnered with Northeastern University among other things. 

The first three weeks were mostly shadowing my supervisor, Thaddeus Miles, and being amazed at the amount of people he interacts with and is able to remember all their names and stories.  Meeting everyone and figuring out the housing development environment has been fascinating for me because I know a lot about non-profits in Boston but not much about this group.  The funniest part is how amazed folks are that I want to take the T to these meetings - I think it's a combo of fearing for the "white girl" in the Roxbury/Dorchester and not liking to walk on their part.

The other sub-role I have at massIMPACT is project managing the development of a collaboration portal for community digital storytelling facilitators at StoriesforChange.net.  I've been reading as much as I can of emails from all the volunteers who want to build this site for sharing resources, curriculum, and lessons learned while providing place to publish stories as well.  I'm excited because this site is truly a project fueled by the users (and not by a funder or higher power) and I get to work with new VISTA Jessica McCoy at the Center for Digital Storytelling.

On a personal note, I spent a good amount of free time these past couple weeks seriously thinking and researching my graduate school possibilities.  I highly enjoyed the session at the Comparative Media Studies Program at MIT, especially because I connected with another prospective student (Ms. Audobon, who moblogs and with whom I had way too much in common with for Fate not to be involved) and a few of the current grad students.  Imagine, Danielle at MIT....

Wow...I'm glad everybody seems to be having a super-fun time in San Diego. I've spent the whole week updating 16 iBooks, using only a single installation disc, and a slow internet connection. fun.

Also, I finally got around to applying for food stamps. I'm not sure how much they are giving me, but it's not going to be as much as I had hoped. It turns out that if I had applied BEFORE the PSO, none of my "living stipend" would count as income, but having applied after my term of service began, it all counts as income. Making me poor, but not poor enough.

Lastly, as part of my work, I am researching digital distribution, and all kinds of crazy internet-y type stuff, so I decided to start my own vlog to get some hands-on experience. If you want to check it out, go to www.kirstenacademy.blogspot.com There won't be any video clips until next week though.

Comment from danielle martin on October 1, 2006 - 9:14am

Hey Gariet,

Where are you going to post your video? May I plug Blip.tv, then you could tag it "ctcvista" and it'll show up on our site! Check out my vlog on Blip if you'd like - http://mizzd2006.blip.tv/.

Did you hear anything yet from the MNN folks about digital distribution?

-Danielle

Comment from gariet cowin on October 2, 2006 - 2:12pm

I had a meeting with a couple other PCM folks last week, where we discussed the possibility of working with MNN (and a few other places around the country) on a digital distrubution network. I don't know a whole lot about it yet, but I think something should be happening with that fairly soon.

I guess I've been here two and a half weeks now; it feels so normal now that I'm wondering what to say about it.

I get the impression that my organization (the California Coalition for Rural Housing, CCRH) is very different from most of the others. We're a suite of offices rather than a community center, and I haven't yet had any contact with the population we serve. Scratch that; our audience is the affordable housing community, rather than individuals. We work with groups like other affordable housing nonprofits, town governments, lobbyist groups, and tenants' associations. So in terms of the people aspects of our work, sitting in on conference calls and going to meetings is where it's at (though hopefully I will be involved in some GIS trainings later in my service).

I'm pretty much treated like a regular employee here; my title is "Community Technology Specialist" <brag>and I've got business cards to prove it.</brag> I've got an office with a desk, filing cabinets, and a computer, though I generally use my own because I'm more comfortable with its tools.

During the first few days I met everyone who works here (or five of the six; Rob was out of town) and talked to them about what they work on. I read a few grants, and sat in on some meetings. And then my supervisor Darryl and I started talking about the website, which is my priority right now. It's currently a jumble of static html pages, most of which are broken and out of date. I'm really excited about the ideas behind the redesign, and I'll definitely be blogging about it.

Also, I went to apply for food stamps on Monday. For Californians on food stamps: there's a "customer service" number on the back of the EBT card; to talk to a person when you call that, don't enter your card number when prompted, just press #. And then press it again when it prompts you again. I was suprised that noone gave me any information on what I can and can't buy with food stamps, or a list of local stores that accept them, but supposedly I can get those questions answered at that customer service number. (Since when are we "customers" of the government...?)

Comment from danielle martin on October 2, 2006 - 11:13am

Hey girl,

Great title! Makes my new "program coordinator" seem small and sad! ;)

-Danielle

Hey everybody!

First off, I tried to befriend as many of you as I could find on Facebook so if you did not get a request, it's probably because I spelled your name wrong, so find me instead :). Life in SD at Pangea Foundation is rockin'. Laura and I have been having a blast. In fact, tonight we're going country line dancing, woo hoo! We've been to the beach, Balboa Park, bike riding, walking around our little city and had all sorts of adventures in getting lost. We're working with a mentoring program right now, developing software. We are considered "software architects." How cool is that? This weekend we get to hang out with Andrea (from PSO) because she's heading up the AIDS walk. The goof troop is re-uniting! Our office is super-sweet. Everyone is helpful and really generous. We have taco Tuesdays and because everyone here is male besides us they bought 39 tacos last time..... we were pretty full. I think we even get a free trip to Disneyland sometime in the near future because the clients we serve all have a crush on our supervisor so he gets the hook-ups. But yeah, life is pretty sweet. I hope all is going well for everyone else!

 Ameri-Corey

Comment from Carl Seifert on September 28, 2006 - 3:28pm

What a spectacular nickname you have chosen for yourself! I could never have come up with something like that.
Yeh for goof-troop reunions! I'm pumped you guys are having so much fun.

Its awesome how you ended up with the exact opposite office dynamic than I did. Only male, youngest by 10 years and everybody is married, so no sweet escapades to disneyland. I guess we could all take fun trips to the Smithsonians. Those are DC's Disneyland. Big difference though......they're FREE! hahaha, in your face disney.

Life here is good, the Computer CORE is actually a great place. I actually was finally bequeathed a title the other day, which i'm pretty pumped about...Computer Training Development Coordinator <brag>. Its pretty hot. Oh man, I forgot to change the voicemail on my phone. Anyway, my supervisor(s) is quite great and is interested in my professional development, developing my network, and giving me real responsibilities. Its alot like i'm the real deal and not just a federally paid intern. I'm milking all of my pre-existing friends here for their free food and drink and trying to stretch the almighty DC metro dollar. It doesnt go that far, but I'm making my way.

Hello other goofs and all other wonderful VISTAs. I'm glad the blogging is going well. I'll try to contribute more.

Carl Seifert
Computer C.O.R.E.
Alexandria, VA

Yeah, so I'm blogging. Week 3 at the job. Trying to figure out that delicate balance between direct service and capacity building. Trying to get some people even crazier than me to do the direct service bit on a volunteer/intern basis. Anyone out there have any leads for getting volunteers? Specifically, in the Boston area? Been hitting colleges and posting on Craigslist and such.

I was just on the phone with Danielle and could have asked her, but it ccompletely slipped my mind. 

 Sooo, has anyone recieved that $38 check that we had to sign those forms for Saturday morning?

 Just wondered.

It was abusy week working with the kids at the Zoo School editing their animal projects. We had a couple tech issues with Final Cut Pro and dropped frames, but we got through it and had the Videos ready to view for Famliy Night.

Hope everyone is doing well.

I have lots' of groceries, come on over, and I'll make dinner. 

Peace,

Rich 

Comment from gariet cowin on September 22, 2006 - 5:38pm

Have not seen the 38 dollars.

As for the groceries, I would definitely stop by for dinner, but I think you are too far away. Perhaps you could make dinner for yourself, and then upload video of it to blip.tv so we can all enjoy it.

I have officially been working with HPP for almost two weeks now.  Besides becoming formally oriented with the organization, I have spearheaded a couple of interesting projects.  My host organization, formally titled Homeless Prenatal Program although everyone calls it HPP, is made up many smaller departments: Community Health Worker Training, Wellness Program, Substance Abuse, Childcare Center and the Technology Center.  I am working in the technology center as a tech specialist.  I have also been assigned to being the volunteer coordinator.  At this moment there is nothing to formally monitor and organize volunteers. 

Everyone in the organization is super friendly; I have even dined out with a couple of the staff members.  I’m attributing this smooth adjustment to my boss because she has made a substantial effort to ensure that everyone in the organization knows who I am and what my role will be at HPP.  After only two weeks, I already feel like I belong here, staff members go out of their way to say hello to me!    

As for my projects, I currently have three different tangents for my own work in addition to the training help and website updates that I supply in the lab.  First, I am looking at creating an electronic volunteer management system, that will either be online or through Access.  This database will allow HPP to organize their volunteers more effectively.  My other project is to create some sort of online portal through some CMS (maybe Drupal, but I am also exploring others) specifically for case managers.  We have a website called helping-sf that will be used as a starting point for some organization and content, but I am just beginning the design process.  If anyone has any suggestions for training, either online or otherwise, I would love to hear about them.  Ideally, HPP would like to be able to expand this resource to the entire San Francisco community if everything goes well in the testing phase.  Lastly, I am going to try to strengthen the connections between the numerous community technology centers and vocational services in SF.  I am looking into working with the SF WiFi project and other local community technology groups. 

Mostly, San Francisco is amazing and there are many cheap and free events all over the city.  Check out: funcheapSF for more!

I must go.  I have to help with a tech class in Spanish.  Oh how I wish I could speak Spanish fluently!  I suppose that I am working on it.      

Comment from Rebecca White on September 21, 2006 - 6:20pm

Hey, I spent a few days last week looking at CMSes: drupal (and CivicSpace, which is drupal with a bunch of modules), e107, Joomla, xoops. I might post a little on my research & observations, but it's something I like talking about so feel free to email/IM/phone.

Comment from Richard T. Anderson on September 22, 2006 - 1:41pm

Sounds like you are doing some interesting things. Wish I knew more about building websites and speaking Spanish, then I could be of help.

I feel like I belong where I'm at too. Isn't that a great feeling?

Peace,

Rich

Comment from cheryl jerozal on September 22, 2006 - 8:54pm

but it looks like it could be useful: http://idealware.org/articles/joomla_drupal_plone.php