[CTCVISTA] Digital Media Conf Call Notes from 10/6

Below are the notes from the Digital Media group's conference call.  I blogged this as well!

Next conference call is Friday November 3rd at 2pm EST.

Great talking with everyone!

-Danielle

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Danielle Martin
VISTA, CTC VISTA Project (UMass Boston) & massIMPACT
http://www.ctcvista.org/blog/4
617-287-7340 or 617-854-1765

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CTC VISTA Digital Media Group – Conference Call Notes
October 6, 2006

Individual Check-Ins – see below

Common Challenges:

1.    Getting organizational information/history out of existing staff heads; formalizing existing procedures (Jessica)

a.    Are there file backup?
b.    Creating binders for future VISTAs and/or new staff
2.    Recruiting & motivating youth for programs
•    Solution suggested:
•    Pay them (Kevin)
•    Free food (Danielle)

•    Give ownership / make leaders
•    New technologies, esp music; "cool factor"
•    Involve parents
3.    Program classes are too large and have no behavioral control (Richard)
4.    Volunteer Recruitment

•    Solution suggested:
•    IN PERSON Recruitment – with parents, at school, at local community centers (Lashanda)
•    ONLINE – VolunteerMatch.org, CraigsList.org
•    Local Colleges/Universities – contact public service learning centers & get in newsletter (Kevin)

•    TECH – develop database for tracking volunteers better
•    PLAN – create set of instructions and a volunteer plan (HOME Inc)

Updates on CTCVISTA.org and Project HQ:

•    new website is up and running

•    new features coming like blurbs on blogs page, calendar, and poll
•    Keep blogging! Keep tagging! (Email Danielle/Ben if have technical difficulties).

VISTA Life / Living on a Budget Questions:


•    Foodstamps – Paul can send a letter to your office to prove you're poor (email Danielle but need state office address)
•    Section 8 Housing – are we eligible?
•    Like Ramon noodles (Ray)

Individual Updates:


•    AJ McGuire, HOME Inc., getting volunteer base going; one of the classes is 50 minutes during the day and two afterschool programs starting next week with high school kids (Social Justice Academy and English HS) doing news magazine and digital storytelling; just AJ & Kevin so Alan Michael is his direct supervisor; office might be moving; Struggling a bit with communication with schools about equipment; not at MA Area Meeting (can't do Wednesdays)

•    Colleen Kelly, Project: Think Different, Program with youth has been going well; attending the ACME National Conference to present with youth Columbus Day weekend; starting new program with media literacy (with hip hop spice) curriculum developed with Media Watch Team youth at three local sites, including new Roxbury BGC facility

•    Dina Vecchiarelli, Project Think Different, She's almost complete the online community for PTD in a Drupal CMS; then going to start doing more fundraising and upkeep of the community; having some issues with Seven Corners covering all her medications; offered to work on CTC VISTA Project brochure

•    Gariet Cowin, Portland Community Television/OLLIE, New work cell phone number. Working on OLLIE (spin off of MOLLIE); Visited schools or afterschools, but they were disorganized.  Didn't know anything yest about the MNN Digital Distribution project…need to connect him with Andrew at MNN.

•    Jeff Blakely, United Teen Equality Center, Jeff set up a test exchange server at UTEC and is working on setting up databases for project management.  He is also developing a pc repair program for youth, with a business management spin on it.

•    Jessica McCoy , Center for Digital Storytelling, Working on StoriesforChange.net with Danielle as Content lead; she's going to focus on researching and connecting with folks in the local Berkley area that are doing dig storytelling (some based on training from CDS) and trying to organize more support networks and some sort of event/screening; Jessica's also taken a quick lead on researching digital storytelling content and trying to extract info out of CDS staff and record it somewhere for next generation; she's also helping with some of the post production video work and learning to facilitate workshops

•    Kevin Palmer, HOME Inc., Working on same program as AJ @ Home INC.  Had a good summer doing program with fellow VISTA Alli from BNN.
•    Lashanda Wooden, Benton Harbor African Arts and Culture Council, Developed a technology and media afterschool curriculum with "nice response" for 6-18 year old; working with local community radio station to get youth segments on air where they interview local community members and talk about local current events; goal is to expand on-site afterschool program from 25 a day to more like 60-80; outreaching to high school, local churches, and local correctional facility for youth and volunteers; expressed frustration that other np's wouldn't share their curriculum so she created her own

•    Lauren Bratslavsky, Media Bridges, Cincinnati, Inc, Great comments on blog about videos to share for examples of youth work for public access sharing.  She's mostly trying to get more youth into the station, by developing a new program and outreaching for volunteers; also going to take and teach some of the classes

•    Raymond Varona, Computers4Kids, new email address: ray@computers4kids.net; org been great about welcoming him and having great expectations; still working on getting foodstamps STILL; being able to network more with people that work with kids would be helpful.  He's developed and is teaching afterschool program for grades 7-12.

•    Richard Anderson, Grand Rapids Community Media Center, emailed question about healthcare and payroll to HQ & got answered; started before vista placement started so that helped; wrote surveys for schools and community to do needs assessment for new programs; helping teach classes as a starter; started a project with the Zoo School and editing theprojects from that down a bit for air on the Public Access station GRTV, which is part of the larger Community Media Center; expressed on conf call some frustration with going into the schools (with MOLLIE) where teachers were unprepared for them.

•    Shaneka Smith, Westside Youth Technical Entrepreneur Center, Shaneka's doing a lot this fall around video and music production projects in the Computer Clubhouse.  She's also working on a newsletter and developing anew girls-only program(once a month program with topics like abusive relationships, women in tech careers, and resume writing).  She's also developing a mentoring program and a youth entrepreneurship program, "building a corporation."

•    Tony O'Rourke, Boys & Girls Clubs of the East Valley, At first, Tony was feeling culture (and weather) shock as the new guy in very Latino youth filled space; struggling with doing substantive tech activities in short rotation schedule of club and going against of just playing games in space;    9/27: Transportation issues (bike broke down/org might pay for gas); a little more interaction with the local superviser; started NetzSmartz program implementation at Club while Tony's trying to do some other actives programs; doing a lot that sounds like direct service (just basically getting the computer lab open to kids); resources needed from CTCVISTA: list of possible funders (& general grantwriting info) or how to get donations

•    Will Quinones, Reel Works Teen Filmmaking, Will's doing a lot of helping youth edit their video and also helping with development by entering prospects info into FileMaker for grants & donation; REELWorks is also having a screening on 10/19 and selling DVD's on the website