August 12th marks International Youth Day. Visit www.un.org/youth for ways to celebrate. The theme for this year is BE SEEN, BE HEARD: YOUTH PARTICIPATION FOR DEVELOPMENT.
There are many youth led organizations in many countries around the world that are doing great work to change the future of their communities, countries, and our planet. If you have time, skills and experience – lend a hand.
One World Youth Project is a sister school program for middle and senior high schools connecting schools in US/Canada to schools around the world. The goal is to work together on projects and ideas related to the United Nation’s MDGs. Each pair of schools are assigned one of the MDGs to focus on and then over the course of the seven months, students discuss the curriculum, share ideas, and develop projects.
Categories: volunteers for change
The Dalai Lama’s Ten Virtuous Actions
- Protecting and saving life
- Giving and not taking what is not given
- Treating your partner respectfully—respecting your marriage vows
- Speaking honestly
- Speaking with the goal to bring harmony among beings
- Speaking gently
- Refraining from gossip
- Being happy for others’ accomplishments
- Being loving toward all
- Having a view that includes karma and understands the middle way between the two extreme views of eternalism and nihilism, accompanied by the two kinds of accumulations (of merit and wisdom)
This is only the list, please go to http://www.care2.com/ for the full story.
Categories: making a difference
There’s a great case study and article on how groups in Africa are using podcasting to share and disseminate criticial information. Because it is relatively inexpensive to create a podcast there are few barriers to starting. And there are now organizations that are setting up computer centres for people to come in and download the podcasts.
Pambazuka News, is an example. Produced by Networks for Social Justice, it is six years old and has an audience of around half a million readers. And is now the “principal platform for analysis, debate and discussion on issues related to the struggle for social justice in Africa.”
In Peru, podcasts are being used to help farmers get relevant information on the specific crops they grow in a language they understand. “Local information centres with Internet connections make audio CDs or copy the files onto digital audio players which can then be listened to by farmers at a time convenient to themselves.”
There has also been an interesting mix of old and new technologies, where the podcasts are also broadcasted on traditional radio stations.
I wonder how many other applications of this technology we can use in social marketing and social justice campaigns.
Categories: social justice
Received an email the other day from the Alliance for Climate Protection about a cool new contest they are running with Current TV. Go to www.current.tv/ecospot for all the details, but here is the run down.
Create a 15, 30 or 60 second Ecospot ad about how someone who is taking action to solve the climate crisis. Or you can create an original, persuasive message that will open eyes, inspire change and empower your audience. Submit your ad at Current.tv.
A panel of celebrity judges including Mr. George Clooney, Cameron Diaz, Orlando Bloom, Rihanna, Sam Mendes (Oscar winning director), Alex Bogusky (leading ad agency Crispin Porter & Bogusky), Joe Pytka (legendary advertising director), Cathy Zoi (founding CEO of the Alliance) will pick the best 20.
Then the general public can view them all and vote on their favorite. Win Sony gadgets, Sidekicks or grand prize a Toyota Hybrid! Plus your ad could be used in a National outreach campaign by Alliance.
Categories: volunteers for change
Recently, I was on wayn.com (Where Are You Now) site, which is a travel/travel blog site. I noticed on it that they have added an “issues or cause” section to the site.
…Next month we will be launching a new Make_A_Difference campaign chosen by our members. You can currently vote for the issue you most care about and the one which has the most member votes will be turned into a global campaign from which we will publish our member input from a more detailed poll. Take the opportunity to support your issue now!
This is an example of how any site can add interactive elements to their website AND do it for a good cause.
Categories: making a difference
Wow! I apologize for not updating the blog this week. It has been crazy busy and got hit with a bad cold. Will try to make it up with a few good posts today.
So, for those of you with an MBA you should really check out a site called MBA without Borders. it has some great postings for job/positions around the world in international development. There is a social network component as well so you can connect with other like-minded MBAs. (I’m GlendaM).
Categories: volunteers for change
Here is another example of a company doing great things.
TOMS shoes where Blake Mycoskie, designer, will give a pair of shoes to a child for every pair of shoes sold. The shoes are simple, comfortable and some are quite funky in style. Oh and reasonably priced as well – men’s and women’s around $38 USD and children’s for $28 USD.
If you are in the Santa Monica area on July 28th be sure to get tickets to the TOMS Shoes Block Party. All proceeds will go to 2007 South Africa Shoe Drop. Tickets are $55 and you get a pair of shoes, food, music, drinks and fun!
Categories: volunteers for change
Nine million children are refugees right now.
Ninemillion.org is a campaign to raise awareness for refugee youth. It is trying to raise funds for education and sport programs. Refugee youth, live away from their homes, usually fleeing with few belongings, and unable to return sometimes for many years.
The UN defines a refugee as a person who woeing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion, is outside the country of nationality, and is unable to, or owing to such fear is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country…
Part of this is the Right to Play program, which is supported by amateur and professional althetes. It uses sport and play as a tool for the development of children and youth in disadvantaged regions of the world.
Categories: volunteers for change
Here is an example of a company using its profits for good – being a good corporate citizen. I found the group on Facebook and started to read about the company.
Earth Water is a bottled water company. In today’s world that isn’t very unique. What is unique about them is that 100% of their net profits go to support United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR). The UNHCR is at work right now in 119 countries helping provide for the basic needs of approximately 20.8 million refugees.
As citizens are becoming more socially conscious, by maintaining a globally responsible mandate, Earth Water International seeks to bring incremental change in the global community by generating a culture that recognizes the need to be responsible for the sustainability of our world.
And what’s great – it’s a local company from Alberta. They have a list of retailers on their website, but if you see it sold somewhere – be sure to pick one up and you can be sure you have done your good deed for the day. (Oh, don’t forget to recycle the bottle.)
Categories: volunteers for change
So, like many good citizens I try to do my part to reduce my carbon footprint. And I have tried to remind others of little ways they can change. I reduce, reuse, recycle; I don’t drive and try to car pool or take public transport; I am vegetarian and try to “eat local”. I have even created a culinary festival to promote regional cuisine and foods and increase awareness of the issue.
But after a car accident last year, I don’t like to go on the highway as often. I have to travel around the province for work frequently. As a result, I fly more frequently. Of course, this has a large footprint.
So, I was online booking flight this evening and noticed “offset your flight” as a small link under the ton of “small print” on the intinerary. To be honest, I am not sure how long it has been there (I booked with Air Canada and book as often with Air Canada as with WestJet for both personal and business). It might not be new, but I noticed it for some reason today. And for an extra $6.40 I offset the flight across the country. Considering how much I paid in taxes, fuel taxes, airport taxes, etc. that was pretty cheap.
So, it was http://www.zerofootprint.net/ that I purchased it from and will make an effort to do so from now on for all flights I book. Now if only Air Canada would just add it on to the ticket price as an option, that would be good.
As I am on the site reading about the organization, I see one of their partners — ZeroFootprint Energy. Well, I live in a energy-rich province. We have an abundance of many things – gas, oil, money. Yet, we are probably the worst offenders for emissions. At the same time, we have great minds – amazing engineers and designers – and find it hard to believe that they can’t find a better alternative. Then I see things like this site offering earth energy, solar and wind powered energy. I am not even sure this are alternative energy sources that are available to us here. And if it means reducing my energy bill in January- I am all for that!
Categories: volunteers for change
