I think Social Edge is one place to meet with a few donors, but I also think we need to think in much broader terms. Every day we are bombarded with media messages educating us on some new drug, some phone company or financial service, or some food product or new car model.
This works. Advertising changes habits and purchasing decisions. Thus, I feel that social service organizations need to find ways to "advertise" what they do, why they do it, where they do it, what works, and what they need on a consistent basis, reaching millions of potential donors, and voters, for many years. I think the Internet offers ways to do this that are within the reach of small and medium size non profits. We just need to figure out message points that can be delivered by individual organizations and their supporters, and that create a check list of responses (cash, workplace funding, bequest, grant, etc.). Such a campaign needs to point people to information hubs such as the DDN web site, or the www.tutormentorexchange.net web site, where they can learn more about a social issue, and where they can find contact information for specific organizations, in specific zip codes, who provide services related to that issue. We ought to be able to use meeting places such as Social Edge, Omidyar.net, DDN, and other on-line portals to meet and determine what these message points are. On Nov. 17 and 18 I'll be hosting a conference in Chicago with this goal in mind. The conference topic will be: The Role of Volunteer-Based, Non-School Tutor/Mentor Programs in School Reform Policy How do volunteer-based tutor/mentor programs impact college and career readiness? What are the challenges that keep such programs from being in more locations? If any of you would like to take part, either in the face-to-face version, or in an Internet version, I'd like to have your help. I plan to host part of the conference at the T/MC web portal which is at: http://msg.uc.iupui.edu/TMC/html/index.php However, I'd like to see parallel threads hosted on the DDN site, in LearningTimes.org and other forums. For instance, in DDN, the question might be "What is the role of Technology in non-school tutor/mentor programs, or social service agencies". In Learning Times it might be, "how can we use technology to prepare kids to come to school better prepared to learn?" In all cases, the focus should be a) how do create a better distribution of programs in all places where they are needed; b) how to improve staffing and the quality of such programs; c) how to improve funding consistency; and d) how to fund intermediaries who help bring people and resources together. There probably would be other issues to focus on and that's why we need some groups to be hosting a forum that focuses on "What are the questions?" Daniel F. Bassill Tutor/Mentor Connection Cabrini Connections Chicago PS: I'm also a commissioner for the Illinois Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service. Thus, the process I pilot in strengthening volunteer-based tutor/mentor programs is a process that I hope strengthens all forms of volunteer-based community service. n 10/4/05 2:48 PM, Pamela McLean at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > Ref educating the philanthropic community (see below fromRe: [DDN] Cedar > Pruitt's departure from DDN.) > Social Edge is an excellent forum for discussion between philanthropists > and "people who want to change the world" > http://www.socialedge.org/index.html > Pam > > Pamela McLean > CAWDnet convenor > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > www.cawd.info > > Michael Maranda wrote: > >> Dan wrote- In a message dated 9/15/05 7:46:24 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> writes:I think there is a larger issue that we might collaborate on. Funders >> do not seem to value the role of intermediaries and of knowledge >> brokers. >> >> >> MM wrote - Very true...! >> >> So, to shape our field, we need to educate ourselves and educate the >> philanthropic community as to what is best for the field qua field and >> movement, and seek a new form of philanthropy. >> .... I realize "educating the philanthropic community" can sounds a bit >> presumptuous, however, that¹s what we we're doing when we make the case >> individually as organizations through proposals or other solicitations. >> >> I'm suggesting we do so with some coordination for our field. >> >> -Michael Maranda >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list >> DIGITALDIVIDE@mailman.edc.org >> http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide >> To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with >> the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message. >> >> >> >> > _______________________________________________ > DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list > DIGITALDIVIDE@mailman.edc.org > http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide > To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with > the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message. _______________________________________________ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list DIGITALDIVIDE@mailman.edc.org http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message.
