Quick Content Guide:
TLC Alumni Benefits
• Personal benefits worksheet • Turn your focus area into an internship
Get the Job
• GuideStar.org & Idealist.org resources • Job trends, tracking, resumes & more!
Capacity Building
• Learn 5 ways to help non-profits achieve their mission more effectively
TLC Training: Skills
• Review Messaging, Team Building, Organization, Resources & Media
TLC Training: Issues
• WorldoMeters Global Statistics • Organizations in Education, Peace, Human Rights, Environment, and Health
TLC Training: Technology
• Review Salesforce, SquareSpace, Constant Contact, Animoto, Chatter, and more!
TLC Yearbook!
• Photos of your year in TLC! • Remember your friends & their interests
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TLC Alumni Benefits
You’re a Teen Leadership Corps Alumni! So…now what?
Learn the basics of being a TLC Alumni and make the most out of the benefits. Read on to learn more details! TLC Alumni Member Benefits: Certificate of Accomplishment Resume workshops Recommendation Letters Personalized Opportunities to match your focus area (such as internships) Non-Profit Organization Directory & Links Updated global statistics Access to nonprofit management technology Idealist.org Guide to Nonprofit Careers for First-time Job Seekers (online resource) Connections to Fayetteville Area community organizations via OMNI’s network Connections to over 30 countries via TLC’s Earth Charter Youth / United Nations network Opportunities for leadership and service to organizations needing skilled volunteers (like you!) Newsletters from TLC highlighting current issues, events, and job openings Lifetime TLC Membership: attend any guest speaker session or field trip, anytime!
Join the Youth Resource Board! Represent TLC and Apply Your New Skills! Contact: OMNI@OMNICenter.org (479) 935-4422
What did you get from your TLC experience? This will differ slightly for everyone, based on attendance and preferences. Here is the basic format of TLC:
Global Issues
New Skills
New Tools
Service Experience
TLC Training
But what, exactly, did you get out of it? Interact with our step-by-step guide to preserve your thoughts, save your contacts, project ideas or skills you gained personally in TLC. 5 years from now, you’ll be able to go back and make a connection or review a skill that could land you a job!
Global Issues
As a TLC Alumni, you know about interconnected issues in education, environment, human rights, health, and peace. Click the icon & type what you’ve learned about these issues here. You’ve also studied some non-profit organizations working to address these issues. Which ones stood out? Example 1: I learned a lot about how environmental issues are directly linked to health issues, and why it’s important to grow food organically while making it affordable for low-income families. Example 2: I was really impressed with Teach for America’s approach to inner-city educational inequalities. Maybe someday I’ll apply for a position with them to gain experience and get into the PeaceCorps. Education
Peace
Health
Environment
Human Rights
Global Issues
New Skills
Service Experience
New Tools
TLC Training
New Skills
Messaging
Team Building Organization
•Mission & Vision •S.M.A.R.T. Goals •Elevator Pitch •Facilitation & Delegation •Partnerships •Volunteer Recruitment •Communication •Data Management •Time Management
Resources
•Fundraising & Accounting •Grant Writing •In-Kind Donations
Media
•Marketing •Publicity & Press Release •Social Media
What new skills did you gain from TLC? You might be able to create messaging, build a team, organize data, manage your time better, generate resources, or produce great media for a project or organization. What skills did you gain? Click the icon to type. Example: I gained new skills in professional video creation with Animoto, and created a neat fundraising documentary on Habitat for Humanity. I also learned where our Foundation Center is located, so I know which grants my video may help us apply for.
Global Issues
New Skills
New Tools
Service Experience
TLC Training
New Tools
Constant Contact Marketing
Salesforce Database Systems
Chatter Team Collaboration
Square Space Web Design Software
Animoto Pro Video Creation
After attending many bonus workshops and getting access to new technology, you’re probably familiar with how to use e-mail marketing, web design tools, databases, donor tracking systems, video software, and more! What technology did you most enjoy using? Example: I had no idea how Heifer International sent such great-looking emails. Now I know it’s because of Constant Contact, and I have experience putting together the TLC newsletter, so maybe Heifer will hire me someday!
Global Issues
New Skills
Service Experience
New Tools
TLC Training
Service Experience
Unlike most service-based organizations, TLC encourages you to create a focus area to specialize in a type of service found in the nonprofit sector. You can put your new skills, tools, and awareness about the issues together to complete 5 hours of service practicing for the next step….
Internship TLC Alumni
[Your Dream Job]
Degree Go Abroad
Focus Area TLC
AmeriCorps PeaceCorps Service
Where will you go next? Write about your experience doing your 5 service hours, and how it may connect to what you want to do in the future. Example: I decided to specialize in Environmental Justice in Uganda, and worked with a women’s group to help them set up food planting programs and learned how they organize their movement. It was awesome meeting Hadijah and the rest of the women in her enterprise. With that experience, I’d like to apply for a fellowship for women environmental entrepreneurs. There’s also a scholarship opportunity for women working for social justice, and I might apply.
Turn Your Focus Area into an Internship! TLC Alumni are strongly encouraged to turn their focus area into an internship, degree, or job. Your specialization area is the title of the work you want to do. TLC is about creating the life you want to live, and a big part of life is – you guessed it – the work you’ll end up doing. Your focus area is like a mini-career: you get to test out a type of work to see if it’s what you enjoy. Go ahead and create as many focus areas as you want! You never know when you’ll make the perfect match to an organization ready to hire you.
How to Create Your Own Specialization Area
Skill you have or want
Area or Combo
Service Hours
5 Areas to Choose from TLC’s Training (or do a combination of areas) 1. Environment 2. Health 3. Education 4. International Peace 5. Human Rights
Marketing Your Success Remember to include your service experiences (both in TLC and beyond) in your resume. You might want to consider doing an independent study and receive college credit for your next TLC-inspired focus area, or perhaps do an internship with an organization you admire.
See the example chart on the flip side of this paper for ideas on choosing a specialization area.
Specialization Area Example Chart Skill you have (or want to learn) Art
Chosen Area (or combination) Education
Optional: Partner Organization Students for a Free Tibet
5 hrs of service with OMNI Center “I helped OMNI artists create art curriculum for Tibetan refugees.” Architecture Major Environment UA Emerging Green “I helped OMNI’s Builders Summer of Solutions team to design a green roof for FHS.” Nutrition (or related Education & Health AppleSeeds, Inc. “I helped OMNI topic) Earth Scouts get healthier school lunches.” Capacity Building Human Rights AmeriCorps*VISTA “I created materials for OMNI’s Human Rights committee.” Graphic Design All of them! N/A (No partner “I designed pages organization for OMNI’s needed) website.” Disease Prevention International Peace Global Learning “I assisted Darline in & Health Opportunity (eGLO) Cameroon to / United Nations’ decrease cholera Earth Charter deaths by raising funds with OMNI.” Social Human Rights & Global Learning “I helped replicate Entrepreneurism International Peace Opportunity (eGLO) OMNI’s Summer of / United Nations’ Solutions program Earth Charter in Uganda to assist Hadijah in training women refugees.” Juggling Environment & N/A (No partner “I taught juggling to Education organization OMNI Earth Scouts needed) as a way to explain climate change issues.” Cooking Environment, Nibbles Kitchen “I taught an organic Education & Health Academy foods cooking class for OMNI members.” *these titles are made up: choose a descriptive term you like that sounds professional
Specialization Area* Art Education for Cultural Preservation Sustainable Design in Architecture
Nutrition in Schools
Capacity Building for Human Rights Organizations Graphic Design for Non-Profit Websites Conflict Resolution for Water Quality
Social Entrepreneurism for Women in War-torn Nations
Entertainment in Children’s Ecology Curriculum
Sustainable Agriculture for Quality of Life
Get the Job!
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Job Trends, Tracking, Resumes & More! Check out this AmeriCorps resource:
Click the picture to go to the website, www.vistacampus.org (AmeriCorps’ online university) Click “Enter as a Guest” Select “VISTA” section Click “Life After VISTA” on the left-hand menu Scroll down and select “VISTA Works” Course Enjoy the video & tips!
This is a guide for VISTAs (Volunteers in Service to America) who are just entering the job market – but most of the advice relates to TLC Alumni, too, such as the resume builder, trends, and service sector careers.
Guide to Nonprofit Careers for First-time Job Seekers Table of Contents (click to follow link to that chapter at www.idealist.org) Introduction Opening thoughts: Why do you want to work in the nonprofit sector anyway? Chapter One What exactly is a nonprofit? (The answer will surprise you) Chapter Two Balancing act: The psychology of the job search Chapter Three Self and career assessment: The foundation of a successful job search and career Chapter Four Networking: Is it really all about who you know? Yes. Chapter Five Become a stronger candidate: Nine ways to get out and involved Chapter Six Tools for the job search: Researching all the opportunities in your chosen location Chapter Seven Does your work work for you? Evaluating organizational culture Chapter Eight Presenting yourself on paper: Resumes and cover letters Chapter Nine Presenting yourself in person: Interviewing and first impressions Chapter Ten Closing the deal: Understanding benefits and the art of negotiation Chapter Eleven Staying ready: A career search doesn't end when you get a job Chapter Twelve Nonprofit hiring practices: The challenges of the job market Chapter Thirteen It's not what you think: Dispelling some misconceptions about the nonprofit world Chapter Fourteen Starting your own nonprofit: Five tips, one warning, and eleven first steps Conclusion Closing thoughts: Know yourself, the sector, and the points of synergy Appendix One Nonprofitspeak 101: A primer on the nonprofit sector's vocabulary
Above is a screenshot of the front page at Idealist.org. Register at their site and search information on jobs, organizations, volunteer opportunities, internships, and more. Here’s what Idealist writes about using the site: You know you want to do something good, but have no idea where or how to start. Search for volunteer opportunities, events, and other concrete ways to get involved. Make sense of your options using our resource centers. Connect with organizations you support, and see what they're up to. You have an idea for a project, but need some supporters before taking the leap. Connect with like-minded people—you're not alone! Connect with a related organization or start your own. Post events and resources to get others involved. You want to make a career out of doing good. Search job and internship listings, or sign up for Email Alerts to get them sent to you. Connect with people and organizations you're interested in, and get your name out there. Consult our publications for career advice. You want to recruit people to work with or join your organization. Create an organization page to increase your online presence. Post jobs, internships, volunteer opportunities, events, and programs. Connect with volunteers, donors, and supporters of your organization. Thinking about getting a degree in nonprofit work? Consider your options - Click to visit GradSchools.com:
Nonprofit Organization Listings
GuideStar Data at a Glance (www.guidestar.org) 1.8 million IRS-recognized tax-exempt organizations 6.6 million individuals in the nonprofit sector
Click here to begin your search at Guidestar.org!
GuideStar's Mission “To revolutionize philanthropy by providing information that advances transparency, enables users to make better decisions, and encourages charitable giving.” “If you care about nonprofits and the work they do, then you're affected by what GuideStar does—even if this is your first visit to www.guidestar.org. You see, we gather and publicize information about nonprofit organizations. Our reach is far and wide. Our database is broad and deep. If you're new to GuideStar, search the site to find the nonprofit information you need—it's free! You'll get even more information if you complete our registration form and log in—also free!”
Capacity Building
Publicity & Recruitment
Resource Mobilization
Organization
5 Areas of Capacity
Membership Development
Mission, Vision & Goals
1. Mission, Vision, Goals: a. Does your group have a clear mission – what will you accomplish together? b. Does the group agree about what the completed mission (the vision) looks like? c. Have you established S.M.A.R.T. Goals? i. Specific ii. Measureable iii. Achievable iv. Realistic v. Timely 2. Membership & Leadership Development: a. Is there a membership plan for plugging new members into empowering roles? b. Are volunteer roles as clearly defined as paid job descriptions (written down)? 3. Organization, Facilitation, Delegation: a. Is the group structured in a way that doesn’t rely on just one person? (Info is accessible) b. Are meetings well-facilitated, with a time keeper and a note taker? c. How do you hold each other accountable to agreed-upon commitments? d. What technology, like databases and websites, do you use to manage information? 4. Resource Mobilization: a. Does the group have a fundraising plan to get monetary donations? b. How will you acquire non-monetary donations such as space and food? 5. Publicity & Recruitment: a. Is there a publicity plan (raise awareness) that includes many varieties of public media? b. Is there a recruitment plan (gain members) that includes diverse areas of the city?
Using the questions on the opposite page, fill in the boxes for your project or organization: Areas of Capacity
Mission, Vision & Goals
Membership & Leadership
Organization & Delegation
Resource Mobilization
Publicity & Recruitment
Do We Have This Area?
How Will We Improve It?
TLC Training: Skills Review
TLC Skills
Re-entering a community: how to take skills into a community
I.
WHY
IS IT SO HARD TO RE-ENTER A COMMUNITY? No common frame of reference/language to talk about organizing Resistance to new ideas Resistance to new leadership, especially if you don‟t have a formal role in a group that has formal roles, like officers, etc. Disagreement over the „right‟ direction for the group You don‟t have the time to go through full trainings like at Sprog People can‟t relate Other people in your group don‟t have the same sense of empowerment as you do coming out of Sprog People may not recognize how much you‟ve grown as a result of training You could be perceived as trying to dominate or take over the group Group may not be focused on climate change in the way you would like Overcoming organizational inertia—changing the way people have been doing things for a long time Can be hard doing it all by your self (i.e. trying to share your skills) Getting people to recognize that training might be beneficial or even needed
II.
RE-ENTERING THE COMMUNITY Enter a community in a way that respects what exists; it is important to be a resource without trying to direct the activity of the community or assume that you know the issues and problems of that community. Going back to campus is reentering a community. You can‟t assume that you know everything about a campus community. If you come into a group and try to take over because you „know what you‟re doing‟ there can be significant backlash, resistance and resentment. Understand that your role is to integrate and lend your new skills and training to the community in a positive, non-divisive way.
III.
PRINCIPLES OF ENTERING A COMMUNITY Know the Lay of the Land within the community— o If you are reentering your group, you will probably know the Lay of the Land already, but there is always something new to learn. o Research, talk to people to find out: 1) Social, political, economic, and cultural past and present. 2) Past and present status of organizing and activism around community issues. 3) Groups and individuals already working on similar issues. o Leadership Identification A leader is someone with followers
A potential leader is someone who people might follow Figure out who are the official leaders of the community or group: local politicians, elected club leaders, church leaders, etc. Figure out who has influence or power within the community or group (i.e. who are the folks that others really listen to and look to for direction; these people aren‟t always the official leaders, e.g. old group leaders, faculty advisors, popular and respected community members, whoever runs the house that people gather and eat at, whoever throws the biggest parties). Figure out who has passion and a strong motivation to better their community or organization. Maybe these are folks you‟ve identified during listening projects or during tabling events. Go in Gently/Respect What Exists o Don‟t assume that the way you learned to do things is the only right way to do things. While there are many wrong ways to do things, there isn‟t one „right‟ way either. You don‟t want to come off as arrogant or condescending. Listen to the Concerns of the Community/Group/Leader o Spend a lot of time listening. If you are entering a new community, follow the 75/25 rule. Listen at least 75% of the time. You can learn a lot by listening and that can help you frame the skills you have to offer in a way that will be most appealing and approachable for the community. o Note: in marginalized communities there is often a history of outsiders coming in and taking advantage of people. Sometimes, even well intentioned people entering marginalized communities replicate cycles of oppression by telling people what they think is best for a community. When in doubt, listen. When not in doubt, listen some more. When people are tired of you listening so much, listen to their concerns and ask them what they‟d like you to do. LISTEN! Build Relationships/Focus on Mutual Interest—Try to build on common ground; be aware of differences, but focus on what you have in common.
Remember: Listen about 75% of the time.
Click the Peace Corps logo to learn more about community entry strategies!
5 Conditions for Effective Teams From Sierra Student Coalition: www.ssc.org 1. “Condition 0”—A Real Team Bounded: everyone can say who is on the team Stable: team membership remains stable over time (i.e. not a lot of turn-over) and when someone new joins it is crucial to teach then group norms Interdependent with a common purpose: people rely on others to do work for success If you‘re not interacting w/ ea. other on a regular basis, you‘re not a real team. Not all groups are teams, but high performing groups ARE. 2. Compelling Direction Clear—each person is able to say and understand the direction or purpose of the team or group Challenging—stretch of team‘s talent; not lame but not killing you either, i.e. an engaging but manageable workload. Consequential—what will be different? How will you know? Your team has specific goals that are worthy of your effort: a difference that makes a difference. 3. Enabling Structure Well Composed Team—good diversity of perspectives and skills for the task, adequate interpersonal and teamwork skills. Good size—generally above 9 is too many— increasing the number of people increases the number of links exponentially. Well-designed, interdependent tasks—what are the things you need to do together to accomplish them? Is it clear how, who and what you are doing together? Important elements of tasks include: skill variety, task significance, task identity (people realize take ownership over the task), autonomy, feedback (knowledge of results) Clear Team Norms—what must always be done; what must never be done. Overriding norm of self-correction. Is it clear how Norms will be enforced? The group should hold each other accountable. When a norm is violated and not immediately addressed, you are by default setting a NEW norm. 4. Supportive Context Team Rewards—for Excellent team performance (individual recognition tends to undermine team performance) Informational System—the team has the information/data it needs from other parts of the organization to plan and do its work Available Training and Education—team has been trained in what they need, including teamwork skills Basic Material Resources 5. Coaching
Motivational (effort)—coaching aimed at enhancing team-level effort. What are your hopes and fears? What is holding you back? Consultative (strategy)—coaching aimed at helping the team plan, evaluate, and execute its work strategy (especially useful at calendar mid point of task) Educational (knowledge and skills)—coaching, aimed at helping the team gain the skills needed to accomplish it‘s tasks (especially useful at the beginning) and to learn from its work (especially useful at end point, what did we learn?)
Four Principles of Interpersonal Communication From National Service Resources: http://nationalserviceresources.org 1.) Interpersonal communication is inescapable We can't not communicate. The very attempt not to communicate communicates something. Through not only words, but through tone of voice and through gesture, posture, facial expression, etc., we constantly communicate to those around us. People are not mind readers. Another way to put this is: people judge you by your behavior, not your intent. 2.) Interpersonal communication is irreversible You can't really take back something once it has been said. The effect must inevitably remain. A Russian proverb says, "Once a word goes out of your mouth, you can never swallow it again." 3.) Interpersonal communication is complicated No form of communication is simple. Because of the number of variables involved, even simple requests are extremely complex. Theorists note that whenever we communicate there are really at least six "people" involved: 1) who you think you are; 2) who you think the other person is; 3) who you think the other person thinks you are; 4) who the other person thinks he/she is; 5) who the other person thinks you are; and 6) who the other person thinks you think s/he is. Words (symbols) do not have inherent meaning; we simply use them in certain ways, and no two people use the same word exactly alike. If communication can fail, it will. If a message can be understood in different ways, it will be understood in just that way which does the most harm. There is always somebody who knows better than you what you meant by your message. The more communication there is, the more difficult it is for communication to succeed. These tongue-in-cheek maxims are not real principles; they simply humorously remind us of the difficulty of accurate communication. 4.) Interpersonal communication is contextual In other words, communication does not happen in isolation. There is: Psychological context, which is who you are and what you bring to the interaction. Your needs, desires, values, personality, etc., all form the psychological context. ("You" here refers to both participants in the interaction.) Relational context, which concerns your reactions to the other person--the "mix." Situational context deals with the psycho-social "where" you are communicating. An interaction that takes place in a classroom will be very different from one that takes place in a bar. Environmental context deals with the physical "where" you are communicating. Furniture, location, noise level, temperature, season, time of day, all are examples of factors in the environmental context. Cultural context includes all the learned behaviors and rules that affect the interaction. If you come from a culture (foreign or within your own country) where it is considered rude to make long, direct eye contact, you will out of politeness avoid eye contact. If the other person comes from a culture where long, direct eye contact signals trustworthiness, then we have in the cultural context a basis for misunderstanding.
Click to visit the United Nations’ Earth Charter Communication Task Force Website!
Recruitment & Leadership Development From Sierra Student Coalition: www.ssc.org If you don’t focus on recruitment and leadership development now, your organization won’t exist in two years. Oftentimes we get so busy with our project that we forget about recruiting and getting more folks involved in the organization. Then, when the campaign and the school year are over, there is no one left; everyone has graduated. It’s important to think about why you are recruiting. Don’t recruit for the sake of recruiting! Think carefully about how many people you actually need, either to run your group effectively or to make an event you are planning successful. There are two types of recruitment:
Mass Recruitment:
• Connect with why these people would want to join your group • Ideally, you should engage and involve your audience. So be creative! Use crazy signs, make zany announcements, etc • Never forget the rule of halves. If you get 100 people to say they will come, only 50 will show up. Thus, always recruit more than you expect to come.
One-on-one Recruitment:
• Use personal connections. You want to learn this person’s values and then help them see that the group is full of people with similar ideas. • Try to make the individual feel like this is their organization, that they are welcome and that their voice is equally valued. • Involve them in planning, actions, and social events! Methods of Recruitment
posters/flyers media speaking to groups/classes tabling leaf-letting friend to friend advertising organizational/campaign materials phone-banking campaign events other groups‟ events internships mail house party door knocking email lists
The recruitment and leadership development cycle “ASK, INFORM, INVOLVE, THANK” CYCLE
Remember: You can enter the cycle at any point. Each time through the cycle, you have the potential to move an individual along the leadership track. Then, repeat, repeat, repeat. You involve folks once, then involve them further—in the planning process for an event or a campaign, in recruitment for a rally or protest, in banner or costume-making for your next street theater event. Ultimately you should have a core group of folks who will be competent and confident enough to carry on the torch once you leave. When someone flakes out on you, the problem is often that they didn’t understand a task well enough. It’s worth your time to sit down with the person and describe the task, step by step. Also make sure to follow-up with the person you’re trying to involve; remind them and help them out.
Partnerships 101 “Strong youth programs identify and build relationships with stakeholders that help them succeed on a day-to-day and long-term basis. In these partnerships, individuals or groups agree to share time, knowledge, resources, costs, and rewards in order to achieve mutual goals.” –AmeriCorps What should I think about before forming a partnership? Imagine you’re a bird soaring above the city, then swooping down on one specific object within it. Or perhaps you’d like to imagine that you’re a camera, seeing the big picture and then zooming in on something within it. You don’t want to start out “in people’s faces” or nobody can breathe! First, creatively think about what your project needs from this potential partner. Remember to get your message clear in your head: what mission and vision are you promoting? Next, just listen to them. Ask questions. Only then can you begin to tell them your message in the way that it relates to theirs . Partners vs. Sponsoring Organizations / People – a partner supports your goal and works with you, and a sponsoring organization or sponsor usually provides financial support towards that goal. Elevator Speech – a 20 second “spiel” you give to people unfamiliar with your program: what is it? What do you do? Stakeholders – people invested in your cause and/or will be affected by your work. By “holding the stakes” in the project, stakeholders will be affected by its failure or success. Potential stakeholders haven’t realized their investment in your work, but could. For example, stakeholders for the Summer of Solutions project include your families, schools, farmers, gardens, and people who eat! Messaging – this is the message you send to people who support you or would support you. Your vision is the way the world would be different if your mission, or project purpose, were to succeed. Your messaging is what brings that vision and mission to the public eye. 1-2-1 (Individual Partnerships) – like forming friendships, this is a conversation between two people who want to work together, or who want their organizations to work together. Phone Calls & E-mails – contacting a potential partner with suggested ideas for working together, like an invitation. It needs to be a give & take relationship, with something being offered & received. Planned Partnerships vs. “On the Fly” Partnerships – partnerships can be planned in advance (such as via phone, e-mail, or a one-to-one meeting) and be based off a script or agenda known ahead of time. But they can also be spontaneous, arising in times of community crisis, circumstantial meeting at an event, or intentionally seeking to talk with someone you see in public. Networking – when you go out into public space with the intention of forging partnerships, you’re networking, aka building a net to get your work done more effectively. Some public events are designed for networking to occur smoothly, such as conferences and tabling events. Coalitions – are “a collective or groups working together for a common purpose/goal” – for more information read the one-page guide to coalition building from Sierra Student Coalition. Strange Bedfellows – when unlikely groups form a partnership around a shared goal. The Sierra Club and the National Rifle Association formed a conservation partnership to protect wild lands. Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) – a formal written agreement detailing what investments each partner is committing to make in the project. When partners make substantial commitments of money, goods, or services, it’s best to get it in writing! This is also a “road map” for working together.
Facilitation Techniques & Tips From Sierra Student Coalition: www.ssc.org
What is facilitation? Facilitation is essentially a tool that helps direct and guide discussions, meetings, and decision-making processes. It allows everyone a chance to speak their mind, and thus to feel like they are a part of the group.
Why is facilitation important? Facilitation keeps things focused, allows everyone a chance to participate, and helps the group get tasks accomplished and decisions made. If your meetings are not facilitated, most likely they will be filled with tangents and side conversations – which make the meetings grueling and just plain boring. Furthermore, two or three people may end up dominating the meetings, leaving everyone else feeling unwelcome, and unimportant.
The role of the facilitator It is important to emphasize that a facilitator is not in control of the group. She or he does not ultimately make the final decision on anything (in fact, any member of the group can be the facilitator, and the position can rotate from week to week). The facilitator is simply responsible for ensuring that the meetings are inclusive, productive, and effective.
Set Agreed-Upon Ground-Rules Method of decision-making: You can work by a simple majority vote. You can use majority consensus, where points of view in the minority are often addressed, and can somewhat modify the final decision. Or you can work by absolute consensus, where no decision is made without full agreement in the group. Directed questions: It may be decided that the facilitator can call on those who haven‘t raised their hands or said anything at the meeting. And, of course, those who are called on have the right to pass. Bike rack: If something important arises but isn‘t on the agenda or is way off topic, you can put it on a ―bike rack,‖ a list of subjects to be discussed at a later time. Stacking: In large groups, stacking is almost essential for meetings. With a stack, a list is kept of those who raise their hands, and people are called on in the order that they have raised their hands. In small groups, a stack is usually not necessary, as long as the group stays on topic and all participants have an opportunity to speak. Hand signals: Oftentimes, a hand signal is better than saying it, since it minimizes interruptions in the discussion. For example, sometimes people wiggle their fingers for ―I agree.‖ or they form a P with their hands to indicate that they have a ―point of information‖ on someone‘s comment. Time-keeper: It is useful to set time limits for each item on the agenda. The time-keeper lets the group know how much time they have prior to each agenda item. If someone suggests that more time be taken, the timekeeper should ask for agreement from the whole group. Note-taker: It is important that one member record what is discussed and decided during the meeting so that the same discussion or decision is not repeated unnecessarily. Vibes-watcher: Sometimes things get a little tense, or just plain boring. A vibeswatcher is essential for monitoring the atmosphere and making sure things don‘t get out of hand. If they do, she or he can call a timeout, and then folks can regroup in five minutes or whatever the set break time happens to be.
Delegation From Sierra Student Coalition: www.ssc.org
Why do we need to delegate? To build leadership in the organization; To allow us to accomplish bigger and better things; To help us to avoid burnout; And to help people feel like they are participating.
Why won’t we delegate? Lack of trust – ―I can do it better,‖ or, ―I don‘t know that you‘ll get it done;‖ It takes too long to explain the job; No one to delegate to; It‘s tough to explain what the job is.
How can we get past this? Write down all the things that need to get done to make your activity a success; Pick out those things which can/should be done by others. Be willing to give up things you enjoy. Don‘t just delegate the boring stuff; Talk with the people you want to work with. Help them feel involved in and excited about your project; Match delegated responsibilities to people‘s strengths and interests; Work with them to help them feel confident and comfortable; Let them be in charge. Give them the support and supervision they need, but make sure they understand that it is their project; Follow-up! Give the person a call or drop them an email to check that they are making progress; When the project is done, evaluate with them and make sure to thank them. Also… We often worry that delegated tasks won‘t get accomplished. There are a lot of ways to deal with this. You can start with the small stuff and then give people increasingly larger jobs. You can also establish check-in points to discuss how the project is going. Make sure they are comfortable with the task and that they know you support them. Remember, the world isn’t going to be saved during your time in school. If we are going to solve the environmental crisis, we need to build a sustained, effective movement. You can’t do that alone!
D.A.R.C.I. Decision-Maker Accountable Responsible Consulted Informed
“Time Management from the inside out: the foolproof system for taking control of your schedule-- and your life” by Morgenstern, Julie. "When life is a to-do list, something is wrong. Time management is about giving what matters a place in your schedule. Create a life that nurtures who you want to be. These tools are 80% effective: they don't make life perfect, but they help you get back on track."
Seven Time Management Tools 1.) Self-Assessment I spend too much time on ____. I procrastinate on ____. I would spend a 25th hour of the day on ___. 2.) Estimate Task Time How long does it take ME to do this task? Include hidden time costs: thinking, traveling... 3.) Remember the Four D's: Delete Delay Diminish Delegate 4.) Take a Step Back to See the Big Picture View Simplify Categories Define Goals for each category Select Activities for each goal 5.) Make a Time Map Be in the moment, not in the next moment or the past moment. Time Maps can be vertical or horizontal, with daily themes. 6.) Apply the S.P.A.C.E. Formula: Sort into categories, estimate the time for each one Purge the stuff you don't "need" to do, Say No, or Delegate Assign a home for it in the time map Containerize Tasks: start & stop when you intend to, and avoid procrastination, tardiness & interruptions Equalize: reflect on the successes of the day, re-prioritize, evaluate, and improve your methods 7.) Choose Just One Planner, paper or electronic, varieties are numerous (SoS agenda included!) MORE TIPS: Be sincere: say what you mean, not what you think you have to tell others Make morning or evening time a sanctuary for yourself Take initiative, work independently Slow down and take a closer look at your tasks View time as a "balance" of your day, and life Batch your tasks like cookies, putting like with like Multitasking takes the brain 4x's longer than focusing on 1 task at a time Time is a container - tasks take up time like objects take up space Apply perfectionism only to tasks that matter most Make all your decisions for morning on the night before Leave a Do Not Forget list by the door Vertical Time Maps devote each day to the theme of that day, it's categories, goals, and activities Stop procrastinating by focusing on the payoff and breaking it into smaller steps Avoid tardiness by estimating time better and carrying transition-time tasks (books, letters...) Filter interruptions by responding to them later, take messages - studies show it's faster (7 vs 11 minutes) Forgive your failures, and celebrate your successes!
Fundraising From Sierra Student Coalition: www.ssc.org PRINCIPLES OF FUNDRAISING Fund-raise for a purpose—One of the largest flaws is trying to raise money without a purpose in mind; just like events for the sake of events isn‟t strategic, raising money for the sake of raising money isn‟t strategic and it is generally a lot harder. If you can say “we‟re raising money to send people to Sprog” you‟re generally going to have a better response from potential donors. Move Beyond the Bake Sale—Bake sales are way overdone, and you can be more creative than that. Try to come up with fundraising tactics that not only raise money, but also support your campaign goals. Make your specific ASK and start HIGH—It‟s important to make a specific ask and to ask for more than you think you‟ll get so that (hopefully) you‟ll get what you actually need. o Example: Not just $, but in-kind donations too. Ex. 400 cups of yogurt for the ReEnergize Texas summit o
If you ask for $100, you might get $50. If you ask for $50, you can bet they won't offer you $100.
People give to people—In-person asking will produce a much higher response than asking over the phone by imposing urgency and pressure to respond on the spot. If that‟s not possible, you can still have great success by sending a letter and following up with a phone call. Personalize your appeal as much as possible. It costs money to raise money—For example, if you‟re selling t-shirts, you have to have the t-shirts made first, which costs money.
Do your research—if you‟re approaching individuals, groups or businesses for donations, know as much as you can about them so that you can appeal to their interests, and frame your ask in the most beneficial light. Cultivate your donors—Thank them. For example, make sure to send thank you notes to businesses that donate to your raffle. Continue to make them feel part of the organization or campaign - stop in to businesses or have coffee with major donors to keep them updated on you work. Send them important press clips. WHY IS IT HARD TO ASK FOR $
You‟re nervous to ask people don‟t have trust in where the money goes or younger people (how professional are you) odd asking strangers mean people not knowing what to say don‟t want to impose
WHY PEOPLE GIVE
they care about the issue public recognition (particularly businesses) tangible goods (t-shirt, calendar) group's work directly impacts their life (ex: local development fights) guilt pride they don't have time to be an activist loyalty tax deduction to reinforce their image (environmentalist, feminist) boost self-esteem
Important thing to remember is that a lot of potential donors give out of self-interest, not just to help an organization or further the issue. Consider your organization‟s needs, but also consider your donor's needs. Fit your pitch to your audience and what they are looking for. Need some examples here.
PLANNING
What is the most effective way to go about a fundraising plan? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Develop a campaign budget so you know what you need Know who to ask Know what to ask Know how much to ask Ask
Nonprofit Resource Center “Sign up for our Find It, Fund It monthly newsletter announcing new books and upcoming events at the Nonprofit Resource Center.”
About the Nonprofit Resource Center “The Fayetteville Public Library's Nonprofit Resource Center helps individuals and nonprofit organizations identify potential grant funding sources.” “The center, located on the second floor of Blair Library, has access to the Foundation Directory Online, a treasure trove of information on 80,000 foundations and almost 500,000 recently awarded grants. While most private funding goes to nonprofit organizations, the center also offers online access to Grants for Individuals, a database of more than 6,200 grantmaker programs that award money directly to individuals.” Visit the Foundation Center to begin your grant research!
The ‘RULES’ of Working with the Media From Sierra Student Coalition: www.ssc.org 1.) Stay on message! Don‘t confuse the reporter with too much information. Only give them the information you want to get across.
2.) Never lie. It destroys your credibility. If you don‘t know an answer, admit it, but say that you can find it for them and get back to them – promptly
3.) Never thank them for writing a story. It‘s their job! Particularly, don‘t thank them if they write a good story; it makes them question their objectivity and whether they were too biased towards your position or issue
4.) There is NO off-the-record. Remember, the reporter is not your friend; they are out to get a story and sell papers. If you tell them something ―off the record‖ it will still end up in the story – it just won‘t have your name attached to it
Some Useful Tips: 1. Do the work for them. If you provide all the information they need to write a story, it makes their life easier (remember they are on a deadline). Furthermore, it allows you to give them the information you want them to have. 2. When you call a reporter, always ask if they have a minute to talk. If they are busy, ask when a better time would be to call them. The reporter will appreciate this greatly and be more receptive 3. You can’t be on the phone enough. Fax your press advisory or release, but call to follow up. Be direct: Ask if the reporter plans to show up 4. Develop a relationship (not a friendship). If you are credible, helpful and timely, they will come to you when they are looking for information. It is good to have one person from a group be the press contact for consistency reasons, but this is virtually impossible in student groups (graduation) 5. Reporters are looking for specific things that make a story newsworthy. Here are some hooks you can use to ‗catch‘ a reporter: conflict, dramatic human interest, new announcement, trend, local spin to national or global issues (or vice versa); controversy; a fresh angle on an old story; milestone, anniversary, celebrity, special event, etc. Young people like us get covered. 6. Before talking to a reporter, see if what you are planning to say passes the “cousin” test . In other words, run it by your cousin or someone who doesn‘t have any knowledge of your issues – to make sure that you are sending the right message, and that it is clear. If you‘re talking to a reporter and feel like things aren‘t coming out right, just stop, say ―let me start again,‖ and do so 7. If you are having a rally or large event, have your members practice their sound bites beforehand. That way they can be prepared when a reporter asks why they are there. Although, not everyone needs to be an expert. Have one or two people who know the issues well be designated as press liaisons. This way the information you give to the media can be controlled. Make sure everyone at the event knows whom to direct the reporters to after they have given their sound bite.
Media Tools Media List: The first thing you need is a media list. It should have reporters names, faxes, phone numbers, addresses, and emails for TV, radio, and newspapers in your area. To build this list take a look Beacon‘s (which can be found in the library). Take a look at local publications for reporters who deal with your issues. Press Advisory: An advisory is written in simple form, stating the basics of an upcoming even (Who, what, where, when, and why) without giving away the substance of the event. It is a way to alert journalists to events that might interest them. An advisory should be sent out several days before an event and be followed up with phone calls to the reporters. The followup call encourages them to cover the event, and is an opportunity for you to answer anyquestions the reporter might have. Press Release: A release should be written exactly like an ideal story would be written, including quotes. Place the most important items at the beginning of the release. It should generally be kept to one page and should be sent out the day of the event. Follow-up with a phone call to make sure that the release has been received, and urge them to cover the story. Associated Press (AP): There‘s an AP bureau in every major city and in the State House. The AP is a news wire, which means that they send out things to other news outlets. Always send your press advisories and releases to the AP because if they cover an event, it will reach many more papers, radios, etc. than you could. This isn‘t to say that you should expect the AP to do all the work for you; you will still have to do work. The point is that sending your advisories and releases to the AP will increase your chances of getting covered. Letters to the Editor: The editorial page is the second most widely read page of the newspaper after the front page. A letter to the editor should be short – not more than 250 words (varies with paper) – clear, direct and simple, with a maximum of two or three points. Avoid personal attacks. Try to find a local angle, and try to pick a timely issue (or send a letter when it is most timely). Be sure to sign it and include a way for the press to contact you to confirm that you wrote the letter. Radio: Radio is a great, but often untapped, way of getting press. Radio news editors usually work alone in small dark rooms. Give them a call to let them know about an event or story. They might not be able to send anyone, but you could ask to do a ―radio actuality‖ right then and there. Often they‘ll say yes, and you‘ll get to give a little statement, which they‘ll play on the radio all day. Public Service Announcements: First, with a lot of college radio stations, you can get away with just sending in a script that DJ's can read on the air. The key to these is to keep it short. 30 seconds is pushing it; 15 seconds is ideal. Try reading scripts out loud at a normal pace to get the right timing. Writing for broadcast means avoiding long words and long sentences. Try to say what you need to say in the simplest and shortest way. You're going to have to leave out a lot of details, so it's good to use PSA's to get people to check out a meeting, table, rally, concert, or website, etc. where they can get more information. To place your PSA, call the local radio stations and find out what their policy on PSA's is. Bigger stations will have a person who specifically handles PSA's and other ads. Often you can then simply fax or e-mail the script to the station. But always call in a day or two to follow up and see if they are reading the ad on the air. Visuals: Visuals are a great way to get TV and photo attention. You can build giant puppets or objects to represent your issue. Visual messages are not as easily distorted as verbal ones.
Event Planning Checklist From Sierra Student Coalition: www.ssc.org Planning an event requires first figuring out the logistics of the event and the multiple tasks that precede it. These range from the who, what, when, and why to where you‟re going to get the money from and who‟s responsible for what. This checklist will guide you through the logistics of planning an event and the things you should think about when doing so. 1. What is the purpose of the event? Why are you holding this event, and what do you hope to accomplish? How will it help you achieve your campaign‟s goals? (Make sure they are SMART goals—i.e. Specific, measurable, Actionable, Realistic, and Time-limited). 2. Who will be invited to the event? General public, press, campaign targets, etc. 3. When will it be? Where will it be held? Times and dates- are they convenient and feasible? Location, location, location…can it accommodate your attendees? 4. How will you inform people? What‟s the best and most efficient way to reach your target audience/invitees? 5. Will you invite any special guests (i.e. speakers, politicians, the media, etc.)? 6. Who will create the agenda? Every event needs a defined agenda—what‟s going to happen when and where? Collaborate with the people who are planning the different sections of the day. 7. What materials do you need? What will you need to run the event? (flip charts, tables, etc.) 8. What do you have and where will you get the rest? 9. What costs will there be? How will you get the money? (Transportation, location rental, food, permits, presenters) 10. Timeline! (Go back and decide who will accomplish all unfinished tasks and when they will be done by). Much like the time-line for “tactics & timeline” in the Matrix, you can use the same chart to organize an event-specific plan.
TLC Training: Global Issues Review
TLC Skills
Peace
Education
Human Rights
Environment
Health
“The difference between what we do and what we are capable of doing would suffice to solve most of the world’s problems.” -Gandhi
How are TLC Trainings like Bicycle Wheels? The spokes on a bicycle wheel provide tension and durability for the tire as it goes over bumps. Each spoke has to have the same amount of tension as every other spoke, otherwise, the tire frame warps. Spokes give the tire added strength and resilience. TLC trainings are designed like a bicycle wheel: a training may be focused on issues in “education”, but we explore education through the lens of many interdisciplinary fields of study, diverse cultures, and a variety of non-profit organizations. Remember the wheel as you set out to change the world!
As a volunteer or employee of the non-profit sector, it’s a good idea to stay informed about the numbers related to: World Population Government & Economics Society & Media Environment Food Water Energy Health Teen Leadership Corps strives to prepare its alumni to face real challenges with real skills. The first skill we teach is viewing the world, its people, and problems from an interdependent perspective. Such a perspective enables us to realize that every issue impacts every other issue, and global collaboration is needed to innovate solutions. Go here to see the current statistics.
Don’t Forget! Explore updated content about various issues through our website. Contribute to forums as an alumnus, share your growing experience in the nonprofit sector, or discover an interesting organization or two!
Global Learning Opportunity Issue Areas Wanting more information on sustainable farming in Sierra Leone? Crowdsourcing in Scotland? Women’s entrepreneurism in Uganda? Indigenous rights in Costa Rica? Remember your friends around the world in eGLO! Click the map to look up projects by country or familiar face.
Technology to Support Your Work Project Management Databasing / CRM Email Marketing Social Networking
Creating Video Presentations Simple Image Manipulation Advanced Images
TLC Tech
Task Organizers Website Building RSS Aggregation IM Aggregation Misc.
Read on to find an extensive collection of tools that'll help you be more successful as you attempt to change the world. Each category has a description of what the category is and why it's important, followed by a collection of the best tools to accomplish each goal. I hope you find this list enlightening & helpful to your work! –Ryan (rpbancroft@gmail.com) Updated: 5/6/2011
Project Management These tools enable you to seamlessly manage a team of just about any size, making the sharing of data, ideas, and everything else very easy and streamlined.
(Right) The Better Means project management tool (free!)
Name of Tool Ace Project
Link www.aceproject.com
Description They have a free basic package for project management!
Better Means
www.bettermeans.com, www.bettermeans.org
Open project management based around consensus and community, and allows for seamlessly collaborating on projects with people from around the world.
Cohuman Google Chrome Extension
www.cohuman.com/home Completely free, and it integrates with the Google Chrome web browser. This makes managing tasks and projects a cinch among lots of people.
Salesforce / Chatter
www.salesforce.com
Salesforce (also a Database) has some excellent built-in projectmanagement applications. If you don't find what you want, a quick browse through the AppExchange could yield some amazing results, often for free.
Databasing / CRM Constituent Relationship Management (CRM) systems are the bread and butter of any organization. These systems enable you to take care of every data management need your organization or effort could ever have. With such a system, you, and everyone in your organization, will always know who is doing what, why, and when. They're absolutely critical to accomplishing large-scale goals. Some of the open-source solutions below, if you want to truly host them yourself, require some pretty serious technology and know how, though. Name of Tool Salesforce
Link www.salesforce.com
Description The industry leader in CRM solutions. They offer free packages to qualifying nonprofits, and their platform will do just about anything you want, provided you put in the time to master it.
CiviCRM
www.civicrum.org
Open source, designed for nonprofits & civic sector constituents. You must host your own version on a server.
SugarCRM
www.sugarforge.org
Open source, well-developed CRM solution. They have a basic free option, or some very strong paid options.
Email Marketing Email Marketing is the fancy term given to programs that let you build professional-looking, well-designed emails, and that allow you to track who opens your emails, what they liked about them, how they shared them, and much more. EM is a critical component of any successful modern organization. Name of Tool Constant Contact
Link www.constantcontact.com
Description The one many of you have tried, which OMNI uses. It's excellent, and very well supported. Integrates beautifully with Salesforce.
Vertical Response
www.verticalresponse.com
Slightly less feature-rich than Constant Contact (no autoresponder, for example), but has some free packages for nonprofits (somewhat limited)
MailChimp
www.mailchimp.com
Has a free starter package, but it's limited. It's also extremely extendable, with lots of web plug-ins and extensions, enabling you to connect to many other web applications you use
Exact Target
www.exacttarget.com
I'm not very familiar with this one, but it's more of a “highend� email marketing system. I've heard excellent things.
Social Networking Tools Social networking tools—which make it ever easier for you to share information with people any and everywhere—have practically built the “viral” age. They're almost solely responsible for giving each and every individual in the world the ability to reach thousands, even millions, of individuals with minimal effort. A powerful social networking strategy can turn your neighborhood project into an international phenomenon. Their ability to spread information is almost limitless, and growing daily.
Name of Tool Facebook
Link www.facebook.com
Description You all probably know about this one – share photos, find millions of people anywhere, etc. Over 550 million people use facebook nowadays.
www.twitter.com
Send little messages (140 characters or less) quickly to everyone following you, and follow as many people as you like. This is a great way to share websites or give quick updates. Many nonprofits now host Twitter conversations. 60 million “tweets” are sent every day.
www.linkedin.com
More for business and the nonprofit sector, this social networking site is “professional.” Some organizations actually require their employees to use this.
Elgg
www.elgg.org
A fascinating social networking opportunity: Build your own social network and host it on a local server, or have one of their hosts support it for you for a small monthly fee. It's community-built (open source) and allows you to craft your own network to match your needs.
Chatter, Salesforce
www.chatter.com
A great in-house platform for file storing and sharing, and for collaborating on building projects or programs. This allows anyone in the organization to know what's happening to anything they need to follow (contacts, connections to other organizations, people within the organization, anything).
Managing your social network As you've probably noticed, there are, I don't know, about 50 different social networking services out there? How do you possibly keep up with, and organize, all of the information coming from every direction? By using a social media aggregator, that's how! These extremely convenient, free tools give you the ability to see all of your social sites at once, and update the ones you wish, greatly improving your ability to share information where and when it's relevant to do so.
Name of Tool Seesmic
Link www.seesmic.com
Description Seesmic offers a desktop, browser, and other types of social media clients. Their design is very attractive, and it's super easy to use. They offer support for over 30 applications, including Salesforce Chatter.
Tweetdeck
www.tweetdeck.com
One of the most trusted social network aggregators,
Hootsuite
www.hootsuite.com
Hootsuite is yet another. All of 'em are good, so go with your instinct!
Digsby
www.digsby.com
The “do-it-all” application, which you'll also find below in the IM/chat section, Digsby allows you to track email, social networks, and IM. It only provides support for a few social networks, however.
Ping.fm
www.ping.fm
Ping.fm allows you to update all of the social networks you've connected to the service at once, with a single message! This would make a great compliment to one of the aggregators above.
Shareaholic Google Chrome Extension
https://chrome.google This extension to Google Chrome makes sharing websites you encounter .com/extensions with any of your social networks a simple click away.
Creating Video You've seen snazzy videos pasted all over the Internet, no doubt. How do you make 'em? There's lots of options out there, many of them quite expensive (like Final Cut Pro). Here's a few free or almost-free options you might find intriguing. The first, Animoto, does most of the work for you.
(Right) Animoto.com video editing screen.
Name of Tool Animoto
Link www.animoto.com
Description With the tagline “the end of slideshows,” Animoto platform builds beautiful, dynamic videos out of your photos, video clips, and music selection. It's super easy to use, and free for 30-second video clips (or cheap for more). TLC can give you access to a Professional account (valued at $250/year).
Windows Movie Maker
N/A
Bundled with most Windows Operating systems, this simple movie maker enables you to bring together videos, photos, and more into a seamless movie.
Linux Open Movie Editor
www.openmovieeditor.org
This is an open-source movie editing software. It’s fairly basic, but a great option for Linux users.
Presentations At some point, you're gonna have to stand up and give someone a sweet presentation. What can you use to do it? Well, nowadays, there's a lot more than PowerPoint at your fingertips. You don't have to be lucky enough to have modern versions of PowerPoint on your computer, or a computer to which you have access, to create super high-quality presentations. Name of Tool Prezi
Link www.prezi.com
Description Use Prezi to create really unique, fascinating presentations. They're generally a lot more interesting than standard PowerPoint, but there's a bit of a learning curve.
LibreOffice Impress
www.libreoffice.org
The open source community's answer to Powerpoint, Impress is a free application for creating presentations. It's powerful and easy to use, giving you full control over what goes on to each slide. It makes embedding video, photos, and positioning everything a breeze.
Simple Image Manipulation (online) You'll take lots of photos during your work, and many of them will come out way too big, or you'll only want a piece of information from them. If you don't already have a favorite application for managing this, or if you don't have your personal computer handy (assuming you have one), these online options will help you make the changes you need. Name of Tool Picnik
Link www.picnik.com
Description The best-known and trusted picture resizer online, Picnik is integrated into Constant Contact, linkable to Google Chrome, and has some amazing features for a free tool.
Picresize
www.picresize.com
Picresize is a very simple-to-use online application for resizing, cropping, or doing a few other basic modifications to your images.
Advanced Image Manipulation Ever wanted to create just about any kind of image from scratch, or to change almost anything about any existing image? Look no further than these options. They're definitely challenging to master, but there's almost nothing you can't do with them (in the realm of images, of course). Name of Tool GIMP
Link www.gimp.org
Description A pixel-based image-building and modifying software, much like Adobe Photoshop. Considered to be one of the most capable suite's available, it's completely on par with Photoshop's power. It has a significant learning curve, however.
InkScape
www.inkscape.org
A vector-based image-building software, much like Adobe Illustrator. This is best for images that need to scale, like a logo that might need to be the size of your thumbnail or the size of a house.
Task organizers If you want to really get serious about accomplishing dozens of goals, and keeping everything organized, you may want to look into a task organizer. They help you keep hundreds of tasks across dozens of categories well organized. You'll accomplish far more than you ever thought you could, and always know where to go next. Name of Tool Task List Guru
Link Description www.dextronet.com/ Extremely well-organized, easy to use task organizer – if you have task-list-guru basic needs, Task List Guru should work. If you need the upgrade, though, StdL is very solid. Simple, streamlined, and can even run from a flash drive.
LeaderTask
www.leadertask.com
A pricier task organizer with extended features – includes an email client, an appointment calendar, contact tracking, and more. It can also synchronize with other email clients and browsers.
Website Building It's pretty much official: If you want to succeed in today's world, you need a website. And the more attractive it is, plus the easier it is to manage, the better. Websites are surprisingly complex, so if you're not a web-authoring pro, you'll want a solution that takes a lot of the complicated stuff out of the equation. Especially check out Squarespace if you're new to web-building. Name of Tool SquareSpace
Link www.squarespace.com
Description Squarespace is not free, but their system for building and managing websites is nothing short of astounding. Build and maintain professional websites with very little effort or web-building know how. OMNI's site is built on this platform.
Wordpress
www.wordpress.org
The best-known open-source blog and website-building tool. Wordpress is used and loved by millions, supported by a massive community.
Drupal
www.drupal.org
Drupal, free and open-source, is technically a Content Management System (CMS), but it's well-known for backing up and supportin hundreds of thousands of websites. It also has an extensive community of support.
Joomla
www.joomla.org
Yet another free and open source CMS; they claim to power 2.7% of the entire Web!
Kompozer
www.kompozer.net
A free, open-source WYSIWYG web-authoring tool, designed for ease of use. It's in its early stages, but definitely keep an eye on it.
Keeping on top of all your information There's a massive amount of information out there that you want to keep track of, spread across dozens, maybe even hundreds, of websites. Who has time to go to each and every website every single day, scan through all of the articles, and find the ones you care about? That's where these tools come in – use 'em to bring any number of articles to a single, central location. You'll save tons of time, be able to follow far more information than ever before, and stay well informed. Name of Tool Feedly
Link www.feedly.com
Description Feedly is an excellent tool. Simply sign up for a feed of information on just about any website where you follow information, and it organizes your information in a “magazine-like” format. You can sign up for any number of websites. Meant to be your homepage.
Netvibes
www.netvibes.com
Create attractive dashboards for all of the information you'd like to follow. They're completely customizable and easy to manage. The interface is very pretty, too.
Bringing together all of your IM/chat clients You probably have friends who use AIM, Facebook chat, Gchat, Yahoo chat, MSN chat, and any number of others. Why stay logged into all of those, or check them periodically, when you can do it all within a single program? That's what these tools do – they bring all of your chat clients into a single space, allowing you to stay in touch with everyone everywhere. Name of Tool Digsby
Link www.digsby.com
Description Their tagline: “IM + email + social networks.” They try to do it all. This is arguably the best application of its kind out there, but it's support is limited.
Pidgin
www.pidgin.im
Free and open-source, with multi-system support. Linux, Windows, and Mac users can all use it, making it much more versatile than the above. Unlike Digsby, it's focused strictly on IM/chat, but it does that even better than Digsby.
Meebo
www.meebo.com
Web based and very easy to use. You can simultaneously sign into all of your communication accounts, and access all information right in the browser.
Note: You probably noticed my ubiquitous use of “open source” throughout this document. For more information on open source—some of its history and why it matters—check out this link. If you want to go much deeper into the quantitative side of open source, how it compares to proprietary software from the market side, see this link. Final Note: Some people find it a little weird to think of the internet this way, but each and every tool listed here is developed or sponsored by a company or group of individuals. If they go out of business or lose interest, these tools could disappear or cease to receive updates or support. When looking for digital tools, it's very valuable to consider that the Internet is a volatile place and to select tools with a proven community behind them. Even Facebook has only been around for 7 years. Compiled by: Ryan Bancroft, rpbancroft@gmail.com
TLC Yearbook!
350.org Climate Change Rally, 2010
TLC First Training
Global Learning Opportunity Online Classroom ďƒ&#x;
Wave to the world, Sylvia & Amanda!
Field Trip to Ozark Alternatives Farm with Jon Bame!
TLC Flashback Events Date
Summer 2011
Event Title TLC GRADUATION 2011!!! Peace Training Youth Resource Board Begins Environment & Health Training Human Rights Training Chatter Workshop Constant Contact Workshop
Wednesday, December 15, 2010 November 2010 Saturday, October 31st, 2010 Tuesday, September 14, 2010 Tuesday, September 7, 2010 Tuesday, July 6, 2010 Sunday, May 9, 2010 Wednesday, March 31, 2010 Saturday, March 27, 2010 Sunday, February 28, 2010 Tuesday, February 23, 2010 Sunday, February 21, 2010 Saturday, February 13, 2010 Monday, January 18, 2010 Thursday, December 17, 2009 Thursday, December 3, 2009 Sunday, November 22, 2009 Sunday, November 15, 2009 Monday, November 9, 2009 Saturday, October 31, 2009 Sunday, October 18, 2009 Saturday, October 17, 2009 Friday, September 25, 2009
Education Training Gingerbread & Green Jobs! Thanksgiving Potluck at Wattle Hollow & Hike Fair Trade Fundraiser Kickoff Global Learning Opportunity Weeklong TLC Info Sessions Sustainable Gardening with TLC: Summer of Solutions Worlds of Food! Fayetteville Public Library Green Tour Building Sustainably for the Homeless The Worldwide We Live & Work Abroad: Study Abroad & PeaceCorps Field Trip Summer of Solutions Project Creation International Valentine’s Dance MLK Day of Service CHALLENGE! Reindeer Romp Gingerbread & Green Jobs (First) Thanksgiving Potluck, Wattle Hollow Food & Networking Training Tour Ozark Natural Foods Reverse Trick-or-Treating Solar Cooker Workshop Make a Difference Day Green Mountain Eco Festival