Jayne Cravens

I miss the Internet of the 1990s.
I miss USENET newsgroups, something on any subject, and people there to help out, encourage, support...
So much less junk and misinformation than now.
No algorithms deciding what I will see.
Such a feeling of community.
I made friends on it I still have now.

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I had the honor today of presenting a live webinar for the Beyond Africa Podcast. The subject: careers in international development. You can see a recording of the webinar on YouTube, download the slides I used and see resources I used in the webinar and that I encouraged people to view after the webinar on my web site here:
https://www.coyotebroad.com/development/workabroad.shtml

Throughout much of the world, connecting to the internet is effortless, with infrastructure ensuring access for nearly everyone. But for off-grid communities, the challenges are two-fold: without devices, building tech skills is nearly impossible, and even when devices are available, there’s often no internet connection.

This double barrier widens the digital divide. At Computer Aid, we are committed to ensuring that even the most remote communities have access to the same resources as the rest of the world through our Solar Community Hubs.

Read more about this and how you can help in the link below:
🔗 https://buff.ly/3MlARNS

NOT my job. But a good job I want to promote:

We are looking for a passionate and experienced Advocacy, Policy, and Campaigns Manager to join our team! This is an exciting opportunity to help shape and drive our global efforts to end child marriage.

As part of our team, you’ll play a crucial role in:
✅ Co-designing and implementing impactful advocacy, policy, and campaigns strategies
✅ Leading and representing our global advocacy and policy influencing agenda
✅ Collaborating with our members and allies to create transformative campaigns

If you’re ready to make a real difference and have the expertise we’re looking for, we want to hear from you!
https://girlsnotbrides.livevacancies.co.uk/ #/job/details/120?target=frame

An organization told me they were having trouble recruiting volunteers. So I did some research and found out they had had more than 150 applications to volunteer since February - but had only a handful of new volunteers engaged with the organization in that time. Why? Because they did not have a system to quickly review, engage and onboard applicants. Here's what onboarding of volunteers should look like (and how to get there):
https://coyotecommunications.com/coyoteblog/2010/12/your-flow-chart-for-volunteers/

Concerned about disinformation? Meet the Anti-Disinformation Repository.

Wikipedia and other Wikimedia projects have been built, from the start, on verifiable sources. Even before combating disinformation became mainstream news, our community focused on the accessibility of trustworthy information, providing reliable information in over 300 languages for people around the world.

In 2022, the Wikimedia Foundation launched the Anti-Disinformation Repository, showcasing various tools and initiatives developed by volunteers, affiliates, and the Foundation to counteract misinformation.

A notable example is the work of Wiki Movimento Brasil, who uses Wikidata to improve historical records about human rights violations during Brazil's military dictatorship.

From 1964 to 1985, Brazil’s military dictatorship heavily censored information and committed many human rights abuses, such as organized torture and unlawful killings. During the dictatorship, collaborative efforts began to secretly document human rights abuses, a crucial step for preserving collective memory and preventing future injustices.

With new disinformation campaigns aimed at erasing the military dictatorship’s crimes, this effort to preserve collective memory continued, and the Wikimedia movement has played a part. By consolidating and curating data from Wikidata, Wiki Movimento Brasil ensures that accurate information remains accessible, safeguarding historical truth. This empowers researchers and the public to confront disinformation.

Read more about our community efforts to combat disinformation ➡️ https://w.wiki/AhTT

Virtual volunteering was mainstream for THOUSANDS of organizations long before COVID. It still gets written about as something "new" even though it's existed since the 1970s (yes, really - it's slightly new than the Internet itself). Read more about myths about online volunteering at the Virtual Volunteering Wiki: https://www.coyotebroad.com/vvwiki/myths.shtml

To successfully engage a diversity of happy volunteers requires creating a diversity of roles for volunteers - short term, high responsibility, group roles, roles for people to work on their own, online opportunities, client-facing, IT related and on and on. And all need to be meaningful to the volunteer. Some folks struggle with creating such a variety of roles for volunteers. This free resource on my web site offers advice: https://www.coyotebroad.com/volunteer/volindex02.shtml

At the small Habitat for Humanity affiliate where I work, someone long before me set up a Google account at the organization just for photos - photos@OURNAME…. It was SUCH a smart thing to do and I wish I could thank the person! It makes it so easy to tell employees, board members, volunteers and ReStore customers where to send the photos they take, and it’s easy to save those photos from the gmail account to the Google photos space....

Quick tip for your nonprofit if it uses Google Workspaces (formerly Google Drive) At the small Habitat for Humanity affiliate where I work, someone long before me set up a Google account at the organization just for photos – photos@OURNAME…. It was SUCH a smart thing to do…

A review of ""Kofi Annan and Global Leadership at the United Nations," written by Annan's former director of strategic planning, Abiodun Williams.

The Kofi Annan of Williams’ telling was a man who met his moment. His inherent traits and personal beliefs were “uniquely suited” to the office of secretary-general. That the suffering of anyone is the concern of everyone was a deeply held tenet of his. He was “perceptive, courteous, patient, and a consensus builder . . . who could wrap up a tough message in soft phrases.

https://www.passblue.com/2024/08/18/the-enduring-influence-of-kofi-annan/

Did you know I wrote one of the FIRST articles about how handheld computer technologies were being used in community service / volunteering / advocacy? My pioneering article, published in October 2001, provides early examples of volunteers/citizens/grass roots advocates using handheld computer/personal digital assistants (PDAs) or phone devices as part of community service / volunteering / advocacy, or examples that could be applied to volunteer settings. It was originally part of the UNITeS online knowledge base. It anticipated the popularity of smart phones and , talking about these concepts long before they had these names. https://coyotebroad.com/unites/handheld/index.shtml

Tech4Causes is a subreddit to discuss examples resources & ideas for applying apps & online tools to activities supporting causes that help humans & the environment. Discuss hackathons / hacks4good, apps4good, community tech centers, ICT4D, ethics regarding such, etc. Discuss how a nonprofit, NGO or community program you work or volunteer with is leveraging ICT - computers, smart phones, online communities, apps, special software - to do its work.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Tech4Causes/

Most nonprofits are terrified of being perceived as political. It's not just a fear that they will violate the strict IRS rules regarding political activities by 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organizations; it's also a fear that they will anger donors and other supporters with a statement that might in any way be perceived as political, and therefore lose funding and volunteers....

Nonprofits: be honest with yourself, your staff & the public about how the November 2024 elections may affect you Most nonprofits are terrified of being perceived as political. It’s not just a fear that they will violate the strict IRS rules regarding political activities by 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organiz…

Less than 4% of the world's top websites meet minimum accessibility standards. That means people with sight impairments, people with mobility issues and many other people with disabilities cannot navigate them properly or at all - and many other web sites they rely on as well. This includes people with temporary issues, like having a broken hand, and people like ME who just need to be able to have responsive designs that adhere to my device settings for larger font sizes. A good opportunity for nonprofits who want their web sites to be accessible is to participate in the Accessibility Internet Rally by the nonprofit Knowbility. Recruitment of both nonprofits to be the clients of the rally and volunteers to learn about accessibility and then design the web sites is happening now. More info:

Accessibility Internet Rally (AIR) — Knowbility The Accessibility Internet Rally (AIR) is a pioneering web accessibility awareness program. Started by Knowbility in 1998 as a local event in Austin, Texas, the rally has evolved into an innovative, unique teaching and learning experience that puts accessibility and digital inclusion front and cente...

I have a list of Defunct Tech4Good web sites, and other sites that I still refer to. These organizations or initiatives are gone, but I still use their old web sites, archived at the Internet Archive. Most of these started being abandoned in 2002. Like the web site for the Community Technology Centers Network, with its information on how to help teach digital literacy which are still helpful today. Or the web sites for the UN's International Year of Volunteers or its World Volunteer Web, both packed with still relevant information on local volunteering all around the world. https://www.coyotebroad.com/tech/defunct.shtml

It’s a sad reality that there are people that use nonprofits and charities to try to make money for themselves, and that recruit volunteers to “help”.
Here are some red flags to look for when signing up to volunteer, so that you can avoid being financially exploited – or worse:
https://coyotecommunications.com/coyoteblog/2024/03/scams-in-volunteering/

No job is forever, and neither is your access to your work email or work intranet: Things to do now so you don’t leave your best work behind when you leave an employer.
https://coyotecommunications.com/coyoteblog/2024/04/beforeyouleave/

35 years ago, arts organizations - theaters, dance companies, galleries and more - were already experienced in target marketing in a way that I feel like so many nonprofits now, particularly those started by corporate folks, are still learning. Back in the 1980s, professional nonprofit theaters in particular had already mastered customer data management: such was fundamental to their cultivating recognition and value in their communities, support that translated regularly into donations. And regular donations mean an organization is sustainable. Here's what you can learn from them for your own nonprofit, even if it doesn't have an arts focus:
https://coyotecommunications.com/coyoteblog/2024/05/arts-organizations-have-always-been-masters-of-customer-relations-data-management/

This is an account written by an Afghan colleague. She was able to flee Afghanistan and now lives in an English-speaking country as a legal refugee. But her sister remains behind. This account is regarding what life is like for her sister back in Kabul, Afghanistan.
https://coyotecommunications.com/coyoteblog/2024/07/left-behind-in-afghanistan/

Are you an advocate for Diversity, Inclusion and Equity (DEI) initiatives? There is a Reddit group - a subreddit - called Inclusion that I am the sole moderator of (volunteer). I post most of the content - and I really cannot do this alone and could really use some help. If you are interested in helping, please join the group and post something that would be on-topic for the group, upvote some of the posts there, and comment, as appropriate, on at least two posts. I'll DM you if I see that.

r/Inclusion Inclusion is the practice or policy of providing equal access to opportunities & resources for people who might otherwise be excluded or marginalized, such as those who have physical or mental disabilities and members of other minority groups. Why is inclusion a good idea? What are the challenges to...

Global Village FAQs What kind of volunteer work can I expect? Do I need construction or language skills? Can I fundraise to cover my expenses? Find the answers to these and other frequently asked questions about Habitat for Humanity’s Global Village program.

Have you commented about in a blog, in a paper, or published interview? Let me know by sending me a link to such in a reply to this message. Thanks!

The endangered women left behind in : an Afghan woman who made it out fears for her sister left behind.
"I wonder if she will die before her case is even decided, and I fear what a rejection will drive her to do."

The endangered women left behind in Afghanistan This is an account written by an Afghan colleague, with grammar and spelling corrected by me. She was able to flee Afghanistan and now lives in an English-speaking country as a legal refugee. This …

Going going almost gone!!! I have just NINE copies of The Last Virtual Volunteering Guidebook left. I gave the book a re-read and was astounded at just how well Susan Ellis and I successfully wrote a book that still matters - and may matter even more now. Buying the book directly from me saves you substantially over buying it from Amazon - and I've just created a NEW, even lower price for it.

The Last Virtual Volunteering Book - a book about online volunteering The Last Virtual Volunteering Guidebook documents the best practices over the more than three decades virtual volunteering has been happening, in a comprehensive, detailed way, so that the collective knowledge can be used with the latest digital engagement initiatives to create online roles and task...

Are you an advocate for Diversity, Inclusion and Equity (DEI) initiatives? Perhaps you are a trainer regarding DEI or work at a nonprofit that promotes DEI. There is a Reddit group - a subreddit - called Inclusion that I am the sole moderator of (volunteer). I post most of the content - and I really cannot do this alone and could really use some help. If you are interested in helping, please join the group and post something that would be on-topic for the group, upvote some of the posts there, and comment, as appropriate, on at least two posts. I'll DM you if I see that.

r/Inclusion Inclusion is the practice or policy of providing equal access to opportunities & resources for people who might otherwise be excluded or marginalized, such as those who have physical or mental disabilities and members of other minority groups. Why is inclusion a good idea? What are the challenges to...

This is an account written by an Afghan colleague, with grammar and spelling corrected by me. She was able to flee Afghanistan and now lives in an English-speaking country as a legal refugee. This account is regarding what life is like for her sister back in Kabul, Afghanistan: When I lived in Afghanistan, I lived with my adult, unmarried sister and my widowed mother, without a male family member, in Kabul....

The endangered women left behind in Afghanistan This is an account written by an Afghan colleague, with grammar and spelling corrected by me. She was able to flee Afghanistan and now lives in an English-speaking country as a legal refugee. This …

A nonprofit lays off an employee, then has her back to do the same job as a volunteer. Legal?
The federal Fair Labor Standards Act generally doesn’t allow private-sector employees to volunteer to do work they were hired to perform & prohibits displacing paid workers for unpaid staff (interns or volunteers). Nonprofits get a bit more leeway, but aren't supposed to perform jobs that would normally be done by paid employees.
From a 2019 WashPo article (gifted).

Perspective | Work Advice: Is it legal for a nonprofit to lay off a part-timer, then welcome her back to do the same job as an unpaid volunteer? Even at a nonprofit, volunteers are not supposed to perform roles that would ordinarily be filled by paid staff.

Several days ago, my husband became a US citizen. One of my employers, a Habitat for Humanity affiliate, sent us a card of congrats, with most staff and volunteers signing it. His own workplace, nor the place where he has volunteered for more than a decade (fire station), did nothing - no card, no message of congrats from the boss or the team.
The corporate world and government sector could learn a LOT about company morale and team-building from the nonprofit world.

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Before you develop yet another app or web site that allows people to search & sign up for volunteering opportunities, consider the problem that all of the current ones face: https://coyotecommunications.com/coyoteblog/2023/05/volunteer-matching-tech/

The problem with volunteer matching platforms isn’t a software issue I get a version of this message regularly from an IT or corporate person: With today’s technology, it seems to me that it should be easier for both volunteers and nonprofits to find appropria…