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Interview: Scott Anderson of ClientTrack

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I recently had the opportunity to connect with Scott Anderson from ClientTrack, a software solution aimed at increasing the impact of social benefit organizations and their work by “integrating people, processes, and technology.”  You can learn more about Scott and the work ClientTrack is doing in the interview below.

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Scott Anderson is the Director of Communications for DSI, the developer of ClientTrack. He earned his PhD in Communications from the University of Texas at Austin. Prior to his PhD, he worked as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in community health, adolescent residential treatment, and a faith-based organization.

(I appreciate this opportunity to talk about ClientTrack and its ability to promote effective collaborations. As many of you know, Amy is a magnificent example of bringing people together through technology to make a difference. I’ve been impressed with her ability to connect people and powerful ideas. I’ve been a “taker” from her source of information, and now I hope I can be a “giver” of information that might help others. Thanks, Amy, for all you do!)

First, what is ClientTrack?

ClientTrack software products and professional services provide comprehensive solutions for the Health, Human and Social Services community.  ClientTrack is an extremely capable web-based solution that fully:

  • Enables organizational best practices and improves efficiency at a pace organizations can support,
  • Ensures and simplifies compliance reporting for funding sources,
  • Enhances outcome reporting to strengthen fundraising and build community awareness, and
  • Optimizes collaborations within and between organizations.

How does CT define “collaboration” and what is so important about it?

For us, collaboration is about using technology to smoothly and effectively bring people and community resources together to accomplish more than what any one entity could accomplish alone. Co-laboring (working together) is not just nice, but necessary in the social service world. From an ecological perspective, individuals who seek support from social services generally require interventions in multiple domains, from housing to work assistance, to counseling, energy assistance, or after school programs, to name a few. Because we want to help the “whole” person, we need to be able to provide “whole” solutions. And that’s what effective collaborations among community providers do.

The words “smoothly” and “effectively” are essential to notice. The “smooth” part refers to ClientTrack’s ability to facilitate (i.e., “make facile, or easy”) the information sharing process. Community service providers can use ClientTrack to securely and confidentially share client information (with client consent). Among other benefits, ClientTrack makes it possible for a provider to immediately check availabilities and openings with other community service organizations, instantly enroll a client in their services, provide immediate referrals, and provide intake information electronically to the other providers. When information and services are shared like this, the client doesn’t have to fill out paperwork again, and providers don’t need to spend unnecessary time re-collecting basic information (which equates to saving money… something we could all use right now!).

By “effective,” I refer primarily to the ability to track client-level information across a number of community services. A primary case-manager, for example, might be able to immediately see that a client visited an employment agency over the last week, or was able to find temporary housing through another service provider. Beyond this immediate knowledge, client outcomes (e.g., quality of life, self-reports, self-sufficiency) can be assessed based on system-wide information, and not simply a “snapshot” of services received in one location.

In summary, collaboration is critical because a client-centric approach, tied into a community of resources through technology, facilitates simplified, whole solutions that can be evaluated based on system-wide outcomes.

Do you have any specific examples about new ways organizations are collaborating more effectively or more efficiently?

Three examples showcase a few of the collaborative efforts of our current clients. Their organizations are of various sizes, and each has unique needs and means for collaboration.

>> Example One: Large Collaborations

One of our clients is the AIDS Foundation of Chicago (AFC; http://www.aidschicago.org). They are a local and national leader in the fight against HIV/AIDS, due in large part to their innovative, collaborative approach to providing services to individuals affected by HIV/AIDS. Specifically, they serve as a “lead agency” overseeing and coordinating services among more than 60 affiliated organizations in the Chicago area. Over 50 of their organizations now use ClientTrack, providing smooth, secure exchanges of client information from one service to the next. The system is configurable to each organization’s specific needs, but shares the same information pool. This translates into a reduction of duplicated information, saved time in information gathering, improved client services, and ultimately, improved organizational efficiency. Shared information allows participating providers to spend less-time in paperwork, and more time in people-work.

The scale of their collaborative efforts is inspiring, but what’s even more notable, is how it all seems to be working out so well. Through this “lead agency” model of collaboration, AFC can provide clients with excellent care across a continuum of services and decrease the gaps in service clients might otherwise experience. Additionally, through this model, AFC is in an unprecedented position to evaluate client-level information from a system-wide perspective. What this means is that they will eventually be able to track the progress of an individual as a result of receiving multiple services throughout the community. Because of their broad vision and future-looking leadership, AFC was recently awarded a substantial grant from a private foundation that will help them improve their client information systems, including enhancements to further leverage their implementation of ClientTrack.

For any who are interested, we are hosting a very relevant webinar in a couple of weeks. The Director of Program Data and Special Projects at AFC will be discussing how AFC has encouraged community programs to “buy into” their collaborative efforts, and the strategies others might consider to successfully build their own collaborative networks. (More information available on the CT website.)

>> Example Two: Resource Power through Collaboration

We are currently in the first phase of implementation with a group of three Community Action Agencies in Massachusetts. In this situation, the collaboration among the organizations is not about the need to share client information between organizations (as a result of geographical separation). Instead, they recognized that a common intake process among all the agencies would benefit policy advocacy and decision-making on a state level. That is, by collaborating to collect the same information and use the same intake assessment, they can improve the quality of information (e.g., number of individuals served, total money spent in given programs) they use in their advocacy efforts on a larger, macro scale.

As a second benefit, their collaborative efforts granted them purchasing power that they would not have had otherwise. As a group, they were awarded a state grant to assist them in implementing software that would support a universal intake solution. With those funds, they hired an agency to help them assess, find, and implement an appropriate solution. They were able to share and reduce costs along the way specifically because they were working together. Their collaborative efforts created funding and service-improvement opportunities they couldn’t have had working alone. Through collaborative efforts, this group of Community Action Agencies is accessing resources that only collaboration could provide.

>> Example Three: Collaboration Effectiveness and Excitement

A final example is Action for Boston Community Development, Inc. (ABCD) (http://www.bostonabcd.org/). ABCD is the oldest and largest community action planning (CAP) agency in the United States. The organization provides more than 100 programs through 13 community neighborhood centers that impact more than 100,000 low-income families in the Boston area.

As a tool for optimizing collaborations, ClientTrack has made a difference for ABCD in three primary ways. First, ABCD has been able to improve their internal collaborations. Specifically, the technology has allowed each of their programs to “speak the same language” in the data they collect and share. Like many nonprofits, they were using a variety of software programs to meet a variety of needs (e.g., intakes, assessments, eligibility determinations, case progress notes, scheduling, referrals). As a result, the ability to share information from program to program or center to center was challenging, given that the information—often duplicated—was created in different formats that were not easily compatible with one another. By using ClientTrack, ABCD was able to standardize the process for collecting information, bring the functionality of many programs into a single program, and share a common pool of securely accessible information about their clients. Through the shared database, workers in ABCD’s neighborhood centers are now able to conduct quicker intakes for clients already in the system, reduce duplicated information, track services received in other programs, simplify referrals, track system-wide outcomes, and many other aspects required for effective case management. By collaborating and sharing information, ABCD’s staff has simplified and automated many of their administrative procedures. This translates directly into letting them focus more on what matters most…the people they serve.

The second benefit for ABCD of collaborating and sharing data is the ability to use information for broader, organizational-wide purposes. Specifically, because their information is stored in one central database, ABCD can access the data in a variety of ways. They can use the information to create reports for various grants they receive (a very large task!), analyze the effectiveness of their programs and services, or create reports that showcase the benefits of their services to donors and their communities. By coordinating shared information among their various programs, they can show better accountability and transparency regarding their funds and the services they provide.

Finally, in developing their collaborations, ABCD has noticed that other programs affiliated with ABCD, but not currently using ClientTrack (whether due to prior investment or funding requirements), are noticing the value of their collaborative efforts. The fact that ABCD’s collaborations in case management are really happening, and are not just ideas on paper, is generating an appeal and excitement among other organizations. This excitement, in turn, will generate further collaborative efforts. When done well, collaborations can perpetuate and expand their own existence, to the benefit of all involved.

Regardless of the specific tools used for collaboration, what are some of the processes or elements to success you’ve seen?

I approach this response with a technology bias. I strongly believe that collaborative technology solutions are critical for social benefit organizations to maintain viability and avoid liability. The paper-based approaches to providing services are a liability for nonprofits, given that many funding organizations increasingly want to be certain their money is being maximized. Seeking grants is fundamentally about reducing uncertainty, and paper-based processes only open the door to greater uncertainty (regarding efficiency, security, privacy, reporting, etc.). With that said, the following is my list of specific processes and elements that lead to successful collaborations:

  1. Visualize your “ideal” collaboration before anything else. This will be the basis of implementing solutions that work.
  2. Find champions of your collaborative efforts and let them help you promote your vision.
  3. Implement a technology solution that can grow, change, and keep up with your vision and expanding collaborative efforts.
  4. Implement a technology solution that can “talk” with other technology solutions used by other organizations.
  5. Implement a technology solution that works with data the same way you work with people…client-centered (not service-centered). This approach to data makes tracking clients across collaborations much easier.
  6. For smaller organizations, join with other community organizations to increase purchasing power on your collaborative technology solutions.
  7. Be creative with collaborations: Share advertising, events, office space, or other resources.
  8. Recognize that collaborations are like marriage or getting a new roommate: you’re bringing together different systems that require mutual adjustments. Those adjustments can be difficult and take time and effort, but are well worth the outcomes.

What’s ahead for you in 2010?

As a ClientTrack team, we are looking forward to 2010 and the opportunities to again link arms with nonprofits everywhere to make a difference. I don’t want to make light of a “kumbaya” setting, but there’s a lot to understanding the power of people and communities coming together in a common cause. These are difficult times for many nonprofits, with tightened funding streams and increased demands for service. 2010 is not likely to improve.

But, we are confident that we have solutions that can help community providers make a difference. Creative collaborations will be critical in 2010; that’s why I’ve identified collaborations as one of the five things nonprofits must know in 2010. We can help organizations leverage technology to improve their day-to-day efficiency, simplify compliance reporting, enhance outcomes reporting, and build meaningful collaborations. We have outstanding products and services, developed and implemented by a group of dedicated people. We look forward to opportunities to share our solutions and work with organizations committed to providing best-practice services, quality care, and life-changing collaborations on behalf of their clients. By pushing together, we can move mountains.

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I’m so happy to share this interview with Scott because of the great examples he has to share from his work and the sector.  He’s been a great resource and conversation starter recently for me.  If you would like to contact Scott, learn more, talk about ideas or examples he has shared here, or just say hi, you can leave a comment here, follow ClientTrack on Twitter, or visit the CT blog.

Published on January 23, 2010 by Amy Sample Ward. 0 Comments

NCVO Ask the Expert: They asked me!

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I’m looking forward to being a speaker this Tuesday (8 December) at the Seminar: Changing ICT – What does it mean for your organisation? put on by the NCVO.  In preparation for my involvement at the seminar I’m participating in the NCVO’s “Ask the Expert” – an opportunity for NCVO members to pose questions and get answers prior to the main event.  I don’t consider myself to be an expert and don’t necessarily think there could be “experts” in a field that changes every day!  But I do love to share my ideas and experience with others and hope this is an opportunity to start many new conversations both with readers here and participants at the seminar.  Here goes!

Some people are beginning to use twitter for adverts…and doing ‘paid tweets’ Is this going against the whole ethos of SM and especially Twitter, when authenticity is the key?” -Claire

I’ll be posting my slides and speaking notes on Tuesday for my session on the topic of “the future of online revenue generation for charities.”  More to come on this question then!  For more:

“I work in a small organisation and have heard a lot about web 2.0 and social media but have not thought it through in relation to my organisation. What are the key things we should think about if we are going to use social media?” -Jenny

To start with, remember that social media isn’t one of your projects or mission areas.  Social media is a tool for you to use to help you achieve your mission.  Including various social media tools in the way you do your work (whether it’s communications, fundraising, outreach, volunteer recruitment or service delivery) comes from strategically identifying the right tools for the right things.  Key questions to ask include: who is your audience? where are they online already and how do they want to interact with you online (is it in the same spaces or different ones, is it conversations or promotion, etc.)?  One you know who you are interacting with, why you want to interact with them, and why they would want to interact with you, choosing the appropriate platforms or tools to do it is much easier.  For more:

“How do you convince technophobes and people who are resistant (or a bit afraid) of the value of social media tools?” -Ellie

I have looked resistance in the face, many times.  When it happens, I always take a deep breath and remember that the resistance isn’t particular to me or to social media.  The resistance for your organization, staff, leadership or board is probably the same that would come if you presented opportunity for any kind of change.  Change is, far too often, scary.  The best thing to do, then, is to show why it isn’t scary but necessary!  If you’ve set up any social media experiments of your own, either representing yourself or the organization, measure your work and the success to share back (how has using those tools increased volunteers, grown your email list, saved you time on promotion, etc.).  If you don’t have any examples to use of your own, look at what others are doing in social media that are in your same sector, geographic location or interest area and use their examples (many organization are public about the work they do in social media, check their blog and see if they share their own case studies).  For more:

“Can you give an example of how a voluntary organization has used Social media effectively to engage with their supporters to generate income for their campaign/cause?” -Claire

There are many different examples out there, ranging from small organization fundraising locally to organizations leveraging the global community for change.  Twestival and Tweetsgiving are relevant and recent with many different people coming together to make them happen.  The difference with using social media for fundraising is that your organization may not even be involved anymore, the way it was offline.  I could create a fundraising page or campaign for your organization, maybe tie it into my running a marathon or my birthday, and would never need to ask your permission, get your information, or even handle the funds!  Social media enables individuals to become your fundraising department, as well as your communications department, etc.  The best tip I can give in this regard is to make sure you put enough information out that people can support you the way they want (don’t get mad that people have the wrong mission statement about your organization, just send them the correct one and say “thanks!” for supporting us; and make sure your real one is prominent to begin with, like on your profiles in social media platforms and so on).  For more:

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    About ‘Ask the Expert’

    “Ask the expert” is a new benefit for NCVO Members. They can ask questions to experts in the voluntary sector and to NCVO advisors.

    About NCVO

    NCVO is a highly effective lobbying organisation and represents the views of its members, and the wider voluntary sector to government, the European Union and other bodies. We are also at the leading edge of research into, and analysis of, the voluntary sector.  We campaign on generic issues affecting the voluntary sector, such as the role of the voluntary organisations in public service delivery and the future of local government. Learn more about the NCVO here.

    Published on December 6, 2009 by Amy Sample Ward. 0 Comments

    Invention, Technology and Social Change: What’s driving you?

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    I was interviewed recently by Petra Kroon, a blogger focused on social media and entrepreneurship in The Netherlands, in which she asked some really great questions, including what I thought the trend would be for social entrepreneurship in 2010 as well as where we may be in 25 years.  The questions, and listening back to how I responded (as painful as it may be to listen/watch yourself on video!), made me think again about the open-ended topic Ashoka posed in it’s “Blog your way to Hyderabad” competition announcement: the interconnection between technology, invention and social change.

    Invention, Technology and Social Change: What’s driving you?

    I truly believe that invention or innovation, especially in the field of technology, is not just fueling the way we campaign for social change via social media tools, but is also driven by the social change we seek—there’s a back and forth, an exchange, a partnership in the two.  I also think that examining this idea in a place where the 3 areas create a very clear Venn Diagram, like India, invites a wide range of voices to the conversation.

    Let’s take an example:
    Recently, I had the opportunity to connect with some Ashoka Fellows from around the world to help train them on the uses and applications of social technologies in their social impact work.  One of the participants was Pratima from Shelter Associates in Pune, India.  They “work with the urban poor, particularly women in informal settlements to facilitate, and provide technical support to, community-managed housing (slum rehabilitation) and infrastructure projects.”  In their work, they’ve used GIS mapping technology to create a visual story, a guide, and clear data about areas of poverty and city planning.  The GIS and online mapping technology existed before their project, but Shelter Associates were able to leverage it in a way that helps them advocate for and support work to make changes.  But, their continued use of GIS for social change can contribute to the development directions of the tools (they are using Google Earth).

    There are so many examples we could include.  Do you have one you’d like to share?

    Tools: Builders and Users
    This is also a great opportunity to continue the conversation that’s started spreading around the web about the relationship between organizations and activists using social media tools in their work and those building the tools.  With recent events like Causes leaving MySpace and ideablob shutting down, social changemakers have had to re-evaluate the way they select and use “free” social media tools that they cannot control.  I have been thinking lately about how we can create a space where changemakers, activists and organizations can be part of a conversation with the developers and the funders of tools to ensure that development is open, all contributors are aware of the plans and limitations in any agreement or tool, and so on.

    It’s only an budding idea, though, so I’d love to hear your feedback!

    As I said in the interview, I can’t imagine what technologies will be in use 25 years from now.  I hope that we can actively co-create a global community that is more just and sustainable where innovations aren’t driven by social change needs.  But, if we aren’t there yet, I have no doubt that the majority of innovations and inventions around the world will leverage technology as a tool and aid in either campaigning for the social changes still needed or the tools to implement necessary change and advancement.

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    Ashoka: Innovators for the Public are hosting Tech 4 Society, a conference exploring technology, invention and social change, in Hyderabad, India, in February 2009. Find out more about the conference here. This blog post is an entry in their competition to find the official blogger to travel to and cover the event.

    Published on November 24, 2009 by Amy Sample Ward. 1 Comment

    Interview: Social Media and Social Entrepreneurs

    Published in interview. 2 Comments Tags: , , , .

    This past weekend I had the opportunity to be in Rotterdam, Netherlands, for the European Summit.  There I met Petra Kroon in person, someone I follow online in the nonprofit technology space.  It’s always great to meet offline with folks you’ve already had conversations with online.  Petra wanted to a short interview before the event was over and she asked some interesting questions, like:

    • What’s so powerful in social media for social entrepreneurs
    • What is advice for entrepreneurs in 2010
    • What will the world look like in 25 years

    Be sure to catch Petra’s blog (in Dutch, so use a translation tool like Google Translate) or follow her on Twitter.

    Why social innovation benefits from social media from sociaal ondernemen on Vimeo.

    What do you think?

    What are your answers to Petra’s questions?  I’d love to hear what you would have said!

    Published on November 24, 2009 by Amy Sample Ward. 2 Comments

    Interview: Avi Kaplan, Epic Change for TweetsGiving

    Published in events and interview. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

    Originally posted on the NetSquared blog.

    epic change tweetsgiving logoI recently had the opportunity to connect with Avi Kaplan, the Community and Events Director at Epic Change, to discuss the upcoming TweetsGiving campaign and events.  Avi is just back from Tanzania where he and other Epic Change team members were working with the students in the classroom built with last year’s TweetsGiving proceeds.

    Find out more in the interview below!

    What is Epic Change?
    Epic Change is a US nonprofit dedicated to helping social entrepreneurs harness the power of their stories to create change in their communities. We are a very heartful organization and a lot of what we do is thanks to an incredible group of volunteers.

    What is TweetsGiving?
    TweetsGiving is a global celebration of gratitude and giving on November 24-26. Participants will share what they are grateful for through Twitter and other online media and attend gratitude parties around the world. People donate to a shared cause in honor of that for which they are most grateful. Where do the funds go? Funds raised will go to support the work of Mama Lucy Kampton (@MamaLucy), a ChangeMaker who has transformed her community in Arusha, Tanzania through her school Shepherd’s Junior.

    What was last year’s celebration like and how do you think it’ll be different this year?
    TweetsGiving last year was overwhelming because we put the program together so quickly and really didn’t know what kind of response we would get. Once the tweets of gratitude started to flow in we new we had identified a very powerful emotional chord with people. The tone of the messages and the level of participation we saw were hopeful and inspiring. The addition of gratitude parties this year is significant. A different kind of reflection is accomplished face-to-face than you can achieve behind a computer screen. I expect the parties to be lively gatherings and for people to form new relationships and to come with open hearts ready to share.

    How can people get involved?
    You can find an event to attend on our website TweetsGiving.org, volunteer to host a gratitude party (it’s not too late!), and join the Epic Change Community online to receive continued updates on the project.

    What are you up to right now in Africa?
    We just spent three weeks at Shepherd’s Junior near Arusha, Tanzania setting up a technology lab and wireless internet at the school. Together with our fabulous volunteers Melissa & AJ Leon of theLacProject, we taught the students and teachers about computers and social media. The students of Class Five at the school are now on Twitter and Tumblr and you can follow them all by clicking their pictures in this blog post. The internet has opened up the world for these students and their teachers are increasingly using the web in their curriculum.

    For more details from our recent work here, including video, photos and more in-depth coverage of all about the work we’ve been up to in Tanzania on the “I <3 Epic Change” Blog created by theLacProject and in a recent article in the Huffington Post.

    I hope you’ll join us for TweetsGiving and I’m really excited for what’s next at Epic Change.

    About Avi
    After over a year working as a volunteer, Avi is excited to join Epic Change as the Community and Events Director. He is a South Florida native and currently lives in Washington DC. He’s interested in using technology to organize for social change and is a recent Harvard graduate. You can find him on twitter (@MeshugAvi)or by email (Avi@EpicChange.org).

    Published on November 3, 2009 by Amy Sample Ward. 0 Comments

    Innovation: Clay Shirky Interview & NetSquared Challenges

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    Originally posted by me on the NetSquared blog.

    NetSquared currently has 3 open Challenges, calling for innovators and change makers around the world to submit ideas for Web and mobile-based technologies for social change.  I recently sat down with Clay Shirky, author of Here Comes Everybody, and asked what he thought about the impact of the social web on innovation.

    Check out his answer (video) and Challenges you can dive into today!

    UC Berkeley Human Rights Center Mobile Challenge

    The Human Rights Center is sponsoring a challenge to encourage innovations for applying mobile technologies for human rights investigations and advocacy. Through a NetSquared Community vote, 10 finalists will be chosen. All 10 finalists will be invited to present their ideas at an international conference, “The Soul of the New Machine: Human Rights, Technology, and New Media,” at UC Berkeley, May 4 and 5, 2009. A panel of judges, selected by the Human Rights Center, will choose three winners, to be announced at the conference. Winners will receive cash awards of $15,000 (first place), $10,000 (second place), and $5,000 (third place) to implement their ideas.

    N2Y4 Mobile Challenge

    N2Y4’s Mobile Challenge calls for your world-changing ideas of how mobile applications can help citizens, groups and others create a better world for everybody.  NetSquared and our Challenge Sponsors invite submissions of innovations in mobile technologies for use by civil society.  Through a NetSquared Community vote, 14 Featured Projects will be selected to participate in this year’s NetSquared Conference.  Two representatives from each of the 14 Featured Projects will be invited to present their ideas in person at N2Y4, May 26-27, 2009 and compete for cash prizes.

    Social Actions’ Change the Web

    Social Actions’ Change the Web Challenge is about building innovative tools to help people find and share opportunities to take action on the Web sites, blogs, and social networks that we all visit everyday.  We want you to dream up a new tool to help people find and share actions. Any Web enabled device can become a place to connect with actions: your iPhone, news sites and blogs, Facebook & other social networks, or even in your own Web site! We’re excited to see what you come up with!  Did we mention that there’s also $10,000+ in prizes!

    There’s a lot happening around the world right now with Web and mobile-based technologies and the opportunities for innovators to combine new tools with social benefit are rich.  These three challenges offer three more ways for you to showcase your ideas, find new collaborators, and even have a chance to win money for implementation.

    Here’s to seeing you in the Project Gallery!

    Published on March 4, 2009 by Amy Sample Ward. 0 Comments

    Net2 Think Tank & Social Innovation Review: Changing Role of Nonprofits

    Published in interview, issues, net2thinktank and otherblogs. 1 Comment

    My conversations so far for February are all focused on the role of nonprofits online.  I would LOVE for you to get in on the conversations, too!

    Standford Social Innovation Review

    This month’s blog post on the SSIR opinion blog picks up where last month’s started.  It is also my contribution to the Net2 Think Tank (details below).

    Last night, I had the great opportunity to interview Clay Shirky, the author of Here Comes Everybody.  The first thing I asked about was his view of the new role of nonprofit organizations in the social media or technology revolution that is well underway.  I think it’s an interesting topic and wanted to continue the conversation here with you!

    I asked Prof. Shirky specifically about the avenues of participation, content, and convening online.  Last month, my blog here on SSIR discussed the idea that nonprofit organizations, with the use of social media, can now create shared spaces online for their communities—truly convene groups online.  I still think this is one of the most dynamic opportunities that nonprofit organizations have now, providing a way to be more than a source, a service, or a membership.

    Shirky points out in the video that nonprofits can’t participate online in the same way that individuals can.  I think this is a hard concept for many to agree with because of the process by which the social media tools are most often adopted in organizations:  for example, Jane really likes taking pictures and usually posts them to Flickr (an online photo sharing website) as a way to store them, sort them, and share them.  After taking some pictures at the local holiday parade, she finds that many others wanted to post their pictures on Flickr and started a group to pull them all together.  She posts her photos to the group and something clicks, “we could do this for our annual holiday event!” Jane brings up the idea with her organization’s executives and they decide to give it a try, but only if Jane takes responsibility for implementation, monitoring, support, and so on.

    In that example, it would be difficult for Jane to really approach using Flickr from a different perspective than how she is already using it personally.  Why?  Because the difference isn’t in using the tools per se, we all have the same functionality to upload, tag, comment, etc.  But the important difference is all about the formation of connections, or relationships.

    We have all heard before that social media is allowing a conversation to take place online: people are talking to each other, people are talking to organizations, organizations are talking to people, and so forth.  Well, those connections are really important, but not in a highest-friend-count kind of way.  It’s great for organizations to inspire hundreds or thousands of supporters to join their group, forum, network or whatever other opportunity that’s available.  What’s really great and exciting to see happen more and more across the web is organizations creating opportunities to connect members to members, and not just to the organization.

    Here’s another example:  I may really support the League of Women Voters, could maybe find them online and join a network, but it would probably be nationally oriented or have chapter-specific relevancy that was still larger than me and my networks.  If the League of Women Voters could look at the network, see the kinds of opportunities present for members to connect with each other, and then provide the resources to connect (whether it is online tools, facilitating offline events, or just letting people know about each other) the ripple effects in the network could really create synergy amongst members and produce untapped enthusiasm for the organization.

    Instead of thinking, “what can the relationships with members do for our organization?” or, “what can our relationships do for our members?” try thinking of this:

    “What can the relationships between our members do for our community?”

    So, perhaps the changing role of nonprofit organizations in the online space is not one of playing catch-up to the early adopters and hyper-connected individuals, nor is it one of “friending” big names or joining every platform; but is one of strategically convening supporters to create dynamic connections across the community.

    What do you think? Are there organizations that you think are doing this already and are doing it well?  Which organizations do you wish were doing this?  How do you think organizations can begin?

    Join the conversation on the SSIR blog!

    Net2 Think Tank & Book Giveaway

    Topic:

    What do you think the role of nonprofit organizations is in the changing world of social media?

    How do nonprofits participate online differently than individuals?  How do nonprofits convene groups or create content that fits with the changing online environment?  Which organizations are charting the way, navigating the new tools well?  If you don’t know any organizations to point to that are already succeeding, what should organizations do to get there?

    Deadline: Saturday, February 21st

    Book Giveaway:

    A free copy of the new paperback edition of Clay Shirky’s Here Comes Everybody (with a new chapter) will be given to one contributor randomly selected (all your names will go in a hat, and one will be drawn!).

    How to contribute:

    • Blog your answer to the question either on your blog or the NetSquared blog. (For directions on contributing to the NetSquared blog, click here.)
    • Tag your blog with “net2thinktank”
    • Email Amy Sample Ward the link to your post!

    Be sure to get your submission in on time to be in the running for the free book!  Email Amy the link to your post by Saturday, February 21st.

    Published on February 5, 2009 by Amy Sample Ward. 1 Comment

    Interview: Chris Spavin on Global Entrepreneurship Week

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    Originally posted on the NetSquared blog.

    It’s Global Entrepreneurship Week, so I have the inside scoop from Chris Spavin, a member of the Make Your Mark team working with partners to deliver GEW, catalyze events overseas, and assist the campaign’s development abroad.  Chris believes, “there is so much untapped potential in people and sometimes all we need is a simple catalyst.”  Learn more about the work below in Chris’ own words and find out how you can get involved!

    What’s Global Entrepreneurship Week all about?

    Global Entrepreneurship Week is a campaign to inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs, and to unleash ideas that will address some of society’s biggest issues.  The point is we need entrepreneurs and we need more of them, now more than ever.  Organizations in over 75 countries are supporting this cause by ‘hosting’ their own national version of the campaign.

    How is Make Your Mark contributing?

    Make Your Mark is a co-founder of Global Entrepreneurship Week, along with a US-based organization called the Kauffman Foundation.  We are both responsible for coordinating the global campaign, and offering support and guidance to our partners around the world.  The campaign model is based on Make Your Mark’s Enterprise Week in the UK, which will be running for the fifth time this year as part of Global Entrepreneurship Week.  We’ve got great experience running this type of campaign—there are over 6,000 events during the week in the UK alone this year—and we’re sharing it.

    How can people get involved in GEW?

    One of our main aims of this campaign is to mainstream entrepreneurship so there’s something that everyone can do to get involved.  Individuals can register on our website and our forum.  Organizations can run their own events, either for the public or for their staff, to inspire more entrepreneurial, or innovative, behaviour.  Educators can get their students involved in competitions, including the Make Your Mark Challenge if you’re a school in the UK, or something like Stanford’s Global Innovation Tournament if you’re in a university.  You can attend a Speednetwork the Globe event if you want to meet like-minded people in person, or you can meet them via our online community.  If you’re involved in the media, you can write about Global Entrepreneurship Week to help us raise our profile.  All of our competitions and events are available on our website, and there really is stuff happening everywhere.

    Is this going to keep going beyond the end of the week?

    Absolutely.  This has been the very first Global Entrepreneurship Week and it’s going to run year-on-year.  We’ve been doing it for five years in the UK but the vast majority of other countries are running this campaign for the first time.  They are tremendously excited to build on their initial success this year, and to make an even bigger bang in 2009.  We can’t wait to see how things grow.

    What are some of the ideas you’ve heard about this week that inspire you?

    There are a few of them that stick out in my mind.  Amy Carter-James is a young British woman who set up her own lodge in Northern Mozambique that is both a high-end hotel and social enterprise that ploughs its profits back into the local community.  I think it’s going to have a massive impact on Mozambique and the idea itself is quite simple.  I also met an entrepreneur called Shed Simove who comes up with new novelty gift ideas – the kind of crude and hilarious things you find at Urban Outfitters.  Although both of these entrepreneurs are on opposite sides of the social benefit spectrum (Shed may disagree with me about that!), they are people who have taken simple, fun ideas from out of their minds and turned them into profitable businesses.  I find that the simplest business ideas are often the most inspirational because they really demonstrate that: “hey, I could do this, too”.

    If you could be anywhere in the world for GEW, where would you want to be?

    Aaaah, this is a difficult question!  And it’s actually one of the first questions I asked myself and a few colleagues at the beginning of the week.  I have to pick three.  The Brazilian campaign is really impressive: they’ve got lots of amazing things going on and even managed to get a commercial featuring Michael Dell on national TV.  Plus it’s nice and warm there—or at least I imagine it to be!  The campaign in Kenya is also exciting: they had a big football/music event in Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi.  Finally, Malta joined the campaign only very recently but have managed to pull lots of stuff together; the team there is so enthusiastic and pro-active.  I would spend my time between the three places  :-)

    What, in your opinion, is the most important reason to get involved in GEW?

    I believe that everyone on this planet realizes why entrepreneurship is important, even if it’s not right for them.  Not everyone can be an entrepreneur, or wants to be (it’s not easy!), but I think every young person, no matter where they’re from, should be encouraged to at least consider it for themselves, and have access to the necessary support should they decide to take the plunge.  There is so much untapped potential in people and sometimes all we need is a simple catalyst – could be meeting a person, or an inspirational story on the net – to take the next step and start turning our ideas into reality.  Entrepreneurs – whether self-employed or currently employed by somebody else – are the people who will come up with the new ideas and create the new businesses that will lead us into a more prosperous time.

    How you can get involved:

    Published on November 21, 2008 by Amy Sample Ward. 0 Comments

    BullyingUK wins Innovation Award

    Published in interview and webtools. 0 Comments Tags: , .

    Earlier this month, I posted an interview with John Carnell of BullyingUK.  John mentioned in that interview the current Click, Create and Print area of the BullyingUK website, letting teachers and students, parents and children create their own anti-bullying posters.

    What was the order or progression of social media adoption at BullyingUK?
    As I said before, social media has been a part of our work since before “social media” was a buzzword.  As the founder and CEO it’s my job to identify technologies and services years in advance of becoming mainstream. I then look at how that technology can be used to further our Anti-bullying work: Click, Create and Print is a perfect example using technology that so far no other charity or business has thought of combing the way we have.

    Click, Create and Print is an online poster creater that allows schools to build and print their own posters (saving schools £34,000 so far).  Each poster then has a special barcode that allows a child to snap the code with their mobile phone to download a copy of the poster which they can then share with friends via bluetooth or mms or upload back to the web—creating a perfect circle!

    I think this is the first time anyone has created a project that fills in the digital divide in such a unique way—it really is a whole new spin on a very old issue.

    John wasn’t the only one to think that BullyingUK was onto something innovative and unique.  The Click, Create and Print project won BullyingUK a TalkTalk Innovation Award!

    The website  www.bullying.co.uk/poster   allows any young person to make their own anti-bullying poster. On each poster are two special codes. When snapped with a mobile phone camera they allow the user to access a digital copy of the poster that can then be shared with other young people via MMS or Bluetooth. A second code allows access to the charity’s mobile advice site www.bullying.co.uk .

    The project was funded with donations from the family and friends of Ben Vodden, the 11-year-old Sussex schoolboy who killed himself after bullying on the school bus in 2006. So far, more than 10,000 unique posters with a tribute to Ben have been created by schools all over the UK.

    John Carnell, founder and CEO  of Harrogate-based Bullying UK said: “We are proud to be recognised by TalkTalk as one of the UK’s most innovative charities. Eighteen months ago we identified QR codes as being key to the uptake of the mobile web and the filling in of another bit of the digital divide. Even if people are in a rush they can snap the code from the poster with their phone and get immediate help from our mobile website.”

    Congrats to John and the rest of the team at BullingUK!  Keep up the meaningful and successful work!

    Published on November 20, 2008 by Amy Sample Ward. 0 Comments

    Gordon Brown at Chain Reaction 2008

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    To close off day 1 of the 2-day Chain Reaction event taking place on the Southbank of London, Gordon Brown spoke to participants about the economic situation, entrepreneurship and the opportunities at hand.  With David Wilcox’s camera in hand, I had a front row seat to record the speech.  Watch it below!

    Check out other videos from the conference at Qik and YouTube!

    Published on November 18, 2008 by Amy Sample Ward. 0 Comments