Crowdsourcing Change

We are working with the UN on developing a giant “dashboard” for the world. This 32 foot by 8 foot high-definition video wall will be a permanent installation at the UN Headquarters in New York where millions of people will see it. There will also be a web version where even more will be able to see and interact with the dashboard.

The project makes the vital statistics of the world increasingly transparent, available, interesting and useful to more and more people—and in ways that are easily understandable and exciting. The purpose is to provide an overview and status report on what is happening right now on Spaceship Earth.

Dignity Housing is a non-profit organization established by formerly homeless people in 1988 to break the cycle of homelessness and poverty confronting low-income and homeless families and individuals in Philadelphia.  Dignity Housing promotes our client’s self-sufficiency by providing affordable rental housing with individualized social services, homeownership opportunities, assistance in pursuit of education objectives, workforce development, and financial management assistance.

The organization has been slow to technology and social media changes but has the goal for the upcoming year to increase our online presence. Our goals include using social media and new technology to attract new supporters, increase online donations, and form coalitions throughout Philadelphia in support of affordable housing. Currently, Dignity Housing has a Facebook page and a recently updated website, www.dignityhousing.org. Dignity Housing also have a fundraising plan to highlight projects online throughout the year, but it will be a first-year effort both with limited resources and limited knowledge.

“Crowdsourcing Change” will be a highly participatory event where attendees will have an opportunity to help three “Social Changers” who are using — or trying to use — the social web for the common good. Dignity Housing is one of our three presenters. Feel free to ask questions in the comments ahead of time, and read more about the event to learn about the other presenters.

Our next Net Tuesday gathering will be for an “Extreme Makeover: Web Strategy Edition”.  We’ll meet at 6:00 PM on Tuesday, March 3 at Buffalo Billiards at 118 Chestnut Street.

Learn how Web 2.0 strategies can be used for nonprofit and social change causes by participating in an interactive “extreme makeover” session.  This format provides a chance for our diverse group of activists and techies to focus our attention on a particular cause.  We will NOT be creating or directly affecting any website; we WILL be thinking and strategizing together about how Web 2.0 tools and principles can be used most effectively to help an actual client achieve their goals.