-
-
10 reasons why teenagers aren't that bad
As the British press works itself into a panic about the UK's teenage population - binge-drinking, drug-addled, knife-wielding thugs ready to leap out and stab a granny for a fiver, if recent reports are to be believed - BBC journalist Mark Easton stands up for this much-maligned group:
"10 reasons to cheer our teenagers
There is a real problem with knife-crime in some parts of the UK, let's not pretend otherwise. And there are many other problems concerning young people in this country.
But I thought it might be timely to remind ourselves that youth doesn't necessarily mean yob.
So here are ten reasons to cheer our teenagers:
1. Teenagers are more likely to do voluntary work than people from any other generation. In fact, they are 10 times more likely to be volunteering in our communities than regularly being antisocial in them.
2. More teenagers than ever before are staying on at school after 16 to study.
3. And more than ever are going on to further and higher education.
4. Despite the vilification, young people are far more likely to say England is a good place to grow up in (90%) than adults ( 71%).
5. And yet it is young people who are the most likely to be victims of crime.
6. They work hard at school - a record 62% of teenagers achieved 5 GCSEs grades A-C last year compared with 44% a decade earlier and 26% ten years before that.
7. Nearly two-thirds of 10-to-15-year-olds have helped raise money for charity.
8. According to English schools inspectors, bad behaviour in comprehensives is at its lowest level for at least a decade.
9. 175,000 under 18-year-olds are unpaid carers in the UK with some 13,000 providing more care than a full-time job (50+ hours).
10. In a recent survey more than nine out of ten young people said they thought their schoolwork was important and more than three-quarters enjoyed going to school.
This list doesn't mean teenagers are all little angels. They aren't and they never have been. But it would be a shame to demonise a social group that is actually happier, achieving at a higher level, with better health and more opportunity for travel, sport and cultural activities than any previous generation in our history.
As the British press works itself into a panic about the UK's teenage population - binge-drinking, drug-addled, knife-wielding thugs r... more -
Busta Rhymes set for free Royal Albert Hall gig
Busta Rhymes has announced he will play a free gig at London's Royal Albert Hall especially for London's young volunteers.
According to NME, about 5,000 tickets will be available for people who have volunteered for four hours on one of the specially set-up community projects.
There are also three yet-to-be-announced artists set to join Busta for the gig.
Busta Rhymes has announced he will play a free gig at London's Royal Albert Hall especially for London's young volunteers. ... more -
Making Old Bikes New for Post-Katrina New Orleans | Hugg 2.0
Great little blurb about RUBARB, a bike reclamation outfit in New Orleans. They're doing some great things with nothing, for nothing.
The TreeHugger.com article links here: http://ecolocalizer.com/2008/06/27/making-old-bikes-new...
Rubarb's website is here: http://www.rubarbike.org/index.html Great little blurb about RUBARB, a bike reclamation outfit in New Orleans. They're doing some great things with nothing, for nothing.... more -
Burmese Music Students Providing Aid to Cyclone Victims
First hand accounts from volunteer student aid workers in Burma, vividly portrays the desperate situation and the amazing spirit of the Burmese as they step up to help each other. First hand accounts from volunteer student aid workers in Burma, vividly portrays the desperate situation and the amazing spirit of th... more
-
NEW... NEW ORLEANS.
Years after the devastating Hurricane Kitrina, a group of university students travels to New Orleans to help the continuing rebuilding efforts. This is NOT a look back but a step forward as this once amazing city welcomes the volunteers who will help rebuild her.
We will travel to the part of town where water was up to the rooftops, we will look at a levee and do some roofing in the lower 9th ward. We will watch this group take the molded walls out of a house while preserving the studs and framework and watch as the same group gets into a heated argument about something as trivial as an ice cream run.
NEW... NEW ORLEANS will put you on ground level with the hope and triumphs of the volunteers!
RUN TIME: 05:10
BY: Kelly King
Years after the devastating Hurricane Kitrina, a group of university students travels to New Orleans to help the continuing rebuilding... more -
Good Luck If You're Uninsured
The Ithaca Health Alliance runs a free clinic in Ithaca, NY to care for those whom the health insurance system has left behind. Politicians have promised universal health care for generations, but more Americans than ever before remain un-or-underinsured and in constant fear for their health. Millions of the uninsured are young college grads like Justine and her boyfriend Brian, who are caught off guard when a serious illness strikes and feel trapped when insurance won't cover her "pre-existing condition." The Ithaca Health Alliance runs a free clinic in Ithaca, NY to care for those whom the health insurance system has left behind. Politi... more
-
The People, United
This documentary follows the Los Angeles chapter of the A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition as they prepare for a mass anti-war demonstration on Hollywood Blvd on March 15, 2008. Through the eyes and voice of four Volunteers (Corrazon, Gina, Nasser, and John) we gain insight to how these protests are made possible and why average citizens are willing to take to the streets and exercise their rights to challenge their government. This documentary follows the Los Angeles chapter of the A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition as they prepare for a mass anti-war demonstration on Ho... more
-
Vespadition 40,000 Miles of Kindness
A man, a Vespa, 49 States, 8 Canadian provinces and a personal mission to spread kindness, compassion and volunteerism. This documentary chronicles the experiences of Peter Ramstine “Matua” as he makes his way through Utah, Wyoming and Colorado, a small part of his 40,000-mile long journey.
“I want to inspire people to reach-out to their neighbors. Not the neighbors they know, but the ones they don’t know. I want to inspire people to stop by ‘that soup kitchen‘ they’re always passing by. I want to inspire people to do ‘that thing‘ they’ve ‘always wished they could do.”
“Moreover, I’m doing Vespadition because I’m personally tired of talking-the-talk without walking-the-walk. I’m fed up with watching things happen and complaining about them without doing anything meaningful to change it. I’m doing it because I’m tired of being sad at the sight of some of the things I see going on in this world. I’m doing it because I’ve decided simply that I must.”
“I’m doing Vespadition to do it. To be kind. To be compassionate. To volunteer to help-out wherever I can to help make even the slightest, smallest difference.”
Peter Ramstine
A man, a Vespa, 49 States, 8 Canadian provinces and a personal mission to spread kindness, compassion and volunteerism. This documenta... more -
From the Soul Up // Comment Picked for TV
Thanks to JordiLippe for her thoughtful response to "From the Soul Up", a pod about an organization that encourages artists, musicians, comedians and writers to share their talents with hospitalized children. Check it out here: http://current.com/items/76304922_from_the_soul_up Thanks to JordiLippe for her thoughtful response to "From the Soul Up", a pod about an organization that encourages artists, musicians... more
-
Walk in Blake's Shoes
Blake Mycoskie was a budding entrepreneur when his sister convinced him to join her on The Amazing Race 2. The experience on the show led him to go back to countries like Argentina, where he quickly saw the need locals had for basic items like shoes. He decided to start the shoe brand "Toms Shoes" made up of altruism-minded 20 somethings that donates one free pair of shoes in third world countries for every pair sold. Blake Mycoskie was a budding entrepreneur when his sister convinced him to join her on The Amazing Race 2. The experience on the show ... more
-
I was an Obama volunteer
And now I have the same feeling in my gut, staring at Tommy's head and listening to Obama speak, as I did trying to get in to that bar: I'm close, but some blue-collar white guy stands in my way. And I guess that's how I feel about the campaign, too.
"So join me now, Philadelphia," shouts Obama, frenzying the crowd, "and let's go change the world together."
Maybe, I think to myself. Or maybe we'll just get really close to changing it.
This is the story of a journalist who went undercover to volunteer in the Obama campaign in PA. It offers a sharp contrast to the journalist who went undercover in Clinton's campaign. You can find the other story here: http://current.com/items/88910234_i_was_a_clinton_volun... And now I have the same feeling in my gut, staring at Tommy's head and listening to Obama speak, as I did trying to get in to that bar... more -
Solidarity for Schultz
On March 12, one of NC State University's most prominent student leaders was diagnosed with leukemia. Nick Schultz is the 2007-08 Leader of the Pack. On April 3, dozens of his fellow NC State students showed up with food and donations. And some shaved their heads to show support for this special student. On March 12, one of NC State University's most prominent student leaders was diagnosed with leukemia. Nick Schultz is the 2007-08 Lea... more
-
The 924 Gilman Street Project
This is a podcast about the 924 Gilman Street Project. An all-ages punk rock venue in Berkeley, California.
-
One million pills, One million tons of electronics targeted for Great Lakes 2008 E...
Numerous faith communities, American Indians tribes and many others being recruited to volunteer or participate in large eight-state Earth Day 2008 events across the Great Lakes Basin.
Collections sites will accept old/broken computers, cell phones, TVs and other electronics to be recycled, and old/unwanted medicines to be properly disposed during the Great Lakes 2008 Earth Day Challenge
The EPA is awarding grants to some of the collection sites where residents can drop off e-waste and old/unwanted pharmaceuticals. The new Earth Healing Initiative will be organizing faith communities
For more details read the article or check out these links: Or call Greg at 906-401-0109.
Earth Healing official website::
http://www.EarthHealingInitiative.org
EPA Press Release on challenge:
http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/0/D48F2AD96EC6...
EPA GLNPO Official challenge link:
http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/earthday2008/index.html
http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/earthday2008/events.html Numerous faith communities, American Indians tribes and many others being recruited to volunteer or participate in large eight-state E... more -
Compton Jr. Posse // Comment Picked for TV
Here's mirimysweet's response to "Compton Jr. Posse" -- thanks for another great posting!
-
stream team
Stream Team is a volunteer program that keeps an eye on the rivers and streams in Ventura County, California.
-
Victims Give Back
9/11 Youth victims give back to the communities impacted by Katrina. Teens partner with Habitat for Humanity to build homes for displaced families in New Orleans. 9/11 Youth victims give back to the communities impacted by Katrina. Teens partner with Habitat for Humanity to build homes for displ... more
-
USING SKYPE WITH ONLINE VOLUNTEERS - A POWERFUL TOOL FOR A NON-PROFIT
Winnipeg, Canada, November 15, 2006: In working with online volunteers, there are certain types of tasks where real time voice communication can be an efficient way to solve a problem quickly. When Canadian-based charitable organization Macdonald Youth Services’(MYS) encounters these types of situations, they reach for Skype, a free cross-platform computer application that allows them to talk to their online volunteer Skype users anywhere in the world for free.
MYS’s Online Volunteer Program developer Randy Tyler highlights how the clarity of a real-time Skype voice conversation helped him advance their video production.
“We are currently working on the production of a Youth Care Worker recruitment video and during an hour long Skype conversation with the Indiana-based online volunteer producer, I was able to move the project forward very quickly, commented Tyler. Working out the video direction via e-mail would have been possible but would have taken much longer,” continued Tyler.
“Skype is a cost-effective tool that lends itself to conditions that are best served by real-time communications across all points of the globe,” stated Indiana-based online volunteer video producer, Kibben Miller.
“In media development, Brainstorming is a critical element to insure objectives are addressed and creative solutions are explored. The give and take between collaborators is vital to a project’s success and Skype is a tool that allows this interaction without technology or a colleague’s location presenting additional barriers” Miller added.
Tyler also develops and maintains MYS’s Web site. Highly-skilled online volunteers are an invaluable resource MYS uses to assist them to enhance their charitable organization’s Web site. However, when using e-mail, testing changes in software can be a protracted process. For MYS’s Tyler, Skype was an effective and efficient tool in quickly arriving at a solution when working with Online Volunteer software developer Eugen Bodolak, who is based in the Middle East (Cyprus).
“Instead of exchanging a number of e-mail messages, testing and replying, we connected via Skype,” said Tyler. “Along with Skype’s voice communication, we also used the application’s chat feature to exchange code snippets and its file transfer ability to transfer finals, which resulted in a quick fix to the Perl-based script,” added Tyler.
“Information is the key word, ‘information is power’, if the power comes free, why not to take advantage of it,” stated MYS’s Middle East Online Volunteer Eugen Bodolak. “In comparison with other softs, that serves the same purpose, the rate of used system resource and quality since to be in the advantage of the Skype,” added Bodolak.
As SkypeOut (meaning a call from a computer to a landline or mobile) is currently free throughout North America to the end of December, Tyler also uses Skipe to call MYS online volunteers located in the US or Canada. To ensure that online volunteers can connect with him or so that he can leave a voice message for other MYS online volunteers using Skype, Tyler also subscribes to Skype Voicemail. Although not free (it is about $20.00 Canadian a Year), Tyler find the service invaluable.
“With Skype Voicemail, because my computer doesn’t have to left on, I do not miss any messages,’ stated Tyler. “Moreover, I can leave a five or ten minute voicemail message (and communicate my message more effectivelty) for an online volunteer Skype user that would take me an hour or more to type.” commented Tyler.
To subscribe or unsubscribe from MYS’s Virtual Volunteering News E-Mail List, please see the URL below:
http://www.mys.ca/cgi-bin/media/mail_list.pl
For Further Information:
Randy Tyler
Webmaster/Online Volunteer Program Developer
Macdonald Youth Services
Winnipeg, MB Canada
W: http://www.mys.ca/aov
W: http://www.mys.ca/volunter
E: http://www.mys.ca/cgi-bin/randy_email.cgi
Skype: randytyler_canada
Video Mail: http://www.mys.ca/vm
PGP Key: http://www.mys.ca/pgp Winnipeg, Canada, November 15, 2006: In working with online volunteers, there are certain types of tasks where real time voice communi... more -
How To Use Skype with Your Online Volunteers: A Free Video Tutorial
Winnipeg, Canada: Although Skype states their VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) application is relatively "easy to download, install and use", a visual tutorial may help those with installing and using this program for the first time. As apart of the best practises publication about Online Volunteering being developed by Randy Tyler, MYS has facilitated the creation of many how-to videos.
In this context, Macdonald Youth Services (MYS) is pleased to share a video tutorial that provides an overview of how to download, install, configure and use Skype 2.5 for Windows. MYS extends their thanks to online volunteer Yu Cheng, who now lives in China, for creating the approximate nine minute video.
Using a combination of Skype's voice, chat and file transfer features, Macdonald Youth Services demonstrated that such an application can be an effective and efficient tool to help any non-profit advance projects undertaken by their far-flung volunteers.
To download the PC-based Skype instructional video, which is available in both Windows Media Video and Flash formats, please see the following URL:
http://www.mys.ca/aov/index.php/2007/04/07/how-to-use-s...
To subscribe or unsubscribe from MYS’s Online Volunteering News E-Mail List, please see the URL below:
http://mys.ca/cgi-bin/media/mail_list.pl
Macdonald Youth Services (MYS), a 77 year-old trusted and respected registered charitable healing and support agency based in Winnipeg, Canada, provides a variety of innovative and leading programming for thousands of Manitoba’s young people on a yearly basis. MYS has been successfully utilizing highly-skilled online volunteers from around the globe to enhance their programs and services since 1998.
For Further Information:
Randy Tyler, Volunteer Co-ordinator/Webmaster
Macdonald Youth Services
http://mys.ca/volunter
Winnipeg, Canada
Ph: 1-204-949-4292
E: http://mys.ca/cgi-bin/randy_email.cgi
W: http://www.mys.ca/aov
W: http://www.mys.ca/volunter
Skype: randytyler_canada
Winnipeg, Canada: Although Skype states their VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) application is relatively "easy to download, install... more -
Websites that List Online Volunteer Opportunities - Video Shows Where
Macdonald Youth Services (MYS) released a video about "The Global Directory of Web Sites that List Online Volunteer Opportunities". This unique global directory, which was officially launched by MYS in November 2007, allows any non-profit organization to easily find Web sites to list their Internet-based volunteer opportunities. All Web sites listed in the directory provide the name of the Web site, the site's URL, who is eligible to list online volunteer opportunities, the geographic area the Web site serves and if any costs are involved.
"The global directory was developed by MYS to allow any non-profit organization to easily locate Web sites where they can post their volunteer opportunities that can be performed via the Internet," stated MYS's pioneering Online Volunteering Program Developer, Randy Tyler. "This video will help to clarify that our directory does not list online volunteer opportunities but is a unique global recruitment resource for a non-profit organization asking: 'Where can we list our online volunteer opportunities for potential volunteers to see them?'," added Tyler.
"Making this information accessible for the benefit of non-profits and charities around the world will exponentially expand the impact of so many who wish to make the world a better place," commented Stock20 Owner/Producer, Daniel Rudd. "Stock20 is happy to partner with MYS by providing our music for their audio and video projects," continued Rudd.
MYS extends their thanks to online volunteers Gail Drinnan (Alberta, Canada) and and Chuck Brown (Ohio, USA) for their assistance in creating the video.
The 30 second video can be viewed or downloaded for placement on a Web site or blog from the following URL:
http://www.mys.ca/aov
For further information, please contact:
Randy Tyler
Webmaster/Online Volunteer Program Developer
Macdonald Youth Services
Winnipeg, MB Canada
T: 1-204-949-4292
W: http://www.mys.ca/aov
W: http://www.mys.ca/volunter
E: http://www.mys.ca/cgi-bin/randy_email.cgi
Skype: randytyler_canada
Video Mail: http://www.mys.ca/vm
PGP Key: http://www.mys.ca/pgp
Macdonald Youth Services (MYS), a trusted and respected registered charitable healing and support agency based in Winnipeg, Canada, has been building futures for Manitoba's at-risk children since 1929. Through a variety of innovative and leading programming, MYS provides services for thousands of Manitoba's young people on a yearly basis. Since 1998, MYS has been at the forefront of successfully utilizing highly-skilled online volunteers from around the globe to enhance their programs and services. Macdonald Youth Services (MYS) released a video about "The Global Directory of Web Sites that List Online Volunteer Opportunities". T... more
-
related topics
Volunteer
Contributors (156)
Volunteer
