Ever since I careened haltingly down the rabbit hole that is Second Life, I’ve been fascinated by how nonprofit organizations and educators are using the virtual world as a platform for e-learning, professional development, collaboration, social networking, and creativity.
TechSoup recently released the report, Nonprofits and Second Life: Promoting Causes Inside Second Life – For Real World Impact by Sandra Bettger (aka Anika Pastorelli), Executive Director of Giving Circles Network.
This “hot off the press” publication is based on interviews with 12 nonprofit organizations that are integrating Second Life to extend the reach of their work. The report identifies benefits of an inworld presence for nonprofits. It also discusses the impact of promoting philanthropic endeavors in the virtual world on real world issues and causes. These include opportunities to:
• Promote the cause, raise awareness or reach a new audience;
• Enhance learning and education;
• Network as part of a broader community;
• Fundraise in SL (Lindens) or in real life (world) currencies;
• Engage and learn personally or professionally (as an individual);
• Volunteer or mobilize volunteers;
• Communicate with, counsel and support members and users;
• Foster independence of beneficiaries;
• Leverage the media (public relations); and
• Provide mutual support (among beneficiaries).
There is valuable information to glean from this report for those organizations already inworld and those that are wondering how to approach this online/inworld environment.
Intrigued? Learn more about the Nonprofit Commons in Second Life:
- Read the NPSL: Nonprofits in Second Life blog
- Check out the NPSL wiki
- Attend NPSL meetings inworld every Friday from 8:30 to 10:00 a.m. PST
- Join the NPSL discussion group
- Learn more about Nonprofits in Second Life on the Second Life Grid
Recommendations from the NPSL wiki for learning more:
- Read “Change the World by Working in a Virtual One” from TechSoup
- Read “Second Life and Why It Matters for Nonprofits White Paper” from Social Signal
Interested in exploring Second Life? A good place to start is the Second Life Education Grid.
In addition to background and resources, the Second Life Education Grid, in partnership with ISTE will facilitate your entry into Second Life. Register for Second Life through the education portal, and you will be taken inworld to ISTE in Second Life, where you can orient yourself to this new world in a friendly environment. As you wander along the orientation pathway, you will learn key skills for navigating around in Second Life. Look for ISTE’s Docents, education volunteers from all over the world who are there to greet you, answer questions, and get you started.
Tags: iste, nonprofits, npsl, secondlife, techsoup