I recently wrote about Tu Diabetes' use of Twitter and the strategies the online community has employed to find and engage with new people.  Today, I want to take a look at another social media tool Tu Diabetes is using successfully: YouTube.

The future of the media today truly is online. The amount of people switching to the internet for their daily habits such as reading the news, watching the news, shopping, research... everything can be found online, and can be used to our advantage. It shouldn't be any different for humanitarian-based initiatives. Non-profit organizations can use the internet and the power of voice and visual aid to their advantage online. That's where a website like www.goodtube.org can come in handy. It is completely non-profit, completely free to use, and is a channel for non-profits to use and share their videos with others.

Britt Bravo is on a much-deserved vacation, so I'm stepping in for her to keep news and information about the social change web coming your way!

CARE is a humanitarian organization working to fight global poverty by serving individuals and families in the poorest communities of the world. CARE recently launched CARE Connections, a free, online community to connect you with others supporting global poverty work, women's empowerment, world news and more. You can learn more about CARE Connections, here.

Earlier this week, conn+ipedia had its public launch. It is a wiki designed for those working for the common good as a place to share knowledge and connect around People, Places and Things. It's a new kind of wiki, built on Wagn, that combines wiki with database functionality. Here are some links to get you started:

Read some of my thoughts on what I learned from the development process of connec+ipedia!

Read some reasons why I think connec+ipedia will change how you think of a wiki!

I'm thrilled to be going to Net Squared this year to share some of what I've learned by using and exploring Flickr!

Over the next year (or so), the Civil Society Project will be studying the culture of online communities. We are seeking participants willing to take a short survey and contribute their thoughts and experiences with online communities. We are looking for participants from every age group and from a wide cross-section of the metaverse. If you are willing to take a few minutes and help contribute to this study, please visit: http://www.civilsocietyproject.blogspot.com.

Are your community’s articles, blogs, and discussions left shivering in a dark and quiet echo chamber? Do relevant reach, attraction, engagement, interactivity, and participation elude your organization’s site?

Today, January 23rd, 2008, Seth Godin (Search Engine Strategies, Search Engine Watch, Clickz Network, & BuzzLogic) webcast the core message from his new book, “Meatball Sundae”. This haunting & timely theme speaks to a challenge which many of us in non-profit organizations and non-governmental entities struggle with: how (& where) do we better communicate with those whom we serve as well as those on whom we depend, and through doing so, provide a better service?

If you're wondering whether or not your nonprofit should have an online presence and strategy, read the 2007 Digital Future Report from the USC Annenberg School's Center for the Digital Future.

According to their press release, the study found that online communities are a, "catalyst for connection and activism":

"Online communities and offline action -- The Digital Future Project found that involvement in online communities leads to offline actions. More than one-fifth of online community members (20.3 percent) take actions offline at least once a year that are related to their online community. (An 'online community' is defined as a group that shares thoughts or ideas, or works on common projects, through electronic communication only.)

Social activism – Participation in online communities leads to social activism.

Suzanne is the founder and ED of Games 4Change and I deeply respect her and her work. If you have any questions about the position, please ask Suzanne, contact info below...
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Games for Change is looking to hire a community manager to manage a variety of online projects, primarily the Knowledge Network. This is a resource directory and social networking space for the MacArthur Foundation's Digital Media and Learning Initiative, a 4-year funded project going into its 2nd year. This person will also oversee G4C's online presence, listserv, and future social networking space.

Greetings NetSqaured friends, come and join us as we discuss online community tricks and tools tomorrow night, here at our offices in SF.