Idealist

This initiative uses information and communication technology (ICT) as a platform for building - and sharing - a vision of a world in which people in diverse places connect and collaborate in a spirit of mutual respect to generate change. One of the strategies for sparking this process involves setting out a pathway toward possibility by encouraging people to go beyond perceived limits as to what can be done to address social and environmental problems by cooperating with each other - in particular, though the use of telephones, computers, radio programmes, and other technologies (in addition to printed materials and in-person events, in order to reach those who do not have access to ICTs). Another core Idealist tenet involves stressing how important the freedom for people to speak out, and to write, is for making a difference in the world. In short, the idea is that, by providing people with the opportunity to share ideas, information, and resources with those facing similar challenges in other communities - whether in the same city or on another continent - fosters the intangible (but, in the organisers' estimation, crucial) feeling that we are not alone: that in our neighbourhood, and all over the world, there are others who understand and support efforts to protect human rights and positive growth. (Click here to read more about Idealist's philosophy.)

Concretely, the Idealist website is a "global clearinghouse of nonprofit and volunteering resources", featuring information about meetings, nonprofit career fairs, and ideas for how to make change through cooperative efforts in communities around the world. A visit to this website features communication-focused information such as details about the One Laptop Per Child ("$100 Laptop") project, news about Idealware.org (which is designed to assist nonprofit organisations in determining which project management tools are appropriate for them), and details about various internships, materials, and campaigns that involve advocacy and engagement for change. Some resources are arranged to suit the needs of particular users, like schoolteachers, webmasters, children and youth, college and university students, volunteer managers, and those involved in community action work.

In concert with its spirit of encouraging participation and diminishing barriers to access, the site itself is open and interactive. Finding and posting anything on Idealist is free of charge (with two exceptions: posting a job for United-States-based organisations costs US$50, and listing an individual or company in the Consultant Directory costs US$50 for 6 months or US$95 for a year). As of this writing, Idealist works in English, French, and Spanish; volunteers taking part in Idealist's Language Project have helped translate portions of the site into Chinese, Dutch, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, and Portuguese (with additional languages anticipated).

Human Rights.