StartSomeGood News
Brand New Good! StartSomeGood’s Newest Campaigns…
Asian leadership academy (ALA), an initiative started by a group of Asian students at Stanford University, focuses on creating an experiential learning community for young. The focus is on creating a life-long community for Thai high school and college students through a “leadership lab” camp emphasizing skills and “real world” learning. In September 2012, through support from Stanford’s Graduate School of Business Center for Social Innovation, ALA executed two pilot projects with overwhelming positive feedback from students and educational institutions. Empowering Asian Leaders of Tomorrow, Today is raising funds to cover the costs of a 5-day leadership program in Thailand.
Labor of Love is a documentary and web-based archive project following the DC Women’s Initiative on the journey to create a new safe space for the diverse women of the LGBTQ community and its allies in March 2013. The hope is that the film will help build an awareness and understanding of the challenges and struggles women face sustaining ‘safe’ space in an urban environment. Most importantly, the film will promote the launch of the D.C. Women’s Initiative space in March 2013. Reaching the $15,000 tipping point goal will allow the documentary team to hire a set crew to produce the film as a shortened version. The total funding goal will allow for the production of a full length version of the documentary.
United Earth Ecclesia (UEE) is a trans-denominational assembly of Earth citizens wishing to create a better future for our world. Using Poll-itical Networking for Collective Consensus, UEE aims to create a better world by defining and tackling the most important issues in the creation of a better world and establishing priorities in the creation of a better future. Membership and participation in UEE is free, but to recruit more members, UEE is campaigning to use Poll-itical Networking for Uniting Earth Citizens and needs to complete the website’s Membership Registration Area to recruit more members.
Let’s Celebrate! Recently Tipped Campaigns…
Congo Leadership Initiative (CLI) wrapped up its campaign this week, raising $1,153 to host a Leadership Workshop for young leaders in the Congo. CLI has already prepared 100 young leaders to empower their own communities in the Congo and the new goal is to prepare 100 more by June 2013. CLI develops young leaders into catalysts for peace and prosperity in the Congo with the Leadership Institute. The depth and severity of problems in the Congo ranks it last on the Human Development Index. The Leadership Institute is a comprehensive curriculum that empowers and educates talented Congolese to solve the problems of the Congo themselves instead of simply treating a symptom. Funding for this campaign will be used for transportation, food, facility costs, and materials for participants.
Shawn D. Ross
I am a Northwest Native living in Washington State. A graduate of Washington State University and University of Phoenix with degrees in Architecture and Education I write about social, cultural, and personal improvement on the StartSomeGood Blog and SDRinspire. I am also a filmmaker and owner of Giraffe and Penguin Productions, a single daddy of two beautiful children, avid reader, writer, and hat wearer (Not in that picture but believe me, I wear ‘em). I am currently at work on my first feature length documentary. Follow me @shawndross and visit my websites:sdrinspire.com and giraffeandpenguinproductions.tumblr.com.
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Are you inspired by all this good? What good do you want to create? Visit our site to learn about how to start your own campaign.
This Week in Social Entrepreneurship
- Don’t miss the once in a lifetime opportunity to hear Indira Ranamagar, Ashoka Fellow, human rights activist, and founder of Prisoners Assistance Nepal. Indira will be speaking at multiple venues in Toronto on September 13th -15th about human rights and, more specifically, the mission of Prisoners Assistance Nepal, a social good initiative striving to help released prisoners integrate into society and helping the children of prisoners find secure environments while their parents are imprisoned.
- How can a social enterprise be for profit? Isn’t that an oxymoron? Guess again! The Centre for Responsible Leadership Discovery Learning Workshop is determined to teach current and aspiring social entrepreneurs, business owners, and other curious civilians about the modern landscape, opportunities, and challenges of social enterprises. Queens School of Business is holding this session on September 21st, in Toronto—stay tuned for more info!
- “How can we design our world to create more opportunity and more equality?” If you’re passionate about this topic or interested in learning about the today’s leaders goals and ideas for impact, you should check out this year’s Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting in New York that will be held September 23rd-25th. If you can’t attend in person, you’re in luck—check out the live webcast.
- Ice cream makes everything a little sweeter. Thanks to Ben and Jerry’s, one of Ashoka’s tastiest partners, September 18th will bring us scoops of free ice cream as well as the chance to talk with representatives from the Conflict Stabilization Operations and the US Institute of Peace and Complex Crisis Fund in effort to urge Congress to support movements that reduce violence. How can Congress prevent violence and war? Get the scoop here and if you’re an ice cream lover and want to get involved in peace-building don’t forget to stop by!
- How can your cell phone expedite social development all around the world? The increasing ability to communicate across borders and oceans has been aiding governments, NGOs, and companies to address daunting social challenges. Participate in this 4 week professional development course sponsored by TechChange to learn how you can use your mobile phone to change the world. Read a recap of last term’s course, check out the syllabus, and apply!
- The NYU Reynolds Program in Social Entrepreneurship is pleased to present the first installment of the 2012-13 Social Entrepreneurship in the 21st Century Speaker Series. Join them on September 27th from 7:00 – 8:30 for an evening with Dale Dougherty, founder of Maker Faire, MAKE Magazine, and O’Reilly Media, in a conversation with Chris Anderson, Editor-in-Chief of Wired, as they discuss what they are doing now to help America transform into a culture of DIYers—and how you can be part of it. The event, brought to you by the NYU Innovation Venture Fund, will feature free giveaways, including copies of MAKE magazine and day and weekend tickets to Maker Faire New York. The Reynolds speaking event is free and open to the public but space is limited, so RSVP today!
Rachael Casagrande
I am currently working towards a BS in Information Design and Corporate Communication at Bentley University. Before college, I hadn’t any idea where I wanted life to take me so I decided to just let the wind blow me around a bit. The following summer, I shipped myself off to Romania through Learning Enterprises where I volunteered running English camps. The children I met there made me realize how much just one hello, one meal, or one hug can really grow change in someone’s life. After coming back to the US I’ve been keeping myself busy working odd jobs, studying and taking every opportunity I can to mesh my business degree with my love for positive change.
StartSomeGood News
1864 Academy is a training and capacity building facility in Nigeria for children to develop their skills. The academy will bring together children of various social classes to ensure the sharing of class competencies through music, arts, cinema, writing, and technology. Abiola, founder of 1864 Academy, has been accepted to the Dell Summer Innovation Lab and is running this campaign to help raise the money needed for airfare from Nigeria to Boston.
The Visual Education Project is raising funds to create a long term exhibition of handmade replicas of “History of Engineering” machines. The models are used as hands-on education devices and are part of a mobile exhibit. However, the travel is causing undue stress on the machines. The Visual Education Project seeks funding to create the Centre for Engineering History where it will permanently house the exhibits.
Lenny’s Café is a vegan café and worker’s co-operative in Finsbury Park, London delivering delicious vegan dishes at reasonable prices. The funds raised through this campaign will be utilized to deliver high quality vegan meals in an area overloaded with fast food coices. As a worker’s co-op, Lenny’s Café delivers a second service to society by allowing workers more freedom and autonomy in an enjoyable work environment.
WildTender Ranch Sanctuary seeks funding to construct a Geo-Dome where workers and students can gather in warmth and comfort. WildTender Ranch is a Four Directions Sanctuary that serves the healing interaction between humans, horses, and wildlife. The funds raised will be used to purchase the earth-friendly building supplies needed to begin construction.
Spark* has reached its campaign tipping point! A dollar a year for education is a campaign to support John Taka’s project, ‘Seeds of Hope’ in which villages within Papua New Guinea raise sweet potato farms. The harvest is sold and all proceeds raised go toward paying the school fees for children in the villages. In a place were the average time spent in school is 2.9 years, this self sustaining project will help educate the youth of villages in Papua New Guinea.
Youth Awareness Resource Network (Y.A.R.N) has also tipped! This campaign is asking for funds to establish the Y.A.R.N. website and brand. Created and run by young Australians raising awareness for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their culture, this venture utilizes resources like books, articles, and storytelling. With the funds raised, this organization will enhance brand recognition and communication through flyers, t-shirts, an improved website, business cards, and much more.
Shawn D. Ross
Shawn D. Ross is a Northwest Native living in Washington State. A graduate of Washington State University and University of Phoenix with degrees in Architecture and Education he writes about social, cultural, and personal improvement on the StartSomeGood Blog and SDRinspire. He is also a filmmaker and owner of Giraffe and Penguin Productions, a single daddy of two beautiful children, avid reader, writer, and hat wearer (Not in that picture but believe me, he wears ‘em). He is currently at work on his first feature length documentary. Follow him on twitter @shawndross and visit his websites: www.sdrinspire.com and giraffeandpenguinproductions.tumblr.com
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Social entrepreneurs, have all these new and successful campaigns inspired you to start your own good? Do you have a social enterprise, a non-profit, or an amazing idea that needs some momentum to take off? Visit our site to find out how to start your own campaign today. Still have questions? We have answers—check out our FAQ section.
