CatComm
is a new type of organization. We develop online and offline
spaces (not services), where community networking can happen
among groups that have traditionally been isolated from
one another and invisible to potential supporters. Our volunteers
can work anywhere. The practical use of our site can be
attested to by communities in any country. For these reasons...
Volunteering
with us is important! Our volunteers have been fundamental
in CatComm's success. Why? Because our small staff is
focused on the administration of a growing solidarity
network. Our approach to action and growth emphasizes
these networks, where the more effort is placed and more
volunteers are involved, the greater the impact of our
work for our community members.
Volunteering
with us is easy! You can be in front of your computer
when you have a few spare minutes, drinking a cup of coffee
and at the same time helping with a simple translation
into your native language! Or you can recommend projects
from our Community Solutions Database
to the local community groups with whom you already work,
or post the projects they develop to the CSD.
These are the types of volunteer activities at CatComm!
With
your time and effort we will strengthen and inspire a growing
global network of community solutions!
What
are the current opportunities for volunteering with
CatComm?
Translation
(choose the language!)
– CatComm's translation
network is fundamental for the growth of a global
network of exchange among community projects. At the
moment we most need support for translation among two
of the three following languages: English, Portuguese,
and Spanish. This said, CatComm always has its eyes
on the horizon. Over the coming years, we will need
to translate the community projects on our site to even
more languages. If you are interested in translating
for CatComm, please be in touch no matter what languages
you speak! Join CatComm's translation
network! (Abilities:
some experience with translation and access to the Internet
to be able to translate while online.)
Project
Outreach – Do you know of creative community
initiatives in your city, or do you want to? Post your
local community solutions to our Community
Solutions Database! Join our project outreach network!
(Abilities: access to or willingness to locate community
initiatives in your own region, and Internet access
to post initiatives.)
Assist
at the Casa
– For residents and visitors to Rio who want to
get their hands in the action working with CatComm on-the-ground,
this is your chance! Get to know the Casa,
our technology hub for community organizers in the
Rio de Janeiro metropolitan region. Here you can help
by offering a range of capacity-building workshops to
strengthen leadership in Rio's favelas! Everything
from English to IT workshops have been offered in the
space.
Spread
the word! – Introduce CatComm to community
organizations in your city. Share with them both of
CatComm's most unique resources: (1) Our Website and
its Community Solutions Database
where they can document their community solutions and
learn from those of other communities (their projects
will be translated between English, Spanish, and Portuguese),
and (2) Our Casa, a physical hub where community leaders
from an entire region can find one another and the information
resources they need. Encourage them to set up a sister
space in your city.
Community
Support
– Work directly to support and learn from the
community initiatives listed in the Community
Solutions Database! These projects need support
in a variety of areas, including: Web design, translation,
grant writing, locating available resources, and more!
Other
(use your imagination)
– Do you have a talent that you could use toward
strengthening the CatComm Network? Let us know so we
can create a volunteer position to make use of your
special abilities!
How
can I become a volunteer?
Due
to technical difficulties with our volunteer form in the
past, we are currently accepting offers for volunteer support
only through email. Please send us an email letter titled
"Volunteering with CatComm" to volunteer@catcomm.org,
specifying:
What
you'd like to do and where from –
Take a look at the list above for ideas...
How
much time you can offer –
How many hours can you realistically offer each week
over how long a period of time?
How
you learned about us
– Idealist? Google? A friend? At a conference?
From a staffperson? From another volunteer?
What
experience you have
– Please attach your CV to your message
Please
note that all these pieces of information are necessary.
