Privacy in a Social World -Just sayin'

Well since beginnnig this course I have gone from really never giving much thought to my privacy in the world, governing myself with only good sense, to think about it on an almost daily basis.  Again last night I watched briefly an article that raised issues in the grocery store, when using electronic devices when you shop. Seems like marketers monitor your shopping habits, and information provided to barage you with information/propoganda about their products.  Same now with Facebook.  I can't say as I like this approach, it strikes me in the same vein as junk mail that comes to my home. On the other hand, if I use common sense when poking around, I can remain relatively unaffected by this practice.
When we apply the same thinking to a not for profit organization, we have enough information available to keep safer from risks.  The more involved and possibly larger a non profit becomes the more resources need to be devoted to minimizing risk to ourselves and our constituents. It makes sense to use what is available to us, either in human resources or technology to safeguard that which we are responsible for.
My concern is that as technology grows, we are beginning to lose our capacity to self monitor.  Revisit all you learned through your life about staying safe, apply it to technology and you reduce risk considerably.
While not actually related to technology and privacy, I would recommend to anyone grappling with the privacy issues to read The Gift Of Fear by Gavin De Becker.  This is an excellent book about protecting ourselves from violence, but it can be applied more broadly to protecting ourselves in general.

Using Technology in the Not for Profit sector

Thinking about my adversity or fear of using technology and is it all necessary?  In the article below a techie speaks about technology being here to stay, and how not for profits need to invest in the people to use it, and train others to use it as well.  When they put it that way, I'm sold and I can't wait to see what it can do for my organization.
http://news.gilbert.org/features/featureReader$3842
Combining this article and the opportunity we had last week to give Raiser's Edge a try, were compelling reasons to utilize the people power, to operate the technology that improves performance of an organization.  Everybody can win.

My Tech Mentor

Article Review - More Than Data

The Paul Lagasse article More Than Data (Advancing Philanthropy Jan/Feb 2011) was a particularly informative read for anyone involved in, or thinking of becoming involved in a Not For Profit organization, especially when considering how to seek constituents and build a donor base.  Lagasse does a good job of promoting nearly and recent grads from a couple of areas for this work.  It should give these folks a comfortable feeling that they are often recruited right out of their programs to work in NFP`s , for data and information gathering that ultimately results in social betterment  by appropriately linking donors and charities.  It was important for the writer to also pay credence to the other important pieces of being a Prospect Researcher; the human side.  It is every bit as important for researchers to consider how and by who their information will be used.  As he states, it is not a good idea for a fundraiser to have too much information available when first meeting a potential donor.  This can ``get the relationship off on the wrong foot``. Having researchers involved or at least at the table in the more sensitive planning of relationship development , as well as the data searching , will enhance the experience for everyone.  The importance of working as part of the same team, and reporting  to the same body will create opportunities to accentuate the strengths and resolve any weaknesses along the way.  In this, there are better opportunities for successful engagement with donors, and a recognition that NFP`s need to build long term relationships with donors.

Read other articles by Paul Lagasse at www.avwrites.com

Also interesting in the article is the condsideration of Canadian vs US privacy rules.  I appreciate the example of `the golden rule`principle.  As a student with an interest in charity work and a donor,  it was heartening to hear `do unto others...`applying to the collection and distribution of my private information.

Week 2 = Video post from you tube

Week 2 of the dreaded blogging fiasco. I chose to complete the mandatory blog post "Video post from you tube." I thought I would be clever and learn how to do it and post it in one grand gesture. So please enjoy what I believe to be a humorous video at http://youtu.be/Apadq9iPNxA. And thank you Rob Boss for Painting with Pictures.  By the way,  this sounded very simple until I tried to parlay the instructions into real time doing.
blunderblogger away !!!

blunderblogger inaugural post

I am required in my Not-for-Profit Management course to create a blog about blogging and post to it weekly.  Before today I had no idea what a blog really was, at least not in any technological sense of the word.  So, where to go...  the Internet of course.   Do you have any idea how many hits there are for one little word,"blog"?  This blog is meant to inform my peers and provide stimulating conversations in class and on the blog site about this chosen topic. That being said, here are a couple of interesting morsels I learned during today's search.

• The grandaddy of blogging seems to be Justin Hall from Swarthmore College, who first posted in 1994.
• Blog Day is August 31, a dedicated day for bloggers to network, if you will. The recommendation is that you pass on 5 blogs to each visitor.
• By February 2011 there were over 156 million public blogs to choose from.