nonprofits, teens, and blogs: seeking and sharing some examples

For a friend who works for a wonderful, youth-engaging nonprofit, I am seeking examples of organizations that have sponsored a youth or teen blogging project.  The purpose may range from engaging youth in raising awareness of an issue to helping them enhance skills such as writing, self-expression, leadership, and community building.  Or it may be something else entirely.

The projects could be based on blogging platforms such as Typepad, Blogger, Wordpress, and ExpressionEngine or social networks like MySpace and Facebook.  And they can fall anywhere along the private/public continuum -- only members of the youth group can blog or anyone can blog; the public can read the blog or only youth members can read the blog via password or invitation.

I am also seeking examples of online safety or risk management policies instituted as part of the project.

In response to an email query, Britt Bravo wrote of one organization that has a blog on which teens post but which, because of safety reasons, prefers not to be publicized widely. Britt also mentioned:

• the Young Caucasus Women's Project, which she and Beth Kanter were a part of in the spring of 2006 and
• New Moon Magazine, which has a blog that girls can submit to.

Beth Kanter kindly posted my email query to her blog and suggested these resources:

• Shaping Youth
• Global Kids (web site and blog)
• TakingItGlobal
• MacArthur Spotlight Blog: Digital Youth Discuss Digital Media

In response to her post:            

Michaela Hackner of World Learning wrote, "We're in the process of developing strategies for this, starting with our study abroad blogging pilot this fall.  We also host a Serbian youth program that we are planning to introduce to Vox."

Lisa Canter said to "take a look at this dynamic NY youth organization" -- www.girlsclub.org (Click on "A Day in the Life.")

Nick Booth shared www.frankleytalk.com, which is "just getting started and is based in a neighbourhood in Birmingham (England)."

Marshall Kirkpatrick shared the resources below and suggested I look at "variations on this query" at http://snipurl.com/1qexf (danah boyd's blog).

• www.youthnoise.com/
• www.netsquared.org/kahlon
• http://ypulse.com (Says Marshall, "There's some coverage of the topic there.  See http://snipurl.com/1qexe for an example.")

Many thanks to all of the above.  I'd love for more examples -- please share them below via comments.  

nonprofits, nota bene: Michaela's idea of using Vox for a youth project is a great one.  This free platform allows bloggers to create members-only groups called "neighborhoods."  Users can log onto the neighborhood page to see recent posts from all other members.  As the Vox site says, "You can choose the privacy level for every post, every picture, every sound clip, every video. Put up posts for the world. Put up posts for just your family. Or just your friends."  Also, bloggers can choose from a variety of well designed templates, and the blogs allow for easy incorporation of video and photos.

To increase safety, consider these ideas from Britt Bravo:

• Obtain permission slips from parents and guardians.
• Discourage or prohibit bloggers from posting identifiable photos or video of themselves, their friends, their homes, and their neighborhoods, and encourage instead abstract photos, such as those of a foot or door.
• Prohibit bloggers from using their real names and from posting contact information such as address, email, and phone.

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Comments

[p.s. from celeste w.]

In publishing this post, I accidentally left off another safety point from Brit.

Identify the blog only in general terms, e.g. "a blog by a group of middle school students in Nebraska" or "a project of a high school class in Miami."

[Jim Valentine]

Hiya,

On do-it.org.uk (the website of the UK's national volunteering database) we have a number of blogs, mainly featuring young bloggers. The aim is to encourage other people to volunteer and at the same time encourage and support young volunteers talking about their experiences.

Couple of examples include our student volunteers blog -
http://www.do-it.org.uk/doitblog/student

and our blog written by volunteers working overseas -

http://www.do-it.org.uk/doitblog/overseas

[Shaping Youth]

Hi! I'll have to thank Beth for giving us a shout out here at ShapingYouth.org, where our nonprofit focuses on media/mktg.'s impact on kids.

If you're interested specifically in UGC youth content, here are
couple of interesting sites:

1.) Our new nonprofit 'sister channel,' GACtv (GirlsAreChampions.org)profiles youth/athletes/teen activities such as their upcoming writing contest, etc. And their org encourages youth to voice views, submit poetry, etc...

As you rightly say, they're using 'first names only and where they were born rather than towns/schools, etc. (though photos and thoughts abound)

They've positioned the youth bloggers as 'stringers' for the org. See sample here:
http://www.girlsarechampions.org/shout/stringers.html

I think they could expand via social network on ning much easier for UGC content and simply "close" the group to "invite only" for safety if they wanted it to have an open forum/chat element with a moderated "friend filter" if need be.

I highly recommend BlogSafety.com and NetFamilyNews for the latest in 'safety holes/issues' to spot check youth media.

Here are all their links embedded in this article I wrote about safety/youth/cyberbullying etc.
http://www.shapingyouth.org/blog/?p=395

An example of a youth driven project on a global scale is a teen site with first names (and some schools listed, whether they're real names or not I'm uncertain) called "Project Global Cooling" out of Seoul, Korea.

They're using social media on a Ning site to create student created/promoted/hosted concerts worldwide in LiveEarth/online streamed style for Earth Day '08.

They're engaging green teens all over the world to participate, with teachers as collaborative helpers to spearhead the vision:
http://globallycool.ning.com

And finally here's a FOR profit social entrepreneur hybrid model using contest/UGC content to "Be the change! Share the Story!" offering a $50K video contest to schools participating!

It's called QuantumShiftTV, sort of a "YouTube with a social conscience"---I love the idea, and am hoping to partner/align for our own programs at Shaping Youth!!

(and yes, blog guru Britt Bravo is the hat tip on that one too!)

In fact, their CEO is staying here w/me this Friday when he visits the Bay Area!

Excellent thought leaders & concept involved...

Here's their school/youth contest info: http://www.quantumshift.tv/schools/

Keep in touch! Best,Amy
(founder/E.D., Shaping Youth)

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[SocialButterfly]

These are some excellent projects that are going on and offer some great resources for others who are looking to do similar efforts.

My question: Did you get any feedback or does anyone involved with this post (Britt, Beth, etc.) of any gov't funded blog initiatitves created for youth? Government funded meaning by a local, state or national government agency...

If so, please let me know. It'd be a great help.

Thanks!
SocialButterfly