Global Kids Inc., a New York City based non-profit organization dedicated to transforming urban youth into successful students and global and community leaders, is seeking to fill a short-term freelance position as Online Community Developer/Content Editor, to be filled within our New York City offices or remotely. The position will run from mid-March until end of June.

The Online Community Developer/Content Editor will work with staff at Global Kids to create the structure and content for a new social networking site called “RezEd: A Hub for Virtual World Educators.” This project is designed to provide educators using virtual worlds with access to the highest quality resources and research in the field, and to use the most effective technology to establish a strong network of those using virtual worlds for education. RezEd features will include podcasts, newsletters, best practice documents, contributor blogs, an event calendar, job postings, resource library, listserv, and other social networking functions.

See the complete job description at holymeatballs.org.

Get Activated!
Leading Non-profits Discuss "Best Practices" for Using Virtual Worlds for Activism, Collaboration, Education, and Fundraising

Friday, February 8, 8:30AM PST, Plush Nonprofit Commons Amphitheater in Second Life

The year 2007 was a remarkable year for charitable and civil society activity in Second Life -- from the launch of the 32-office Plush Nonprofit Commons to the record US$100,000 raised by the SL Relay for Life.  On Friday, February 8, from 8:30-9:30AM PST, there will be presentation and discussion on "Best Practices for Non-profits in Second Life." Based on a report prepared by Global Kids organizer Rik Panganiban, the program will explore what are some of the lessons that non-profits have learned from their first forays into the virtual world. 

Event Details:
TITLE:               Presentation and Discussion on "Best Practices for Non-profits in Second Life"
DATE / TIME:       Friday, February 8, 2008, 8:30-9:30AM PST
LOCATION:         Main Amphitheater, Plush Nonprofit Commons sim (teleport SLURL )

On Monday, January 28, there will be a public forum on the topic "Virtual Liberties: Do Avatars Dream of Civil Rights?" featuring Jack Balkin , First Amendment legal expert at Yale Law School, and Robin Linden, head of marketing and business development at Linden Lab. Part of the "MacArthur Series on Philanthropy and Virtual Worlds," the event is co-presented by the USC Institute for Network Culture and Global Kids . This will be a multi-verse event, taking place both in Second Life and Teen Second Life, as well as audio streamed to the web for the VW-impaired.

The complete announcement after the jump....

HIV/AIDS has affected all of us in deep and personal ways, and the race for a cure continues.  I am thinking about my friend John, a wonderful artist with the most biting wit, who passed away from AIDS-related health issues about four years ago now. 

December 1st is World AIDS Day, and there are a number of events happening in Second Life and well as of course in the real world. HealthInfo Island (click here to teleport) is sponsoring a number of activities around World AIDS Day starting at 9AM PST, including:

• A Workshop on "Looking for Health: Finding Quality HIV/AIDS Information by Carolina Keat"
• Special displays and newsfeeds on HIV/AIDS
• An AIDS Walk with information about HIV/AIDS Support Groups in SL
• Podcasts on AIDS by the Center for Disease Control in the Podcast Globe
• A guided tour around the Island
• Live coverage of the Teen Grid Event

In addition, DenmarkCopenhagen sim (click here to teleport) is hosting a fundraiser party from 2PM PST to raise money for the World AIDS Foundation. Their goal is to collect L$ 50,000 in one day, so come on by and drop some lindens in the bucket.

And for you teens out there, there will also be activities on the SL Teen Grid.

Today at Oleander Island (click here to teleport), come to the Second Life Women's Health Fair, where medical professionals will speak on important health issues affecting women including cancer, heart ailments, and PCOS -- a hidden womens health problem. There will also be a silent auction, with proceeds going to the organization Drive By Agony/Life Learning programs, which assists victims of crime, teaches young people violence prevention methods for everyday life. From 8 am - 1 pm PST.