Presentations and other posts relating to WordPress

Website Platforms (CMS's) for Nonprofits and Activists

Tuesday, April 3, 2012: 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Featuring: 
Nathan Gasser
James Wurster
Michael Tedeschi
Tom Boutell

Our next Philly Net Tuesday on April 3 (gathering 6 PM at the Friends Center, 1501 Cherry Street) will be about website platforms (also called CMS’s or Content Management Systems) that you should consider for your nonprofit or social cause.  This will be accessible to a non-technical audience.

We’ll focus on several CMS’s, including Drupal, Wordpress, Apostrophe, Omeka and Google Sites, and we’ll pay particular attention to the social tools that these platforms offer.  You’ll see how these platforms are used to build websites and add features, and gain insight into which platforms are better for which purposes.  And you’ll be able to gather advice on options for addressing YOUR situation – whether you plan to build your own site, or hire someone to build it for you.

Who should attend?

  • Non-technical folks who are considering creating, or modifying, a website for their nonprofit of social cause
  • Techies who want to better understand the needs and perspectives of the nonprofit community.
  • Anybody who wants to learn and share about the current state of affairs of some major CMS options.

Our panel will consist of:

  • Nathan Gasser, owner of RockRiverStar Internet developers, discussing Drupal
  • Jim Wurster, veteran creator of numerous nonprofit Wordpress sites, discussing WordPress
  • Tom Boutell, of P’unk Ave., discussing Apostrophe.
  • Michael Tedeschi, principal of Interactive Mechanics design studio, discussing Omeka, Google Sites and other stuff

Can’t make it in person? We’ll be livestreaming online!

If you’re so inclined, you might want to check out some of these resources which may be shown or discussed on the evening itself.
 
Wordpress.  You can see lots of examples of WordPress sites here: http://wordpress.org/showcase, and check out some sites that Jim has built or helps manage:
 
•  Arc of Delaware County for developmental disabilities & mental retardation (http://thearcofdelco.org)
•  Special Olympics of Delaware County (http://sodelco.org)
•  TimeBank Media (http://timebankmedia.org) 
•  StubbyDog (http://stubbydog.org) 
•  Hair By HP (http://hairbyhp.com) 
•  Zoe – It’s Our Nature (http://www.zoenature.org) 
•  Haverford Music Festival 2011-2012 (http://haverfordmusicfestival.org) 
•  Delco green consulting food waste pickup (http://delcogreenconsulting.com) 
•  Patch Adams Free Clinic of Philadelphia (http://patchadamsclinic.org)
•  Autism Alliance of Chester County (http://autismallianceofchestercounty.org)
•  CCRN Education & Behavior Supports (http://myccrn.com)
 
Drupal.  Some fine examples of Drupal nonprofit sites include: 
 
•  http://www.hrw.org/ and 8 other languages
•  http://sumus.oxfam.org (see screenshots in slides)
 
You might also want to check out information (including a video) from last week’s Drupalcon session in Denver on International NGO’s Leveraging Drupal for Social Change: http://denver2012.drupal.org/program/sessions/international-ngos-leveraging-drupal-social-change
 
Omeka.  Here are some links you might want to check out:
 
Google Sites.  Here is some background information:
 
CushyCMS.  Here’s their site: http://www.cushycms.com/en
 
Apostrophe.  Check out their website at http://www.apostrophenow.com, as well as some of these sites developed with Apostrophe:
 
And, finally, you may be interested in this 82-page PDF from Idealware on comparing Open Source CMS’s: http://idealware.org/reports/2010-os-cms
 
Lots of good stuff – AND the opportunity to discuss what might work best for YOU.

Lite fare will be served. RSVP’s are appreciated.

Thanks to the American Friends Service Committee for sponsorship.

Sponsored By: 
  • American Friends Service Committee

Social Web Sampler

Tuesday, June 7, 2011: 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
A social web sampler

Philly NetSquared is proud to present our second annual Social Web Sampler.

We’ll have fifteen 20-minute discussions on the social web-related topics that you have volunteered to lead. (Five simultaneous stations x 3 time rounds.) They are, in no particular order:

  • Making Social Media Part of Your Regular Day
  • Using a wiki for group coordination
  • Using Video for Social Media
  • Live blogging/streaming your organization’s event
  • (Audio) podcasting
  • Tracking Your Organization’s Online Reputation
  • Using WordPress to Build a Web Site
  • Drupal 7: Shiny and new; is it for you?
  • Using QR Codes to effectively promote your nonprofit’s web site
  • Video Podcasting
  • Virtual Worlds
  • What is the purpose of using social media tools
  • Video, Public Access TV, You Tube as Town Hall Forum
  • How faith-based organizations can use social media to further ministry

Plus, we’ll have one slot in the final round that attendees will select on-site — maybe for something that wasn’t covered, or maybe for something you want to talk more about.

What will the discussions be like? That’s also up to you, but they’re likely to address:

  • How are nonprofits and activists using these tools?
  • How can they be used most effectively for your nonprofit or social cause?
  • What are the latest developments and trends?

In order to retain more of the knowledge generated in these groups, we’ll have a sheet at each station for people to add additional resources (websites, books, articles, etc.) that come up during the discussion. So if you know of resources that apply to discussions you might participate in, bring ‘em along. We’ll combine these with any resources provided by the presenters, and redistribute them to all attendees after the event.

If you haven’t already done so, RSVP’s via Meetup or Facebook are appreciated for planning (but not required).

Like last year’s Sampler, this will be a highly interactive gathering with lots of shared knowledge, networking and excitement. Refreshments will be available. (NOTE: Because of the small-group format, we will NOT be streaming or recording this event.)

Thanks to the American Friends Service Committee for sponsorship.

Photo: dnnya17

Sponsored By: 
  • American Friends Service Committee

A Social Web Sampler

Tuesday, May 4, 2010: 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Social Web Sampler
Featuring: 
Seth Horwitz

It’s our anniversary!  Philly NetSquared started holding monthly Net Tuesday gatherings of people “interested in using the social web for social change” back in May, 2008.  And, for our second anniversary, we’re going to hold a “Social Web Sampler”.

 

The Sampler will be an opportunity to address how various social web tools can help YOUR nonprofit or social action cause.  Blogs.  Wikis.  Mapping.  Facebook.  Podcasts.  Photo sharing.  RSS.  Videoblogging.  Mobile applications.  Twitter.  Tagging.  LinkedIn.  Digg.  Meetup.  And so much MORE!

  •  How are nonprofits and activists using these tools?
  •   How can they be used most effectively for YOUR nonprofit or social cause?
  •   What are the latest developments and trends?

The evening will be divided into two major sections: Small Groups and Large Group.

 

First, we’ll have time-limited, small group discussions around a specific social web tool or topic and how it applies to social change or the nonprofit world.  Which particular social web tools will be discussed, and who will facilitate those discussions?  That’s up to you.  You’re all invited to lead a discussion.  Maybe you’re an expert in using one (or more) of these tools.  But you don’t have to be an expert.  Perhaps you are just interested in a tool or topic and want to enjoy a discussion focused on it.  YOUR interests and passion will shape the agenda.

 

We plan to have three 15-20 minute discussion periods, each with 4-5 simultaneous groups, resulting in a total of 12-15 small group discussions focused on a particular social web tool or topic.  Each small group discussion will have a computer available for real-time demonstrations (and wireless is available).  Small group topics people have already volunteered to lead include:

  • Twitter (Sara Cederberg & Warren Allen)
  • Podcasting (Steve Lubetkin)
  • Facebook (Judah Ferst)
  • Blogging (Ivan Boothe)
  • Video web conferencing (Tim Siftar)
  • Facebook (Sara Cederberg)
  • Monitoring social media impact (Cliff Stevens)
  • WordPress (Jim Wurster)
  • Flickr (Ralph Medley & Tony Heriza)
  • Content management systems (Nate Gasser)

If you’re interested in leading a group discussion, please sign up here: http://tinyurl.com/SocialWebSampler.  Please sign up before midnight on Sunday, May 2 to be sure to secure a slot.

 

Then, after our thinking has been stimulated by these small groups, we’ll regather into a large group, and you’ll have the opportunity to enjoy the collective wisdom of the entire crowd by asking about applying these tools and strategies to your own situation.

 

This will be a highly interactive gathering with lots of shared knowledge and excitement.  Lite fare will be provided if you’re hungry.  Hope to see you there.  RSVP’s via Meetup or Facebook (links above) are appreciated.

 

 

 

We gratefully acknowledge the American Friends Service Committee, who sponsored our kick-off event two years ago, and has graciously offered to sponsor this anniversary event also.

Sponsored By: 
  • American Friends Service Committee
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