TechSoup Globalのニュースレターで紹介されました

このプログラムのパートナーであるTechSoup Globalが各国のパートナー団体など関係者向けに毎月ニュースレターを出しているのですが、そこの「コミュニティスポットライト」というコーナーでご紹介いただきました。ちょけた写真とともに。。。

夏に水害が起こった際に、日本の災害ボランティアセンターの取り組みを各国のパートナー向けに紹介したのですが、その記事に多くのコメントをいただき、「金のバッジ賞」をとったそうです。金のバッジ賞はみんなの注目をあびた発信を毎月選ぶもので、取るとニュースレターで紹介してくれる特典があるというもの、だ、そうです。本人は英語がよくわからないので、そんなルールをまったく知らなかったのですが（^^;）このあたりの遊び感覚の入ったネットワーキングの工夫は面白いですね。

せっかくですのでご紹介いただいた記事と、私の書いた記事を転載します。
（繰り返しますが！）私は英語ができないので、英語の間違いは多めに見てください<m(__)m>

Community Spotlight

Kenji Yoshida is on the Planning Staff at Japan NPO Center, the TechSoup donation programme in Japan. He joined Japan NPO Center in 2004, bringing with him a passion to support NPOs and citizen activities with encourage civil society and enhance regional development by using IT. At Japan NPO Center Kenji is in charge of website production and IT activities.

Kenji began his work with NPOs in Japan by volunteering with organizations in Nara and Osaka. He’s continued with his dedication to NPOs at Japan NPO Center, most recently providing direct and much needed IT support to volunteer centers during recent flood damage in Japan. Kenji also shared his experiences and resources during this time to the rest of the network, allowing Frontier Foundation in Taiwan to take advantage of the knowledge from similar volunteer centers dealing with flood disasters.

TSGN and Japan NPO Center is very lucky to have Kenji at part of the network and participating as an engaged member and valuable resource!

Click below to see a sampling of Kenji's work (translation needed):
http://twitter.com/kendzi_yosida
http://twitter.com/tsjapan
http://www.npo-hiroba.or.jp

Subject: The flood damage has happened
Posted August 13th, 2009 by Kenji Yoshida

The flood damage has happened in many places in the world.
As long as I know, it has caused big damage in Taiwan and the Philippines.
Is that OK Taiwan team?

The flood damage has happened similarly also in Japan. 
I introduce the case in Japan.
It might be become a reference of everybody.

In Japan, When the disaster happens, the disaster volunteer center is temporarily established.
It is the same at the earthquake and the flood damage.
The disaster volunteer center is established based on the social welfare council in the region in which it is struck.
The social welfare council is made a base. Because the support of the life of the struck person is important.
Various groups and volunteers act around the disaster volunteer center.
And, we have various networks. It supports the disaster volunteer center from the rear side.

The typical one is "support conference for disaster volunteer activities" (It has no English name. this is not official Eng name)
It is National Council of Social Welfare, Central Community Chest of Japan(United way Japan), Japanese Federation of Economic Organizations(Keidanren), Japanese NPO center, some companies and some NGOs  typical in the member of "Support conference for disaster volunteer activities".

I am taking charge of IT.
Now, It is necessary to construct the information technology environment to the disaster volunteer center. 

Up to now, there was no clear support in the construction of the information technology environment.
It is the first challenge this time.
Up to now, the construction of the information technology environment had been left to a local disaster volunteer center.
PC set up in bulk in Tokyo is sent to the disaster volunteer center this time.

I installed skype, picasa, Office Pro and Office Groove.
(Microsoft Japan donated Vista and Office.)

Are these useful at the disaster volunteer center?
The staff might not be able to master these new technologies.
It is necessary to support it there. It is necessary to practice spending long time.
Many of staff have not used skype. As for Groove, even the name is not known.
I have not understood what shape is good yet.
However, it is thought that it is the future important to use IT.
Is there a person who has the success case?

Thanks,
Kenji Yoshida
Japan NPO Center

Subject: tools for the disaster volunteer center(for cordinate the volunteer)
Posted September 3rd, 2009 by Kenji Yoshida

Hi all,

Miyagi Disaster Volunteer Center published some sheets that had been made a format.

http://www.msv3151.net/shinsei/index.html#tagengo

It might be useful for volunteer cordination on the disaster volunteer center.
The focus is applied to the recruitment of the volunteer, the recruitment of needs, and coordination.

They published the documents on English, Chineese, and korean.
However, webpage is only Japanese. Please use Google translator.

Elliot, I started the examination of the translation project of the article for disaster recovery with staff of some disaster volunteer center.

thanks,
Kenji