This project interviews Dr. Scott Hollier Project manager of new media Media at Access Australia. This organisation is a nonprofit whose  ‘role is to provide information about media access and to support the development and application of technological solutions to media access issues’.

The good news is that technology has come in leaps and bounds in the last couple of years developing tools giving people greater access. For example, many computer manufacturers build in tools at no extra cost. Macs are pretty good straight out of the box.

Both Internet Explorer & Firefox have the ability to enlarge text, hear text  and read what’s going on in a video through sub titles. Dr Hollier went over the By Design website and audited it accessibility features. One tip he gave was to always put captions on  photos describing the photo. The caption can then be read aloud.

The Media Access website is worth checking out in order to find tools and resources.

You can download the audio to this program or listen  now.

I have always believed the scientific arguments on climate change. For a couple of years a decade ago I shared an office in Cairns with the Environmental Defenders Office (EDO). I recall many conversations with Jan, the EDO project officer about climate change and the precious resource called water.

Fast forward a couple of years and I am in Brisbane working in the homelessness sector and I start a family. It is an understatement to say the birth of a child changes your life. For my husband, the type of life we could give our daughter and the planet we would bequeath to her were real preoccupations. He read up on climate change and knows far more than I. We talked about it quite a few times, and he told me he was really worried about what life would be like for our daughter in the future. I remember saying, ‘You can worry about climate change. I have other things to worry about’. My preoccupations centre around social issues  I continue to care about: homelessness,  poverty, social inclusion. But, my greatest endeavour is raising my 4 year old daughter. So I reckon  I am done, all full up.

That is until now. From this day, 10 November 2009 I am taking a stand. I am finding space in my busy life to do what I can to make a difference leading up to Copenhagen. So far, I have:

• followed Earth Hour on Twitter
• checked out Earth Hour videos on Youtube
• linked the Earth Hour website to my Face Book page
• created this blog post
• added a twibbon to my Twitter picture
• downloaded the Vote Earth iphone app which is free from the App Store (amazing app btw)

The Earth Hour website is fantastic: a great campaigning website with lots of tools for you to demonstrate to your friends, families and colleagues that you care about climate change and want our politicians to act.

There are easy things I can do everyday:

• add the Earth Hour link to my email address block
• send out regular tweets with info encouraging people to act
• raise this issue in conversation with people that I am not connected to online

With 25 days to go we have to do everything we can to get a result in Copenhagen. C’mon what are you going to do?

Michelle

My four year old daughter Miranda gave me a reality check this week, reminding me that even the littlest people in our community not only experience the effects of decisions made at the highest levels but they have opinions about them too!

We recently joined my husband on a trip to QUT Gardens Point Campus to return a library book, when Miranda started talking about the planned closure of the Campus child-care centres. Miranda attended one of the two centres (known as the crèche) for a happy two-and-a-half years. Miranda has three special friends through crèche who she still sees, even though she has attended a centre closer to home for the past 10 months.

Miranda went from saying ‘they shouldn’t pull the crèche down…I’m not very happy about this’, and ‘the teachers (crèche staff) won’t like that” to ‘I’m very angry that they will pull the crèche down’.

I was listening without contributing and she continued on in that vein and then she really flawed me. ‘They shouldn’t pull down children’s play spaces’, followed by ‘we should stop them’. Making sure I heard correctly, I asked, ‘what did you say darling?’ ‘We should stop them’ replied Miss Four.

We should stop them! Wow. In the space of a few city blocks she had moved from expressing her own feelings on an issue to wanting to take action!

Well no-one will be stopping QUT’s building program. But maybe like me, the university for the real world could do with a reality check about children’s connection to a space they love.

Gotta go. Miss Four wants a letter written.

Non-profits operate in a broad range of policy areas from climate change through to ending homelessness.  Besides delivering services, non-profits Advocate with decision makers to  change laws, policies or programs. Advocacy goals aim to achieve structural change which is, I think, different to social change.

Social change refers to processes that motivate individuals and organisations to change, act, donate or to do things differently for a social benefit.

To achieve a kinder,  more just society we need both advocacy and social change.  For example, National Shelter have run a long, and now very successful, campaign to increase affordable housing by the Australian Government. This has resulted in a new program with $$$ to match. In contrast, the documentary, We are all just two steps from homelessness, Stories of 8  people who beat homelessness,  challenges people to think differently about the causes of homelessness and its impact on people.

There are so many terms to describe the sector: community sector, non-profit, charities, not-for-profit, or third sector. The sector is so large (worth $29.6B) and multi-faceted. Each of these terms refers to a particular segment of the sector. Third Sector Magazine offers a good definition.  I most often use non-profit, but will use the terms interchangeably. I am reminded of a recent post on mini-blogging site Twitter by Ed of Digital for Good Blog, that the sector needs a name that is values-driven. A debate for another time I think.

I hope this blog inspires debate, discussion, thinking, imagining and maybe even some inspiration!

One of my favourite quotes: “How lovely to think that no one need wait a moment; we can start now, start slowly changing the world.” Anne Frank.

Over to you….