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The CommunityNet Aotearoa monthly newsletter.
"News and views on community networking throughout Aotearoa."
Researchers hope at least 3000 members of the gay and lesbian communities will participate in the wide ranging questionnaire.
Computerworld Excellence Awards went to: Computers in Homes, Taranaki Information Network, Carers New Zealand, Horowhenua Library Trust.
will celebrate and recognise your efforts to promote Maori Language. Entries close at 5pm, 9 August 2004.
are being organised by the Community Employment Group in eight centres around New Zealand to get feedback on the draft strategy. The first meeting is in Invercargill on 20 July. Written submissions close 16 August.
Latest community news, events, jobs and ads.
Community sites linked this month:
Lists 26 Community Law Centres, offering free legal services to the community. Also on the Legal Services Agency site are law research, resources and publications.
creates strong evidential knowledge which underpins social development policy and service delivery across government agencies.
Quick Doc Review allows you to put a draft document up in a private place on the web, and invite your reviewers to add their comments online.
Free tool for on-line surveys. Easy to use, with on-line result analysis. US$20 per month for larger surveys and extra features.
Information about Kahungunu iwi inc., the iwi and the latest happenings in the rohe.
An interactive information site for Caregivers — foster parents, whanau / kinship caregivers and grandparents raising grandchildren.
What Everybody Keeps Asking — about disability information for people with disabilities, their families, whanau and caregivers, health professionals and disability information providers.
promotes the participation and inclusion of disabled people in our society by monitoring the New Zealand Disability Strategy and providing policy advice.
profile typical scams and provide hints & safety tips for online traders.
provides funding for community safety initiatives, training, education, overseas travel, attendance at conferences and private sector technological developments beneficial to road safety.
More links.
There's a lot of talk these days about computer safety: viruses, trojans, phishing expeditions, Internet Explorer vulnerabilities — you can barely check the news without one or other computer safety problem being mentioned.
But in all the worry about the safety of the actual computer and its data we might be losing sight of another concern around computers. If we're not cautious it's very easy to be affected by OOS — Occupational Overuse Syndrome. All too many of us suffer temporary or permanent damage to our wrists, arms, necks or backs thanks to poor computing habits.
In government departments and many businesses there are various rules aiming to prevent OOS, but it's easily overlooked in community organisations. How do you and your volunteers or staff fare?
It's important to set up your computer "workstation" in ways conducive to good use. It's also important to follow some fairly simple guidelines such as taking regular stretching breaks and ensuring your posture is good while you use a computer.
The Computer Related Repetitive Strain Injury web page is very easy to read and is packed full of useful advice, pictures and diagrams and links to further information. Take a break right now and visit the page. Try out a couple of stretches; look at the recommended setup for your computer.
Also check the Health and Safety legislation which requires employers to provide a safe workplace.
Add an item on health and safety with computers to your next committee meeting agenda. Devise a strategy to make sure that all volunteers and employees, as well as those who use your programmes, will be safe around computers.
Continuing our Tips for Terrific Sites, this month's Tip suggests you stand back and take a new look at your site
Visitors arrive at your website by all kinds of means and for many different reasons. They haven't all conscientiously typed in your organisation's address. So what happens when they arrive at your site, and maybe not even on the front page?
Can they instantly see who you are are what you're about? Have you written out your organisation's name (in full) clearly on each page?
Not so good: "Here at the NZXYZ we offer many programmes."
Better: "The New Zealand Xylophone Youth Zone (NZXYZ) teaches young people how to play the xylophone and lobbies for free xylophones for all primary school students. Our vision …"
Can visitors easily find their way to a page which explains what your organisation is trying to do?
Make sure your website always has a page with contact information and a plain language explanation of what you're about.
When you create a web site you know who you are and what you're doing. It's very easy to get caught up in saying "we" do this or "we" do that. You also know how your organisation works and that the "youth scheme" comes under the heading "programmes" while "equipment loan" comes under the heading "services". But does the visitor know that?
Spend some time putting aside what you know and look at your site with fresh eyes. Take a long view and see your website as a new visitor would.
Find ways to organise your information that make sense to someone who's never come across your organisation before.
Research has show that with other websites only one click away people won't work very hard to use your site. If it's too complex, too hard to find information or they just don't "get" what you're about then visitors will just go elsewhere.
One of the best books on the subject of making your website usable is Steve Krug's 'Don't make me think'. If you visit Steve's website you can read a chapter free online.
It's an easy and utterly worthwhile read and even has links to other helpful information.
Take a moment now for the "long view" of your website.
Earlier Sites and Tips are available online.
In June 2004 there were:
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