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The CommunityNet Aotearoa monthly newsletter.
"News and views on community networking throughout Aotearoa."
Nominations are open for the CommunityNet Aotearoa Advisory Group with one position open for a community and voluntary sector organisation representative. By getting involved in the Advisory Group, representatives will have significant influence over a key sector information resource, be in a visible leadership role, and expand their knowledge and networks. Nominations are open to anyone working in or with community organisations. Nominations must be endorsed by at least one community or voluntary organisation and must be received by 5pm, 30 April 2009.
/communitycentre/news/national/advisorygroupnom.htm
'Work together differently or face dire consequences from the economic downturn' was the challenge put to attendees at the Impact on Communities: Managing the Downturn together workshop held in Wellington on 25 February. The message was delivered repeatedly by members of an invited panel and key speakers at the workshop, which involved 60 community and government sector participants.
/communitycentre/news/national/cooperation.htm
Have your say on which New Zealand based children's charity receives a donation of up to $15,000 by taking part in Sovereign's new sponsorship initiative. You will also be in the draw to win a monthly prize. Sovereign Sunshine is a whole new concept in online fundraising, aimed at giving Kiwi kids a brighter future.
/communitycentre/news/national/sovereignsunshine.htm
From 1 March 2009, employers who employ 19 or fewer employees are able to employ new employees on a trial period of up to 90 calendar days. To help answer questions about the new legislation, the Department of Labour's Employment Relations Service has published an information web page for employers and employees.
/communitycentre/news/national/90daytrial.htm
Te Whanau Manaaki o Manawatu would like to announce the Postponement of the National AOD Recovery Hui in Manawatu, 20 - 23 March. The National AOD Recovery Hui will now be held: 18 - 21 September 2009. We would like to apologize for any inconvenience this may cause to whanau or service providers.
/communitycentre/news/national/aodhui.htm
Online applications are now open for the Ministry of Health Hauora Maori Scholarships 2009. The purpose of the scholarship is to assist students to undertake or complete an NZQA accredited course in health and disability studies, in order to build Maori workforce capacity in the sector. Applications close at 5pm on Friday 10 April 2009.
/communitycentre/news/national/hauoramaori.htm
Save the Children's Small Grants Fund applications for April are now open and you are kindly requested to invite your community and networks to submit applications. The Small Grants Fund is targeted at local projects advancing the rights of New Zealand children. Save the Children would like to fund local initiatives that endeavour to make lasting benefits for children and young people by building their capacity to reach their full potential. The closing date for applications is 15 April 2009.
/communitycentre/news/national/smallgrantsfund.htm
The Strategic Pay Not for Profit Sector Remuneration Survey is now underway. The Survey Report provides valuable information to organisations in all parts of the Not for Profit Sector as they negotiate funding contracts and consider the pay of their staff. The deadline for participation and submission of organisation data is 17 April 2009.
/communitycentre/news/national/remunerationsurvey.htm
A national network of organisations representing former refugees living in New Zealand was formed in January, after more than a year of consultation and meetings. The initial purpose of the National Refugee Network is to share information. As it builds resources, the network will look at how to develop a mechanism for communities to talk to each other, and promote a shared voice on issues of common concern.
/communitycentre/news/national/refugeenetwork.htm
The Promoting Generosity project Hub has produced the second in a series of papers exploring aspects of generosity. The purpose of the series is to stimulate discussion between the Promoting Generosity initiative Hub members, advisors and others in order to guide the work of the Hub and help inform others working to promote giving at a local level. *What value do we place on generosity?* examines the benefits that stem from generosity for givers, receivers and the community as a whole.
/communitycentre/news/national/generosityvalue.htm
Wellington-based social enterprise Givealittle.co.nz today launched a new initiative to kick start a bit of good feeling amidst gloom and doom about recession. Givealittle is giving the New Zealand public the chance to do something amazing for someone or something close to their hearts. It's an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of a friend in need, a family, a local school, favourite charity or community organisation.
/communitycentre/news/national/friendsinneed.htm
For children on the autism spectrum, school can be a frightening, even sickening, place. A child's ability to learn can be greatly affected by anxiety and difficulty understanding teachers and other students. As more children in New Zealand are diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the pressure increases on schools and teachers trying to cope. In this DVD teachers show how they are creating environments where children with ASD are able to learn and thrive, parents tell us about their experiences with school and students talk about how it is for them.
/communitycentre/news/national/autismatschool.htm
Christchurch Community House - Te Whakaruruhau ki Otautahi is looking for a community group to tenant Room 122. Applications close on Friday, 10 April 2009.
/communitycentre/news/national/cchroom.htm
Latest community news, events, jobs and ads are online at:www.community.net.nz/communitycentre/news.
Birthright Waikato provides guidance, information and support for one parent families so they may participate fully in the community. http://birthrightwaikato.wainet.org
Kidney Kids is a non-profit organisation whose mission is to ensure that all children in New Zeland living with kidney disease are living the best life possible. We provide support, information, education and activities to children and young adults between the ages of 0-21 with kidney disease and their families.
http://www.kidneykids.org.nz
Helping our kids learn. The Ministry of Education's Team-Up website provides New Zealand parents with authoritative information on how they can help their children learn. It includes a bi-lingual section, Te Mana.
http://www.teamup.co.nz
Taiohi website is part of the Ministry of Education's Te Mana programme designed to help rangatahi (young Maori aged between 13-18 years) get the most out of school. Taiohi is a magazine style site with news, interviews, reviews and lots of useful information for rangatahi.
http://www.taiohi.co.nz
Helping young Kiwis understand and deal with depression. The Lowdown features information on depression and advice on dealing with it. Musicians, celebrities and everyday people share their own personal experiences and users can contact The Lowdown team by text or email.
http://www.thelowdown.co.nz
The Chur Chur Bro website is a bilingual mental health self-help care website for Rangatahi Maori (12-18 years old) that utilises modified versions of the 3 Whaia te Ara Mou resources. The website offers interactive activities that focus on mental health care information and knowledge.
http://www.churchurbro.co.nz
Endometriosis Waikato is a local community organisation supporting the 20% of women and teenage girls affected by this significant condition. Endometriosis Waikato facilitates the wellness of women with endometriosis through support, information and education, and by raising awareness in the community.
http://endometriosiswaikato.org.nz
The Franklin Arts Culture and Library Trust's mission is to make the arts part of the fabric of life in Franklin, to create rich and stimulating arts experiences for all people and communities, young or old.
http://www.franklinarts.org.nz
The Asthma and Respiratory Foundation is a non-government charitable organisation with 25 affiliated Asthma Societies and branches throughout New Zealand that can offer one-to-one education, tips, techniques and support for dealing with asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and other respiratory conditions.
http://www.asthmanz.co.nz
The Auckland Disability Providers Network Inc. (ADPN) aims to collectively work on initiatives and issues around providing services for disabled people.
http://adpn.org.nz
Wellington Batucada is a community based percussion group which brings the flamboyant world of samba from Brazil to Wellington. We are an all inclusive group - anyone can join regardless of experience or ability.
http://www.batucada.org.nz
Inspiring Communities is a nationwide group of communities committed to collaborative community-led development. In this new approach we learn and work collaboratively, joining across the barriers that traditionally distance us. By working together, we create positive change and build stronger, more resilient communities and a more effective society - a better place to live.
http://www.inspiringcommunities.org.nz
Recreate Auckland is a Charitable Trust established to provide age-appropriate recreational opportunities that enhance the social, emotional and physical development of children and young people that have disabilities, while also providing support and respite for their parents and families.
http://www.recreate-auckland.org.nz
Sportsground.co.nz provides a free easy-edit website to every sports organisation and sports club in New Zealand. Each site accepts over 100 pages of content, including photo and video galleries, sports draws, newsletters and group email for announcements. Sportsground also provides a free sub-site for every associated sports team within your organisation. Every site includes two advertising banner positions that can be used for fundraising.
http://www.sportsground.co.nz
Schoolground.co.nz provides a FREE easy-edit website to every school in New Zealand. Each site accepts over 100 pages of content, including photo and video galleries, sports draws, newsletters and group email for announcements. Schoolground also provides a free sub-site for every associated classroom within your school. Each site includes two advertising banner positions that can be used for fundraising for the school or classroom.
http://www.schoolground.co.nz
The R. Tucker Thompson Sail Training Trust provides Outward Bound type sail training programmes for young people to build confidence, teamwork and life skills. Operated by a not-for-profit charitable trust, the sailing adventures take place in the Bay of Islands aboard the iconic Northland tall ship, the R.Tucker Thompson.
http://www.tucker.co.nz
The Te Arai Beach Preservation Society is a group of people that feel that the unique nature of Te Arai Beach and its surrounds should be conserved for our enjoyment and for the enjoyment of future generations.
http://www.tearai.org
Manukau East Council of Social Services (MECOSS) is an umbrella organisation actively involved with better provision of social services to the people of Manukau East. MECOSS is part of NZCOSS, a national non-governmental organisation which has strong connections to Government departments and policy development in New Zealand.
http://www.mecoss.org.nz
The Donald Beasley Institute is a national, independent, non-profit organisation based in Dunedin. The Institute's mission is to advance the well-being of people with disabilities in New Zealand through applied research and education with a primary focus on intellectual disability.
http://www.donaldbeasley.org.nz
The Young Life New Zealand Trust is committed to seeing young people in our community reach their full potential. It achieves this by equipping a large group of adult youth workers from the community to partner with parents, schools and other community groups for the benefit of young people.
http://www.younglife.org.nz
Community Help is New Zealand's comprehensive guide to services provided by Government departments and state owned enterprises as well as various government and non-government agencies. More than a list or catalogue of services, Community Help focuses on describing the services that are provided by these various organisations and details how to access them listing contacts at a national, regional and local level.
http://www.communityhelp.org.nz
You'll find these and more links at:www.community.net.nz/links.
These Events are coming up in the next few weeks. Find details at: www.community.net.nz/communitycentre/events.
These Training events are coming up in the next few weeks. Find details at: www.community.net.nz/communitycentre/training.
You may have data on your computer that is valuable to you: photos, home movies, the novel you've been writing, your accounts for the past few years.
I'm sure you back it up, since it's important to you. But where do you keep that backup? Next to the computer? In another room? At a neighbour's house nearby?
One problem with this local storage approach is that if some localised disaster strikes, such as a flood, fire or earthquake, not only do you have to deal with damage to your property, but you may also lose all that computer data you value.
A good solution is to store backups online, in a trusted place. Of course, this is only viable if you use broadband.
There are many services that offer online storage; the one I use is Amazon S3 - brought to you by the famous Amazon store. My most recent invoice for one month was for a whole NZ$1.03. That's around $15 to $20 per year, given that I'm adding to the online storage regularly. That's very affordable, even for those in straitened circumstances.
This month I added 3Gb out of my 25Gb of photos, so I expect an additional US$0.75 on my bill.
I upload my files using my FTP software, but for those who don't even know what that means there's an easy way to use the service. People I trust speak highly of software called JungleDisk, available from jungledisk.com for Mac, Windows and Linux.
There are screenshots and slideshows at jungledisk.com/desktop/screen.aspx that show you what the software looks like and how to use it.
Using JungleDisk you can create a backup regime, or you can just use S3 as though it's another drive attached to your computer - drag and drop files in the same way you would with a thumb drive or similar.
Your files are secure at Amazon S3. When you sign up you are given two 'keys' similar to this fictitious example: 9Uf/f9cuTy6rf8DWSKyLdp6YGTrC2HDvQWTV9LSr. You need to keep them secret, as they allow you and no-one else to access your data.
All kinds of things can cause your treasured files to go astray, and sooner or later they will go astray. Online backup offers an extra level of security, by storing your files geographically distant from you.
If you don't want to consider such a service at least buy a thumb drive, or some CDs or DVDs, or an external hard drive and make sure you copy your most important files - the ones the insurance couldn't buy again for you, such as photos. Then keep that device in a safe place and update it regularly.
Keep in mind though: the more effort it takes to make a backup the less likely you are to do it. Online backups are quick and easy. Amazon S3 with JungleDisk is low cost and very easy. For other options try a Google search.
Things happen: floods, fires, illness, servers blowing up, people retiring. Your organisation should have or start a file with details for your domain name, web hosting and email hosting.
Then if there's an emergency, or even just a regular problem, you'll know who to approach, how to contact them, and where and how to log in to any web page you might need to access.
Ask your web designer to help you answer the questions in this Tip (and some future Tips) and record those answers. Store that information in a safe place within your own organisation. Don't just trust your web designer to know the answers and what to do - they may fall ill or be on holiday when you most need the details.
Make sure that all information is kept up-to-date. Make it part of someone's job to check the details regularly - perhaps on the anniversary of launching the website.
If your organisation has a website - and every organisation or project should have at least a Contact page online - then that website has an online address: an URL. Every URL includes a domain name, for example: community.net.nz, or dia.govt.nz, or knowit.co.nz.
If the URL for your website uses the domain name of some other organisation, such as your Internet Service Provider (TelstraClear, Xtra, Orcon and others), or a free hosting service, such as WordPress.com, then you're losing out on a lot of benefits. Addresses like http://homepages.paradise.net.nz/~miraz are fine for individuals and personal websites, but not for community groups.
Read some of the older Tips to find out how to register and use your own domain name. 1
Every domain name is registered with a Registrar, and someone has the authority to make changes to the information connected with it.
Your community organisation should hold records that tell you:
Next time: how domain names tie in with your website's secret 'real' address.
1 See Use a personal domain name, Panui Issue #75, July 2008, and Use Gmail for a personal domain name Panui Issue #76, August 2008, for more information about obtaining and using domain names.
Panui tips contributed by Miraz Jordan, http://knowit.co.nz .
Past Website tips are all available on CommunityNet Aotearoa.
In March 2009 there were 53,315 visits (February 39,460).
Last month, 93 new community items were published.
Send in your free community notice or advertisement at:
www.community.net.nz/about/submit.
There were 10,217 files downloaded (February: 7,775). The most popular file download in March was the Sample Board Policies section of the Governance and Management How-to Guide (933 Downloads). In February this was also the Sample Board Policies section of the Governance and Management How-to Guide (1,527 downloads).
Find CommunityNet statistics at: www.community.net.nz/about/website/statistics.htm.
Remember: please forward the complete Panui to others who'll find it useful.
Nick Stanley, Web Content Writer.
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Panui and CommunityNet Aotearoa are guided by an Advisory Group drawn from community organisations and are published by Department of Internal Affairs, PO Box 805, Wellington. Phone: 04 4957200. Email: information@community.net.nz.
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