There’s a great job opening at AmericaSpeaks for those looking…

The Director of Online Engagement and Participation will lead AmericaSpeaks’ initiatives to design, facilitate and organize online participatory processes that provide citizens and stakeholders with a greater voice in governance processes. The Director will be responsible for generating new projects through which AmericaSpeaks may engage the public online, representing AmericaSpeaks in discussions with federal agencies about how to use online methods to create a more open government, managing a group of online associates and partners to deliver online engagement programs, and forming and nurturing partnerships with other online innovators. The Director will also oversee the organization’s online and social media presence. Full job description below. (more…)

We heard recently from facilitators Maribeth Love and Paul Saputo about how they guided one New Orleans community on behalf of the Southern Mississippi Council of Conversations for Change to develop its first ever community impact statement. This document, created through a deliberative process, addresses the community-wide impact of what New Orleans Police Sergeant Doug Eckert called a “one-man crime wave.” (more…)

The Saguaro Seminar is an ongoing initiative of Professor Robert D. Putnam at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. They have recently updated their website with a bunch of resources including a new civic report from National Conference on Citizenship called “America’s Civic Health Index: Broken Engagement,” and news stories related to this and other research on the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. To find out what’s new at Saguaro, visit their website: www.ksg.harvard.edu/saguaro.

The Open Society Institute (www.soros.org) has announced a fellowship competition in response to critical issues exposed by Hurricane Katrina. By supporting in-depth journalism and media projects, OSI aims to stimulate and sustain a national conversation on these issues. The Katrina Media Fellowships will support dynamic print and radio journalists, photographers, and documentary filmmakers in the creation, and improvement, of media coverage of issues exposed by Katrina. Applicants should propose projects that will expand and deepen the public’s understanding of race and class inequalities in the United States. Applicants may also propose projects that will address the government’s response to problems caused or illuminated by Katrina, the use or misuse of public funds, the role of private contractors, the effectiveness of clean-up and rebuilding efforts, citizen involvement in these efforts, and lessons learned that should inform the handling of future natural and man-made disasters. In addition, applicants may propose projects that draw attention to OSI’s current or past programmatic priorities, using Katrina as the frame. These priorities include access to legal services and government assistance, criminal justice reform, improving end of life care, and access to healthcare and education reform. OSI expects to award twelve to fifteen one-year fellowships. Fellows will receive between $15,000 and $35,000 to carry out projects in print, radio, photography, and documentary film and video production. Award amounts will cover a stipend and project expenses and will vary depending on the project duration, medium, and costs involved. The fellowship term begins June 15, 2006. Applicants must be mid-career or veteran print or radio journalists, photographers, or documentary filmmakers with proven track records as serious media-makers. OSI will give special consideration to applicants who have been displaced from or are residents of the Gulf Coast region. The Katrina Media Fellowships are a one-time competition and will not be offered in subsequent years. Fellowship guidelines and application instructions are available at the OSI Web site. The deadline for applications is March 31, 2006.

In the wake of the recent devastation in the South, our friend and colleague Tom Atlee put together a list of resources for everyone to keep talking, thinking and taking action to help those affected. Below, you will find a list of websites and resources summarizing the event, tools for opening up discussion and places to make donations. Please share this list widely.
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