When it comes to giving, slacktivism versus “real” engagement is a false dichotomy. Critics need to get used to the idea that we live in a time of innovative new ways for people to get involved – including things that might not have qualified as “volunteering” or “donating” once upon a time. In volunteering, particularly, there are still many questions about how these new forms of online helping actually relate to traditional engagement. Does the ladder of engagement, which seeks to move folks in an orderly fashion from bystanders to committed movement leaders, still make sense in a crowd-sourced, free-agent, sharing-enabled, microvolunteering world? Not only are the rungs becoming blurry, it may be that “ladder” is the wrong metaphor completely. At the 2011 SXSW conference in Austin, panel moderator Robert Rosenthal from the popular volunteer network VolunteerMatch (www.volunteermatch.org) discussed this with four technologists who are also creating innovative tools to engage audiences in social good. How can their tools live beside other innovative, non-technical forms of volunteering -- such as pro bono and skilled models? What are the right business models for social enterprises that are involved in these technologies? Most importantly, how can SXSW audience members make sense of these emerging technologies so their own online social change campaigns can be as engaging as possible? With: George Weiner, DoSomething Laura Cochran, Gannett Patty Huber, Groupon.com Tom Dawkins, HopeLab & StartSomeGood.com

2. When it comes to online engagement for offline social good, how much do traditional notions of the Ladder of Engagement still apply? Three Big Questions: With so many options, what are the key things you should keep in mind if you’re planning to deploy an online campaign to engage audiences in social good? How do you balance business needs with your desire for social impact?

3. My Story Me, volunteering. (Alcatraz Historic Gardens)

4. Apply emerging technology to create a more efficient and sustainable marketplace for volunteer engagement. My Story Volunteer Match Volunteer Shopping Jobs Travel Services Volunteering

5. My Story

6. “ Social Good” at Google 2006 2011

7. Online Social Actions Chaos

8. The Ladder Source: Wiser Earth

9. The Ladder Source: Beth Kanter

10. The Ladder Source: Site Logic

11. Why Not?

14. Action

15. Engagement

17. Teens For Jeans

18. Partners

21. Find Your Team

22. Feed It

23. Audience First: How We Engage Technology Activation -> Motivation -> Selection -> Engagement Events Emotion Direct Giving Ease of Entry Experience Faith "Well Lit" Experiential Trauma Connection Sustaining Technology Religion Intelligence Results Driven Social Family/Upbringing Exposure

24. The Indianapolis Star

29. My name’s Tom. A little about me: Then: Founded non-profits in high school and university CEO Vibewire Youth Inc 2000-2008 Social Media Director Ashoka 2008-2010 Now: Manager of Emerging Media HopeLab Co-founder StartSomeGood Hi!

30. The new medium could be “the most wonderful communications system imaginable, a gigantic system of channels… capable not only of transmitting but receiving, not of isolating the user but connecting them.”

33. Potted history of my online organizing 2000/1:

39. From The Networked Nonprofit by Beth Kanter and Alison Fine.

40. Relationships

42. Cancer Knowledge Baseline Follow-up Intervention-targeted knowledge (% correct) Control Re-Mission 55 60 65 70 Self-Efficacy Cancer-specific self-efficacy (1-7 scale) 5.6 5.8 6.0 6.2 Baseline Follow-up Control Re-Mission p = .034 p = .027 Kato, P.M., Cole, S.W., Bradlyn, A.S., Pollock, B.H. (2008). A Video Game Improves Behavioral Outcomes in Adolescents and Young Adults With Cancer: A Randomized Trial. Pediatrics, 122: e305-e317. RESEARCH RE-MISSION WORKS

46. Instigator/Changemaker

50. Instigator/Changemaker