Erin Taylor's Field Reports

Building the Project's Capacity

Erin Taylor — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 14:57:03 -0600

Recently, I’ve been doing a lot of research on capacity building: What is it? How can we evaluate it? Is there a “best practice” approach to capacity building? Is there a common conceptual framework for capacity building? What are the benefits of doing it? Who should do it? How do you promote capacity building in your organization? In what ways can CTC VISTA build its capacity? How does CTC VISTA help individual VISTAs build the capacity in their organizations?

I’ve found some helpful resources that address some of these questions. I’ve been using them, along with a book titled Communication Planning: An Integrated Approach, to help with CTC VISTA’s ongoing strategic planning. The Project is also working on developing internal communications, outreach, and fundraising plans that summarize the goals and implementation procedures for those areas.

The capacity building work we’re doing so far doesn’t change what the Project does, rather it provides a useful framework that helps us stay focused, productive, and capable of evolving with the needs of those we serve. It also helps clarify the Project and eliminate transitional issues in an organization with an inherently high turnover rate. Eventually the Project might develop new ways in which to evaluate its own capacity building, and the capacity being built by individual VISTAs.

I’d be very interested to hear anyone’s thoughts on or their experiences with these issues. I’m attaching two of the resources I’ve found very helpful in this process. Here, too, is a link to the Free Management Library, which has additional resources and links.

Digest and outreach

Erin Taylor — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 17:08:24 -0600

Hey everyone, here's a quick update on some things at UMass.

With the Digest deadline quickly approaching, Danielle and I are working to get articles, bios, images, and video up in Drupal. If you wrote an article and have a photo that’s relevant, it would be great if you could send it to me or let me know where I can find it. It will be interesting to see how the Journal works as a finished product in the context of our new site. The Digest has been great because it’s allowed me to see a little more of Drupal and also created an appeal for web based documents and spreadsheets, neither of which I’d given any prior thought. I’ve been using Google’s versions and for my purposes they’ve been just as functional and easy to navigate as Excel or Word.

I’ve also been doing some outreach for the Project, researching local Community Media and Technology (or similar) programs to get involved with. Our aim is to strengthen both the university programs and the Project by sharing connections and resources and providing opportunities relevant to each other’s members. For example, people in these programs are presumably great applicants for the CTC VISTA Project and often these universities offer graduate programs that would be of interest to VISTA members. I’m going to be taking a series of workshops in November with Nettrice Gaskins at MassArt on InDesign so I can get some tangible materials together for some face-to-face meetings.

On the organization side of things, I’ve been searching for non-profits that could potentially use a VISTA in Detroit, MI. Recently, we’ve had more applicants interested in working in Detroit, but the Project doesn’t currently work with anyone there, and as I’m from the Metro Detroit area I was excited to do this. If anyone working in or from Michigan has any thoughts, let me know.

Hope everyone enjoys the weekend.

Three weeks in

Erin Taylor — Mon, 02 Oct 2006 10:26:02 -0600

Well, I've finally moved into my own place. After three weeks of bags and boxes, I was able (with much appreciated help from Danielle and Ben) to move my stuff into this great house in Arlington. Great except that it was completely unfurnished and entirely empty, so my first night I made a bed of blankets on the hardwood floor; of course, I'd had the foresight to buy an air mattress it was just the batteries I needed to inflate it that I'd forgotten, so hardwood floor it was. My roommates have since moved in, and I have a bed on the way, so things are now looking up.

On the subject of roommates, this has been my first experience living with people who I don't know going into the situation. It has proven to be a good one, and I'm hopeful that it will continue to be so. My roommates (2 guys, 1 girl) have been slowly moving in this past week, and it's been fun to see who brings what to the house. I walked in one day after work to a unicycle leaning against the refrigerator, and after questioning my roommate about her unique contribution to the kitchen, was informed that she also breathes fire, walks a tight rope, and juggles (although not at the same time). So, my roommates have interesting hobbies; they're also laid back, fun, clean, and pretty great so far.

As far as work is concerned, I'm getting into the swing of things, slowly but surely. I'm helping Danielle with the Digest (if you're interested in writing an article, send me a note) and also developing a fundraising plan with Peter. The rest of my time seems to be spent getting familiar with the non profit sector, ackronyms, and computer language. All this is taking a little longer than I'd like, but I have great people around me that are really helping with the process, and I'm looking forward to adding more substantial value soon. Anyway, hope everyone is doing well; I love reading about what you're all up too. Have a great week!

Setting up your account and blogging on the new site

Erin Taylor — Mon, 18 Sep 2006 09:56:51 -0600

SETTING UP YOUR ACCOUNT

Begin at http://www.ctcvista.org (On the right, you should see ‘user login’)
Before you can actually login you need to click the link to ‘request new password’ just below the user login.
Fill in your name and/or email address, click ‘email new password’, and you will receive an email with your password. The site will direct you to a login page, but instead check your email and use the second link (the longer one) provided in the email to log in.
The link should take you to a page that says ‘reset password’. Click the ‘log in’ link and find yourself at the ‘account settings’ page under the ‘edit’ tab of your account (your name should be at the top of the page and let you know that you’ve ‘used your one-time login link’)
Set up your account by entering your email address and creating a password for your account. You may also upload a picture for your account if you’d like and/or create a signature. When you’re done, hit login at the bottom of the page.
Still under ‘Account Settings’ you will see two other sections ‘Organization’ and ‘Personal’
Under ‘Organization’ fill in as many fields as you can. When you’re done, press ‘submit’. ****you must hit ‘submit’ at the bottom of the page before moving to a different tab in order to save your info******
Under ‘Personal’ ********you must fill in your name, address, and a number where you can be reached. The Project needs this information for their records and payroll. If you would like to make this information private, you may do so at the bottom of the page.*************** Directly below zip code, and just above submit, you can check a ‘make private’ box so no one else outside of headquarters/administrators can see it.

BLOGGING ON THE NEW SITE

After logging in, you should see your name and possible functions on the right side of the page. Click on the ‘my blog’ link.
Click on ‘post new blog entry’ below your name on the left.
You must give your blog a title and specify the priority area(s) that apply to the content of your blog entry. There is also space for free tags. ********please tag your work (and separate tags with commas)*********** Wonder why tagging is important? Check out http://news.com.com/1606-2-5798694.html?tag=nl
Then type the content of your blog. It’s like a MS Word interface, but you can switch to HTML if you’d like by using the toolbar above. Also in the toolbar is a button for adding images (you can link to images on the web or upload new images to the site).
If you’d like to add file attachments, you can do so by clicking the link just above the preview/submit buttons at the bottom of the page.
FYI: you cannot save drafts of your content in this system, but you can go back and edit your blog entries at any time.
When you’re finished, press the ‘submit’ button at the bottom of the page.

my first blog...a little late

Erin Taylor — Fri, 08 Sep 2006 20:25:19 -0600

Hey all,It was really great to meet so many interesting, unique, and talented people these past few days at our PSO, and I'm anxious to continue working with all of you throughout this coming year. Good luck with your first weeks and safe travels!