June 15, 2000 | Read Time: 2 minutes
Organizers of this month’s National Community Service Conference are using Internet technology to encourage interaction among participants long before they get to the Orlando meeting — and to help those who cannot attend.
Approximately 5,000 people are expected at the meeting, which is being planned by the Points of Light Foundation, the Corporation for National Service, United Way of America, and America’s Promise. And, if the sponsoring organizations have their way, those in attendance will have already begun to introduce themselves and compare notes online before they even arrive.
Participants will be able to get the early start at the National Community Service Virtual Conference 2000, a Web site that is scheduled to go online June 12. It will feature nine “virtual communities” — organized by interest, such as faith-based and grassroots organizations, corporate volunteerism, and volunteer centers — each of which will have its own message board and chat rooms to allow participants to talk to one another before, during, and after the conference. The virtual communities are also open to non-profit leaders who cannot attend the conference.
During the conference itself, organizers will post transcripts of speeches, audio and video clips, and photographs of conference activities. Workshop coordinators have also been invited to submit their presentations, which will later be added to the site.
Tobeka G. Green, director of new media at the Points of Light Foundation, believes that in particular, the virtual conference will help local, grassroots organizations that may not be able to afford to send representatives.
“For many it’s very challenging to find the resources to actually attend a three- or four-day conference, and this will still allow them to receive the information and rejuvenation, and everything that comes from a conference experience at virtually no cost.”
To get there: Go to http://pointsoflight.org/ncsvc2000.
