Anyone can volunteer!

Produced by Mark Woloschuk / www.shtooky.com

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Although Skype states their VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) application is relatively “easy to download, install and use”, a visual tutorial may help those with installing and using this program for the first time. As apart of the best practises publication about Online Volunteerism being developed by Randy Tyler, MYS has facilitated the creation of many how-to videos.

In this context, Macdonald Youth Services (MYS) is pleased to share a video tutorial that provides an overview of how to download, install, configure and use Skype 2.5 for Windows. MYS extends their thanks to online volunteer Yu Cheng, who now lives in China, for creating the approximate nine minute video.

Using a combination of Skype’s voice, chat and file transfer features, Macdonald Youth Services demonstrated that such an application can be an effective and efficient tool to help any non-profit advance projects undertaken by their far-flung volunteers.

And in addition to file transfer and one-to-one voice and text-based conversations, Skype also has additional capabilities, such as instant message group chats with up to 100 people, free voice conference calls with up to four people and video calls. Skype is also used as the preferred VoIP application by notable podcasters, where an interview format is used. Assuming you are not using a more advanced set-up (such as a firewire-based interface and/or mixer with XLR mics and headphones) Skype, or any VoIP application works best with a headset, preferably a USB-based headset such as the Plantronics DSP line.

If you are experiencing poor voice communication when using Skype, try setting up port forwarding on your router/ firewall to enable a direct connection. Through static port forwarding, a static port is assigned for Skype to use (in this configuration, to prevent Skype from becoming a server, do not leave your application running). For more information about routers, ports, security and setting up port forwarding for your specific router for Skype, please see the following resources:

Port Forward: Setting up your Router or Firewall
http://www.portforward.com/routers.htm

Security Now (Podcast)
Listener Feedback Q&A #6
http://media.grc.com/sn/SN-036-lq.mp3
Listener Feedback Q&A #7
http://media.grc.com/sn/SN-040-lq.mp3
NAT Traversal
http://media.grc.com/sn/SN-042-lq.mp3
Open Ports
http://media.grc.com/sn/SN-043-lq.mp3

Shields Up (Computer Port Security Scan)
http://www.grc.com/default.htm

As a reminder, all calls from Skype to landlines and cell phones within the US and Canada are also free until December 31, 2006.

To download the “How to Use Skype” video in other (higher quality) formats, including Flash, Flash Projectors (Windows and Mac), MPEG4, AVI and DivX, please visit the following URL now:

http://www.mys.ca/volunter/how-to

To subscribe or unsubscribe from MYS’s Online Volunteering News and Announcements E-Mail List, please see the URL below:
http://mys.ca/cgi-bin/media/mail_list.pl

Macdonald Youth Services (MYS), a 77 year-old trusted and respected registered charitable healing and support agency based in Winnipeg, Canada, provides a variety of innovative and leading programming for thousands of Manitoba’s young people on a yearly basis. MYS has been successfully utilizing highly-skilled online volunteers from around the globe to enhance their programs and services since 1998.

For Further Information:

Randy Tyler, Volunteer Co-ordinator/Webmaster
Macdonald Youth Services
http://mys.ca/volunter
Winnipeg, Canada
Ph: 1-204-949-4292
E: http://www.mys.ca/cgi-bin/randy_email.cgi
W: http://www.mys.ca/aov
Skype: randytyler_canada

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Most not-for-profit organizations still rely (only) on face-to-face volunteers to help plan, organize and execute their special events. However, Canadian-based charitable organization, Macdonald Youth Services (MYS), has demonstrated that Internet-based volunteers can play a key role in the success of special events.

To recognize and show appreciation for the significant contribution online volunteers made towards the success of MYS’s anniversary events, Event Co-ordinator Julie Fine delivered a video thank you message to them. The 1.5 minute video, which was produced by MYS’s New York based online volunteer Richard Wagner, speaks to the amazement Fine experienced in working with these highly-skilled online volunteers. The video is available for download in various formats at the following URL:

http://www.mys.ca/volunter/events/

For further information or to volunteer online:

Randy Tyler
http://www.mys.ca

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Submit your video and learn more at http://www.youtube.com/videovolunteers.

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Voice e-mail is one productivity application that non-profit organizations should be using to communicate with their online volunteers. There are certain situations where text-based e-mail is not as effective or efficient as voice e-mail in conveying a message to your Internet-based volunteers.

As part of the how to multimedia best practices publication about Online Volunteering Randy Tyler is currently developing, MYS online volunteer Yu Cheng created an easy-to-follow instructional video that shows how to download, install, configure, record and send a voice e-mail message using a PC-based application called “Audio Record Wizard” (please note: there are other similar programs such as NCH’s “Vemail Voice Email”). To download the six minute instructional video (which is available in higher quality formats), please visit the following URL now:

http://www.mys.ca/volunter/how-to

For Further Information or to Volunteer Online with a Trusted Leader:

Randy Tyler
Macdonald Youth Services
Winnipeg, Canada
http://www.mys.ca/aov
T: 1-204-949-4292
E: http://www.mys.ca/cgi-bin/randy_email.cgi
W: http://www.mys.ca/volunter

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eZine True Story: What Happened When a Manitoba Charity Sought Help Online?

Without a budget for TV production, Macdonald Youth Services (MYS), a leading Winnipeg-based registered charitable organization, set out to recruit online volunteers to produce what is usually thought not doable via the Internet: create an engaging video awareness message that would illustrate MYS’s 75 year history in Manitoba. But the potential of the Internet to help non-profit organizations in one of the most challenging of tasks was unleashed. Online volunteers from Detroit, Michigan; Toronto, Ontario; Clinton, New York and Portland, Oregon joined virtual hands to produce a 30 second, 75 year time capsule TV PSA to illustrate MYS’s rich history.

For further information, or to volunteer online, for a leading and trusted charitable organization, please visit Macdonald Youth Services’ Web site now at:

http://mys.ca/volunter

or e-mail Randy Tyler at:
http://mys.ca/cgi-bin/randy_email.cgi

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