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Monday Jul 23, 2007

Internet dating

A few years ago when I was going through a dry patch in my love life I delved into the world of internet dating. I kept it hush-hush from many of my friends who I thought would laugh at me and think I was sad and loopy, but after living in a small quiet Yorkshire town for six months and worrying that I may end up having to marry a farmer, (no offence to farmers!), I thought, well what the heck!

I 'met' lots of strange and interesting guys, but when it came to actually taking things further and meeting up with them, I always wimped out. Four years later as online social networking grows at a crazy rate (even my Mum wants to know how to get onto Facebook!), does internet dating still have the same stigma attached to it? TheSite.org wants to know all about your experience with the world of online dating. Have you met someone online and it's been a disaster, or did you meet the man/woman of your dreams? Would you recommend it, or tell others to stay away from the perils of dating a stranger who talks the online talk, but in reality is sexy as a slug. Go to our board discussion to take part in this month's vox pop.

Posted by Julia ( 10:33 AM ) Link to this post  |  Comments[2]

Thursday Jul 12, 2007

Get the respect you deserve!

Our regular users will be aware the Respect campaign that's been run by YouthNet (the charity behind TheSite.org) and the British Youth Council. The campaign itself has been about getting young people the respect they deserve, especially from those who report about the behaviour of young people.

The campaign has now marched all the way to Parliament and yesterday Dawn Butler tabled an Early Day Motion that allows MPs to show their support for the campaign.

Here's the text of EDM 1885:

"...acknowledges that only a small minority of young people are antisocial; believes that the media does not give young people enough recognition for the positive things they do; and urges Hon. Members to ensure young people's views are represented in public debate by creating opportunities for their input such as holding youth surgeries and visiting schools, colleges and universities"

So, what can you do?

Get over to this site and ask... no, TELL your local MP to sign up for EDA 1885. Get your friends and family - to also contact their MPs. The more MPs we have signing up to it, the more effective the campaign can be. 

You can also support the campaign if you're on Facebook by joining the Respect Group,

Posted by Jim ( 5:38 PM ) Link to this post  |  Comments[0]

Cottoning on to organic

I watched the Community Channel for the first time the other day (yes, shock horror, it's actually pretty good!) and there was a programme about the growing availability of organic cotton on the high street.

Interestingly, the programme featured a vox pop asking people if they knew what organic cotton was. Not one person asked was able to explain anything about it. One of the best explanations I've found so far is on the website for People Tree, a pioneer of Fair Trade and ecological fashion.

Now, TheSite.org is no stranger to eco fashion. Our Choose Action issues section has plenty of informative content on organic products, Fair Trade and all those buzz words we read in the papers nearly every day.

And now the word is finally spreading. You may already be aware that H&M launched a collection made with 100% organic cotton earlier this year. Furthermore, M&S has pledged that  5% of its cotton will be organic by 2012, TopShop has launched its own fairtrade T shirt line, and even Primark has introduced an organic range. What I'm wondering though, and I know I'm not the only one, is where can men find organic lines on the high street? Eco fashion has come on leaps and bounds, but there are still some massive strides to make. 

Posted by Helen ( 1:20 PM ) Link to this post  |  Comments[1]

Tuesday Jul 03, 2007

Virtual volunteering

Embarrassing as it is, I have to admit that I'm lazy when it comes to volunteering. I can see all the reasons to do it: make a difference to someone else's life or cause (and consequently give yourself a big self-satisfied pat on the back); meet new people; do something different to the usual nine-to-five routine. Hell, I might even learn something new to put on my CV. But still I haven't got off my arse and started doing anything.

I can't be the only one who only ever dreams of living an altruistic life - where I happily skip off to volunteer after work, returning home with a warm fuzzy feeling inside – can I?

If the latest volunteering movement is anything to go by, probably not. It's called 'Virtual Volunteering' (and also goes by names like online activism and cyber service), and it's all about volunteering from the comfort of your own computer. Ideal for lazy asses like me.

Here at YouthNet (the charity behind TheSite.org), we've been working with virtual volunteers for the past few years. We have volunteers helping us moderate the discussion boards, write articles, answer askTheSite questions and proofread content. As a charity, there's no way we could pay all these people, so there's no doubt that the contribution they're making to our services is invaluable.

And now lots of other organisations are cottoning on. As the internet becomes a more powerful means of communicating, charities increasingly need people to help them improve their online presence. The good news for the volunteer is that you no longer have to turn up at an agreed time and place and give a certain number of hours. Volunteer virtually and you can fit the work in anytime, any place (providing you can log on).

We're so enthusiastic about this concept that we've joined forces with some other organisations to promote it on TheSite.org. If you reckon you could get into virtual volunteering, check out the kind of opportunities that are available on our search. There are loads of opportunities to choose from - you could be a website assistant, campaigner, an illustrator or a marketing assistant. If you're still worried about making a commitment, why not take a few minutes to put your name to some campaigns you care about? In our Action Centre we've dug out all the latest e-petitions and campaigns so you can make a difference to saving the shark, climate change, water poverty and oil drilling in the Amazon without any commitment.

Looks like my excuses are running out fast...

Posted by Hannah ( 2:04 PM ) Link to this post  |  Comments[0]