Adminbandit's Weblog » corporate social responsibility

Gotta be in it to win it – first prize

adminbandit — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 02:42:57 +0000

It has been an exciting time receiving parcels and as a result rearranging the office (and re-orienting moving from a PC life to a Mac life).

Firstly, Kayako – help desk software ran a competition to increase their Twitter followers and Facebook fans. To enter, all that was required was to follow them on Twitter (& Facebook) which I did because we use Kayako as the help desk software to support our volunteer treasurer software and it serves us well. Well knock my socks off, the next day @neridagill was selected as the first prize winner!!! Woohoo! To win first prize in an international competition was fantastic. This prize came in three parts:-

An updated and upgraded version of their help desk software. This means once it is installed we’ll increase our level of service even further by providing a Live Chat Online option for our treasurers.
A USD$1000 donated to the charity of my choice. I chose our local volunteer based breast cancer support group Bosom Buddies.
Last but not least a MacBook Air laptop! Am loving my new laptop. It has replaced my desktop with all my files and work moving over to it. I’ve even moved up to having two screens on my desk. Working in a new computer environment is a bit like being a stranger in a foreign land. I know the move will be great in the end but it will be a bit disorienting for a while.

Well done Kayako for a great competition. All three prizes are fantastic! Benefits all round to our clients with an increased level of service with Live Chat, funds to support breast cancer affected families and greater efficiencies for me in a Mac world. What competitions have you won with such great prizes?

If you are a Mac user. Am keen to hear about your favourite applications and where you got them? Please let me know and help me navigate and get settled in this new world.

Here’s to volunteer treasurers…

Admin Bandit Twitters US$1,000 for Breast Cancer

adminbandit — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 06:09:45 +0000

Winning a prize recently in an international Twitter competition was worthy of a press release, so here it is…..

Canberra-based software company Admin Bandit has won US$1,000 on Twitter for Bosom Buddies, a local volunteer group that supports women living with breast cancer.

Director Nerida Gill secured the donation on the popular social networking site by entering a competition run by Kayako, an international provider of online help desk software, which invited entrants to nominate a charity to receive a funding boost.

“A number of friends and family have suffered from breast cancer, so this cause is close to my heart,” Gill says. “Bosom Buddies provides vital aftercare for women who have undergone painful treatment for a disease that is frightening and often makes them question who they are as women.”

As a provider of volunteer treasurer software in community groups and a user of Kayako, Gill is also pleased to have won funding for an organisation staffed by volunteers. “Everyone at Bosom Buddies gives their time and energy simply because they care,” she says. “This kind of selfless giving is the backbone of our communities.”

Bosom Buddies is delighted with the unexpected windfall: “Nerida’s donation is like a rainbow delivering a pot of gold,” says Marilyn Brookes, chair of the organisation’s breast awareness education subcommittee. “We raise all our own funds, which is time-consuming and hard work.”

Brookes says the gift will be used to provide a range of support for those experiencing breast cancer, as well as their families and supporters, including: education materials, 24-hour telephone support, a one-on-one buddy system, hospital visits, and practical surgery aftercare in the form of soft prostheses and cotton shoulder bags to hold post-surgery tubes.

Kayako Chief Operating Officer Ryan M Lederman is also pleased to assist such a strong initiative. “We’re glad Admin Bandit chose to donate their US$1,000 to Bosom Buddies,” he says. “Breast cancer is a very important problem facing the world today.”

Lederman adds that Twitter was the perfect forum for hosting the competition. “Social networking is hot right now,” he says. “We believe in building relationships that last a lifetime and we want people to know they’re our highest priority. Twitter is one of the best ways we know to do that.”

Are you the next ActionAid overseas blogger?

adminbandit — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 12:42:49 +0000

If blogging and social meda can give poverty a voice then what a great outcome.

ActionAid Australia is searching for an energetic Australian to be their next outreach blogger to give poverty a voice. Using blogs, Twitter, Facebook and more, the outreach blogger will travel to one of ActionAid’s program countries to help locals harness the power of social media to secure their human rights.

You don’t need to be a blogging expert, you just need to have an open mind and be passionate about fighting the root causes of poverty. Social injustice and poverty are easy to ignore when hidden from view. Your mission will be to help bring attention to the scandal of poverty.

As ActionAid’s outreach blogger, you will give poverty a voice by:

- traveling to a remote area of an ActionAid program country
- training locals to use tools such as Twitter and blogs to shine a light on social injustice and human rights abuses
- reporting on your experiences on your own blog

Click here to see the rest of the article.

Here’s to volunteer treasurers..

Picture supplied under Creative Commons licence from publik16.

Community Treasurers’ Awards

adminbandit — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 06:22:06 +0000

As you may be aware, I love awards. They are such a great way to show appreciation and acknowledge the great contribution made by an individual and an organisation. Westpac and Our Community have launched the Community Treasurers’ Awards to provide an opportunity to acknowledge the work of community treasurers across Australia.

The winning organisation receives $5,000! Plus just by nominating the organisation is in the running to win a place on a popular Westpac Beyond Survival financial course. So to boost the morale of a volunteer treasurer and your organisation, act now by nominating someone you know.

Here’s to volunteer treasurers..

Grants to help women

adminbandit — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 06:27:30 +0000

This week the federal government announced grants of up to $100,000 to not for profit organisations to implement Women’s Leadership and Development Programmes. The projects must contribute to public policy and/or service development, or help national women’s NGOs become more effective. It is anticipated that funding will be allocated to successful applicants by 30 June 2008.

Spread the word. If you know of a NFP that is a national women’s non-government organisation who would be eligible. That is, an organisation whose sole focus is to provide services for, or represent the interests of, women and has established branches in the majority of states and territories.

Here’s to volunteer treasurers..

Giving back

adminbandit — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 22:46:15 +0000

What an amazing idea I’ve just seen on the Heart Harmony blog. Google in San Francisco is offering homeless people a phone number and voicemail to provide a permanent point of contact for doctors, schools and potential employers. For the full story check out Ingrid’s blog under “Google Giving Back” on 21 March.

They are delivering this initiative in partnership with shelters and agencies and it is an innovative way to help people who find themselves homeless through the circumstances of life. Corporate social responsibility at it’s best.

What is your business doing to partner with a community organisation to bring long term benefits to the community?

Here’s to volunteer treasurers..