Something like this is up in beta form at classifieds.occupy.net, based on Jobberbase.
[edit] VOLUNTEER JOB — draft proposal
Occupy would benefit from an online job-board style process of connecting volunteers to projects.
Many groups in NYC and internationally have relied to date on sign up sheets and forms to collect interested volunteers. What do "we" do with all these people? Further, how can we effectively move from "we" and "them" to "us" so that our global movement for the 99% embodies the values of inclusivity and transparency that are the core of the #ows movement?
The sign-up model requires a capable volunteer coordinator, which promotes a centralized model of communication and reporting. Further, a Volunteer Coordinator is a clearly mainstream job, one one that is difficult to find fill gratis, and difficult to perform in a part-time capacity.
Moreover, a list of potential volunteers usually gets combed over, rated, and matched to tasks as they are known. Not only does this process delay participation, but it can curtail it. Additionally, we're afraid of bringing people into groups until we are more organized and able to task them properly. Meanwhile core contributors are prone to burn-out.
In the interest of promoting horizontal collaboration, a system that allows projects to find supporters and also facilitates volunteers easily plugging into them would promote innovation.
In this light, a volunteering solution should match people to tasks and projects, not time slots.
The PermaBank project is moving in this direction, but there is an immediate operational need that cannot wait for a 2.0 release of this promising project.
Jill Turner has available an Occupy Wall Street Timebank (drupal 2.0). Though Devin says we need to pay them $6,000 to make it open source, my communications with them indicate they are thrilled to work with us and the $6,000 doesn't need to fall on OWS.
Occupy Wall Street Timebank functions include: 1. Categories for giving and receiving which relate to OWS existing working groups. 2. Scheduling for both giver and received which is recorded in the system. 3. Individual Accounts with profile page 4. Organization Accounts - for each working group. 5. Web pages include announcements, events, map capability. 6. Sophisticated reports are available. Available also are reports for each transaction - i.e.to report how the volunteer did as well as how the trainer/supervisor did.
After coordinated police action to evict occupy camps in North America and internationally, a geographic center is absent many occupations. A logical transition is to move "from white-board to job-board".
[edit] Possible Technologies
[edit] Existing Occupation Initiatives
[edit] Contact
existing Technology Operations Group channels
