Empire+State+Coalition+of+Youth+and+Family+Services


 * Avatar Name**: Bo Coeur


 * RL Name**: James Bolas


 * Organization that you work/volunteer with:** Empire State Coalition of Youth and Family Services

The Empire State Coalition is a membership organization using its collective voice to promote the safety, health and future of runaway, homeless and street-involved youth.


 * Tell us briefly the mission of your organization and your work with the organization:**

The Empire State Coalition brings together agencies and individuals from throughout New York State who share our ideals and who, by serving youth in the full context of their families, their cultures and their communities, provide a continuum of services that works towards making that ideal a reality.


 * How did you hear about/get involved with Second Life and the Nonprofit Commons?**

Dick Dillon


 * How are you using Second Life to further your mission?**

Providing best practice, training, technical assistance and advocacy information and coordination to runaway and homeless youth, professionals working with disenfranchised youth and youth at risk. We hope to make our training available and best practice policies available via Second Life and use SL as community to engage and educate youth about both prevention and intervention strategies regarding youth homelessness and those youth running away from home, or at risk of leaving home.


 * Are you a member of TechSoup? If so, please tell us how you are using other TechSoup programs:**

Getting discounted software and assistance.


 * What is the biggest challenge you've found using Second Life for nonprofit work?**

Right now, it's about finding our "sea legs" and how we can best use SL as another facet of our work. There's a difficulty actually engaging with people at first.


 * What benefits have you experienced and/or are hoping to get?**

I was at a weekly meeting at the NPC Plush Amphitheater and was confused about how we would find/access space from which to work from in SL and had a number of individuals immediately engaging me once I mentioned the work we're looking to do and the population we're looking to work with.


 * How has your organization reacted to using Second Life for nonprofit work?**

Confusedly optimistic and trying to see how it would actually provide ROI


 * Your favorite quote?**

"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." —

Dr. Seuss

"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana." --Groucho Marx


 * What social media tools besides Second Life, if any, are you using to engage your community online and offline?**

Facebook


 * How can we connect with you?**

Facebook: Empire State Coalition of Youth and Family Services