Non-Profit Knowledge and Data Analysis Communities 1

The Open Knowledge Foundation Network

This non-profit states it's aim as:

We want to see enlightened societies around the world, where everyone has access to key information and the ability to use it to understand and shape their lives; where powerful institutions are comprehensible and accountable; and where vital research information that can help us tackle challenges such as poverty and climate change is available to all.

They believe that an enlightened public is a powerful public and have chapters and local groups all around the world. Please Like them on their Facebook page!

Open Knowledge Foundation Network

Encouraging knowledge sharing in your organization

Not being able to do the work required can be frustrating - especially if it's because you simply do not have the required knowledge. Knowledge hoarding is having information but refusing to share it. The combination of these two can have a detrimental effect on an organisation. It creates distrust and kills any efforts at collaboration.

You can encourage knowledge sharing in your organisation using these approaches.

• Introduce a mentoring program - each employee needs a mentor to guide them and help them succeed in the organisation.
• When looking for information, look at departments instead of just individuals. After all, two heads are better than one.
• Build trust relationships with your fellow workers. If you trust someone you are more willing to share information with them.
• Reward employees for sharing valuable information - allow nomination.
• Introduce collaboration tools into the organisation - the right tools can make the difference, including blogs and wikis.

Charity: water

This short blog post is dedicated for the non-profit organization charity: water. This organization strives to bring clean water to everyone since members believe that everyone deserves it. Charity: water is focused on collecting funds in order to implement clean water projects which they prove through geo-tagged photos once completed.

I invite you to take some time to go through the short set of photos that I referred to below in order to get idea of the valuable help that these projects offer to those people that do not have access to clean water. Please support this non-profit organization either through following them on their social media channels or by giving a donation.

The Beauty of Sharing Knowledge

Image 1: Time to Share, Myers (2011)

I am not a teacher. I am not formally paid to teach children or adolescence in a specific subject. I am not a lecturer, nor do I offer training courses for corporate business. I am an individual who has been working for almost 30 years and has a lot of knowledge based on experience on offer. I love to share my knowledge.

It does not give me a sense of superiority to offer people the knowledge of my experience - I learned what I know through knocks in my own life. My scars are mine to share and I share them freely. I do not seek reward for sharing my experiences and knowledge - my reward is seeing this person understand; witnessing that "Ah ha" moment.

Poem: Sharing Is Caring (Grantham, 2013)

To show you care for someone is to lend a helping hand
A need to be concerned for every woman, child and man
Share whatever you can to help someone in need
Then you will be happier and a better person indeed

When you share with others you unselfishly give of yourself
Then love is given freely instead of sitting on a shelf
Hands that are always clenched nothing can ever get out
Ones that are open and gives is what love is all about

Sharing is caring when given from the heart with pleasure
The good returns are many and the rewards are without measure
Goods given freely brings a smile to the needy person
Holding back when you can give will only continue to worsen


References Cited

Grantham, P. (2013). Sharing Is Caring Poem by Patricia Grantham - Poem Hunter. [online] PoemHunter.com. Available at: http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/sharing-is-caring-3/ [Accessed 6 Feb. 2016].

Myers, G. (2011). A Time To Share Knowledge. [online] KMbeing. Available at: http://kmbeing.com/2011/12/29/a-time-to-share-knowledge/ [Accessed 6 Feb. 2016].