citizenship

Activities For The Civic Geek: An Introduction

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“This is what I do.”

Geeks are active people – we do. We write, we game, we craft, we cosplay, we review. We’re always tweaking, inventing, and making.

We want to apply this. We want to make the world better, help people, improve our subculture and the culture at larger. There are issues to address, challenges to face . . .

. . . but were do we start?

We ask “What can I do?”

This series is where you can start. Think of it as a helpful, non-comprehensive, and hopefully inspiring guide to applying geekery for good. Each section is simply one suggestion, often with helpful examples or links, of one thing you can do to make the world a better place as a geek.

A lot of this came from my work on www.civicgeek.com, and is a way of taking it farther.

Now, let’s see what you can do.

Respectfully,

– Steven Savage
http://www.musehack.com/
http://www.informotron.com/
http://www.seventhsanctum.com/

Geek Catalog Update 11/9/2014

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It’s your weekly update of Citizen Geek Resources!

First of all the full lists now have in-page links since they’ve gotten huge – you can find them sorted by Geeky Interest or Specific Focus.

With Blizzcon ending, I figured this week I’d focus just on video game charities and causes.  Here’s a chance to get your Citizen Gamer on!

Video Games

  • Accessibility
    • Special Effect – Helps people with disabilities play video games with special technology and a variety of fundraisers. Takes donations and runs events.
  • Charitable Work
    • Gamers For Giving – Michigan’s largest game charity event, a game tournament that supports Gamers Outreach Foundation
    • Gamers Outreach – A game industry charity organization that uses game events to raise money to set up game kiosks in hospitals and support the troops.
    • Games Aid – A UK video Games charity that’s an umbrella for many other charities helping the disadvantaged. Raises money via activities, auctions, and more.
    • Gaming For Good – A platform where you get games for donating to charity – with revenue going to Save The Children.
    • Gaming Worldwide – Harnessess the power of gaming to get people involved in events, charities, and more.
    • Hyrule Hustlers – Video game enthusiasts who sponsor Childs Play and run Zelda-based events and marathons.
    • Marathon Gamers – A gaming marathon group tha does marathons for charities.
    • Mario Marathon – A yearly all-Mario gameathon to support Childs Play.
    • One Big Game – A nonprofit that raises money by selling games.

 

– Steven Savage

Steven Savage is a Geek 2.0 writer, speaker, blogger, and job coach.  He blogs on careers at http://www.musehack.com/, publishes books on career and culture at http://www.informotron.com/, and does a site of creative tools at http://www.seventhsanctum.com/. He can be reached at https://www.stevensavage.com/.;

Geek Catalog Update 10/26/2014

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And here’s the latest update on the Geek Catalog.  Be sure to check out the ever-growing lists for Geek Focus or Community Focus.

Comics

  • History
    • Wonder Woman Museum – A museum dedicated to Wonder Woman – and sponsors various charities as well.
  • Literacy
    • Comics For Kids – Collects and donates comics to kids, with a focus on literacy and developing creativity.
  • Military Support

Computing

  • Female Geeks
    • Girl Develop IT – A nonprofit that provides accessible programs for women who want to learn coding.
  • General
    • Code For Progress – A community that trains IT professionals, provides residency, and helps people get involved in communities and causes.

Video Games

  • Charity
    • GamesAid – An UK-based “Umbrella Charity” that supports a number of smaller charities that help disadvantages and disabled young people via video-game related events and activities.
    • Indie Games For Good – Indie Games For Goods raises money for Child’s Play by focusing on Indie Game marathons.

Writing

  • Literacy
    • LitWorld – A global nonprofit that does on-the-ground solutions to address literacy.

 

– Steven Savage

Steven Savage is a Geek 2.0 writer, speaker, blogger, and job coach.  He blogs on careers at http://www.musehack.com/, publishes books on career and culture at http://www.informotron.com/, and does a site of creative tools at http://www.seventhsanctum.com/. He can be reached at https://www.stevensavage.com/.