Things as in: Projects, initiatives, services, ideas.
Uplifting stuff that makes our lives easier, inspires, refreshes.
News portals and training for journalists off mainstream media, with inspiring, partly citizen-generated contents. Turned out, 1st hand accounts and objectivity do not have to bite each other at all. See for yourself.
Global Voices
is a citizen journalism portal where highly interesting news from around the world is published – created not only by professional journalists, but also by private citizens. Available in 40+ languages, can be filtered by topic. Once in a while I contribute some translations too about my pet topics – here they are. A non profit project started up in 2004, by Rebecca Mc Kinnon and Ethan Zuckerman, both active then with the Berkman Center for Internet and Society, at Harvard Law School. 2008 Global Voices became an independent NGO based at Amsterdam. Side note for translators: This can be a fine option for (support) building up a portfolio, too:
https://www.globalvoicesonline.org
Reasons to be cheerful
is another news portal providing great inspiration – with an extra flavour: Good news exclusively! About what is going well in the world, which innovations are found and successfully tested in practise, which sustainable projects took off in a great way, etc. I especially love their slogan: A fire engine for the soul. Need I say more. Have a look:
https://reasonstobecheerful.world/
Tactical Tech and their impressive collection of toolkits, “…designed to empower individuals and communities to navigate and mitigate the impacts of digital technologies.” For investigative journalists. The general public. Among which the fine initiative Exposing the invisible. With pertaining toolkit. For those who want to protect their privacy in our global village. Or those who’d like “understanding the industry behind our opinions”. Among other.
Smart traveling: House and pet sitting portals
Trusted House Sitters
Travel the world and stay for free, in exchange of pet sitting or guarding the house of others. Worldwide. And often enough, in very beautiful, cozy homes. As a cat lover, I consider this a genius win-win combination.
Of course you need a warm heart for animals and the skills to care well for them, making them feel safe. It also does not hurt if you are used to communicate clearly, in this case with the pet owners and their neighbours, where applicable. You also can bring just an interest to guard the houses / apartments of others, but there are fewer listings of that. In each case, it definitely also helps if you leave a place like you found it and do not organise parties there – pretty self-explaining.
How does it work:
1) You do pay a yearly fee, but compared to hotel costs you’d otherwise incur, or gentrification accelerators like the Air B&B circus you’d help to spread – that is a very reasonably contribution. 2) You create a profile – see mine here, glad to report cats seem to like me. 3) You look for potential pet / house sits you think you’d enjoy. And apply for listed assignments.
Here’s a chance to get 25% off the annual membership price, through their referral programme: Trusted House Sitters
Mind My House
Same as above. Another great site to find pet or house sitting opportunities, in exchange of free stays in lovely locations worldwide. Also, they give 50% off the annual price if you use this link.