Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community: National/Federal Level

I’ve discovered three organizations that I believe will aid in the success of my challenge, to fight poverty using photography as a tool.

Blue Earth Alliance (http://www.blueearth.org/index.cfm)

The mission of Blue Earth is to raise awareness about endangered cultures, threatened environments and social concerns through photography. By supporting the power of photographic storytelling, Blue Earth Alliance motivates society to make positive change. This would be a fantastic opportunity to bring awareness to the poverty issue in the state of Mississippi specifically for young children and their families.

PhotoPhilanthropy (http://photophilanthropy.org)

PhotoPhilanthropy addresses critical social and environmental issues by providing nonprofits and photographers with the resources to work together to create images that drive social change around the world. Understanding that Mississippi has a poverty rate comparable to third world countries, this organization would be ideal to partner with to help others around the world understand the critical state in which young children and families in Mississippi are in and begin to address these issues thus creating social change.

Kids with Cameras (http://www.kids-with-cameras.org)

Kids with Cameras is a non-profit organization that teaches the art of photography to marginalized children in communities around the world. The organization uses photography to capture the imaginations of children, to empower them, building confidence, self-esteem and hope. What I find facisinating is that these are the goals of my challenge for the children and families of Mississippi who are impacted by poverty. Kids with Cameras, share the children’s vision and voices with the world through exhibitions, books, websites and film. They also partner with local organizations, while work to strengthen the children's education and general well being through selling the prints of the children for profit, which goes back into the communities.

What I found interesting is that with all three organizations there were no noticeable job opportunities found on the websites, however there are ample breaks for volunteer prospects within the organizations as well as with other organizations supporting similar missions, goals and objectives. The volunteer chances range from small events, such as a few hours and/or a few days a week, while other opportunities ranged from weeks to months, even some a year commitment was required. There was also an endless geographical area to choose from all around the world. The skills needed for these volunteer opportunities range for no experience at all, just a love for children, while others call for a degree, an extensive knowledge of photography basics, as well as an extensive background in child development or a closely related field. I did find a volunteer opportunity in Mississippi, Growing Healthy Kids, Inc. regarding healthy habits for children in Mississippi in which I believe would be a partnership that could be established to bring not only food to the children but nutritious options as well. I would like to find out more about employment openings with Kids with Cameras. I feel this organization would be one in which I would not only be able to provide resources and solutions for the children of Mississippi but for other children affected by poverty through the world. I also feel this would be the first international organization that I would invite into my community of practice.