Official YouTube Blog: video volunteers

Miley Cyrus helps celebrate a year of service on YouTube

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

We launched YouTube Video Volunteers last June at the National Conference on Volunteering and Service (NCVS) to help nonprofits who struggle with creating great video, engage the passionate YouTube community, and introduce the idea that the Internet can be a powerful force for volunteerism. One year later, the YouTube community has created over 500 videos for nonprofits working on a vast array of issues from health to human rights, animal welfare to the arts -- and these videos have received millions of views.

This month, we’re teaming up with a true YouTube veteran, Miley Cyrus, to celebrate the organizations that devote themselves to promoting service and volunteerism on the ground and online; organizations like our partner Service Nation, Miley’s own org Get Ur Good On, mentoring orgs like Big Brothers/Big Sisters and countless others. To find one that you’d like to make a video for, visit www.youtube.com/videovolunteers. Then submit it by June 23 for the chance to be featured on the YouTube homepage during this year’s National Conference on Volunteering and Service at the end of the month.

Here’s more from Miley about this round of Video Volunteers:

Thanks for contributing your time and video skills to making the world, and YouTube, a better place. Together, we can make sure nonprofits everywhere continue to be recognized for their amazing work.

Ramya Raghavan, Nonprofits & Activism Manager, recently watched “Message in a Bottle.”

Diane von Furstenberg’s Favorite Trend for May: Helping Women Thrive

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Diane von Furstenberg is a legendary fashion designer, and she’s also a big believer in celebrating women. With Mother’s Day around the corner, we’re thrilled that she’s serving as the Video Volunteers guest curator for this month, and asking you to create videos for organizations that support women.

Every day on YouTube, we view women standing up for what they believe in and challenging inequality: from this Saudi Arabian woman driving a car as an act of protest; to Queen Rania of Jordan combating stereotypes of the Middle East. Now we want you to make your voice heard. Create a video about your favorite organization that supports women -- whether it promotes equal pay for equal work, helps women run for elected office, or furthers efforts to outlaw female genital mutilation -- and upload it to the Video Volunteers channel.

The top three videos will appear on the YouTube homepage at the end of the month, next to Diane von Furstenberg’s video for Vital Voices. Hear more from her about how you can get involved:

The deadline to submit your video is May 26, so check out www.youtube.com/videovolunteers to find an inspirational organization you can help. After all, service never goes out of style.

Ramya Raghavan, Nonprofits & Activism Manager, recently watched “The Girl Effect.”

Celebrating 40 Years of Earth Day

Thursday, April 22, 2010

On April 22, 1970, 22 million people participated in the first-ever Earth Day, which was designed to raise awareness about the environment and inspire citizens to take action to protect it.

Forty years later, Earth Day has become a global phenomenon. Today we’re celebrating its anniversary with a Video Volunteers homepage spotlight that features content from YouTube’s most creative climate crusaders about inspiring organizations. One of the spotlighted videos uses traffic signs as a metaphor for how we can limit carbon usage, and this video advocates for Save the Bay by explaining what would happen if a tidal wave of plastic bags washed up on San Francisco’s shore:

Didn’t have a chance to make a video but still want to volunteer to help the environment? You can hear from President Obama about why taking action to protect our planet is vital and then find service opportunities in your community here.
Ramya Raghavan, Nonprofits & Activism Manager, recently watched "Greenwalking."

Al Gore + you(?) = Earth Day's 40th celebration

Friday, April 2, 2010

An Inconvenient TruthAlliance for Climate ProtectionVideo Volunteers

Earth Day is on April 22, so we're working with an abridged Video Volunteers timeline this month. All entries must be submitted by April 19 to be considered, so get your camera out today. And if you're a nonprofit organization working on issues related to climate change, this could be your chance to make a big impact on the YouTube homepage. You can post an opportunity for a Video Volunteer here.

Visit www.youtube.com/videovolunteers now to get started!

Ramya Raghavan, Nonprofits & Activism Manager, recently watched "Polio is Back in Guinea."

YouTube community and Hollywood team up to address global development

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

The facts about the developing world are pretty staggering. Approximately 1.1 billion people in developing countries have inadequate access to water, and 2.6 billion lack basic sanitation. For every $1 in aid a developing country receives, over $25 is spent on debt repayment. Almost half the world – 3 billion people – live on less than $2.50 a day.

Earlier this month, Jeremy Piven challenged you to educate others about the issues facing the developing world and the organizations working hard to address these problems, by making a video and submitting it to YouTube's Video Volunteers program.

You responded with fervor. This round of Video Volunteers had one of the highest participation rates so far, and the videos submitted ranged from creative and quirky...

...to beautiful and solemn...

Today, you'll find the top three submissions on the YouTube homepage, alongside a video from Jeremy Piven and members of young Hollywood on behalf of the ONE Campaign .

Later this week, we'll kick off a new climate-change focused round of Video Volunteers with former Vice President and environmental leader Al Gore, so stay tuned for news about that and our special Earth Day homepage spotlight.

Ramya Raghavan, Nonprofits & Activism Manager, recently watched "Padma Lakshmi Discusses Endometriosis Awareness Month."

Join Jeremy Piven’s “Video Volunteers” Entourage for Global Development

Friday, March 5, 2010

Jeremy Piven is best known as the sharp-tongued Ari Gold on HBO’s Entourage, but today he’s taking a break from berating Vince and the boys to give the YouTube community a glimpse of his softer side by signing on as a Video Volunteers curator.

This month, YouTube, Piven and the ONE Campaign are asking you to make videos supporting a nonprofit working on an issue related to global development, such as extreme poverty, access to clean water and sanitation, and preventing disease. With International Women’s Day on March 8 and World Water Day on March 22, it’s an ideal time to tackle some of the problems crippling citizens in developing nations. Piven agrees:

Once you’ve created a video for a nonprofit of your choice dealing with global development, submit it to the gadget at www.youtube.com/videovolunteers. Remember: the video has to be about an organization, not just an issue. Piven and the ONE Campaign will pick their top three videos to go on the YouTube homepage at the end of the month.
Happy filming!

Ramya Raghavan, Nonprofits & Activism Manager, recently watched “Spread the Word to End the Word.”

Pop Star Jesse McCartney Headlines Today's "Healthy" Video Volunteers Homepage

Sunday, February 28, 2010

Video Volunteersthanksthemike99storyBangPopLAWhole Child LAthemattieboosh

Video Volunteers channelthe One CampaignPlan InternationalOne Million LightsPlaying for Change Foundation
Ramya Raghavan, Nonprofits & Activism Manager, recently watched "Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation."

Stand Up for Your Favorite Health Organization

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Today is World Cancer Day, which was created by the World Health Organization to raise awareness about one of the world's leading causes of death. And in an effort to raise awareness of not only cancer, but all major health issues, we're kicking off a health-specific round of Video Volunteers.

You know the drill: just pick a health organization that you care about (or find one on the Video Volunteers channel), make an under-three-minute video promoting their work, and the top three will be featured on the YouTube homepage at the end of the month. Our guest curator this month is musician Jesse McCartney, who took the time to talk about his favorite health org, Stand Up 2 Cancer, and why you should make a video for your health nonprofit of choice:

If you're passionate about raising money to buy malaria nets, want to increase awareness about AIDS/HIV or can help an organization by vlogging about life as a diabetic, we want to see your videos. Submit them at www.youtube.com/videovolunteers by February 23.

Ramya Raghavan, Nonprofits & Activism, recently watched "Pet Adoption - Ditched."

A Celebration of the Arts on YouTube

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Dr. Phil's Video Volunteers challengesangdancedvloggedtappedhereRamya Raghavan, Nonprofits & Activism Manager, recently watched "Follow the Money."

Wanted: Creative Content to Support the Arts on YouTube

Monday, January 4, 2010

grade-school chorusScreening Roomupload a video of your recent dance performanceYouTube Video Volunteers

www.youtube.com/videovolunteers
Ramya Raghavan, Nonprofits & Activism Manager, recently watched "Good Transparency: Cost of Food."

Shining a Light on Human Rights Abuses Through Film

Sunday, December 27, 2009

Iran protestsuprising of monksMorgan Freeman's heartfelt call-out video

Today, the top three selections will appear on the YouTube homepage to raise awareness of several pressing human rights issues. We're also featuring Morgan Freeman's "volunteer" video for Amnesty International, which uses claymation to discuss the power of words in fighting injustice:

We'll be back with another round of Video Volunteers in January and our spotlight issue will be the arts, so if you're an arts organization who would like a volunteer to create a video for you, please fill out this form and your opportunity will be posted to the Video Volunteers channel.

Ramya Raghavan, Nonprofits & Activism, recently watched "Maya Lin: Unchopping a Tree."

Wanted: Puppy and Kitty Videos for Good

Thursday, October 1, 2009

YouTube's Video Volunteers

www.youtube.com/videovolunteersRamya Raghavan, Nonprofits & Activism Manager, recently watched "Jack Black Funding Women's Cancer Research."

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