Spotlight on Digital Media And Learning

1.6.11 | PandoProjects, a New York City nonprofit working to help members of the millennial generation develop new solutions to community problems, has just announced an inaugural group of 15 project leaders who will “tackle a global challenge in an innovative, local way.”

We blogged about PandoProjects last month, excited about its efforts to bring social change by making use of this generation’s facility with new technology.

From teaching community members in the South Bronx to grow their own vegetables to mentoring teenagers in a housing cooperative, the project leaders do not disappoint.

Concerned about the technological gap in her community, Sekai Ferai, a 28-year old cultural anthropologist from Harlem, is starting Hack: Change, an intensive, three-month boot camp that will train 30 low-income young adults to be computer programmers. Participants will be matched with local businesses and low-income start-ups and entrepreneurs in need of basic web design.

“The goal of the pilot,” founder Milena Arciszewski told Good Magazine recently, “is to show that people have innovative, meaningful ideas for creating change—they simply need basic tools and support to make their ideas happen.”

To this end, PandoProjects will provide a mentor for each project leader with experience in the field and will host a customizable web page for each project. The page will function as a social media presence and an online workspace where leaders can access project management tools to assist with fundraising, volunteer management and event planning.

You can read about the winning projects here. Pando plans to host another round of young innovators this summer (submit an application here). We can’t wait to hear more.