Soroptimism has always been about women coming together to build a better world; increasingly, digital communications offer new ways of bringing people together for a shared purpose, creating new communities and sustaining existing relationships. In this week’s SoroptiVoice blog, Alyssa Ketterer, Digital
Marketing Manager for Soroptimist International of the Americas, introduces Live Your Dream, SIA’s online volunteer network launched in July 2012.

The
volunteer landscape is ever changing, but if there’s one thing we’ve found to
be constant, it’s the search for happiness and the human compassion to help
others find happiness.

In
today’s fast-paced world, we’re bombarded with zooming headlines and intense
images of violence, poverty, and disaster. Now, with the rise of social media and
digital networks, the images and headlines seem to saturate our minds at
ever-increasing speed … information overload! Sometimes it’s just enough to
make us close the blinds, shut out the world, and try to catch a moment of
peace among the chaos.

This
digital revolution has changed the way people absorb information, the way we communicate
and most importantly, how we react and form community—which has had a tremendous
effect on the way people volunteer.

As
volunteers, it’s the power of human compassion and the never-ending search for
the good in people and the strength of our communities that give us hope.

People
like Dawn Johnson: single mom, abuse survivor, student and one of Soroptimist’s
Women’s Opportunity Awards recipients. "My dream is to never stop being an
advocate, to never stop pushing for positive change."

When
was the last time you did something kind for someone else? What did it feel
like? What was your impact?

Now,
people have so many choices, both offline—in the real world—and online, in the
virtual world to make a difference in someone’s life.

LiveYourDream.org is an online volunteer
network, a self-motivated community of people who wish to support women and
girls in their quest to lead better lives, while gaining inspiration in their
own lives. This initiative is powered by Soroptimist International
of the Americas (SIA). SIA’s mission is to improve the lives of women and girls
through programs leading to social and economic empowerment.

As
a Dreamer, supporters choose their cause and
course of action based on how much time they have. SIA gives them the tools
online to take action offline in their own community. It’s free and there is no
commitment required.  Supporters can do what they want, when they want;
whether it’s hosting their own awareness campaign or working one-on-one with a
woman in need, Dreamers choose their own adventure!

Although
some of our actions can be taken worldwide, our focus currently remains on
piloting this new volunteer community model within the United States, in
English only. But because we know there is strength in numbers, we encourage
all Soroptimists to sign up as Live Your Dream supporters and ask they invite
all their friends, family and colleagues to do the same. The bigger the
community, the greater our impact as we expand our reach.

After
just one year, we’re proud to announce we have already gained 25,000 supporters
who have taken over 6,500 actions to end violence against women. Some of our
most popular opportunities are offered through our online advocacy action
alerts. From sending a letter directly to the federal government
representatives, to signing a pledge, or participating in a social media
awareness campaign, Dreamers can take action in just a matter of minutes on a
cause related to women and girls.

 

We
celebrated our birthday this past July by creating our very own LiveYourDream.org Birthday
Infographic to show our progress. Today, we have over 5,300 fans on
Facebook and our stories have generated and engaged over 1.5 million
impressions. The result? People care and want to be part of something bigger.
We’re really starting to harness the contagious energy and passion of our new
online community to help shape future actions. We want to use our social
currency to make a difference, whether it’s taking action online or using program
tools to take action offline in local communities.

LiveYourDream.org
is a portal for causes and connections, a resource for hands‐on volunteer
opportunities, and a retreat for inspired reading, everyday tips, and
motivating ideas for healthy‐balanced living. Collectively, we have the power
to help other women and girls to live their dreams.

The
best way to stay updated on Live Your Dream activities is to become a fan on Facebook and follow us on Twitter! Every time we have an action alert, post a new
article or news bit, we’re doing so via social media and our email updates.  

Connect with us and find out how to
become part of an online movement dedicated to improving the lives of women and
girls, effecting fundamental economic and social change—all under the
Soroptimist umbrella.