As constituents of GS, what do you guys feel is the social responsibility for GS administration, officers etc to help usher in change in Pakistan or the community outside. GS touts itself as the largest community based interactive website for the Pakistani comunity at large. It has started a commerce division to profitize from this network. Do you think GS has a role to play in the social services scene in or outside Pakistan?
Should GS promote advocy for social causes. I think that a portal that has such large base of following should be doing something more to play an active role in promoting change.
All it requires is bandwidth... and a concious effort to say that we stand for this that and the other as it relates to certain social causes. I am not chiding the GS mgmt, I think this is an opportunity to do more. There is already a channel in place. A medium to get the voices across as they relate to social causes.
MS, money can be had if the motivation is there. Most NGO's/ advocay groups put together a program first because they believein something then they go out and raise the funds. trust me...I do this for a living.
^ good point MS. furthermore in a country like pakistan, online presences can do only so much. I've been a part of a number of groups who tried to use online resource bases towards social causes in pakistan, each failed because engendering change in Pakistan requires more than a web presence.
College students are some of the most active recruits for advocacy programs. You don;t raise funds from the college students. You raise funds from not even the other members on the sites. You raise funds from Foundations, Gov't organizations and corporates. 99% of NGO's leverage those channels for funding. GS is a hook for disseminating and collecting information from the community, it is not a funding source. There is already a platform, you need effort.
PD, its a good idea...one I am sure that has come up in GS board's meetings. I am sure the management will take note of this "non chiding" and discuss actions
One thing that MIGHT be a good idea is that these social work organizations who are in need of student interns or volunteers can advertise their projects here and recruit from here. I know plenty of kids around where I live who have wanted to or have actually gone and worked for these programs (not that the experience was excellent always). Perhaps a classified ads sort of section to pak.org portal?
Romeo, I see you came out of the closet and you think that everyone else is gay as well. Listen, i can dispell these rumors..I am married and have triplets...when was the last time you went out with a woman/girl/lady? (Drag queens do not count)
J/K…I think ehsan just fainted..