Webmaster and Outreach Coordinator
Organization:
Metropolitan Austin Interactive Network VISTA Name:
Nicholas Lewis
Program Start:
8/2005
Program End:
8/2006
Project Description:
MAIN is currently seeking an AmeriCorps VISTA member to serve as Webmaster, helping maintain web content on multi-platform network operating center with system tools that include Linux, NT, Apple OS and HTML, Drupal and Civicspace. Additional assignments include working at MAIN CTC/public access sites located in Texas Workforce Center and Bastrop Public Library, plus outreach efforts to engage underserved community members.
Project Outcome:
As an unfunded 501c3 offering free online support for other nonprofit groups, we have to strive for powerful but low-cost means to deliver services. Nick has helped completely overhaul our online operations, converting some key servers and sites to new automated Content Management Systems (CMS) software, esp. drupal and civicspace. This conversion has proved very complicated and we have a long way left to go, but without VISTA help it simply would have been unthinkable.
Two examples of productive outcomes are a new national community ICT resource project and a local community writing project . Though far from perfect they’re good programs that would never exist without our VISTA volunteer.
Nick helped completely overhaul our online operations, converting some key servers and sites to new Content Management Systems software, esp. drupal and civicspace. Though the very newness of the software has caused unplanned complications and delays, we’re managing to create a great many new content sections and features.