CrisisCommons is a global volunteer network that uses technology to help communities during crises. It was formed in 2009 and has organized over 50 CrisisCamp events in 8 countries with over 2000 volunteers. These events bring technical volunteers together to develop tools like mapping and communication apps. Major volunteer communities include Sahana, Ushahidi, OpenStreetMap and others. CrisisCommons aims to better coordinate global crisis response by volunteers and take advantage of people's spare computing resources through crowdsourcing. Keeping volunteers engaged long-term on useful local projects is a challenge.

1. Communication and Volunteers: A CrisisCommons Case StudyHeather Leson and Brian ChickJanuary 10, 2011 York University

2. Evolution1995 Kobe earthquake – limited communications2001 9/11 – Listservs activity2004 – Indian Ocean Tsunami – Blogs, Sahana2004 - OpenStreetMap2005 – Hurricane Katrina –People Finder, Wiki, Twitter2008 – Hurricane Gustav – Mapping, 500 ppl in 48 hrs2008 – Ushahidi2009 – CrisisCommons created2010 – Haiti, Chile earthquakes, Gulf Oil Spill, Pakistan Floods, Crisis Commons Global Congress

3. Volunteer Technical Communities (VTCs)SahanaFoundationUshahidi, Swift River and Crowdmap

4. OpenStreetMap

5. Frontline SMS

6. Crisismappers

7. Random Hacks of Kindness

8. CrisisCommons

9. Geeks without Bounds

10. And many moreCrisisCamp Toronto for Haiti earthquake

11. Crisis Commons is a global network of volunteers who use creative problem solving and open technologies to help people and communities in times and places of crisis. Crisis Commons members organize response events called CrisisCamps.

12. CrisisCommons/CrisisCamps90 days8 countries50 events+2000 volunteers

13. CrisisCamp Paris

14. CrisisCamp Bogota

15. Who volunteers?Technical - Software developers, web developers, web designers, user experience/user interface experts, geocoders, geo mappers, GIS experts, technologists, beta testers New Media- Bloggers, videographers, podcasters, photographers, social media trainers, social media users, collaborators, crowdsourcersOrganizational- Organizers, open source community planners, project managers, emergency response planners, crisis communicators Other - Researchers, lawyers, trainers, teachers, librarians, technical writers, event planners, translators, innovators, entrepreneurs, anyone with a laptop

16. Types of TasksCode and test tools.

17. Translate.

18. Map.

19. Communicate, collaborate, brainstorm.

20. Research, analyze, report.

21. Create content, and document process.CrowdsourcingCrisisCamp Argentina

22. Crowd SourcingSETI@Home

23. Use the “Spare Cycles”Spare CyclesWhat does the average person do with his/her spare cycles?ObjectivesRecruit technical volunteers

24. Coordinate global technical efforts

25. Take advantage of spare cyclesRecruiting Volunteers Twitter

26. Facebook