My Two Cents_12

Yes, dear nonprofit leader, I’m saying that parents and /or family members of kids with neurological disorders and conditions can do more than stuff envelopes; they can do more than donate money; they can do more than read what you choose to write about yourself on Facebook. 

But you’ll have to encourage them to participate. This is what Bridgespan is advising. So, too, are the authors of Forces for Good. Your job #1 will be to create meaningful opportunities for inside-outsiders. Win-wins for both sides.

I like what social media theorist Clay Shirky brings to this table. If given the chance to address our community, I imagine he’d say: 

Even though you parents are stretched thin taking care of your kids’ immediate needs, I’m willing to bet you could volunteer or collaborate on shared projects with organizations working on their behalf. Our new digital infrastructure gives you the means to do that. Surely you could contribute  a few hours' worth of your talents, creativity and experience a month? 

To you organization leaders, you have an opportunity and a responsibility. There’s this “cognitive surplus” – this unused brainpower -- that you could and should be tapping into. The parents and family members of our 14-18 million special needs kids represent many (countless?) hours of participatory value that are up for grabs. This surplus is a resource you can and must design around if you’re to have the kind of impact we need to beat CP -- and to beat it sooner rather than later.

Here’s a link to Shirky’s 2010 TED talk about our cognitive surplus.