The Galveston-Houston Association for Smog Prevention, also known as GHASP, is looking for some help with its website. Please click the More link for the details, and if you or someone you know can help them out, please contact John D. Wilson at [email protected]. GHASP does some excellent and valuable work (among other things, they were the ones who made public the Secret TxDOT Plans for widening I-45), and I know from having lunch with John a few days ago that what they’ve got in mind for this project is really cool. Drop me a note if you have any questions. Thanks!
GHASP is currently evaluating whether we could become more effective and informed advocates for clean air by providing more information, organizing it to be responsive to individual interests, and expanding interaction with volunteers & visitors to the website. Specific goals (or phases) could be (1) to improve public access to the information GHASP has about air pollution issues, (2) to provide GHASP’s perspective on issues covered (and not covered) in the media in a rapid-reaction format, and (3) to establish GHASP’s website as the most user-friendly and informative website regarding Houston’s air pollution issues, making it the destination of choice for our allies and even those who don’t agree with us.
We need help with three tasks: refining the concepts, selecting a suitable technology platform, and implementing the plan (in phases). We would also need some ongoing help with website maintenance (mostly crisis management, not routine management or problem-solving). An appropriate person to fill this need would have a working knowledge of content management systems or blogging software (e.g., php systems and css style sheets), particularly with respect to establishing a fluid site design and ensuring that spamming and other hostile internet activity is blocked.
We are primarily looking for a volunteer who sees our cause as worth contributing time to, and who would enjoy the opportunity to design an innovative website. (Furthermore, our limited financial resources direct us to open source software or other low-cost solutions rather than more expensive commercial alternatives.) A successful volunteer could certainly demonstrate the GHASP website as a professional credential as well as enjoying the appreciation of our members.
Nevertheless, there are two possibilities for meeting this need with a paid position. First, we currently have a job opening for a Communications Director which could include the website development responsibilities; this job also includes newsletter publication with InDesign software and management of routine media communications (e.g., press releases). Second, if we hire a Communications Director at a more junior level than we currently anticipate, then some funds would be freed up in our budget to allocate towards consulting fees. So although we would like to find a capable volunteer, a paid position is a possibility.
Individuals with an interest in helping out as a volunteer should contact John D. Wilson at [email protected]. Those interested only in paid employment should send an email to [email protected]; please be aware that GHASP compensation is at a non-profit scale that is not competitive with the private sector, and we are not large enough to usefully offer health benefits to employees.