Second Life is a “global community working together to build a new online space for creativity, collaboration, commerce, and entertainment.” Second Life “strives to bridge cultures and welcome diversity.” Part of the credo supports and nurtures “free expression, compassion and tolerance as the foundation for community” in the online world. Sounds like the perfect space to nurture belonging, doesn’t it?
Further exploration revealed that there are currently over 60 non-profit organizations in Second Life. According to Wayne from rabble, the three primary reasons for an organization to be in Second Life are awareness-building, education and networking. Wayne describes the key power of Second Life as the relationships you form with other like-minded folks from all over the world. He explains that “in some ways it’s the process of creating experiences collaboratively in Second Life that is more powerful than the experiences themselves.”
My exploration of Second Life reminds me once again that the opportunities and spaces for nurturing belonging in society are truly endless. Check out Second Life at www.secondlife.com – and let us know your thoughts and ideas for nurturing belonging in online spaces.
