SPENT has got to be one of the best uses of the web by a ministry or organization.
Although not nearly as advanced as the Invisible Children’s The LRA Crisis Tracker, it is certainly as compelling.
SPENT was launched less than a year ago as a collaboration between McKinney and Urban Ministires of Durham and is thoroughly awesome.
Here’s how it works:
In a nutshell, SPENT is a game.
Urban Ministires of Durham helps 6,000+ people every year who are in need. SPENT is on the premises that you have lost your job, kicked out of your home, and you don’t need their help, thus, the challenge begins!
The challenge is simply to make it through one month. Each day is plotted out.
Day one, you need to find a job:
I chose “temp.” I mean, come on, it’s a keyboard!
But I wasn’t given the job automatically. I first had to pass the typing test that consisted of my getting a high enough WPM by typing out a ministry factoid. Clever.
I passed!
By the time day three rolled around, it was time to find a place to live:
I won’t tell you anymore, as each track is different and there are all kinds of really cool features and functions. It’s not only entertaining and challenging, but gives you an idea of what it’s like to be in the same situation as so many others in Durham are in.
Obviously, the end result is one seriously compelling donation request.
Eric J says
I did well the last time i tried this but i remember that it forced me to make decisions that weren’t fair like buying gifts, driving a car instead of the bus, not giving me the option of state assisted insurance, etc.
Eric Dye says
Don’t you think this is an effective approach to your typical web user and potential donor, though? After all, you can’t get much past you and you are an agile thinker. True story.
Eleanor says
Of course it can’t give you every choice that you would be able to make in real life. I still think it’s quite effective at starting conversation and raising awareness.
Eric Dye says
Indeed 😉