A major problem with using multimedia to tell your story is that most of us suck when it comes to making video. If you are just uploading a video of your cat massacring a lampshade it doesn't matter, if you are trying to get your message across to potential supporters you want something that tells the story well and doesn't waste their time or confuse them. Not so easy.

That's where comes in with a new program called YouTube's Video Volunteers.

The mission of YouTube's Video Volunteers platform is to connect nonprofit organizations with skilled video makers who can help them broadcast their causes through video, reaching new audiences online and driving action around issues and projects that matter to them. The Video Volunteers page shows video-related volunteer opportunities that have been posted to allforgood.org (which includes listings from Idealist.org and VolunteerMatch). As a result, a YouTuber eager to help out might find a listing like this ("Afro Diaspora Music Video Website" in New York City) or this ("Promotional Video for the GO-Science Challenger Learning Center" in Greenville, NC).

While this is principally for Americans at the behest of Barack Obama, there is no reason the rest of us can't get in on the act.

If you have an account at idealist.org (about the most international of the feeder organisations) from now on, when you post a volunteer opportunity make sure to use the words Video Volunteer in your posting. That way, it will show up in the AllforGood feed – and as a result, on the YouTube Video Volunteers page.

And if you try it out let me know how it goes.

Meanwhile, how do you create video material now? Or is it in the too hard basket? Comments open as usual.

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