This could be your organization! (Via impactconference.org)

The IMPACT Conference is the largest annual conference in the United States focused on engaging college students in service, advocacy and social action. We have a special connection to this event which builds on the legacy of the COOL (Campus Outreach Opportunity League) National Conference and the Idealist Campus Conference, which we housed for three years.

This year’s conference will be held at Stetson University in DeLand, Florida on March 31-April 3, 2011. For more information on the conference, visit www.impactconference.org.

Nonprofits seeking to reach out to some of the most active and engaged college students (and campus administrators) in the country might consider sponsoring this dynamic event. Sponsoring organizations have several opportunities to connect with students during the conference. The early bird deadline to sponsor is January 21.

If you identify as a young(er) person effecting positive change in your own backyard or around the globe, or you work in a field related to youth empowerment, digital activism, or careers in social change, here are two events and networks you should know about:

London Eye, by Flickr user Maurice (Creative Commons)

The Alliance for Youth Movements is only two years old, but they have made quick progress. This week in London, organizers have gathered “global technology giants, youth leaders, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and organizing experts together to discuss how youth activists have launched social movements using online and mobile tools to reduce violence in their communities.” Watch a live stream of the conference today and tomorrow, or take a look at their new website, Movements.org, which will serve as a hub for discussion, resources, and news about digital activism around the world.

By contrast, the IMPACT Conference was founded more than 20 years ago, and it is historically the largest convening in the United States of campus community members involved in service, activism, politics, advocacy, and other socially responsible work across philosophical and ideological lines. This year, IMPACT will take place March 19-21 at the Clinton School of Public Service in Little Rock, Arkansas. Become a fan on Facebook or follow the conference on Twitter to learn more.

[This blog entry appeared on an older version of Idealist; any broken links are a result of having re-launched our site in Fall 2010.]

The IMPACT Conference is the largest gathering of campus community members involved in service, activism, politics, advocacy, and other socially responsible work across philosophical and ideological lines in the United States. And it holds a special place in our hearts, since we (Idealist staff, interns, and volunteers) organized it for a few years when it was called the Idealist Campus Conference (and before that, when it was organized by the Campus Outreach Opportunity League, it was called the COOL Conference).

This year’s event promises to be better than ever with seven exciting tracks, each connected to the broad themes of service, activism, and social justice. Learn skills for building and sustaining a strong college service program in the Action track. Or discuss ways to influence decision-makers from your city council to the White House in the Politics, Policy, and Advocacy Track. Learn how to make the most out of all of the technology tools out there in the Changing the World 3.0 track. There’s even a track for campus administrators. And lots more!

Whatever issues you’re interested in, whatever your preferred method for creating social change, whatever end of the political spectrum you land on, you’ll find great opportunities to learn and share at the 2009 IMPACT Conference.

Sign up now, as registration fees go up after January 23rd! And if you’ve got skills or knowledge to share, why not submit a proposal to lead a workshop? This conference is known for it’s large proportion of student-led workshops.