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I want my life to be about doing good and making this world a better place. Jonas Almeling and I decided to start a non-profit and a fundraiser to do all that – Why5 for Life. Our first mission will be working with the Swedish organization MOD.

Today, my local newspaper in Kungsbacka wrote about my ongoing work. Thank you! Follow our journey and join us in a great cause.

Tomorrow I leave for the States on a journey to be inspired, receive an award for my work and charge positive energy. To all of you out there who supports and beliefs in Awoque, our values and share our High5:s, the Gutenberg Award is for you.

“The Gutenberg Award recognizes individuals for distinguished professional achievement. We are so pleased to honor Victoria Ahlen for her excellent work as a leader in the use of social media for not only effective dissemination of news and marketing information, but also for her commitment to its use for the greater good. She emulates what we want our students to accomplish as professionals in mass media”, says Dr Cheryl Bacon at Department of Journalism and Mass Communication at ACU.

Awoque socialized the World Transplant Games in Göteborg in the summer of 2011 and increased awareness for organ donation. Our team at the time – Maria Gustafsson, Björn Kåberger, Paul Williams, Martin Lindeskog, Kristina Svensson and other fantastic co-workers. I will blog more about you in the days to come.

Follow my journey in a videoblog. High5 to you.

In August, Awoque focused its core business to social good campaigns and talks. Yesterday, I had the privlege to moderate a political debate in Kungsbacka. Awoque also started, moderated and fueled the online conversations on Twitter and Facebook. Read more (and use Google Translate) in this blog post about using your right to vote:

If you need help to monitor your brand and/or get social media consulting, please contact me at my new job. I joined the competent Scream Mediabyrå in Göteborg together with Digital Analyst Sarah Johansson from Aitellu on August 6. Together with 54 other Media Advisors, we help our clients get visibility both in traditional and digital media in Sweden.

I look forward to staying in contact on all social media for social good matters. I am still the same happy, energetic person, with more added business strengths creating a better world together with you.

I had a dream when I was 7 yrs old to change the world to a better place. My dream grew stronger for every day. Today I live my dream every day with Awoque – social media for social good – and inspire others to chase theirs. A great job, do not you think? Last week, I hade the privilege to give a lecture on Storytelling at Xelera, I told them my story, my why, that inspired my whole life, my carrier, the company I own.

photo by Henrik Johansson - Victoria Ahlén lecturing on Storytelling

Thanks to Henrik Ladström for the recording.
Part 1 on Bambuser:

photo by Henrik Johansson - Henrik Ladström recording

Part 2 on Bambuser :

Xeleras blog post (in Swedish) from the Storytelling lecture >>

Kungsbacka showed its best face ever on Saturday for the premiere of Kungsbacka365 – a project for a more active city and a triathlon for all. Awoque proudly sponsors this social good event where citizens come together and enjoy the town we live in.

If you want to participate?  The next Triathlon will take place on August 18 in downtown Kungsbacka.
Sign up on the home page for Kungbacka365>>

If you are looking for organizations to support to increase your social good account, here are two great examples of passionate involved foundations. They share the same name and do enormous amounts of social good for children.

In the US, the foundation Playing for change is dedicated to the fundamental idea that peace and change are possible through the universal language of music. They most effectively use videos posted on Vimeo and their blog to spread awareness. How can you not smile and want to get involved?

Help Connect the World Through Music from Doug Kenney on Vimeo.

In Sweden, Playing for Change is a business incubator and network for social entrepreneurs that supports social entrepreneurs who improve the lives of children and youth. They actively use social media to spread awareness both on – YouTube, Facebook and through Twitter.

At Västsvenska Handelskammarens meeting on Wednesday, I had the privilege to be inspired by Samhall‘s CEO Monica Lindegård on how companies can utilize their various services to get the work done and at the same time do social good. Samhall looks to become “the leading company in Sweden for development through employment for people with disabilities”. Samhall’s aims to offer personal development for each of the 20 000 staff members as well as the best possible service to their clients.

I strongly believe that actively and honestly utilizing/ working with Corporate Social Responsibility/Social Good will give competitive advantage to one’s opponents, increased employee satisfaction and business values. What actions are your company taking?

I encourage you to interact with Samhall on their Facebook site and check out the TV program “Chefen Undercover” (Undercover Boss) on Swedish TV4 on Monday February 6.

When we founded in August 2010, we wanted to use our talents to communicate online within social media to do social good. During 2011 we aided:

- the street magazine Faktum in their efforts to increase awareness of the homeless people in Göteborg
- socialized, told and spread hundreds of micro stories about organ transplantation/taking a stand for organ donation for World Transplant Games
- we started our own project Awoque Juniors to get youth work through their social media talents
- we followed and cheered Fredrik Toreskog´s efforts in raising 100 000 SEK for a children´s hospital
- Björn Kåberger gives many hours a week to his organization CISV

I want Awoque do more social good in 2012.

Today, I continue a tradition I started last year to give to someone else on my birthday. I had the privilege to meet a great new friend during my vacation in Sri Lanka. I want to give him and his family a increased chance of a better life by supporting his efforts to get a taxi driver´s license. I will tell you more as the project continues.

Can we be an asset to you in a social good project? Maybe your company has set CSR goals and/or support great projects around the globe that you wish to further develop? We could be a great partner. Please get in touch.

About every two weeks, I have Skype meetings with the social media team of CISV International. It is usually during the afternoon for me, so that Jerry from Guatemala does not have to get up too early, and Angela from the Philippines does not fall asleep on the keyboard. We are of different age, different chapters in life, and we live in three completely different parts of the world.

I have been a member of CISV Sweden since 2005, when I went to Lyon, France through a program called Interchange. It was the first time I ever traveled without my parents. Instead I traveled with six friends my age, a “junior counselor” and an adult leader. I lived in a French boy’s house with his mother and sister, whom I had never met before. Four weeks (two in France and two in Sweden) later, I had grown from an insecure, shy boy who never talked to girls, into being able to actually have a conversation with girls my age. And I could do it in English as well! Pretty cool, huh?

In 2010, I was elected National Junior Representative (NJR for short) for CISV Sweden. With our several hundred “juniors” (members aged 14-27), it is a huge responsibility, and of course one of the most awesome experiences I have had. As an NJR, I’m constantly keeping track of all levels of the organization, and it’s giving me insight into how an international organization with nearly 60,000 members works.

So what is CISV? To put it into the Golden Circle à la Simon Sinek, starting with why:

• The organization strives to create peace through friendship.
• We try to educate and inspire our members (and others) to take action on any level, local through global, for a more just and peaceful world.
• This is mainly carried out through projects and camps all over the world, aimed at people ages 11 and up.

CISV is one of the most important parts of me, and the energy and passion I feel while working with all my volunteer colleagues all over the world is something I rarely get anywhere else!

Typical image from a Media Team meeting

Fun fact: While the average Facebook user has 130 friends, the average CISV member on Facebook has 390 friends. That’s the power of international friendship and social media!

In our efforts to find the greatest people and the social good projects, we are proud to announce our team work with Göteborg’s street magazine Faktum. With 64 000 monthly readers and a Facebook group of nearly 7 000 fans, Faktum works to create debate and public opinion on homelessness and vulnerability.

We will start by socializing the campaign “Celebrities downtown” (Kändisar på stan) on Saturday September 24. At least 14 famous Göteborg personalities amongst them Håkan Mild, Marie Brandin, Alexandra Zazzi, Johan Trouvé, Leif Pagrotsky and Janne Josefsson will be seen from noon to 2 pm in central Göteborg selling the magazine. Where will you buy yours?

Follow the campaign and Faktum’s work on Twitter @tidningenfaktum #faktum10. We will broadcast both on YouTube and Bambuser. Stay tuned for more.