What is an Open Forum?

An opportunity to meet TIG members & other young people...
Open Forums are a great opportunity to meet with TIG members and other young people in your community. By meeting in schools, community centers, and other public venues, not only will you help strengthen the TIG network locally, but also make TakingITGlobal more relevant to young people with limited or no Internet access.

An opportunity to discuss...
Holding an Open Forum in your community provides you with a safe physical space for open discussion to reflect and express what you face in your every day life. By holding an Open Forum, youth will have the opportunity to share possible ideas on how to affect change and take action around today's major challenges: from poverty, violence, HIV/AIDS, education, cities, to environmental sustainability.

An opportunity to network & plan around...

Projects & Opportunities

Open Forums also give you an opportunity to meet and network with other TIG members, youth, and organizations involved in projects that you may be interested in knowing more about and get involved with. Coming together can help generate ideas as to planning presentations, starting a project, fundraising and much more!

When holding an Open Forum, make sure to check out what projects and opportunities are available for young people in your community. Check out the List of Open Forum Partner Organizations (OFPOs) to find out how you can get involved!

TIG's Monthly Themes

When planning an Open Forum, visit TakingITGlobal's Monthly Theme to get informed on one major global challenge and on ways that you and Open Forum participants can take action around this issue. Check out TIG's current theme!

Major Global Campaigns & Events

Keep in mind that there are a lot of issues to mobilize around! Open Forums also give you and other young people the opportunity to strategize around some of the major campaigns and events taking place worldwide around events like...

• Millennium +5 Summit
• World Summit on the Information Society

How many participants should attend an Open Forum?

Open Forums can range from 10 to 50 young people. TakingITGlobal is committed to creating a space that facilitates the participation and contribution of all participants.

To be as inclusive as possible, TIG recommends the organizer(s) of the Open Forum help facilitate discussion by helping all participants engage with one another, through workgroups or discussion groups for example. If speakers are invited to present on specific issues, it is recommended that they use about 25% of the total time allocated to an Open Forum, since they should act as catalyzers for discussion.

Do you need funding and space for the Open Forum?

TakingITGlobal does not provide funding to support activities related to the Open Forum before, during and/or after the Open Forum, unless funding has been specifically allocated under one of TIG's programs.

However, TIG encourages you to approach youth-led or youth-friendly organizations in your country that may be affiliated with networks like those linked to the Global Youth Action Network (GYAN) that may be willing to support your Open Forum through any of the following:

• obtaining or providing space at no cost
• obtaining or providing refreshments and snacks at no cost
• covering transportation costs for participants

Check out the list of Open Forum Partner Organizations in your country!

Are you affiliated with an organization interested in supporting Open Forums? If the answer is yes, TakingITGlobal suggests that you first read the Benefits and Guidelines for partner organizations. Then fill out the Application Form and please email it to: openforums@takingitglobal.org

Do you need to promote the Open Forum?

TakingITGlobal provides you with a virtual space and technology tools on its platform to promote your Open Forum. By submitting a proposal to hold an Open Forum, you will be able to:

• create a discussion board on the event
• set up a TIG group for participants
• print out and distribute a flyer on your Open Forum sent to you via email
• upload documents and photos on the Open Forum
• submit a closure report and share the outcome of the Open Forum with the TIG online community!

Do you need ideas and resources to facilitate the Open Forum?

You can view the Open Forums Archive to see what other members have done!

You can also download:

• TIG's Guide to Facilitating an Open Forum (0.15 kb)
• TIG Workshop Kit (3.93 mb)
• TIG's Guide to Action (0.51 kb)

Now... would you like to hold an Open Forum in your community? Submit a proposal!