TakingITGlobal: Inspire, Inform, Involve

TIGLink
September 2012
Partners, Supporters & Friends Newsletter

We join Microsoft as a Strategic Partner in YouthSpark, celebrate AYV Aspire Award winners, and launch Commit2Act, our first Mobile App.

   The Latest

Help TIG Join GlobalGiving!

TakingITGlobal is participating in this month's Global Giving Open Challenge! This fundraising competition gives us the chance to become a permanent member of the GlobalGiving website, which provides social entrepreneurs and non-profits around the world a significant opportunity to fundraise for their work. Since 2002, GlobalGiving has raised more than $70 million from over 250,000 donors in support of 6,118 projects.

In order for TIG to earn a permanent spot on GlobalGiving, we need to raise $4,000 from 50 donors by the end of September to support our project: scholarships for educators in developing countries to participate in our professional development e-courses. Halfway through the challenge, we have already raised over $2,000 from 22 generous donors -- enough to support 8 scholarships -- but need another $2,000 from 28 donors to succeed in the challenge and become a GlobalGiving member.

We hope you will consider supporting us in this effort with a donation of $20 or more. As the criteria include not only overall funds raised but also the number of donors, even a small donation would be a considerable help. You can also support us by spreading the word to your friends, family, and colleagues through Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Pinterest, and help us win the prize for the project with the most shares.

While you're at it, you could also spread the word that e-course registration is now open for Empowering Student Voice in Education (starting October 11), and Education for Environmental Stewardship (starting October 9). Scholarships are available for educators in underprivileged schools and countries. We appreciate you sharing this opportunity with the educators in your life.

Thank you for your support!

   Recognition



TakingITGlobal co-founders Jennifer Corriero and Michael Furdyk were recognized in the #1 spot in 10 Most Outstanding Young Canadians, a new publication from Scholastic aimed at Middle School students.

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 TakingITGlobal

Strategic Partnership with Microsoft YouthSpark

On Thursday September 20, TakingITGlobal's Executive Director Jennifer Corriero joined Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and EVP Brad Smith to announce Microsoft YouthSpark, a new companywide initiative to create opportunities for 300 million youth through a range of global programs.

We are working together on Microsoft Innovate for Good, a network bringing together youth supported by Microsoft around the world with our online community expertise and social innovation programming, providing them with training and grants to grow and launch their ideas.

Ballmer says "We believe that working with our partners we can help empower young people to change their world, and we are committed to using our technology, talent, time and resources to do that."

Also launched is Give for Youth, a portal showcasing microprojects that support youth capacity-building around the world. Microsoft is matching the first $200,000 of donations through the site - with $100,000 already being donated in the first 12 hours! Your donation to projects supporting our members could be matched if you act fast.

TakingITGlobal applauds this historic commitment from Microsoft and is thrilled to have been selected a key partner in bringing it to life!

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Back to School News from TIGed

It has been a busy summer for the TIGed program! Here are some of the highlights:

In July, we partnered with Promethean, Cisco, and Peace One Day to hold the first ever Education Fast Forward debate with students as panelists. "From Learner Voice to Global Peace" explored the challenges and potential of learner voice, with a focus on conflict reduction and resolution. If you missed the debate, you can still watch it online!

In August, the 2012 WISE Awards finalists were announced. The WISE Awards were developed to identify, showcase and promote innovative educational projects from all sectors and regions of the world to inspire change in education. TIG is honoured to be amongst the 24 finalists selected by the pre-jury, and congratulates this year's 6 winners!

And, at the end of August, TIGed Program Officer Sara Hassan presented at the Youth Forum of the 18th Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers in Port Louis, Mauritius. Learn more about TIG's involvement in the conference through the TIGed blog.

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Our First Mobile App: Launched & Getting Noticed

We recently launched a mobile app designed to help small actions have a big impact! The Commit2Act app makes it easy for users to take on world-changing commitments, track their progress, and connect with others inspired to make a difference through everyday actions. From September 15 to December 15th, users of the app can participate in a contest to win prizes rewarding them for taking regular actions.

Use of Commit2Act was featured as a best practice during a Cisco-enabled youth teleconference held earlier this month. During the event, 12 youth across 9 countries came together to discuss how mobile technologies are being used to bring about much needed change, with a focus on our climate.

Commit2Act is made possible by the support of an Anonymous donor in partnership with Active Philanthropy.

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Adobe Youth Voices Aspire Awards

In June, incredible young leaders received Adobe Youth Voices Aspire Awards in recognition of the media they produced to raise awareness about issues in their communities. TIG's Francisco Pereira had the opportunity to congratulate the contest's first place finalists - who created "Cambio Jovenes" -- in person when he traveled to Mexico, as part of the Prize Patrol.

More excitement followed in August when 27 talented educators from around the world met at Adobe's Headquarters to undertake hands-on training designed around the specific challenges faced by educators working with youth and media. Through LEAD Educators training, the group worked together for a week, building project concepts while sharing experiences and best practices gained through the Adobe Youth Voices program.

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Youth Movements: Driving Research & Initiatives

We are excited to have recently released On collaboration, a series of white papers building on discussions from the 2012 Youth Movements summit. The papers cover trends in the not-for-profit sector relating to funding and the financial crisis, interdisciplinary perspectives on collaboration, discussions of the Digital Divide, and mentorship and collaboration models.

Earlier in 2012, we also launched Initiatives a set of powerful online tools supporting youth-led and youth-serving campaigns, projects, taskforces, and ideas. TakingITGlobal thanks the Knight Foundation for their support of the Youth Movements program.

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Singing Out for Children's Rights

We are delighted to be partnering on a concert by children's singer, entertainer, and advocate, Raffi Cavoukian, at Toronto's Roy Thomson Hall on December 2. The performance is being organized to raise awareness about the importance of children's early years and to promote children's rights as outlined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Proceeds will go to support the Centre for Child Honouring, a non-profit organization founded by Raffi to advance child honouring as a universal ethic and unifying principle for societal transformation.

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Until next time...

We hope you enjoyed this edition of the TIGlink newsletter. Each edition contains updates on our exciting projects, stories from TIG youth around the world on how they're improving their communities, and features on our partnerships with you.

Want to learn more or share information about TakingITGlobal's programs? Our About Us section has everything you need!

TIG Logo In friendship,
The TakingITGlobal Team