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Jen's Journal
Jen's Journal


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An update on what I've been up to...
Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

I have a really difficult time writing progress reports - because I feel that there are sooOOO many levels that define progress...over the past few months, I have been using this tool to remind me of what I've been doing and how I've been spending large chunks of my time - but I'm not sure if I am able to accurately articulate the actual outcomes of the things that I do from the meetings I have etc. etc.

It's defiantly a challenge - especially when SOOO much progress is being made...and there is a TON to follow-up on...

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Here's an attempt at defining the key areas that I have been focusing on lately:

- FUNDRAISING - working with andy to devleop a framework for fundraising efforts (this involves working on draft overview documents, researching potential funding bodies and also includes organizing my personal contacts - getting business cards scanned and organized in microsoft outlook so that I am ready to send regular updates to potential partners, clients, mentors etc.)

- OPERATIONS - working with mike on getting operational aspects of TIG in place (software **for those that don't know - Microsoft has given TIG an in-kind donation of $25,000 worth of MS Software!) hardware, by-laws, accounting, server hosting, trillium logistics, insurance (especially for HRDC funding), getting the office organized & cleaned (old computers need to get out!)

- INTERNATIONAL STRATEGY - working with michelle and the rest of our current core team to develop our 'International Strategy' that will help to effectively engage (inspire, inform and involve) our youth reps and members from our 170 countries...this includes thinking around how to launch country sites

- TO WORKSHOP SERIES - working with maria, karis & ashley on coordinating the Toronto Workshop series (ensuring that we have facilitators & panelists booked and prepared, writing the press release with charly and developing a media contact list for promotions, meeting with potential marketing reps and those interested in supporting the workshop series, helping to draft workshop agenda's and helping people think about what activites are most appropriate for each workshop)

- SUMMER ACTION PLAN DEVELOPMENT - working with TO team members to devleop individual Work Plans and to develop an overall Summer Action Plan in order to ensure that our 'staff / interns and full-time volunteers' have a meaningful impact and experience at TIG this summer! We are going to have a pretty full office this summer and I really want to ensure that people are clear and excited about their roles as part of the team...

- PROJECT MANAGEMENT - helping to manage external projects and partnerships including technology development for the Youth Employment Summit, the Ontario Young People's Alliance, Classroom Connections, Sunnybrook and Women's hospital, YMCA's Youth Employment Website, Ax-Sis, Cre-8-tv

- STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS - having discussions and devleoping draft 'letters of agreement' with potential strategic partners including RCMP's deal.org and VTV

- UPDATING PARTNERS SECTION OF SITE - working with martin on re-vamping the partners & co-branding section of our site (more to come on this soon!)

- SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS - responding to many speaking requests (for both local and global events) from people asking me to share perspectives on the role of young people / the role of innovative technology / effective youth engagmenet / the impact of online communities / the importance of cross-sector partnerships / youth perspectives on sustainable development & other world issues etc. (upcoming events include speaking at the National Youth Summit in Washington DC which is being run by the US Government's Family and Youth Services Division, then speaking to people from Credit Unions in Peurto Rico..in July, I have been asked to speak to a local group of Chinese youth who are learning about entrepreneruship and will be attending the World Youth Jam as a delegate in August. I hope to go to Ghana for the August 31st conference that our members are running and have been invited to speak at the Stockholm Challenge in October during the innovation and entrepreneurship session. I will be attending the GLT summit in Geneva, Switzerland in September and have also been invited to speak in Hong Kong this December at ITU TELECOM ASIA 2002...phew! Not sure if I will be able to attend all of the above mentioned events - but they are things that I have been invited to and am MOST interested in participating in!

- PARTICIPATION AT YES - having conversations with the Youth Employment Summit about TIG's role at the summit (so far TIG will have a booth at the Innovation Fair and will be able to hold two 'meetings' that are part of the Open Sessions at the summit (which will provide us with an opportunity to connect with our members!) There is potential funding for TIG to send representatives to the summit. I have already been asked to speak on the first day - to launch the Global Knowledge Resource (because I am part of the organizing committee) and Mike has been asked to come and arrive early in order to help set-up the internet café and other tech. aspects of the summit.

- PROMOTING A CULTURE OF PEACE CONTINUATION - working with sush to finish off the promoting a culture of peace contest that was held at st. joan of arc (run by Vittoria La Neve's younger sister)!!! We are creating cards with the winning submissions for Nancy to give to supporting teachers / staff and students :)

- DEVELOPING A FRAMEWORK FOR TIG YOUTH DAY - working with Rana from Pakistan on developing TIG Youth Day

- SUPPORTING TEAMS IN AFRICA - working with Ezekiel from Ghana, Jerry from Nigeria and Alex from Cameroon on how TIG is developing in their country (providing a lot of advice / feedback / support / trying to connect them to resources and devleop a greater understanding for the challenges they are facing etc.)

- ENGAGING VOLUNTEERS - trying to encourage and support new members / volunteers that want to get involved and have great enthusiasm and ideas (ie: karam, adam dexter, lisa, ian)

- RESPONDING TO E-MAILS - responding to approximately 50-100 e-mails addressed to me personally (daily)...this can get tough - especially with a broken finger!!

- ALLOWING FOR CREATIVE OUTLETS - constantly coming up with new and innovative ideas on how we can improve what we are doing - how we can further engage and involve our members - how our mission can be best carried out - how we can have a greater impact

- SCHOOL - doing my readings for the summer course I am taking on business ethics (and of course doing assignments!)

- FITNESS - working out at least 3 times a week to keep my body in balance and to channel my physical energy

- COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT - I am a volunteer for the learning partnership's entrepreneruial adventure program which means that I help a grade 7 class with their newspaper project! (I speak to the class and facilitate discussions)

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Sunday June 16
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- Happy Father's day to all of your dads :) today was a family day for me...it was my cousin's christening so we had all our family together on my mom's side and since I'm away over my birthday (June 27) - we had a cake today (just a few weeks early)...which was kinda nice...and also kinda sad - cause I'll be away from my family for my b-day... :(

- developed an in-depth response to karam's draft partnership proposal to UNESCO's Virtual World Heritage Project

- FINALLY wrote an intro and launched that 'life in Afghanistan' article

- sent info. to nick about developing a proposal for TIG Ghana (that will be given to CIDA)

- worked on my progress report

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Saturday June 15
*****************

- worked on progress report

- had a philosophical discussion with Jarra about the meaning of life ;)

- develop a list of members in TO who have filled out their interests in their profile

- develop a checklist outline to be filled out for each workshop in the TO series

- 45 min phone call with Ezekiel about progress made in Ghana (he is organizing a conference on August 15th)

- got a flat tire!! Ugh.

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Friday June 14
*****************

- developed concepts around how leverage the Toronto team to further engage and involve the global community

- supposed to have a meeting with Nikisha (got cancelled) - spent a few hours in Second Cup working on e-mails

- meet with Doug about facilitating the 'develop your leadership potential' workshop

- meeting with Jacqueline from YMCA about youth employment site we are developing for them and about workshops in the fall (we will likely run 2 workshops at a different location in the GTA each month

- chat with poonam about the youth employment summit and TIG's role in the summit (we will have a booth and will run 2 TIG meetings throughout the summit)

- meeting with Andy about fundraising (review PowerPoint document describing TIG program areas)


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Thursday June 13
*****************

- lunch with aunt mary at York U

- meeting with professor David wheeler about doing an independent study at YorkU next year in the area of business and sustainable development

- meeting with cousin Joey at York U (check out the centre for vision research / discuss designing a survey to understand how our members value TIG)

- Connect to Your Career workshop!! Michelle - you did a super job as the coordinator (Ian and John are amazing speakers)

- kung fu club (ran on the treadmill)

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Wednesday June 12
*****************

- Entrepreneurial Adventure Showcase at the First Canadian Place (got to check out all the businesses that 5 - 12 year olds are creating as part of school projects...I was a volunteer mentor for a grade 7 class that created school newspapers! I got to help them talk about their project and will be speaking to their class on Monday...I also purchased products that several kids have created (candies, a picture frame, stickers, notebook and a book of poetry that has been written by 11 year olds based on stories shared from holocaust survivors...

- war child meeting (invited by Chris, one of our members) who is starting something called worldhappiness.com

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Tuesday June 11
*****************

- work from home on e-mails / catching up on phone calls

- kung fu club (worked out in weight room / treadmill etc.)

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Monday June 10
*****************

- missed meeting with Andy & staff meeting due to need for some sleep

- 1 hour phone call with Alex from Cameroon about recent progress and challenges

- connect to your career workshop planning with Michelle

- help from Michelle from 6pm - midnight - typing up e-mails - organizing files on desk

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Sunday June 9
*****************

- was in the emergency room at the hospital from 10:30pm - 5am (I have a broken finger - middle finger on my right hand)

- completed assignment for school

- meeting with Mirella @ A Stroke of Art Inspirational Art Studios (to discuss July 21 creativity workshop/retreat)

- spent the day shopping with my mom :)

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Saturday June 8
*****************

- broke finger in karate class

- meeting with Amanda for a few hours (gave each other an update on where we are at)

- got help from mike (unable to type assignment for school)

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Friday June 7
*****************

- meeting with John (current President of AIESEC Canada) about potential partnership opportunities

- meeting with Karam about TIG (discussed potential ways he could get involved)

- meeting with Andy regarding fundraising progress

- meeting with karis' co-op teacher (final meeting!) to discuss how amazing karis is :)

- adam dexter arrives in the afternoon for meetings

- TIG Vibe meeting with approx 10 people!! Many brilliant ideas were shared...check out TIG vibe in the projects system
http://projects.takingitglobal.org/TIGvibe

- TIG International Strategy Meeting

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Thursday June 6
*****************

- work from home

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Wednesday June 5
*****************

- use card scan to add over 200 contacts to outlook (from business cards collected)

- phone call with Alex from Cameroon

- meeting about taking it local with Michelle (develop framework for action)

- share strategy with mike, Jarra, martin

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Tuesday June 4
*****************

- global youth voices presentation (group at U of T)

- work with susheela on presentation

- kung fu

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Monday June 3
*****************

- the hunger project

- Canadian social entrepreneurship network meeting

- meeting with Sunnybrook

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Sunday June 2
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- focus on school work

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Saturday June 1
*****************

- focus on school work

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Friday May 31
*****************

- susheela's co-op breakfast at Graydon Memorial High School

- meeting with Jarra about summer work plan

- meeting with Tracey Erin Smith

- meeting with charly about Press Release for TIG Workshop Series

- meeting with Heather from classroom connections (promoting peace)

- TakingITLocal discussion with staff

- worked at office until 9pm on scanning in business cards and adding them to outlook


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Thursday May 30
*****************

- spoke at Making IT Work for Volunteers conference

- attended conference sessions - connected with people

- karis' workshop - Daily Life Revamped: A Collage

- kung fu class

- dinner with club :)


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Wednesday May 29
*****************

- Round Table for the World Summit on the Information Society - hosted by UNESCO

- quick rollerblade

- respond to approx 100 e-mails (worked with mike, martin and Jarra till 2am!)

- prepare for presentation - discuss the key themes / slides


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Tuesday May 28
*****************

- respond to over 100 e-mails of people who are interested in getting involved with workshop series

- flight to Ottawa

- meeting with Richard from CIDA

- dinner meeting with pat and fran from deal.org (RCMP youth initiative)

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Monday May 27
*****************

- complete flyers for Toronto Workshop Series (finalize text and design)

- created excel spreadsheet list of workshops, facilitators, time / date / room #

- based on charly's initial compiled list of media contacts - created excel spreadsheet of media contacts (with e-mail / phone / key contact etc.) for the following media: CKLN 88.1 FM Radio CIUT 89.5 FM CHRY 105.5 FM Kiss FM Edge 102.1 FM The Flow 93.5FM Toronto Community News Young People's Press Excal - york's student
Catch Da Flava
SUN Newspaper
Toronto Star
City TV (Ontario)
City TV's - Cityline
Global TV News (Ontario)
TV Ontario
COMMUNITY WEB-SITES

- send out e-mails to key contacts in TO - to get promotions for workshop series ~ Libraries (karis will contact) ~ Community Centres (maria will contact) ~ student federations (in collges and universities - huss will contact) ~ ontario ministry of education (through Tony d.) ~ TDSB (guidance councillor heads - through Susan) ~ Classroom Connections - schools across Ontario ~ Ontario guidance councillors association
~ the learning partnership's round table on technology (entire list of members) ~ party program - teachers who have registered in the past ~ Ontario science centre (alumni students from OSCSS and OSClub) ~ trustee for TDSB (elizabeth moyer) ~ women in motion - network of teachers (akela) ~ motivational speakers (their network of teachers - stuart knight, sunjay) ~ YMCA - jacqueline (to be sent out to marketing reps) / cc'd laura palmer korn ~ YMCA - jill / dianne (YLC's) ~ SHAD - asked if they would send it out through shad fly...

- ensure that auto-e-mail is sent to all TIG members in Ontario inviting them to participate in workshop series / http://toronto.takingitglobal.org goes live thanks to jarra and mike!!

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Sunday May 26
*****************

- business ethics homework (MEGA BEHIND!)


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Saturday May 25
*****************

- karate class

- spent afternoon / evening with a good friend from high school / gained new insights, ideas & perspectives

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Friday May 24
*****************

- meeting with Andy about fundraising - develop TIG Program Areas further (discuss TIG's focus / value-add in each of the areas)

- working session with charly - develop initial framework for press release / answer basic questions

- phone call with writers of 'stone soup for the teenage world'

- weight training

- dinner with dad and brother :)

- hang with Vittoria, Jarra, martin, mike (last minute visit before ITALY!)


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Thursday May 23
*****************

- wake up at 4:30am - go to airport (thanks to hafsat for driving!)

- 6:30 flight

- 9am advisory meeting with Women In Motion to discuss the 'Career Discovery' project funded by the Ministry of Citizenship

- staff meeting in the afternoon

- work on responses to e-mails

- prepare list of potential facilitators and panellists for the workshop series (especially 'experience entrepreneurship' / 'develop your leadership potential' / 'get involved and take action' / 'preparing for the changing workplace' etc.

- Youth in ACTion workshop - run by Megan - very few people came to the workshop outside of TIG coordinators - which is BADness - realization that mega marketing strategies need to be put in place!


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Wednesday May 22
*****************

- early wake-up!

- spoke at session about the recovery of the economy - powerful question and responses!

- presentation in front of people from US Government's Youth and Family Services division - with regards to National Youth Summit

- GLT Dinner - listen to US Congressman

- GLT after-party networking at GLT's house

- sleepover at hafsat's house :)

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Tuesday May 21
*****************

- early wake-up

- World Economic Forum's USA meeting (sessions about...)

- meeting with International Youth Foundation

- WEF meetings

- discussion with Poonam (Summit Director - YES) about upcoming needs

- work session

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Monday May 20
*****************

- meeting with Danielle from the World Bank

- world economic forum - USA meeting 'nightcap'


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Sunday May 19
*****************

- afternoon with harry from US gov - family and youth services - walked around DC

- evening dinner with poonam and dennis from YES

- working session

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Saturday May 18
*****************

- karate class

- go to washington dc (jen goes through balitmore)


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Friday May 17
*****************

- Meeting / working session with Andy (fundraising)

- conference call with jerry from nigeria

- meeting with Jacqueline about youth employment website for YMCA of greater Toronto

- meeting with charly - about marketing and promotions for workshop series

- orientation / personal training session at workout club


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Thursday May 16
*****************

INNOVERSITY - moderate 'generation diverse' panel

- attend media 101 creative summit



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Wednesday May 15
*****************

- 7am wake up and drive to Kitchener (with martin) for guidance in motion conference

- cocktail reception at CTV for innoversity

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Tuesday May 14
*****************

- add 200 contacts / business cards to outlook through cardscan!!

- preparation for phone call with jerry from nigeria

- kung fu class

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Monday May 13
*****************

- Meeting at TLP offices with Mark - coordinator of Round Table on Technology (help develop guide / manual for co-op teacher training program

- meeting with Judith about hampshiredesign.com

- staff meeting

- meeting with charly about promoting TIG's workshop series

- karate class