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Jen's Journal
Jen's Journal


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NOV Progress
Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

I won't be in the office much this week, and had limited time in the office last week - so i thought i'd write another update report so everyone knows what i am up to.

i'm feeling kinda tired...trying to get over a cold - and also excited about being over with classes for a few weeks!! (tomorrow is my last 'class' for 2002) as much as i know there is 'value' in school - i'm feeling really stretched at the moment...

anyway - i'm also trying to cope with the whole exam thing - but every time i try to study - i seem to gain new insights and totally new ideas of things that we can do to enhance our efforts - which really isn't the best thing to be doing in terms of 'academic focus' - but i am getting through this - somehow...

i think i'll try to be like those cho-cho trains i used to read about in story books...."i think i can...i think i can..."

anyway - here's my update (thurs/fri of this week is what i have in my schedule & will likely do if things go as planned - but is obviously subject to change ;)

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Friday November 29
**********************

~ 8am meeting with HP Canada to discuss education proposal
~ YCDO.net conference call to discuss status on the project
~ noon - luncheon at the Royal Bank - for fundraiser (METRAC)
~ Prepare for National Congress of Italian Canadians Award Dinner (I am receiving the Youth Achievement Award)
~ attend dinner

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Thursday November 28
**********************

~ HRDC youth advisory meeting at Youth Inc.(Youth Resource Centre)
~ conference call with Dean of Faculty of Management at McGill regarding a 'management award' that someone has apparently nominated me for...
~ conference call with PeaceChild
~ need to renew library books!
~ communication in organizations - lecture will be about the "PROFESSIONAL BUREAUCRACY" & exam overview.
~ meeting downtown with company interested in working with us to develop a proposal for 'translations' of TIG :)

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Wednesday November 27
**********************

~ 9am conference call with Terri and Maja about YCDO.net progress (sent out notes)
~ 10am conference call with Leon - discussing World Youth Forum concepts & NetOrganiX
~ call McGill and arrange conference call for tomorrow
~ meet with Dean of Faculty of Environmental Studies (we discussed their Masters Program which is cool as they are very 'individualized & interdisciplinary' and their students are known for being 'passionate & committed' - each student gets to create their own "plan of study" which gets approved by an academic advisor...i realy like the whole approach...
~ meeting with joey (Masters student who also teaches a stats course) to get feedback on the Role of youth Survey that I want to send out...
~ print out jonah's massive doc. Including researching on youth org's & movements
~ write this progress report

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Tuesday November 26
**********************

~ prepare for presentation (powerpoint slides etc.) & study for exam
~ wrote out 'survey questions' for the Role of Youth Survey - and sent it out to people for feedback
~ call National Congress of Italian Canadians to sort out details for Friday night
~ presentation to teachers about how to 'foster leadership' and went through the TIG Guide to Action - so that they can use it as a resource in their peer leadership and support course. I also invited them to sign up for TakingITGlobal's Student Leadership Program (in the hopes that we'll get more 'high school' students at the TIG office!
~ wrote cultural geography exam. Ugh. It was a bad experience - because I studied very hard - but the wrong material :(
~ 11pm conference call with Dumi
~ quick check-in call with mike
~ missed evening conference call with michelle

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Monday November 25
**********************

Happy birthday nick!

~ meeting with Chris Chopick regarding TIG Solutions - which is essentially the technology development aspect of TIG. Talked about our key offerings: Network Manage, Site Manage, Event Manage & Chapter Manage - which are all tied into a community platform. He is working on a proposal & plan to raise funds for development so that we can grow our capacity and better market these offerings to organizations in the youth space.
~ AOL Time Warner Conference call - brief
~ created 1-pager for AOL highlighting TIG's key programs (sent out to staff)
~ printed out and spent time reading through AOL's funding priorities
~ conference call with nick (update on meetings/progress etc.)
~ late night at the office - working on e-mails
~ up very late studying for exam (with study budy) - who I met at 9pm at york

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sunday November 24
**********************

~ study for cultural geography exam
~ prepared handout and sign-up form for the TIG Youth Leadership Program

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Saturday November 23
**********************

~ was supposed to attend TYC anti-oppression workshop but spent time catching up on work.
~ completed FINAL major art assignment
~ spent time working with mike on the Operational Plan for TIG (developing budget / priorities etc.)
~ saw James Bond with mike, jarra and joseph (my brother)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Friday November 22
**********************

~ meeting with the Impact Group - shared TIG progress, partners etc. we met at ontario's innovation challenge
~ gathered supplies & went to townhouse to set-up for Strategy meeting

Goals of meeting:
:: to have a day to bond as a team
:: to take a ‘pulse’ check of current TIG progress & commitments
:: to assess how the TIG.org online community and how to enrich the experience to ensure each member is ‘inspired, informed & involved’
:: to discuss and strategize how we ensure the growth and sustainability of TakingITGlobal (especially the Online
Community)

Although we didn't follow this timeline too rigidly - I feel like we covered everything, met our broad objectives and had some fun :) our group 'visual interpretation of the future of TIG' is displayed on our wall in the computer lab!

12:30 – arrive and get settled
12:45 - Amanda leads a teambuilding activity
1:00 – the impact of TIG
In your experience at TIG, highlight the most powerful / meaningful effects that you have seen TIG have
2:00 – quick pulse check
What do we need to maintain our current programs and project commitments
2:30 – Karam Presentation of ‘Competitive Analysis’
3:00 – PIZZA & ACTIVITY!
Create an artistic representation of what TIG will be in the future.
4:00 – The Online Community Experience: Present the Challenge
4:05 – Martin: Presentation & brief discussion of proposed concept
4:25 – Reggie: Presentation & brief discussion of proposed strategy
4:45 - Jennifer: Present Future TIG.org Program Area Opportunities
5:00 – Discussion and Creation of Future Scenario’s
How do we ensure that each member of TIG is inspired, informed & involved in some way, as a result of interacting or being part of TakingITGlobal?
What are the key things we need to do in order to maintain & sustain the TIG Online Community?
Enhancements to the way we work, ie. As an organization, with new staff, new interns, lots of travel, communications etc
5:40 – Presentation of Scenario’s & Discussion
6:15 – wrap-up & next steps
6:30 – break
7:30 – movie (dvd on projector)
Maybe people can bring some ‘food’ for a pot-luck dinner??!!

~ typed up and sent out notes from the meeting


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thursday November 21
**********************

~ confernece call with mandy (check in on status of projects)
~ conference call with Jennifer Bell - Chief of Staff at Ministry of Enterprise, Opportunity and Innovation. Set up in-person meeting so that they can discuss all their programs.
~ write an 8-page draft document (based on past progress reports) about past conferences & events that we have attended & presented at in the past year
~ communication in organizations lecture - learn about the stages in organizational growth
~ Public Policy Forum - dinner - at the Royal Bank table - listen to Pamela Wallen present

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wednesday November 20
**********************

~ conference call with Youth Employment Summit (Poonam) - to discuss priorities
~ brief conference call with Heather (McDonalds Lawyer - reschedule)
~ communication in organizations tutorial (learn about the "MACHINE BUREAUCRACY")
~ study for cultural geography exam
~ art class (still life painting) - wow - I'm enjoying all this new art!! Look forward to adding it to the gallery :)


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tuesday November 19
**********************

Attend Canada’s Innovation Summit all day
~ meet Minister Allan Rock
~ during final plenary, felt frustrated because the final action plan does not reflect needs of youth. statement that I am ‘lobbying’ to have included:
~ “support and engage youth as stakeholders and a source of innovation”

Back at the office:
~ Meeting with translations company
~ Meet with maria – discuss workshop report
~ Meet with Elvira – discuss protocol for workshops
~ Brief chat w/ martin – sunnybrook – partyprogram.com is live
~ Meet with reggie – discuss country site strategy
~ Financial statements - sign


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Monday November 18
**********************

~ Meet with chris chopick (re: TIG Solutions)
~ Meet with andy (re: fundraising)
~ Create draft agenda for Friday’s meeting
~ Meeting with Charles Coffey (VP Royal Bank) disucss career edge
~ Dinner: Canada’s Innovation Summit
~ meeting with Charlie Coffey at the Royal Bank
~ Innovation Summit dinner (hear Jean Cretien speak)
~ preparations for Friday's Strategy Meeting

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I am working on my 'thesis' which is about 'youth engagement' [title: Influencing Global Governance; Youth, Technology and Cultur] and I would like to send a survey out to our members to assist in my 'qualitative' research. I would also like to be able to use this survey to test assumptions and to provide stronger input into the WSIS process (for the youth caucus) - and to strengthen what we say about youth (in terms of their role, their hopes, the challenges they face etc.) at conferences & events etc.

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The Role of Youth - Survey

Goals:
To understand how youth can be effective as 'stakeholders'
For youth to have a stronger voice into WSIS process
Suggestions/ideas for relevance of TIG online community
TIG has assumptions of key challenges/barriers

Assumptions to test:
There is a relatively negative view of youth - having a passive role in society Technology has had a significant impact on the role of youth over time Young people want to make a difference in society
Challenges youth face (lack of access, 3i's, participation in decision-making etc.) How young people feel about the information society & their role in it

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Need to explain the purpose of the study - do we say that their names will not be used??? Or do we provide an option (box) that says they DO or DO NOT want their names to be used (I will look at UofT's research
policy)

In terms of motivating people to fill out the survey -> maybe we call it the 'holiday season survey' (like last year) - and that as of January 1st - we will draw 10 entries - and they will receive TakingITGlobal mouse pads?! Maybe 3 more get t-shirts?

Must-fill out:

Name
E-mail
Address
Gender
Age
City, Country

Are you a student? (yes)/(no) if so, what school ________________
Do you have a job? (yes)/(no) if so, where do you work ______________ Are you a volunteer? (yes)/(no) if so, at what organization(s) ________







1. When you hear the world 'youth', what words and images come to mind?

(one word/phrase per box)

_________
_________
_________
_________
_________

1b) How do you define 'youth' or young people?

age range
ideology/frame of mind
their role in society

please explain your selection

2. How do you view the role of young people in your society/community?

(check max of 3-5)

Students
Citizens
Children
Consumers
Workers
Mentors
Role Models
Trend-Setters
Activists
Victims
Leaders
Technologists
Volunteers
Artists
Soldiers
Innovators
Peace-keepers
Delinquents
Employees
Entrepreneurs

Other ______________
______________
______________

3. Do you think that the role of young people has changed throughout time? If so, how?

In the Past....
(if you can provide examples of specific people who were influential as youth in the past, please do so)

Today...
4. What are some of the key issues and interests of youth in your community? (check max of 3)

Arts
Business and Entrepreneurship
Children and Youth
Community
Education
Employment
Environment
Foundations and Fundraising Coalitions
Globalization
Health
HIV and AIDS
Human Rights
ICTs and Digital Opportunities
Leadership
Media
Music
Peace
Political Action
Religion
Social Action
Social Justice
Sports
Sustainable Development
Technology
Travel
Volunteering

Other ______________
______________
______________


5. What challenges and barriers do youth face in your community? (please select max of 3)

Lack of motivation
Lack of awareness
Lack of opportunity
Lack of access
Lack of inspiration
Lack of information
Lack of involvement
Lack of continuity
Lack of mainstream support
Lack of communication
Lack of participation in decision-making

Other ______________
______________
______________



6. Do you think that it is important for young people to be able to participate in decision-making?

Yes
No

If so, what kind of decision making and on what levels? If not, why not?


7. Can you provide two examples of how a young person (whether it be yourself or someone you know) was effective at having a meaningful impact in some way - within your community. Please include why the young person was effective.

Example/story 1




Example/story 2



8. What do young people need in order to be effective?

(one thought/idea per box)

_________________
_________________
_________________
_________________
_________________


9) What is an information society? How do you define it?



10) How relevant is it for youth to be part of? How is it going to or does it impact on everyone's life?


11) What kind of tools and services should be part of it?


12) How can those tools / servics be accessed? What are the main obstacles to accessing them?

13) Do you think that the internet has had an impact on the role of young people in society? Yes/no If so, please explain and provide an example.

14) Do you think that websites like TakingITGlobal make your internet experience more relevant and meaningful? Yes/no?