Kirsten Jordan
Online Community Partnership Coordinator
Taking IT Global : http://takingitglobal.org/

Kirsten talks about Taking IT Global, their mission and their programs. She also talks about engaging youth for a cause and how they have used technology with an strategic approach in creating and mobilizing their global online community.

Summary:

Taking IT Global was established in 2000 by two young people, Jennifer Corriero and Michael Furdyk. TIG mission is to involve young people in global issues and inspire them to take action, providing tools and opportunities to do so through multiple ways. Right now they have 150 000 members on an online community that brings together youth from around the world.

The website features discussion boards, member profiles, a messenger component, as well as organizational databases to locate peers and allies. Organizations working on a variety of social change issues can post professional and financial opportunities for members. They also have a global events database. Members can submit artwork to be published in a collective gallery, and there's an online magazine where they can submit their writing. Kirsten says: "Basically we are the MySpace for social good. "

TIG is involved in a number of offline programs such as Creating Local Connections Canada, a project that is creating links between youth organizations in Canada and get people participating on collective initiatives. A similar program has been launched in West Africa. Their main goal is to engage youth, inspire them, and keep them informed on what is happening around them.

One of the main ways to engage youth is to understand what makes them become interested in an issue. The way the world works now is very different than it used to, with the amount of innovation and technology coming out every day it is very important for organizations and people involved in politics to understand that to be able to communicate with youth you have to do it on a different level, and the way they connect on a peer to peer basis is also different. You really have to tap into the market that makes them want to be involved. Digital media and technology can be a big component on that.

One of the most successful uses of technology for TIG has been their project tool, available on the website, a dynamic tool that allows members to create projects and communicate with a team. Features include blogging, wiki, IM, document upload and photo albums. The integrated approach of this tool has been very successful. Kirsten says: "Discussion groups are not this dynamic, you need to be able to communicate other ways as well".