As of a few days ago, I am officially a part of Taking It Global’s Board of Directors! I couldn’t be more thrilled to work with such an amazing group of people. I’m looking forward to writing about the wide variety of initiatives that TIG is involved with. I was with Jen Corriero, TIG’s co-founder and my friend, in Egypt a few months ago for the Arab Youth Forum and engaged with the TIG community firsthand. I helped Jen hand out $30,000 in scholarships to young people who were making a positive difference in their communities. The event was really inspiring and I can’t wait to share more of my experiences.
About Taking It Global: (From the Site)
The Vision
Youth everywhere actively engaged and connected in shaping a more inclusive, peaceful and sustainable world.
Our Mission
We enable a collaborative learning community which provides youth with access to global opportunities, cross-cultural connections and meaningful participation in decision-making.
Who We Serve
We serve youth primarily between the ages of 13 to 30 through:
- an online community and initiatives that focus on enabling actively engaged youth.
- education programs geared towards middle and high school students.
What We Offer:
- Global online social network and hub for civic participation
- Content & tools for educators to facilitate rich, interactive learning experiences
- Outreach & Collaboration tools for events, networks, campaigns, and causes
- Research, development, and sharing of best practices on youth engagement
- Facilitated learning experiences through workshops, webinars, and e-courses
Why Bother?
- Global awareness and understanding across cultures is key to the future of the planet
- Student dropout and disengagement rates are at all-time highs, and costing billions in lost economic opportunities and crime
- Preventable diseases and health issues are on the rise globally, with young people often the most vulnerable and affected
So Far…
- 4 million young people reached in 2008, over 14 million since launch in 2000
- Engagement across 12 languages, and in every country and territory in the world
- Thought leadership through presenting at over 500 education, technology, development, business, and youth conferences and events
- Partnerships across sectors with over 8 U.N. agencies, dozens of international civil society organizations, several top-tier technology companies (Google, Microsoft, Adobe, Cisco, HP), and leading-edge foundations across North America.
- Global recognition from the World Economic Forum and Tech Museum of Innovation
